RandomNPC – Video Game RPG Reviews, Editorials, and Features

In one of the least expected announcements in recent memory, Valkyria Chronicles will be getting a PC release. Sega confirmed via Twitter that the PS3 SRPG is indeed being ported to PC, following a listing on European ratings site PEGI. No details have been given at this time, though the tweet indicated that more news was “coming soon.”

Hit it, boys.

Or so we’re supposed to think, I guess. Hey, everybody! We’re on time this week! Let’s not dawdle, here’s what’s going on:

• Microsoft unveils the Surface, a powerful new tablet with a keyboard cover that may cost $800-$1000 we’ll discuss price later
• Nintendo shows off a new, bigger 3DS with a longer battery life, possibly at the expense of the whole ‘portable’ thing.
• Persona 4: The Golden gives Vita sales a shot in the arm.  Good game Sony, now you just need, oh, another couple dozen of those.
• A week after EA’s Origin pointman says they won’t be offering “going out of business” deep discounts, Origin offers deep discounts.  EA GOING OUT OF BUSINESS FULL STORY AT 11
• Squenix might bring Final Fantasy VII to Steam, if only they could get it to work.  Meanwhile, Final Fantasy XI continues to print money.
• Sega launches a browser-based card game for Valkyria Chronicles, to be depicted in the TBS miniseries, “How to Ruin Everything Beautiful in This World.”
• Blizzard suspends digital Diablo III sales briefly to combat goldfarmers, another Capcom fighting game veteran leaves for greener pastures, and more!

Continue reading ‘What Happened This Week – Tablet Plus Keyboard Equals Innovation’ »

With their heart set on breaking mine, Sega has announced the next installment in the Valkyria Chronicles series is coming to PC… as a browser-based card game. Valkyria Chronicles Duel, as it’s called, centers around building up your army via card collection and deploying said cards to take enemy territories. Battles, apparently, are depicted in 3D using the series’ signature visual style.

Duel is free-to-play with the standard item transactions. A user test is running through to June 25, and the game’s official site is located here. For the curious, there is also an official trailer this-a-way.

Sega, I hope you can see this because I’m doing it as hard as I can.

If life in the retail trenches has taught me anything, it’s that those jobs are really more precautionary prison sentences. True, there’s no cell and there aren’t as many gang fights, but it’s a stain on your past nonetheless, and the longer you stay in the harder it is to get out.

This depressing thought brought to you in part by nostalgia, for which I have that April Fools’ burst of Toonami to thank. Damn but that was good teevee. Anyhow, here’s the news:

• GAME exits administration, having found a buyer crazy enough willing to take on its debts.
• Sega, by contrast, announces a sizable drawdown in operations due to an income shortfall.  Basically, don’t expect Valkyria Chronicles 3 in English anytime soon.  Or ever.
• Meanwhile, Denis Dyack alternates between reassuring people that Too Human is still a thing, and warning that used games will crash the industry and kill your family in their sleep.
• EVE Online‘s developer partners with Nvidia to offer select video cards for virtual currency.  I’d love to hear Paul Krugman’s take on this.
• Brian Fargo speaks out on the lopsided balance of power between publishers and developers.  A lengthy interview on RipTen, but a good one: read it all here.
• Obsidian joins forces with inXile to help develop Wasteland 2, pending a Kickstarter goal of 2.1 million.  So, when I write the check for all of my money, which of you do I make it payable to?
• An OMGpop developer explains why he balked at Zynga’s offer, Michael Pachter disregards a silly PS4 rumor, GOG.com gets a facelift, and more!

Continue reading ‘What Happened This Week – Putting the Band Back Together’ »

Hello hellooooo! Here’s hoping this brisk fall evening is treating you well, and you’re not smarting from not-insubstantial gambling losses like I am, and that’s why now a days I only play in an online casino so I can get more winnings. As mentioned I’m still struggling with Comcast-related internet woes, which were enough to delay but not permanently forestall the news. So let’s get on it, shall we? Today’s lineup covers the following:

• Square Enix dropped a Final Fantasy-sized bomb by revealing the latest updates for Final Fantasy XIV, including a phase-in for the subscription service. Cue panic and ridicule.
• That said, the changes do sound pretty swank, and the full list is worth reading if you’re so inclined. The larger question is, who’s in a gambling mood after reading this review? If you are estranged with the concept of Back and lay betting, here at freebets uk are a brief outlay of the sports betting process to benefit you with no risk bets offer.
• Speaking of wailing and gnashing of teeth, Mass Effect 3‘s multiplayer mode has caused quite a stir. Best guess: the co-op missions are likely just supplements to the main plot and risk feeling somewhat unnecessary. Further evaluation requires building consensus.
• Netflix tries to call backsies on that whole Qwikster thing, in the process raising the question of whether we’re even ready for nationwide video streaming. Short answer, no. Long answer, are you out of your mind?!
• Zynga comes up with Project Z, also known as “our back-up plan in case relations with Facebook turn south.”
• Rovio overvalues itself even more, Obsidian hires Tim Cain, Sega confirms Valkyria Chronicles 3 isn’t getting localized, and more!

Continue reading ‘What Happened This Week – Square Enix Goes Double Or Nothing’ »

Another year, another birthday for yours truly. Continue reading ‘Birthday Media 09/03/11’ »

Valkyria Chronicles 2 had at least four major hurdles to clear: deliver a second helping of the first game’s quirky strategy and action; adhere to the cartoony, yet charming and often beautiful aesthetics; tie it together with a strong narrative; and do it all with the PSP’s hardware. It doesn’t quite clear them all, as it is saddled with competing partial stories and lingering smaller issues from its predecessor. However, VC2 expands intelligently on existing mechanics and smoothly adapts the engine to the portable platform so much that it feels right at home. Continue reading ‘Valkyria Chronicles 2 – Staff Review’ »

Nothing like a dark and stormy night after a nice, warm Sunday.  Welcome back, people!  Hope you’re not too busy with last week’s offerings, because it’s time to recap the news, with a musical interlude reproduced by yours truly that originates from Get Your War On. In today’s episode:

• PopCap Games plans to go public, with Zynga, Facebook, etc. to follow.  Gee, you think this bubble will protect us from all those pins lying around up ahead?
• China makes its own backed-by-the-army shooter, much like America’s Army but with US troops as enemies.  Also with blackjack and hookers.  In fact, forget the shooter.
• Sony’s ongoing hacking woes, compounded by Howard Stringer ripping stuff from the movie Sneakers.  Someone get that man a Netflix account!
• Microsoft 360 update risks bricking consoles, after initial confusion as to which update it is.   It’s okay, the people behind Windows know what they’re… oh god.  Oh god.
• Sony announces plan to convert some PSP titles to the PS3.  See, now we’re getting somewhere.  Also, Jesus loves Valkyria Chronicles and so should you.
• Hideo Kojima and Metal Gear Solid art director Yoji Shinkawa have a dinner meeting.  With Tetsuya Nomura and Square Enix CEO Yoichi Wada.  So… yeah.
• Bad developer lists, used market scapegoating, Fox News being silly, and so much more!

Continue reading ‘What Happened This Week – The Future Makes People Stupid’ »

Hiya folks! John here, fresh from my trip to Vegas and my laughably annoying flight home. Long story short, you get what you pay for, and it’s the reason What Happened This Week will be slightly delayed. But I digress, you’re here for the media. Today’s selection includes the following: Continue reading ‘Mass Media 03/12/11’ »

Greetings from the Chicago suburbs, currently known as the Greater Illinois Snow Field of Doom.  Come on in and warm up with some fresh media: 3rd Birthday, Atelier Violet, Dissidia 012 Duodecim, Dragon Quest Monsters Joker 2, Final Fantasy Type-0, Final Fantasy XIII-2, Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance, Persona 2 Innocent Sin, Phantasy Star Portable 2 Infinity, and Valkyria Chronicles 3. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll spot familiar faces, you’ll wonder what the DPS on Luka’s giant fish is.

I am actually somewhat curious about that, but I digress.  On with the media! Continue reading ‘Mass Media 02/01/11’ »

Valkyria Chronicles is an odd beast: a grim war story constructed with standard anime elements, all wrapped around an unusual twist on turn-based strategy and painted with every bright color in the palette.  It’s not always an easy fit, and the plot has an annoying habit of telegraphing its punches.  Yet there’s a respectable narrative at the core, backed by some solid direction and a charming cast.  And if that doesn’t do it for you, the game is still some of the most fun you can have with tanks involved. Continue reading ‘Valkyria Chronicles – Staff Review’ »

Paired with the Valkyria Chronicles 3 media was additional gameplay information and some background on who the pictured characters were.  In no particular order: Continue reading ‘And While We’re Talking About Valkyria Chronicles 3…’ »

Well, “Mass” in the sense that there’s more than one, anyway. Hot on the heels of the Devil Survivor 3DS redux are some screens and artwork, and Valkyria Chronicles 3 wanted in on the fun too. Check it out, won’t you? Continue reading ‘Mass Media 01/06/11’ »

More information about the PSP-bound Valkyria Chronicles 3 has been released, among which are juicy gameplay details and a trailer.  Continue reading ‘Further Valkyria Chronicles 3 Details Explained, Trailer Revealed’ »

Been too long. Continue reading ‘Mass Media 11/09/10’ »

The third Valkyria Chronicles title has a confirmed release date for the demo.  So far only confirmed for a Japanese release, the Valkyria Chronicles 3 demo will be available on the PlayStation Network starting November 9.  It reportedly is similar to the version debuted at the Tokyo Game Show, though it will have an extra mission and players who complete it can unlock exclusive weapons in the retail release.

Source: 1UP

Following an earlier teaser site and accidental leak by Sega, Valkyria Chronicles 3 is now officially a go.  The teaser has been replaced by an actual site, which has, among other things, the first official trailer for the game.  Although the site is in Japanese, the key bullet points are easy to pick out: the title is bound for the PSP with a Japanese release date of January 27 next year.

Coming courtesy of SEGA America’s blog, the upcoming DLC for Valkyria Chronicles has just been given a release date. Titled The Challenges of the Edy Detachment, the fourth DLC installment is scheduled for a February 25 launch. Not being just a clever name, the content includes six missions set by members of the Edy Detachment; each is based around learning the finer points of sniping, shocktroopering, and other things that don’t properly end with -ing but involve a whole lot of things being blown up.

Apart from members of said detachment, players will be able to use prior Squad 7 characters in the missions..

Ah, Valkyria Chronicles. If only I had the shelf space for yet another console… oh well. All in good time, I suppose. Anyhow, here’s some tasty new screenshots for Valkyria Chronicles 2. For your listening pleasure, have some Brandon with a side of van den Bos while you peruse the images, on the house. Continue reading ‘Valkyria Chronicles 2 Mega Magic Media Update’ »

I wish game companies would just send the same screens and art to all these media outlets. Continue reading ‘Mass Media 01/16/10’ »