Valkyria Chronicles is a strat-RPG developed by Sega Overworks and published by Sega. It takes a number of genre staples including a deep plot charged with political intricacies and turmoil, lots of characters available, each one with his/her own background as well as advantages/disadvantages in the field of battle, and lots of different scenarios to wage war in.

Where this game sets itself apart from the bulk of SRPGs is in the way it approaches battles. Once you pick a unit to move in the field, the game shifts to a third person view, where you are able to control your movements and actions in real time, but at the same time leaving you open for attacks from your enemies if you tread your path carelessly.

Plot revolves around the Gallian involvement in the second Europan War, fueled by the Empire's thirst for ragnite, which led them to invade the neutral nation of Gallia. You are put into the shoes of Gallian tank commander Welkin Gunther, but there are LOTS of available characters to choose from when building up your 20-strong squad, each one with his own distinct background, from one of 5 possible classes: Scouts (weak but fast-moving), Shocktroopers (powerful and versatile), Lancers (antitank foot troops), Engineers (can fix tanks, trenches and disarm mines) and Snipers (which...snipe). Each character has things that he/she likes or dislikes, which makes for interesting battlefield combinations. Some guys fancy women (or men) and will perform better among them, others have allergies that impairs their abilities, some soldiers are more comfortable in the open field, others within closed spaces, and so on.

As with any SRPG worth its own weight in lead and brimstone, if you lose a character in battle, it's gone forever, leading to the Fire Emblem syndrome of not wanting anyone to die, which makes for more intense battles. Fortunately, should one of your squad members fall, you are able to extract him/her from the field with medics, provided you can get to the location where your unit was shot before the end of your turn.

Winning battles earns you experience points that allow you to improve your squad's abilities and level, as well as develop improvements for your weaponry and tanks. There is a skirmish mode that lets you try out different unit combinations and tactics. So far I'm on chapter 5, and very much eager to see how things unfold once I burn General Jaeger beyond recognition.