Sega Formally Unveils Valkyria Chronicles 2

Following up on the usual magazine leaks earlier in the week, Sega made formal announcement today of a sequel to Senjo no Valkyria (known as Valkyria Chronicles overseas). Senjo no Valkyria 2: Gallia Ouritsu Shikan Gakkou (roughly, Valkyria Chronicles 2: Gallia Royal Officer Academy) is in development for the PSP.

Valkyria Chronicles 2 takes place in 1937, two years after the original Valkyria Chronicles. You take control of Aban Hadens, a student who joined Ranseal Royal Military Academy following the death of his older brother.

The teaser site Sega opened earlier in the week was for this new game.

Currently at the site, sections for characters, keyword, battlefield, and download are inactive. But the site does provide a staff list for the game:

Shuntaro Tanaka

Chief producer. Worked as chief director on the first Valkyria Chronicles. Also has past experience on Sakura Taisen 1&2 and Eternal Arcadia.

Shinji Motoyama

Producer. Previous work as producer on the Sega X Bleach series, and also past experience on Kunoichi and Dororo.

Take Ozawa

Director. Served as main planner on the original Valkyria Chronicles. Also worked on Doraemon Nobita no Shinmakai Daibouken for DS.

Raita Honjo

Character designer. Did character work on the original Valkyria as well.

Hitoshi Sakimoto

Music. Also did composition for the original Valkyria and has worked on a long list of other classics.

The Valkyria developers blog was also updated today to commemorate the announcement. As always, the blog is set up as a dialogue between characters from the game. This time, Tanaka sat in on the conversation and managed to share a few additional details on the new game, complete with some less-than-full resolution screenshots.

Asked why the game is being brought to the PSP, he said that the hope is to expose the series to a greater variety of users.

This is a true sequel, he stressed, mimicking comments given in an interview in this week's Famitsu. It's not a "gaiden" side story. The development staff is giving it their all, he added.

The game offers a new story with a new setting and new characters. As detailed in the prologue, the game is set two years after the original.

Your school in Valkyria Chronicles 2.

Tanaka said of the game's student characters, "When not in battle, they're normal students who take classes, play, and fall in love." However, he noted, once the battle begins, the students are exposed to the extremes of war life.

Despite the move to the PSP, Tanaka assured that the game will play similar to the original. In particular, the game will have the BLiTZ combat system of the original, combining action and simulation.

The gameplay will have some major updates, though. While not willing to say too much, Tanaka did say that you'll have more customization options for vehicles and troops.

There's one big bonus on the way for PSP owners: ad-hoc play! Tanaka said to wait for a followup report for more on this.

Valkyria Chronicles 2 hits the PSP this Winter.