Released in the relatively early days of the PlayStation 3, Sega's Valkyria Chronicles was a title facing an uphill climb. The Xbox 360 was eating Sony's lunch as gamers balked at the prohibitive price point of the cell processor powered box. Those who did take the dive raved about the melding of bird's eye and on foot, in the @#$% strategy that the game had to offer. While a hit by the standards of the platform at the time, and doing well enough to warrant a couple of PSP sequels, it was overlooked by most gamers. By the time the populace began adopting Sony's box in earnest, the title's time had passed.

Fast forward to now. Because of uncertainty regarding how much gamers wanted a new console, studios were late off the blocks at developing new games for this current generation. This led to a slate of re-releases and upgrades to fill the release schedule until the new titles could hit shelves. These titles are finally beginning to show up in stores, but there are still gaps. Sega has decided to take this opportunity to give its cult favorite title a fresh lease on life with the upcoming Valkyria Chronicles Remastered.

With hands on time, it can be reported that this remastering is the full package. While the graphical style has helped the original title age well all these years later, the new version now runs at 1080p and sixty frames per second. Just comparing screenshots of the original (I am one of those who missed it originally) and seeing this new edition in play shows a marked difference to this player. The framerate bump in particular helps the painterly style flow better than it did before.

As I did miss the game the first time around, I have to take Sega at their word when they say the controls have been improved. So far, it seems to work well. I have not had any difficulty selecting units, lining up headshots, nor flanking. The on foot controls as well as the tank work as one would expect, and the depth of options that open up as the player progresses are easy to execute.

When looking over reviews of the original release, many criticized the story. Personally, I am finding myself enamored with the World War II flavored fantasy world. The voice acting might a bit stilted and some of the points are a tad strange, but the tale of the nature enthusiast Welkins being pulled into a war that he nor his country wanted any any part of has a sense of immediacy while still allowing the characters to display their depth. Sure, it might be overwrought, but it's entertaining stuff.

Of course, a full review is in the works. Gallia isn't going to save itself. With the thirty dollar price point, the improved graphics, the fact that all of the DLC is included and new trophy support, however, Valkyria Chronicles Remastered is a safe bet for old militia members and new recruits alike when it releases on shelves and digitally May 17.