Valkyria Chronicles II

A battlefield that looks like a trembling watercolor painting, and tactics that take your breath away — Valkyria Chronicles II brought one of the most distinctive visual and gameplay styles of its era to the PSP. This sequel to the beloved PlayStation 3 game proved that the series' uniquely enchanting world works just as well in your pocket.

The first thing that grabs you is the instantly recognizable graphical style called CANVAS, which renders the entire game as if it were drawn with watercolor paints and brush strokes. Characters, landscapes, and explosions all have soft, hand-painted outlines, and the whole visual presentation lends the war story an unexpectedly poetic, almost fairy-tale feel. It is one of those cases where the art direction stays with you long after you finish playing.

Mechanically, it is an inventive hybrid of turn-based tactics and real-time action. In the turn-based phase you look down from a bird's-eye view and select the unit you want to move, but the moment you take control, the game switches to an over-the-shoulder view and you guide the unit across the battlefield in real time, aiming and shooting yourself while enemies can fire back at you. This blend of planning and direct action gives the battles a unique flow and tension.

Around the battles unfolds a story set in a military academy, complete with a whole cast of characters, their relationships, and their growth. The second installment tailored its scope and structure to portable play, offering well-paced missions, a deep class and unit-upgrade system, and plenty of content for tactics lovers.

Sega created a title here that defies categorization — it is not quite a classic turn-based game nor pure action, but something in between, wrapped in one of the most beautiful visual styles any strategy game has ever had.

Why play it: Stylistically unique tactics in the gorgeous CANVAS watercolor style, with a clever hybrid of turns and real-time action.