Valkyria Chronicles was very interesting, commercially-speaking. For such a highly regarded game, it simply didn't sell well enough on its release in both Japan and the US. Then people who'd played the game started carping online at PS3 owners for not supporting an excellent exclusive game, and maybe in the hope of securing it a sequel. And, amazingly, PS3 owners actually responded with sales spiking mid-2009. Now a sequel, this time on the PSP, is heading our way this summer.

It's already released in Japan, actually. The word from American importers is that, despite obviously not having much to say on the story, the original's superb meshing of strategy, shooting and role-playing is alive and kicking once more in this handheld follow-up.

So, my advice is that if you're a fan of the original or if you're new to the series but curious to give it a go on the go, then you should import the Japanese version rather than waiting until its American release.

Why? Because you'll miss out on the story, that's why. If it's anything like the first game's story, then it will likely be a whimsical adaptation of a real-life war, and even more likely to completely offend large portions of its players by failing to do any justice to real-life horrors and tragedies. Although, even with the language barrier, you're not going to be able to avoid women in military uniforms that have more in common with male fantasies of schoolgirls than any actual battle gear. Or the piglets with wings.

If you get the Japanese version, though, at least you can pretend it's the soft-pornographic nonsense that it seems to resemble at times. Hell, write your own slash fic, it'll probably be a better story.