18 RPGs we can’t wait to play in 2018

#10. Valkyria Chronicles 4 (PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch)

I really want to be excited about Valkyria Chronicles 4. I really do. But I think the best I can muster right now is cautious optimism that Sega has learned from their mistakes in this franchise. And I’m not just talking about the wretched half-baked spin-off Valkyria Revolution. The very first game in the Valkyria series is a beloved cult classic and with good reason. It has a stellar graphical style that still holds up pretty well today, tells a complex story, and has great battle mechanics. But the sequels were just a little bit worse until Valkyria Revolution came out and basically threw the franchise off a cliff into a hot garbage fire. So I don’t have the highest confidence that Sega has any idea what they are doing with this series anymore than with their premiere mascot series, Sonic The Hedgehog.

However, everything I have seen for Valkyria Chronicles 4 seems to be hitting all the right notes. The art style, the flow of battle, the exploration of themes of war, etc. So it’s almost enough to get my hopes up again. Plus, while I’m sure it will be a fine experience on other consoles, it’d be nice to have another turn-based strategy RPG to play on my Nintendo Switch. Hopefully, this new entry will breathe life back into the franchise when it comes out on March 21st.