Finally the mystery platform for the new Valkyria Chronicles 3 has been announced, and to the disappointment and excitement of an exactly equal number of fans of the franchise, it's PSP that is getting the deal breaker. Famitsu has first details today ahead of the game's playable debut later this week at the Tokyo Game Show.


Fully titled Valkyria Chronicles 3: Unrecorded Chronicles, the sequel returns the series to the time frame of the original Valkyria Chronicles. While the time frame is the same, and you're still in Gallia, the story and characters are all new.

You play as members of Nameless, a Gallian Army squad that does the army's dirty work. The squad gets its name because its members, consisting mostly of criminals and other troublemakers, are referred to by a number rather than a name.

The three main characters have a number and name listed in the magazine. In the hero role is Kurt Irving, No. 7, a former officer who doesn't think he should have been relegated to the Nameless squad and wants to return to his former squad. The game has two heroines, Imuka and Riela. Imuka is out for revenge, her village having been wiped out by the Valkyria. Riela doesn't know it when the game starts out, but after the prologue she'll learn that she's a Valkyria descendent.

Yes, we can probably expect some tension between the two heroines.

On the gameplay front, Valkyria 3 promises a return to the original in some areas along with refinements from part 2 in other areas. Progression is no longer mission-based, instead switching to the story driven setup of the original. The game's battle interface has been refined. You'll find more options for strategy, as the various unit classes have clearer roles, and the battle fields are going to be more expansive and varied.

There will also be some totally new elements, most notably a heroine-specific "Super Mode." This mode taps into the traits of the character, so Imuka, who's big on guns (she even makes her own) will unleash the full power of her weapons. Riela's Super Mode is a Valkyria mode.

One of the focuses of Valkyria Chronicles 3 is enjoying the game's story, revealed producer Shinji Motoyama to Famitsu this week. This has one consequence: there will be no multiplayer. To make up for this absence, Motoyama said the staff would put the resources that would have gone into multiplayer into the other areas of the game.

Valkyria Chronicles 3 is set in the same era as the original game; however it features a brand new set of characters and an original story centred around a group known as the "Nameless."

We'll find out how it's all working out tomorrow as Sega debuts a playable build at the Tokyo Game Show. In Japan, Valkyria Chronicles 3 is due for January 27 released in retail and download form.