Plugged this in since I haven't played a JRPG since Eternal Sonata so I was going to give this a whirl. Having played through the first chapter the storybook style seems "interesting" but I'm not sure it's what I'm looking for. Is there any sort of traditional overworld to this game? Towns, talking to dudes etc? Or is it pretty much cutscene-battle-cutscene?

There's no overworld but you can go back to base to upgrade troops and things like that.

I don't think Valkyria Chronicles is an RPG, man...

" is it pretty much cutscene-battle-cutscene? "

Not really an RPG but damn awesome game... I should finish it.

Okay, what's the length of it like? I might still play through it if it's not too long. I have a few other rpgs still in the shrink-wrap assuming the desire to play one after VC is still there.

This is a strategy RPG so you should think of games along the lines of Fire Emblem or FF Tactics for a point of reference, as opposed to Eternal Sonata or any other JRPG.

Calling it cutscene-battle-cutscene is a bit unfair, if technically accurate. It's episodic, the main gameplay portion being the big fight scene of each episode. You still shop, upgrade, level up and go off on optional 'sidequests', it's just abstracted a bit instead of wandering around a town. 
 
I should probably go back and finish it...

I should finish this game... 
I played 5 or so missions but couldn't take the cut scenes any longer 

Nope there's no overworld. I really liked the gameplay in VC but I fucking sucked. I played on easy and have yet to get past the battle in the desert where you fight that BIG-ASS tank.

" @MasterOfPenguins_Zell It's not that lon... OH HI GIANT TANK AND VALKYRIE!! Damn it, I was stuck on that mission for so long... "

I wonder what the ratio for people who have completed the game vs people who gave up on the game. And then a ratio for people who gave up, and people who gave up fighting the giant tank and Selvaria. Lol... 
 
Seriously though, this is my favorite game from this gen. I'm so glad I finished it. 
 
There are 18 playable chapters I believe (excluding side missions) but 19 chapters altogether. I don't understand how people are complaining about the cut-scenes in this game. They were absolutely gorgeous. Maybe yall are just referring to the dialog window scenes. Which I thought they were handled pretty well versus other JRPGs conversations.

Oh, Valkyria Chronicles...Haven't thought about that game in a while. 
 
Definitely  favorite RPG this generation. 

I played the demo for this for the first time the other day, seemed pretty cool. I intend to buy a whole bunch of PS3 games that I've missed out on getting when I get paid, this will be one for sure.  
 
Weird considering I generally dislike the whole JRPG/anime thing.

" I wonder what the ratio for people who have completed the game vs people who gave up on the game. And then a ratio for people who gave up, and people who gave up fighting the giant tank and Selvaria. Lol...  Seriously though, this is my favorite game from this gen. I'm so glad I finished it.  There are 18 playable chapters I believe (excluding side missions) but 19 chapters altogether. I don't understand how people are complaining about the cut-scenes in this game. They were absolutely gorgeous. Maybe yall are just referring to the dialog window scenes. Which I thought they were handled pretty well versus other JRPGs conversations. "

"I don't understand how people are complaining about the cut-scenes in this game. They were absolutely gorgeous. Maybe yall are just referring to the dialog window scenes. Which I thought they were handled pretty well versus other JRPGs conversations. "

" I wonder what the ratio for people who have completed the game vs people who gave up on the game. And then a ratio for people who gave up, and people who gave up fighting the giant tank and Selvaria. Lol...  Seriously though, this is my favorite game from this gen. I'm so glad I finished it.  There are 18 playable chapters I believe (excluding side missions) but 19 chapters altogether. I don't understand how people are complaining about the cut-scenes in this game. They were absolutely gorgeous. Maybe yall are just referring to the dialog window scenes. Which I thought they were handled pretty well versus other JRPGs conversations. "

 @onimonkii said:

" @ESREVER said:

" I wonder what the ratio for people who have completed the game vs people who gave up on the game. And then a ratio for people who gave up, and people who gave up fighting the giant tank and Selvaria. Lol...  Seriously though, this is my favorite game from this gen. I'm so glad I finished it.  There are 18 playable chapters I believe (excluding side missions) but 19 chapters altogether. I don't understand how people are complaining about the cut-scenes in this game. They were absolutely gorgeous. Maybe yall are just referring to the dialog window scenes. Which I thought they were handled pretty well versus other JRPGs conversations. "

i got up to 11 before i stopped. it wasn't even particularly hard or anything i just had other games i wanted to play. and when i heard there were only 18 chapters i figured i'd slow way the hell down on it. since then valkyria 2 has come out and 3 was announced for psp so i should probably give up on wanting more and just finish it. "

"  @onimonkii said:

I got to the timed mission and stopped (Think it was mission 5?). I can't stand missions with that hard of a limit, I know the the missions have turn limits, but not like the one I'm talking about. "

" @Wes899 said:

"  @onimonkii said:

I got to the timed mission and stopped (Think it was mission 5?). I can't stand missions with that hard of a limit, I know the the missions have turn limits, but not like the one I'm talking about. "

I don't recall any of the missions being on a physical countdown timer. I just looked back through a walk through of the missions and none of the "Ways to Fail" objectives say anything about a timer. There are a lot of missions where you can't let your camp fall into the enemy hands, and what not. I believe that was the mission where you have a showdown with the Tank Commander for the first time. "