Liabe Brave said:
Don't listen to the guy that said it wasn't--it really is pretty similar in many ways. The tone especially: a somewhat grim battlefield atmosphere, alleviated by quirky character stuff. And your effective but somewhat irregular forces up against a more industrial, better equipped enemy.
But Valkyria has far better production values, and faster, more visceral gameplay. You control all the footsoldiers individually, rather than having them be mere adjuncts to your mech. And positioning, travel, and cover on the battlefield play a huge role unlike Ring of Red.
I found Ring of Red for 5 euros two days ago (well the price was for a different game but the seller agreed to sell it for 5 euros only, and it's in perfect condition!) and played the first 3 missions. I got it mainly because of the comparison with Valkyria Chronicles. Honestly, it didn't feel too similar to me. Especially when it comes to management and movement, Ring of Red is much deeper and you controll one mech the whole time with additional support. The game seemed slower to me as well, one fight takes longer. Time plays a huge role and you need to focus because your attack can easily miss. It felt like a simulation mech game mixed with strategy. I can see how it's a little similar because the movement is turnbased and your action is real-time, also because of the available individual characters (though not fleshed out in a similar manner like VC).
Things I didn't like about Ring of Red is the story, or rather the translation. It is so boring and is written like an internet translator sometimes, it makes me laugh. Though when I try to focus, it gets interesting but we're used better now. It reminds me of some ps1 rpgs where some lines don't make much sense. Or some lines like you're a total newbie or loser make me laugh for some reason :lol And as mentioned, the production values are nihil. Not one single movie so far, just texts (not voiced) and battle. The music sounds pretty good, but it gets repeated often. But I'm not too bothered by the production values, just the first con.
Still it's a nice game which gives me (personally) a different experience compared to Valkyria Chronicles. If you're looking for a game that is exactly like VC, this isn't it. If you are looking for another strategy game that is also a little bit different than others in the genre, then get it. It's fun after you get used to it. Lots of stats and reading too.
