I haven’t been wowed by a video game screenshot in a good long while, probably because most games these days are painted in shades of brown and gray and almost always look worse standing still than they do in motion. But when the first shots of Valkyrie of the Battlefield, whose US title may or may not be Valkyria Chronicles, showed up online, I was immediately enamored with the PS3 game, despite having no intention of ever owning a PS3 at any point in my life and no idea what sort of game it was. Based solely on the alternate universe World War II setting, albeit an adorable, watercolored alternate universe World War II setting, I assumed it was just another mediocre WWII shooter with a very pretty coat of paint.

This lovely, seven-minute HD trailer, however, makes clear that the game is actually a strategy RPG with a decidedly action-oriented bent, allowing for real time conflicts divided into more traditional turns. Of course, all the genre stables such as leveling, tech trees, and unnecessary acronyms for game systems (in this case BLiTZ – Battle of Live Tactical Zones) are still present. Plus, the game seems to have completely thrown realism out the window, allowing for ridiculous boss fights against lance-wielding super soldiers. Always a plus in my book. In fact, the game actually looks… fun. Valkyrie of the Battlefield/Valkyria Chronicles may yet turn out to be the only reason to own a PS3 other than Everyday Shooter and Metal Gear Solid 4.