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I have been playing Valkyria Chronicles lately and have found it to be a very enjoyable experience. The features of this SRPG that I liked are:

• The setting - most of the SRPGs that I have played before tend to have a medieval-like setting with swords and magic as the main weapons of combat. VC's setting is more WW2 with rifles and tanks as the focus.

• Turn-based but with a twist - while a unit is moving, units from the opposing side can and will shoot suppression fire, thus placing importance on finding cover and giving the game a real-time (and slightly more immersive) feeling.

• Perma-death - units can die permanently if you screw up.

• One of the best characterization of playable non-plot-essential units that I've ever seen. Each character have their own set of potentials (i.e. abilities that has a set chance of activation) and dialogue that paint a picture of the kind of person that they are. Couple that with their personnel information and the list of people that they like gives you enough information to picture the group dynamics of the squad. One example would be the engineer Herbert, who sounds quite lethargic. His personal potentials are Desert Bred (stat up on sand terrain), Fatalist (stat down when near death), and Moody (won't follow commands). Reading his character biography reveals that he grew up in the desert region and the harsh climate shaped him into a lazy person that won't expend more energy than what is absolutely necessary (Herbert learnt to ride horses so that he won't have to use his own legs to travel). One of the squadmates that he likes is Ramsey, who also happens to be an engineer and sounds just as lethargic. Her personal potentials are Metal Head (stat up when on metallic terrain), Fatalist (stat down when near death) and Maintenance Lazy (unable to attack). Reading her biography reveals that while she likes tinkering with machinery, Ramsey loses focus and gets bored easily. In my head-canon, Herbert and Ramsey are the stoners of the squad.

I would like to play another good SRPG similar to Valkyria Chronicles, and the closest game seems to be XCOM: Enemy Within. Despite being a strategy game, it shares some similarities to Valkyria Chronicles:

• The setting - modern/futuristic setting, but guns/rifles are still the main weaponry of combat for the units.

• Turn-based but with a twist - the overwatch command allows your unit to automatically attack during the enemy's turn if said unit can spot an enemy moving within sight. This is an analogue to VC's suppression fire and also makes finding cover important.

• Perma-death - units can die permanently, and due to the game's difficulty this will happen even if you don't make any tactical mistakes.

What Enemy Within is lacking though are unique characters. While it is possible to customize each unit's name, physical appearance, and voice, they don't have any personality at all. Units of the same class have access to the same abilities (though you could build them differently).

However, I feel that XCOM: Enemy Within can still provide a SRPG-like experience. This is because it allows you to give gene mods and cybernetics to your soldiers; this greater ability to customize the playable units increases role-playing potential (for example, gene modding a sniper's eyes to increase their Aim stat or giving a wounded soldier a cybernetic augmentation and turning them into a MEC Trooper). Coupled with the Second Wave option to randomize unit stats (including movement) upon creation, this would give each soldier their "individuality".

I've just bought XCOM: Enemy Within (for whatever reason, GMG is currently selling it without the usual AUS/NZ pricing), and would like to complete the illusion of having unique playable units with the XCOM: Enemy Unknown - Elite Soldier Pack. It adds some new armor designs for the soldiers and the ability to color them. Because a colonel deserves better than wearing identical-looking armor as the rookies - they should be wearing a customized armor to reflect their seniority in both skill and combat experience.

Thanks to all those who read this. Also, I would recommend Valkyria Chronicles to anyone who enjoys SRPGs.