Fire Emblem Review

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(More customer reviews)I'm a big fan of Nintendo's Intelligent Systems; who wouldn't be after Paper Mario, Mario Kart Super Circuit, Advance Wars 1 & 2, and Metroid Fusion? Their latest game is Fire Emblem, a long running series in Japan making its first English debut.
Comparisons to Advance Wars are inevitable - turn-based strategy game, grid map, and little groups of units battling it out. At the first play, it may feel too similar to some gamers, but differences emerge making Fire Emblem a completely separate interpretation of how to make a tactical strategy game. The RPG elements included in Fire Emblem provide depth and character without sacrificing simplicity. Characters only use one type of weapon and no armor. When characters reach a certain skill level, they can advance to a new class (i.e. knights to paladins) which allows the character to use another type of weapons, further extending their usefulness. The weapon types follow a rock-paper-scissors approach, or in this case, swords-lances-axes. There's three types of magic that interlock in a similar manner. While the outlying mechanics are simple, when facing down various enemies in the battlefield, maneuvering your squad to get the right match-ups is a challenging and ultimately pleasing puzzle.
One of the notable features of Fire Emblem is frail mortality of the characters. When characters die in a level, they cannot be brought back to life and do not return for subsequent battles. Exit stage left, thank you for playing. Fire Emblem tries hard to keep the player as honest as possible by transparently saving after every menu selection. If you try to cheese the game by turning off the GBA right as a character dies, when you turn your system back on, you'll be treated to the same death scene each time you load your game. The only way to save your characters from death replaying the entire level- levels can span 30-45 minutes, and restarting can be a serious sacrifice to save a less favored character.
To further burden the decision of whether to let a character die, characters that end up along side each other develop support relationships that provide bonuses when they fight together. It takes a long time to develop these relationships and the bonus are worth the effort. A death of one of a partner in one of these relationships seriously effects the other's effectiveness, therefore it becomes even more difficult to allow one player die.
While the rigid approach the game takes to standard save/reload cheese may come off as annoying, it does much to make the game world more vivid to the player. Characters are almost as close to living things as could exist in a videogame format. You become attached to them because they can be so fragile and you think seriously about the consequences of leaving a weakened party member exposed to enemy forces. (In a brilliant turn, the game allows some characters to rescue other characters and pull them from dangerous situations.)
That said, the scenarios are entertaining, well scripted, and have a wide enough amount of variety to keep the player on their toes. Some levels feature fog of war, indoor battles with doors and breakable walls, anti-magic wells, or special requirements like defending a certain character. My favorite levels are ones where your group of a dozen soldiers has to split up and accomplish different tasks, almost in a Mission Impossible-style. Deciding who to bring on the mission, how to divide them up, equipping them correctly, and synchronizing the battle so that everything falls into place is supremely satisfying.
There's nothing that an experienced gamer hasn't seen before in Fire Emblem, but I've never seen those components stripped to their essence and combined in such a elegant matter. Fire Emblem is the only console strategy game that can be compared favorably to Advance Wars, and that's all the praise I need to give.

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Product Description:
Fire Emblem challenges you to fight for your birthright -- the throne of a nation!

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Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones Review

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(More customer reviews)It is a time of peace, suddenly, your country of Renais is attacked by your ally, Grado.They are after the Sacred Stone, but why would they want the very thing that sealed the Demon King away centuries ago?

Welcome back to the realm of Fire Emblem.This installment had nothing to do with the other game (which is a little disappointing) but it still is as good as the first.So, what's new this time around, well first off, there's a difficulty selection available from the start (you had to unlock it in the first).There's beginner, which explains the game and has a tutorial, normal, for those of us who played through the first one and know much of the controls, and difficult, for those who want a challenge.

I got to say that I'm glad that they've added this feature so we don't have to listen to the idiotic tutorial (its good to look at it if your a beginner, but its still annoying).Anyway, the core of this game is essentially the same with some added features.

These added features include that of choosing what you want your character to turn into.For example, in the first game, thieves could only become an assassin.However, in this game you have a choice of an assassin, which is a killing machine (if you have the Killing Edge equipped), or become a Rougue, which is a thief who doesn't need lockpicks to open doors and chests.This adds a lot to the game too.

The other neat feature is the ability to walk on the world map and choose where you want to go.This system, I would compare it to that of FF Tactics Advance because you can run into monsters who are also new to the series.

There's also a Tower of Valni that is like an endurance round.You can leave whenever you want to, and its not required that you go there.

The storyline this time around is predictable but still can be classified as good.I mean I figured from the start what was going to happen, and most of your predictions will come true.

My favorite thing about this game are the main characters, Eirika and Ephraim.They are twins but seem to be complete opposites.Eirika is the peace loving princess who hates war, and Ephraim is the one who runs off trying to find pride in fighting.

So, should you pick up this game?Yes, if you liked the first one, but wanted more or if you haven't played the first.No, if you are tired of the gameplay from the first game because all you are going to get is the recycled form of the original.

PROS
- Good game with good stratergy ideas
- You have the choice to choose if you want the tutorial
- The added walk on the map feature is very useful
- The ability to choose what your unit will become

CONS
- The story is way too predictable
- A lot of this game is recycled from the old game (can be good or bad)

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Product Description:
For generations, the nations of Magvel have lived in perfect peace. Now, defying all reason, the Grado Empire has invaded neighboring Renais. Twin heirs to the throne of Renais, Eirika and Ephraim fight to free their kingdom and uncover the secret behind their former ally's treachery in Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones.

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Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn Review

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(More customer reviews)I will be objective and critical in my reviews.

This game is a true sequel to Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance.

-An example of the game. Imagine: your forces (about 18) and your computer ally (about 20) vs. enemy (about 60). you have to defend the castle entrance (you have long range attackers) and the only way for the enemy to go there is through the stairs. You block off both sets of stairs with your strong melee guy with an archer/mage behind for long range support. The enemy is approaching, then both of you are at a stand still, but they attack the one blocking. Your HP is slowly draining from the close and long range attacks by melee, arrows, and/or magic. You need to heal him/her now (or you'll lose that character in the game). If you use a Vulernary (HP potion), you could get attacked by an enemy with 1 hp (which you could have defeated if you attacked instead of healed). If you have a priest heal you, an archer could shoot over your character and hit your priest (who has very low max hp and defense stats). If you attack, you may defeat one more, but what will take it's place? What would happen if I did this, or that, or... What would you do?

PROS:
-Customize the strength, material, weight, and other stats of weapons
-Objectives are interesting and challenging: DEFEND THE CASTLE, ROUT THE ENEMY, DEFEAT THE BOSS, SURVIVE FOR X TURNS, DEFEND "PERSON", AND MORE.
-Story, although not always presented well, is very engaging
-Even just reading the scrolling story is very interesting
-This game is really fun, it's gonna eat up your free time.
-Challenging strategy game. Really makes you think
-If you wanna keep all your characters, you will appreciate the challenge
-About 45 hours of gameplay, not counting the unlockables and how many times you will reset the game because you realize you made a wrong move. (this is a good thing by all means). So this means about 100 hours in real life. Great length and depth.
-Difficulty is appropriate, definitely not too easy and there are MUCH harder levels
-Gameplay is just as it was in FE:POR, it's simple, yet complex and very effective
-The cutscene movies are very well done
-Music is orchestrated, sounds great.
-Gamecube controller compatible

CONS:
-Like I said, about 75% of the cutscenes are scroll and read types
-Not enough movie cutscenes, which make the game seem more sub-par
-I'm NO graphics-nut, I'm a GAMEPLAY-nut, but the developers could have stepped up the graphics to have more detail There's more graphics potential in the Wii than the Gamecube, and they didn't improve other than progressive scan and 16:9 support. I think the developers were just lazy in the graphics area.
-I have to reset the game to go to the main menu from the battlefield, come on, this is just poor development. Disappointing.

FINAL THOUGHTS:
PERSONALLY, I REALLY REALLY REALLY LOVE THIS GAME.
Those reviewers and critics giving this game a bad rating most likely aren't strategy-fans. Not everyone likes strategy games, but those who do should give this game high marks.
-If you like strategy games, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS GAME.
-If you are new to the strategy genre, get the prequel to this game FIRE EMBLEM: PATH OF RADIANCE (ALSO WELL DONE) first.
-If you do not like RPG strategy games, I don't recommend this game because this is a true RPG strategy game.
-If you are a graphics-nut, this game will disappoint you.
-If you are a gameplay-nut, you will really enjoy this game. I did.
-If you liked FIRE EMBLEM: PATH OF RADIANCE, don't hesitate because of the other negative "CRITIC" reviews, it is really, really worth it.

-TO RESPOND TO THE CRASHING INCIDENT IN THE THREE STAR REVIEW: I THINK IT WAS PROBABLY A PROBLEM WITH THAT PARTICULAR PERSON'S WII OR MEMORY CARD BECAUSE MY CLEAR DATA FROM FE:POR TRANSFERED FINE WITH NO CRASHES.

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Product Description:
Mad King Ashnard. His country of Daein suffers under the rule of the war's victors. Now, a small band of freedom fighters struggle to end the long, dark night of Daein's oppression. Micaiah, Sothe, and a host of others-the infamous "Dawn Brigade"-rally under the banner of Daein's long-lost prince to bring a new day to this ravaged land.
Command the Dawn Brigade and learn the story of their struggle. Then, gain a new perspective by joining Ike and the Greil Mercenaries as they watch Daein's battles spread throughout all of Tellius!
Shape your army to suit your strategy by choosing from dozens of unique characters. Will you use close-range attacks, like the brash Edward's sword, or will you attack from afar using Leonardo's bow or Ilyana's lightning magic?
Build support relationships between your characters-as their relationships grow, so do their strengths as they fight together on the battlefield. Guide your army wisely, because if a character falls on the battlefield, he's lost forever!
The best-selling strategy title makes its Nintendo Wii debut, with 16:9 widescreen support, newly added for the North American version, bringing you a truly epic experience.

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Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance Review

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(More customer reviews)On the field of battle, there are ultimately two outcomes: victory and death.Despite the fantastical setting, no series understands this better than Fire Emblem, where your slain comrades are beyond the power of any salve or spell to save.When you lose a loyal soldier-and you will-there won't be anyone to blame but yourself.

Besides the inevitable (but disappointing) transition to 3D, there are two minor tweaks to formula: the ability to push lighter units out of harm's way and the ability to earn bonus experience by completing a chapter quickly (eliminating the tedium of dispatching every enemy to level up).

Aside from some anime-styled cutscenes, the story is primarily handled through nearly immobile talking heads and huge amounts of text.To summarize: as the blue-haired mercenary leader Ike, you're charged with defending the sole surviving princess of a wrongly invaded nation.Soon enough you encounter the half-beast laguz, capable of becoming fearsome beasts in combat.(As in any good fantasy, real-world issues such as racism are treated within the context of the setting.)I found the concept of several diverse cultures uniting together out of necessity to be deeply redolent of the Suikoden series, which is high praise coming from me.

Still, any SRPG ultimately stands or falls based on the gameplay, an area in which Path of Radiance remains strong. This Emblem is one you'd be proud to wear.

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Product Description:
Fire Emblem: Path Of Radiance leads you into the life of a young soldier who'll become a hero, in a world filled with political unrest and class struggle. Ike is inexperienced and untested, but he'll rise to the challenges he faces while the country of Daein invades the nation of Crimea. To make things more difficult, a new race called the laguz are aiding you in battle -- but humans and laguz don't trust each other, even though they fight together. It's a difficult time, filled with obstacles and dangers. Lead your mercenaries to victory and bring them back alive, in this challenging strategy epic. Work to form a bond with other units - talk with them after each battle to gain supportUse the laguz to transform into animal forms and dole out fierce attacks

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