As before, random thoughts:
-Either this game is much easier than the previous FE games I've played, or I'm just better at playing, because at this point, my characters are just a death machine. That's not to say I have nothing to worry about, but on the other, I don't really feel challenged at this point, especially compared to the game's earlier chapters.
-Did the mission where you storm the Daein border fort, no real problems.
-The mountain pass mission is easily one of the toughest so far. I actually nearly got a number of units killed by Naesala, as to my surprise, he attacks as soon as a unit comes in range. So basically, he nearly killed Lethe, then Ike nearly killed him, then I finally talked to him with Ulki, but then he was still flying, so I tried to keep my units at bay, but then he talked to Rayson (bizarrely, you can't initiate the conversation with Rayson, you have to have Naesala approach him), and then what few ravens there were retreated, after I'd already killed most of them. Um, yay?
-This is a minor point, but I like how the background shifts at home base. This isn't new, but when doing supports, it's actually a nice touch, as it conveys the idea that these are just passing conversations within an army camp.
-Next mission is where you need to take out the enemy in time before the opened floodgates destroy everything. It's at this point that I deployed Tanith, and quickly realized that she's a death machine, and not just because you can summon an additional 3 pegasai to the battlefield. Yeah...
-What follows this mission from a narrative standpoint is pretty neat. Namely:
1: Poor Jill. That I had her B support with Lethe not long before this mission aside (where the poor girl is chewed out, figuratively and almost literally), she also loses her father, and that's handled well via the info conversations after said battle.
2: While this isn't some in-depth look at the cost of war, I do want to give the game credit for addressing it. By completing the mission and stopping the floodgates from being open too long, Ike's army is able to continue its march, but the entire surrounding farmland has been devastated, along with homes being destroyed. Ike wants to give some food, but the army just doesn't have the resources to spare much. Again, examining the human cost of war in fiction is nothing new, but I appreciate the game for doing so.
3: I'm lumping these points together. In the mission, if you talk to Daein NPCs, it's clear that they really hate Crimeans, as in, despite Daein being the attacking country, they hold the Crimeans responsible for the loss of family members who've fallen in war. From an objective standpoint, of course Daein's in the wrong, but I'd actually argue this is a very honest look at how people process grief. You've lost your son/father to the enemy? Well of course the enemy's to blame, of course they didn't die for nothing, of course your country's in the right, because if not, your loved ones DID die for nothing. Furthermore, in the above-mentioned support conversation with Jill, the game has one of the starkest examinations of this I've seen, where Daein refugees recognize Jill (and don't recognize Ike, just assuming he's her bodyguard or something), and express joy that she's still alive. Where one of the refugees says (paraphrased), "I don't care how long it takes, the Crimeans will pay for what they've done. If I don't kill them, my daughter will, and if she doesn't kill them, her daughter will; I don't care how long it takes, we'll get revenge" (the actual writing is much better, to be clear). Such is their hatred, the elder sister prevents her younger sister from accepting rations from the Crimean Army, despite the fact that she's starving.
Now, to be clear, Fire Emblem has dealt with the cost of war in at least one case that I've played (Sacred Stones), but that was more a case of offhand reference, to how Renais is suffering under Grado's occupation, and even tones it down a bit (e.g. women are "kidnapped" rather than "raped"). Still, giving Path of Radiance all due credit, this is excellent writing - those girls we talked to? They're almost certainly going to starve to death (bear in mind that it's winter), and if they don't, they'll grow up hating Crimea, and the cycle of hatred will continue. Yes, I know that's not what actually happens as per the events of Radiant Dawn, but in the specific context of the moment? Powerful stuff.
-Minor note, but had Marcia and Tanith's C-level support conversation. Marcia's still hilarious. That she's my most valuable flyer at this point bar Tanith herself is academic.
-So, the army makes it to the capital, and simultaniously, we have very strong writing followed by very poor writing. For starters, as we see Daein generals discuss matters, it does convey just how bonkers Ashnard is - fully half of Daein's army is still in Crimea, likely preparing for war with Gallia, yet despite combined Crimean-Bengion forces marching on said capital, Ashnard is refusing to send any reinforcements. It really conveys the sense of desparation among the Daein commanders, and through Eirena, the realization that Ashnard doesn't give a damn about Daein, he's just using it as a sacrificial lamb to follow his own mad schemes.
On the other hand, this is a case of gameplay mechanics dictating poor strategy. It's established that at the capital, Daein's forces still outnumber the Crimean-Bengion Army, yet Eirena's plan is to...sigh, let them in, shut the gates, then attack. Um, why? You have the defender's advantage, you have superior numbers, what the hell is this plan meant to accomplish? From a gameplay standpoint, I'd argue it's because FE doesn't have mechanics that translate well into a siege (at least on the micro-level), but even so, Eirena's strategy is highly questionable. Especially since, as she's revealed to be a dragon, her plan as Daein's secret weapon is to...sigh, stay on the throne and wait for the player to fight their way to her rather than, y'know, taking to the field and breathing fire. Again, gameplay mechanics, but frustrating concessions all the same. It isn't helped that as high-stakes as the battle is in-game, my army's a deathball at this point as well, so challenge is lacking.
-Hey, Marcia upgraded to be a draco knight and oh my God, did her unicorn grow a horn? What horrible mutation is this creature? An alicorn? Maybe I should call Twilight Sparkle or something. 0_0
-Ashnard casually drops the name "Fire Emblem" as an alternative name for Lehran's Medallion, continuing the tradition of the series casually name dropping its namesake. Also, speaking of said medallion, is it just me, or is it glowing far brighter now on the loading screen than it did towards the start of the game? If so, it's a nice touch, considering how the medallion operates.
So, yeah. Overall, game is solid, but my main gripe is that it's just too easy at this point. Granted, I'm playing on normal, but again, I'm not sure if said easiness is due to the game's mechanics, or whether I'm just better now than when I first played FE (which was back in the 2000s with FE7).
