Fire Emblem: Awakening Review

[SuperSuperSuperGuy]

Fun fact: this game was leaked in EB Games stores in Canada. I got a call on Monday saying I could pick up my preorder the next day, and I did, so I have my copy right here next to me, nearly a week before it was supposed to be released.

You can't buy 'em any more, though, because the stores were told to stop selling them early. I'm one of the lucky ones. So far, I'm loving the game, though sometimes the growth rates seem a bit... high. Like, I 19 Strength and 17 Magic at level 13. And now, after a class change to Barbarian, I've capped Strength (the cap is 30), and I'm only around level 10. 'Course, you need every stat point you can get, so I'm not complaining. It's just different, is all.

 

[Ariyura]

Fun fact: this game was leaked in EB Games stores in Canada. I got a call on Monday saying I could pick up my preorder the next day, and I did, so I have my copy right here next to me, nearly a week before it was supposed to be released.

You can't buy 'em any more, though, because the stores were told to stop selling them early. I'm one of the lucky ones. So far, I'm loving the game, though sometimes the growth rates seem a bit... high. Like, I 19 Strength and 17 Magic at level 13. And now, after a class change to Barbarian, I've capped Strength (the cap is 30), and I'm only around level 10. 'Course, you need every stat point you can get, so I'm not complaining. It's just different, is all.

I'm so super jealous of you right now... *pets new shiny 3DS XL* Soon I will have something to put inside you!

 

[Gatx]

EDIT: It's supposed to be "Shepherd" isn't it? I know Mass Effect's been pretty big for the past few years but still...

Anyone else getting that un-easy feeling that FF's having a negative influence on FE? I don't mean in story/character traits but in character design. There seems to be a hell of alot more belts on display and why does the MC have one fully armoured arm and one thats completely bare. I know theres some fighting styles out there that use this but his right arms not even sleaved and why is Marth wearing a butterfly mask, were there no bandanas on hand? I know this complaints petty but I liked the practicality of the previous games weapons and armour and I don't want it to fall into FF's design choices, you know, bigger/more elaborate the better. Soldiers have to be practical, I know its fantasy but stupid is stupid,

I always liked asymmetrical armor stylistically, but yeah I guess it isn't practical. As for the butterfly mask, it's to hide his identity, wasn't that obvious? That's what masks are for after all.

 

[chstens]

It's such major-league bullshit that this game isn't out in Europe until some time in April.

 

[TJC]

It's such major-league bullshit that this game isn't out in Europe until some time in April.

THIS!!!

OH DEAR LORD, NINTENDO, Y U NO LOCALIZE A BIT FASTER?!

I mean for the love of god, I understand that you want Pokemans translated into every language on earth because you can't expect every 6-year-old to speak English but FE never was and never will be something for kids. Give me that shit in English NAO (or even better get rid of the fucking dumbass region lock and let me import that shit >:C )


Ho yes, FE, how I eagerly await you.

 

[parintachin]

Why no video review?

 

[chstens]

It's such major-league bullshit that this game isn't out in Europe until some time in April.

THIS!!!

OH DEAR LORD, NINTENDO, Y U NO LOCALIZE A BIT FASTER?!

I mean for the love of god, I understand that you want Pokemans translated into every language on earth because you can't expect every 6-year-old to speak English but FE never was and never will be something for kids. Give me that shit in English NAO (or even better get rid of the fucking dumbass region lock and let me import that shit >:C )


Ho yes, FE, how I eagerly await you.

This could so very easily turn into a rant on how I despise some European countries' view of english.

 

[TJC]

It's such major-league bullshit that this game isn't out in Europe until some time in April.

THIS!!!

OH DEAR LORD, NINTENDO, Y U NO LOCALIZE A BIT FASTER?!

I mean for the love of god, I understand that you want Pokemans translated into every language on earth because you can't expect every 6-year-old to speak English but FE never was and never will be something for kids. Give me that shit in English NAO (or even better get rid of the fucking dumbass region lock and let me import that shit >:C )


Ho yes, FE, how I eagerly await you.

This could so very easily turn into a rant on how I despise some European countries' view of english.

Please elaborate.

 

[TJC]

It just doesn't feel like you have any real choice. Pressing on with one man down is suicidal. I don't necessarily mind, permadeath, I just don't see why it couldn't just cut out the middleman and give you an immediate game over when any character dies since anyone sane will reset.

Because it's not true. Playing with 1 man down isn't suicide, the game is perfectly playable with a replacement character. Hell, in most of my run throughs of Rekka No Ken I took the time to train up Nino, a level 5 mage who joins your party for about the final 6 chapters. I've also completed the game just fine after using Marcus (a level 1 paladin who joins you at the start of the campaign) to kill pretty much everything, so he sucked up most of the EXP. Also, in the Sacred Stones the game throws 3 trainees at you, who are level 1 units that must hit level 10 in order to be promoted into a tier 1 class (mage, druid, pirate, fighter, cavalier or knight). One of the said trainees is thrown at you near the end of the game and is unable to withstand more than 1 hit from anything.

Yeah, that's true. Unless we're talking about the Hector hard campaign (which I still haven't managed to finish >_> ). Fire Emblem's interpretation of Hard actually is Nintendo Hard and fucking unforgiving. Every single lost EXP stings like a *****.
Normal while challenging is still lenient with even more than one mistake (and since you could grind yourself silly in Sacred Stones was less than important... also yay amelia <3)

 

[Slycne]

Why no video review?

Short of a proprietary device that Nintendo sends out to a few select developers and press, there isn't a method for cleanly capturing video from the 3DS.

 

[chstens]

It's such major-league bullshit that this game isn't out in Europe until some time in April.

THIS!!!

OH DEAR LORD, NINTENDO, Y U NO LOCALIZE A BIT FASTER?!

I mean for the love of god, I understand that you want Pokemans translated into every language on earth because you can't expect every 6-year-old to speak English but FE never was and never will be something for kids. Give me that shit in English NAO (or even better get rid of the fucking dumbass region lock and let me import that shit >:C )


Ho yes, FE, how I eagerly await you.

This could so very easily turn into a rant on how I despise some European countries' view of english.

Please elaborate.

For instance how, in some countries, english isn't even taught in primary schools, how certain countries are so in love with their own languages that they refuse to speak english and how certain people I've talked to completely refuse to acknowledge english as a global language.

I would like the court to recognise that I am not a native english speaker, I am Norwegian.

 

[TJC]

For instance how, in some countries, english isn't even taught in primary schools, how certain countries are so in love with their own languages that they refuse to speak english and how certain people I've talked to completely refuse to acknowledge english as a global language.

I would like the court to recognise that I am not a native english speaker, I am Norwegian.

The court recognises the statement.

As a non-native speaker myself, I share this sentiment and agree whole-heartedly with you.

 

[PunkRex]

EDIT: It's supposed to be "Shepherd" isn't it? I know Mass Effect's been pretty big for the past few years but still...

Anyone else getting that un-easy feeling that FF's having a negative influence on FE? I don't mean in story/character traits but in character design. There seems to be a hell of alot more belts on display and why does the MC have one fully armoured arm and one thats completely bare. I know theres some fighting styles out there that use this but his right arms not even sleaved and why is Marth wearing a butterfly mask, were there no bandanas on hand? I know this complaints petty but I liked the practicality of the previous games weapons and armour and I don't want it to fall into FF's design choices, you know, bigger/more elaborate the better. Soldiers have to be practical, I know its fantasy but stupid is stupid,

I always liked asymmetrical armor stylistically, but yeah I guess it isn't practical. As for the butterfly mask, it's to hide his identity, wasn't that obvious? That's what masks are for after all.

Well obviously but my complaint is that its over the top. Marth seemed liked a fairly practical guy so why is he wearing a butterfly mask, a bandana or balaclava seem far more appropriate. As I said, its a fairly petty thing to complain about as, from what peeps on this thread have told me, the designs are by the guy who did alot of the 'No More Hero's' characters who were stylised but simple enough to not be clustered. Im sure it will turn out fine.

 

[WendelI]

I know this is a weird and probably very silly question, but how do they both have a Falchion. A legendary sword that is unique. Damn now i am gonna have to play though it my self too to find out. Fire emblem has always been in my circle of friends and my brother plays it very religiously but you cant ever get me into it because of the ridiculous dificulty. since we are on that topic fuck "day breaks" from the gamecube version.

 

[ecoho]

Anyone else getting that un-easy feeling that FF's having a negative influence on FE? I don't mean in story/character traits but in character design. There seems to be a hell of alot more belts on display and why does the MC have one fully armoured arm and one thats completely bare. I know theres some fighting styles out there that use this but his right arms not even sleaved and why is Marth wearing a butterfly mask, were there no bandanas on hand? I know this complaints petty but I liked the practicality of the previous games weapons and armour and I don't want it to fall into FF's design choices, you know, bigger/more elaborate the better. Soldiers have to be practical, I know its fantasy but stupid is stupid,

the fully armored arm and bare other arm is a style of armor used mostly for 1 handed sword style. the armored left(or right if your a left handed person) was used mostly as a second gaurd to deflect attacks or block if the armor on it was thick enough.

OT: had to buy the bundle to get a copy of this cause theres so few of them being shiped up here. oh well needed a 3ds anyways and this ones purty

 

[Slycne]

I know this is a weird and probably very silly question, but how do they both have a Falchion. A legendary sword that is unique. Damn now i am gonna have to play though it my self too to find out. Fire emblem has always been in my circle of friends and my brother plays it very religiously but you cant ever get me into it because of the ridiculous dificulty. since we are on that topic fuck "day breaks" from the gamecube version.

Won't spoil anything, but yes there is a in-game reason for it.

 

[Sheo_Dagana]

I'm hoping I'll be able to get my hands on a copy. GameStop had stopped taking pre-orders on it a few weeks ago due to 'allocation' errors or whatever. A week before I could understand, but there were a full 18 days before the game came out when I went in. Buh.

Sounds very exciting. I am wondering if I should have played the Fire Emblem on the DS, though? I see Marth in the screenshots and while I've played way more than my fair share of Smash Brothers, I'm fairly unfamiliar with his story outside of what Melee and Brawl gave me.

 

[PunkRex]

Anyone else getting that un-easy feeling that FF's having a negative influence on FE? I don't mean in story/character traits but in character design. There seems to be a hell of alot more belts on display and why does the MC have one fully armoured arm and one thats completely bare. I know theres some fighting styles out there that use this but his right arms not even sleaved and why is Marth wearing a butterfly mask, were there no bandanas on hand? I know this complaints petty but I liked the practicality of the previous games weapons and armour and I don't want it to fall into FF's design choices, you know, bigger/more elaborate the better. Soldiers have to be practical, I know its fantasy but stupid is stupid,

the fully armored arm and bare other arm is a style of armor used mostly for 1 handed sword style. the armored left(or right if your a left handed person) was used mostly as a second gaurd to deflect attacks or block if the armor on it was thick enough.

OT: had to buy the bundle to get a copy of this cause theres so few of them being shiped up here. oh well needed a 3ds anyways and this ones purty

As I said, I understand this, alot of gladiator imagery had a similar set up but he's not even sleeved. Leather or some kind of thick cloth would make more sense. Anyways, its not that big a deal, I just hope this is were they draw the line for future FE titles. I just don't want the MC running round swinging the bloody Buster Sword or Lightnings weird flip knife thing.