Fire Emblem Fates Review - Big Shoes To Fill

Slycne

Tank Ninja
Feb 19, 2006
3,422
0
0
Fire Emblem Fates Review - Big Shoes To Fill

Fire Emblem: Fates takes two steps forward and one step back.

Read Full Article
 

09philj

Elite Member
Legacy
Mar 31, 2015
2,154
947
118
Good enough for me, and since I'm currently swimming in cash that rather nice special edition beckons.
YOU MUST SHIP ADDITIONAL PAIRINGS.
 

kenu12345

Seeker of Ancient Knowledge
Aug 3, 2011
573
0
0
Sounds awesome enough for me but thing I do want to ask is if you are Awakening fan or an older fan and what version did you play. You seem to be more of an Awakening fan which is cool and all but Awakening was pretty bland to me and those who prefer that over the others, I tend to respect but rather hear from someone else
 

Slycne

Tank Ninja
Feb 19, 2006
3,422
0
0
kenu12345 said:
Sounds awesome enough for me but thing I do want to ask is if you are Awakening fan or an older fan and what version did you play. You seem to be more of an Awakening fan which is cool and all but Awakening was pretty bland to me and those who prefer that over the others, I tend to respect but rather hear from someone else
Like a lot of Western Fire Emblem fans, my first experience with the series was the GBA port and its follow-up.
 

kenu12345

Seeker of Ancient Knowledge
Aug 3, 2011
573
0
0
Slycne said:
kenu12345 said:
Sounds awesome enough for me but thing I do want to ask is if you are Awakening fan or an older fan and what version did you play. You seem to be more of an Awakening fan which is cool and all but Awakening was pretty bland to me and those who prefer that over the others, I tend to respect but rather hear from someone else
Like a lot of Western Fire Emblem fans, my first experience with the series was the GBA port and its follow-up.
Ah right then ^^ I assume you played both of the Fates then(QM) Thanks for getting back to me on that. I just was a bit confused cause some details I would have liked weren't there
 

Slycne

Tank Ninja
Feb 19, 2006
3,422
0
0
kenu12345 said:
Ah right then ^^ I assume you played both of the Fates then(QM) Thanks for getting back to me on that. I just was a bit confused cause some details I would have liked weren't there
I'm happy to answer any questions you have to the best of my abilities. It's hard to fit every bit into the review sometimes.
 

kenu12345

Seeker of Ancient Knowledge
Aug 3, 2011
573
0
0
Slycne said:
kenu12345 said:
Ah right then ^^ I assume you played both of the Fates then(QM) Thanks for getting back to me on that. I just was a bit confused cause some details I would have liked weren't there
I'm happy to answer any questions you have to the best of my abilities. It's hard to fit every bit into the review sometimes.
Well at the moment I only have a few, but a huge problem I had with Awakening was that even if you went classic, half of your army technically never died, females and people that join after their place in the plot should be done like Basillo I think. Is this a problem in this game
 

Josh123914

They'll fix it by "Monday"
Nov 17, 2009
2,048
0
0
I'm ready for this game, unfortunately they haven't even given a release date for the UK, so I'm a bit salty.

Slycne said:
kenu12345 said:
Ah right then ^^ I assume you played both of the Fates then(QM) Thanks for getting back to me on that. I just was a bit confused cause some details I would have liked weren't there
I'm happy to answer any questions you have to the best of my abilities. It's hard to fit every bit into the review sometimes.
How's the Voice Acting? I heard there was some issues regarding localization?
 

Erttheking

Member
Legacy
Oct 5, 2011
10,845
1
3
Country
United States
Well I was going to get this game anyway. Though I'm torn between which one to get first. I like the idea of timed missions with more tactical objectives in conquest, but I feel like going from the harder game to an easier game is going to be a weird sensation that might throw me off.

So I gotta think about that. Worse comes to worse I can always put it off and just waste my time playing SMT IV Final (need to get that)
 

Scarim Coral

Jumped the ship
Legacy
Oct 29, 2010
18,157
2
3
Country
UK
Ah danm, I forgot it was out in the US soon.

I guess I'm selfish to say that I kinda glad it ain't out in the UK yet (I far more invested in this 3DS game at the moment). By the time the UK is released, there will be a guide or two to used if I get stuck.

I still intend to get Conquest but not using classic mode cos I'm lazy like that. By all means I played the franchise since the GBA but I no longer got the time to spend hours trying to redo a mission without getting anyone killed.
 

Slycne

Tank Ninja
Feb 19, 2006
3,422
0
0
kenu12345 said:
Well at the moment I only have a few, but a huge problem I had with Awakening was that even if you went classic, half of your army technically never died, females and people that join after their place in the plot should be done like Basillo I think. Is this a problem in this game
Most of the ones I saw in Fates are similar to Basillo. Their "death" quote was something about a permanent injury or needing to retreat. However, there are a few scripted deaths that will occur.

Josh123914 said:
How's the Voice Acting? I heard there was some issues regarding localization?
Given the big cast remarkably decent. The only grating thing I found with the VA is they play these short lines or sounds over the dialogue sometimes. You're going to hear "Brother/Sister" and the same gasps and grunts a lot. A few little grammar mistakes crept into the text, but I haven't heard, or noticed, anything particularly egregious in the VA.

Somewhat related, despite having many of the same composers, the soundtrack is a little weak. It's the first Fire Emblem I've been fine playing with the sound turned down/off.
 

Silvanus

Elite Member
Legacy
Jan 15, 2013
11,025
5,794
118
Country
United Kingdom
Hrmm. A little worried that the entry I had chosen to be my introduction to the Fire Emblem series-- Fates: Conquest-- is apparently significantly more difficult. I imagine I'll be switching perma-death off to compensate (unless I turn out to be just badass enough to have no problems).

Anywho. Looking forward to it. Also frustrated the UK doesn't have a definitive release date.
 

kenu12345

Seeker of Ancient Knowledge
Aug 3, 2011
573
0
0
Silvanus said:
Hrmm. A little worried that the entry I had chosen to be my introduction to the Fire Emblem series-- Fates: Conquest-- is apparently significantly more difficult. I imagine I'll be switching perma-death off to compensate (unless I turn out to be just badass enough to have no problems).

Anywho. Looking forward to it. Also frustrated the UK doesn't have a definitive release date.
There's three difficulties plus the things relating to death so I am sure that you can handle it. Some people overblow difficulty of classic mode at times. If you like strategies games and can pick up on the mechanics, I am sure that you won't have troubles
 

Logience

New member
Jun 25, 2014
100
0
0
Silvanus said:
Hrmm. A little worried that the entry I had chosen to be my introduction to the Fire Emblem series-- Fates: Conquest-- is apparently significantly more difficult. I imagine I'll be switching perma-death off to compensate
Why? Just play smart, take your time, and don't assume you should be playing on any difficulty other than Normal if you don't yet know all the rules.

Just start on Normal Classic and go from there, playing other difficulties once you feel you've seen what this game has in story for you.

On a more personal note, why do most journalists and commentators feel the need to dedicate space to describing how Fire Emblem works? It may be complicated to describe, but showing it is a much simpler affair. Nobody dedicates time to going over how X-Com or Deus Ex worked.
 

Silvanus

Elite Member
Legacy
Jan 15, 2013
11,025
5,794
118
Country
United Kingdom
kenu12345 said:
There's three difficulties plus the things relating to death so I am sure that you can handle it. Some people overblow difficulty of classic mode at times. If you like strategies games and can pick up on the mechanics, I am sure that you won't have troubles
Well, that sounds quite manageable :)

Logience said:
Why? Just play smart, take your time, and don't assume you should be playing on any difficulty other than Normal if you don't yet know all the rules.

Just start on Normal Classic and go from there, playing other difficulties once you feel you've seen what this game has in story for you.
Is Classic the mode with perma-death? That's... scary to me. At the same time, I must admit I can appreciate the tension and attachment it would bring out... but I think that would be better suited to a second playthrough.
 
Jan 19, 2011
65
0
0
Just a piece of advice for people looking in the comments: play with classic mode (ie., permadeath) on. It's the way the game is meant to be played, as it forces you to strategize (as you can't just kamikaze all your units and expect them to be fine; you have to be able to finish the chapter, and have enough good units to finish the game). I'd also recommend Conquest over Birthright. Grinding trivialises difficulty, as you can just grind your way past the harder parts of the game, instead of improving your strategy and becoming a better player.

Silvanus said:
Is Classic the mode with perma-death? That's... scary to me. At the same time, I must admit I can appreciate the tension and attachment it would bring out... but I think that would be better suited to a second playthrough.
I agree with the posters that urged you to try Classic. Permadeath offers a strategy experience like no other. The fact that you have a unique (and limited) cast along with permadeath causes you to strategize and develop awareness of your unit's strenghts and weaknesses. The game will be a much more enjoyable and fufiling. If it seems daunting, you can always play on Normal, which should be forgiving enough to allow you to learn the mechanics of the game/series. You can always up the difficulty for a 2nd playthrough if you want. Also, if a unit dies, don't be afraid to restart the chapter. No need to Ironman on your first run (unless you want to of course; I know I will).

On the topic of the review:

Good review. You made good points and you backed them up. It's always interesting to see others opinions.
 

Logience

New member
Jun 25, 2014
100
0
0
Silvanus said:
Is Classic the mode with perma-death?
Yes.

That's... scary to me. At the same time, I must admit I can appreciate the tension and attachment it would bring out... but I think that would be better suited to a second playthrough.
Why? The point of Fire Emblem is to go through the levels preventing units from getting beaten at all. If a unit gets killed, you're supposed to reset, figure out what went wrong, and do the level over in a manner that'll prevent this. Getting used to units getting killed is a terrible habit.

Like I said: Take your time, learn how to play, and the rest will flow from there.
 

Silvanus

Elite Member
Legacy
Jan 15, 2013
11,025
5,794
118
Country
United Kingdom
Logience said:
Why? The point of Fire Emblem is to go through the levels preventing units from getting beaten at all. If a unit gets killed, you're supposed to reset, figure out what went wrong, and do the level over in a manner that'll prevent this. Getting used to units getting killed is a terrible habit.

Like I said: Take your time, learn how to play, and the rest will flow from there.
The point of any game is to get through without dying (except maybe Limbo). This just seems to punish failure rather excessively for a first playthrough.

If resetting the battle is always an option, that's fine. I hadn't realised that.
 

Logience

New member
Jun 25, 2014
100
0
0
Silvanus said:
This just seems to punish failure rather excessively for a first playthrough.
That's what failure is supposed to be: punishing. You screwed up, so now you have to suffer consequences. Casual mode's problem is how it utterly removes the need for players to suffer consequences for their actions.

Losing a unit is your failure, and as consequence, your punishment is to either move on without them - locking off content by doing so - or to reset the level to ensure you get to experience that content - at the cost of being forced to do the level all over to learn a lesson from your mistakes.
 

Slycne

Tank Ninja
Feb 19, 2006
3,422
0
0
Silvanus said:
Is Classic the mode with perma-death? That's... scary to me. At the same time, I must admit I can appreciate the tension and attachment it would bring out... but I think that would be better suited to a second playthrough.
One thing you can do is play on a pseudo self-imposed Classic. Let the death stand if it feels right and wasn't due to an honest mistake or supremely bad luck. Like having one of your characters gone permanently because they body blocked another character from an attack feels appropriate. Loosing someone to a 2% crit, less so. It doesn't iron man the save, so you can quit back to the home screen and restart the game to end up at your last save.