As part of the promotion for the upcoming Fire Emblem if, a page dedicated to the game's theme song (which will be released as a single) has been opened. Introducing the series, it states the following:
Fire Emblem - Nintendo's SRPG series that has been beloved by fans for 25 years. The most recent entry, Fire Emblem Awakening, sold 1.79 million copies worldwide (as of December 2014), and now, this world-beloved series' latest entry, "Fire Emblem if", will be released to celebrate the 25th anniversary.
It wasn't really just about waifus, I felt like I was playing matchmaker. Wasn't specifically about one gender. Hell, I actually played as a female Robin so I could marry Chrom because I felt they fit together the best.
I am playing this game now, on chapter 8 currently, but when does this dating sim aspect of the game start? Maybe I am playing it wrong, i've only noticed little hearts after the battles when characters support each other during the battle.
From best selling FE game ever to Codename Bomba...kinda sad seeing the market reject their new IP - probably would have performed better as a launch period game for their next handheld. It will likely get a HD Remake for future systems that looks more like VC.
Nice! I'm so glad they were able to make it a success. Although this bodes bad for Advance Wars. After all now it has to compete against two succesful franchises (Paper Mario and Fire Emblem). Hopefully they'll be able to "revive" AW like they did with FE down the line though.
I am playing this game now, on chapter 8 currently, but when does this dating sim aspect of the game start? Maybe I am playing it wrong, i've only noticed little hearts after the battles when characters support each other during the battle.
It wasn't really just about waifus, I felt like I was playing matchmaker. Wasn't specifically about one gender. Hell, I actually played as a female Robin so I could marry Chrom because I felt they fit together the best.
I am playing this game now, on chapter 8 currently, but when does this dating sim aspect of the game start? Maybe I am playing it wrong, i've only noticed little hearts after the battles when characters support each other during the battle.
The "Dating Sim" is those hearts, yes. In game it's called Supports which allow characters near each other, or even in the same square (after you unlock Pair Up for the first time) to fight at a much stronger level than if alone.
A heart simply means you're getting closer to unlocking a support conversation for the two. The ranks go C, B, A, and S for marriage when applicable. Like Chrom and Lissa can't S-rank, but Chrom and Sumia can, to use an obvious example. The Avatar can S-Rank any and all opposite gender character you recruit, except for one. And that's where the "waifu" wars begin.
Don't worry about it too much in your first game. Just have people you like fight together and see if you like how their conversations are going, then continue that if you think it's nice. Like in my first game Vaike kept getting hurt and then healed by Lissa, to the point where it became a running gag and they ended up married.
If Awakening failed then the series is over. They were planning to do away with the franchise because of horrible sales, and without sales the series cannot continue. So in one last ditch effort they tried something different and it worked.
I am playing this game now, on chapter 8 currently, but when does this dating sim aspect of the game start? Maybe I am playing it wrong, i've only noticed little hearts after the battles when characters support each other during the battle.
Just like in a lot of Fire Emblem games before this one (starting with FE6, Awakening being FE13), there are support conversations. In Awakening's case, you unlock support conversations between compatible characters (not everyone can have supports with everyone else) by having them stand next to each other, battle alongside each other, pairing them up (each time you see those hearts). This increases an internal value, and when that reaches a certain value, you unlock a support conversation.
Supports come in C, B, A and S variants. You first unlock C, then B, then A. Certain characters can also reach the S rank, which means they will marry each other. You can only get one S rank per character in each playthrough (just like you would only be married to one person at a time in real life). Spoilers since you are only at Chapter 8:
After marrying, the chapter for the characters' child will show up on the map (once you cleared Chapter 13 iirc), where you can then recruit the child.
That's pretty much the "dating sim" aspect of the game. It's hard to call it dating sim, really, and the only thing Awakening added to what was already used by other games in the series was the S rank (and it's consequences, basically).
Oh, yeah, you have to view unlocked support conversations outside of battle. This is also were you see which ones you unlocked. I think the internal support points value is increased regardless of you actually viewing the conversation (so you could, potentially, have already unlocked the A support but would only see that once you viewed C and B), but I'm not sure on that right now.
On another note. I said this once and I will say this again: I really, really think people overstate the importance of the marriage system. The art style being more or less big factor for people picking this up I give you, but not "waifus". Seriously. It had a lot more to do with better positioning in the release schedule, better marketing (Nintendo Direct playing a big role here if you ask me) and, as a result of the initial success, more awareness for the series in general, more retailers stocking the game, more reprints by Nintendo etc.
Incredibly well deserved, it's the game that finally delivered on the series' previously squandered potential, while also bringing with it a whole host of truly worthwhile innovations that elevated it to true classic status.
I just hope IF doesn't fuck things up and ditch anything to try and pander to the outraged minority of older fans.
I don't think the dating sim elements saved the franchise.
The game had just a way better presentation than every other Fire Emblem ever (the menus were more user friendly and less ugly for example) and there was a casual mode.
If it was the case for all the previous Fire Emblem before, there will be no need to save the franchise.
I don't think the dating sim elements saved the franchise.
The game had just a way better presentation than every other Fire Emblem ever (the menus were more user friendly and less ugly for example) and there was a casual mode.
If it was the case for all the previous Fire Emblem before, there will be no need to save the franchise.
I agree that accessibility made the game popular instead of waifu pandering or whatever. Annecdotal, but around me there was a lot of word of mouth carrying the game around, even from friends that aren't into anime stuff.
Really good stuff, especially after coming from the dire sales news of IS's other most recent outing. Awakening was the game that got me into this series in the first place, something I'll always treasure it for. I cannot see If doing anything to change my opinion of where the series is headed and here's to more FE in the foreseeable future.
While I love that my favorite Nintendo IP has sold enough copies to keep existing, I hope in the future that we continue to get new FE games without emulating the Awakening paradigm (mainly the children mechanic) just to sell copies. I really enjoyed the console games and would like to see a Wii U title.
I never really enjoyed the "waifu" gimmicky jokes that arose from Awakening. Supports and shipping have almost always existed in the series, but that is not the point of the game. Awakening needed better gameplay variety, where was my Fog of War?
This is an impressive figure for a tactical role-playing game. The only franchise that can compete in the same league is the already deceased Final Fantasy Tactics series.
PS1 Final Fantasy Tactics - 2.4 million units worldwide
GBA Final Fantasy Tactics Advance - 1.55 million units worldwide
NDS Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift - 0.67 million units worldwide
it has sold more than every Metroid game except 2 (the original and Prime 1 sold more than 2 million) and more than every F-Zero game except one (original F-Zero).
This is an impressive figure for a tactical role-playing game. The only franchise that can compete in the same league is the already deceased Final Fantasy Tactics series.
PS1 Final Fantasy Tactics - 2.4 million units worldwide
GBA Final Fantasy Tactics Advance - 1.55 million units worldwide
NDS Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift - 0.67 million units worldwide
Well deserved. It was my first experience of the series - before that my only exposure was through Smash Bros. and seeing the odd game cover here and there (i had played both Advance Wars titles though so wasn't alien to the genre altogether).
FE: Awakening is my #1 game on 3DS and i am definitely looking forward to the next one.
This is an impressive figure for a tactical role-playing game. The only franchise that can compete in the same league is the already deceased Final Fantasy Tactics series.
PS1 Final Fantasy Tactics - 2.4 million units worldwide
GBA Final Fantasy Tactics Advance - 1.55 million units worldwide
NDS Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift - 0.67 million units worldwide
There were 3 Final Fantasy SRPGs released within a year of each other, the other two being FFT: Wars of the Lions for PSP and FFXII: Revenant Wings for DS. Fatigue could have had something to do with it.
This is an impressive figure for a tactical role-playing game. The only franchise that can compete in the same league is the already deceased Final Fantasy Tactics series.
PS1 Final Fantasy Tactics - 2.4 million units worldwide
GBA Final Fantasy Tactics Advance - 1.55 million units worldwide
NDS Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift - 0.67 million units worldwide
Games like that have a well informed audience. They don't just sell because of the name. All the FFT fans I know told me Grimoire of the Rift didn't even come close to the previous entries and isnisted I stay away.
Games like that have a well informed audience. They don't just sell because of the name. All the FFT fans I know told me Grimoire of the Rift didn't even come close to the previous entries and isnisted I stay away.
