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[Blood Diamonds]

asdfghjkl This game is amazing holy shit.
Okay, so I never got around to playing a Fire Emblem game before... and I had the chance to finally play the first localized game.
All I have to say is why the fuck did it take Nintendo so long to localize these games? Seriously,Fire Emblem is incredibly addicting. I thought I had finished it when Lyn got to the castle and met her grandfather and everything, but then the game says Elliwood is the main character. I seriously can't wait to play the rest of the game.
Anyway, what do you guys think of Fire Emblem (This game, or the series in general)
One last thing, Fire Emblem has incredible character design.

 

[Aggrotek]

It's my favorite in the series.

 

[Nightstick11]

I beat this game over 30 times. Love it to death

 

[Drago]

I bought it pretty cheap on eBay around a year ago ($15 vs the usual $30 iirc) and I got lucky enough that it was a real copy of the game (came with a free game cart holder too!)

Still haven't played too much of it, and I probably won't until after I beat Awakening. I liked what I played though

 

[ohlawd]

My first FE and it's still my favorite.

omgomgomg Awakening is one month awayyy.

 

[Gestahl]

7's the most refined and balanced in the series, you can probably count the number of useless units on one hand so many are viable. Probably pound for pound the most content in any Fire Emblem game too.

 

[Blood Diamonds]

My first FE and it's still my favorite.

omgomgomg Awakening is one month awayyy.

Oh God yes.
But first I need a 3DS :C

7's the most refined and balanced in the series, you can probably count the number of useless units on one hand so many are viable. Probably pound for pound the most content in any Fire Emblem game too.

So are the the other ones not as good, then?

 

[emag]

The GBA is my favorite console largely because of games like Fire Emblem and Advance Wars finally being available in the US. FE7 is fantastic.

 

[Empty Space]

So are the the other ones not as good, then?

Of the ones I've played I would say so, but that might have more to with FE 7 being the first I ever played and less on its quality. I will give credit where credits due and say that I like the way classes work the most in Sacred Stones, but its nowhere near as challenging and I hardly remember the story from FE 8.

Edit: This isn't to discredit the other games in the series they are all excellent games.

 

[WrenchNinja]

Such a great game. Love the cast, I never got as attached with the armies of the other games.

 

[Jintor]

FE7 is def my fave. So glad they ambassador'd it

 

[Yanksfan]

So are the the other ones not as good, then?

They are very good (only one I could possibly argue against is Shadow Dragon), no need to worry. The series is top notch.

 

[Drago]

FE7 is def my fave. So glad they ambassador'd it

That was the Sacred Stones (8?), not 7

 

[WrenchNinja]

FE7 is def my fave. So glad they ambassador'd it

They didnt, they ambassador'd FE8.

 

[ohlawd]

FE7 is def my fave. So glad they ambassador'd it

o.o

FE8 (Sacred Stones) was the FE GBA ambassador game.

edit: beaten twice.

 

[johnsmith]

FE7 is def my fave. So glad they ambassador'd it

That's Fire Emblem 8/Sacred Stones, which was a step down from FE7 in my opinion.

 

[Mr. Fix]

I thought I had finished it when Lyn got to the castle and met her grandfather and everything, but then the game says Elliwood is the main character.

I didn't expect that either on my first run, what a treat.

Conflicted between FE9 and this, but I've only played 9 once and this game 4-5 times. I started a hard run yesterday, and I'm getting my ass whooped left and right. I ain't in my prime no more yet.

FE7 is def my fave. So glad they ambassador'd it

:lol

Spoiler

;-;

 

[WrenchNinja]

Seriously though, its good that they didnt ambassador FE7. If Nintendo keeps their word, those ambassador titles wont be playable by anyone else. I want people to play FE7 and have it available on the eshop.

 

[Jintor]

Wait what? OP said he did the Lynn tutorial, and then main character was Eliwood. Wasn't that the game I played? Or did I just confuse my FEs?

 

[Mr. Fix]

Wait what? OP said he did the Lynn tutorial, and then main character was Eliwood. Wasn't that the game I played?

On the ambassador? Nah, that's Erika/Ephraim.

 

[Htown]

Wait what? OP said he did the Lynn tutorial, and then main character was Eliwood. Wasn't that the game I played? Or did I just confuse my FEs?

not on 3DS you didn't

 

[Tookay]

I really like RD for some of the crazier ideas, along with its ambitious storytelling, but I think FE7 is the purest expression of the series. It's simple but engrossing.

 

[ohlawd]

On the ambassador? Nah, that's Eirika/Ephraim.

fixed.

not on 3DS you didn't

oh snap.

 

[qizah]

Fire Emblem was definitely one of my favourite GBA games. I wish it was on the 3DS eShop. I never played Sacred Stones, but I'll probably play through it this month before Awakening is out.

I keep hearing step down, what's the reason?

 

[Jintor]

not on 3DS you didn't

OH RIGHT lol. Guess I got my FE7 and FE8 memories confused somehow.

 

[Mr. Fix]

I really like RD for some of the crazier ideas, along with its ambitious storytelling, but I think FE7 is the purest representation of the series. Really wish it would be re-released.

I'd buy a 3DS remake. They would just need to add Lunatic and Lunatic +, and maybe even the new dual system.

Fire Emblem was definitely one of my favourite GBA games. I wish it was on the 3DS eShop. I never played Sacred Stones, but I'll probably play through it this month before Awakening is out.

I keep hearing step down, what's the reason?

The obvious one would be that it's too easy (they even allow you to train at a tower/ruins). I'm sure there's others, but I actually kinda like the Tower and the Ruins. They should have kept them as post-game areas.

 

[Gestahl]

Oh God yes.
But first I need a 3DS :C

So are the the other ones not as good, then?

4's great but is a pretty different game, 5's hard in a fun way and basically invented a lot of what 7 perfects, 6 is like 7 but shittier with a less interesting story and every objective is seize (It's 7's prequel though), 8's short and easy, 9 and 10 are one story and are pretty good though 9's Hard mode is really Japan's Normal and 10 is kind of busted design-wise (unit viability and in Hard mode taking away convenient GUI elements for no reason). I would classify 4, 5, 7, 9, and 10 as a general top tier for the series.

11 was a barebones remake of the first game and I don't know what to think of 12. It's a remake of 3 and was better than 11, but the unit viability is a hot steaming mess, the game gives you 9 or so of the best units in the game in the first few chapters and the 70 or so other characters pale in comparison, and are almost unusable on the harder difficulties, and the map design can get pretty lousy. The game also relies on bullshit reinforcements as a form of artificial difficulty (oh hey I killed the thieves and recruited the guy in the village so his enemy buddy now spawns better get him over there and recrui---DRACOKNIGHTS EVERYWHERE or oh hey finally killed all those dragons time to mosey on over to the castle and end this ma DRAGONS EVERYWHERE ESPECIALLY THE 12 MOVE FUCKERS WITH 2 RANGE) and Lunatic mode essentially forces you to care about the minutia of the RNG (Reloading the final chapter over and over until Marth crits the final boss was a tedious 20 minutes) far more than should be required in a strategy game.

 

[Tookay]

Fire Emblem was definitely one of my favourite GBA games. I wish it was on the 3DS eShop. I never played Sacred Stones, but I'll probably play through it this month before Awakening is out.

I keep hearing step down, what's the reason?

I can't speak for everyone, but the individual mission design, characters, and plot weren't as compelling as the previous one. FE7 was a good yarn; FE8 is not paced nearly as well.

 

[Empty Space]

This is a little off topic, but how related story wise are Shadow Dragon and its sequel to Awakening?

 

[WrenchNinja]

This is a little off topic, but how related story wise are Shadow Dragon and its sequel to Awakening?

Not at all.

 

[ohlawd]

I can't speak for everyone, but the individual mission design, characters, and plot weren't as compelling as the previous one. FE7 was a good yarn; FE8 is not paced nearly as well.

monsters ;_;

why are there monsters ;_;

 

[Jintor]

Shadow Dragon was also a huge chore to play for some reason, I didn't get that 'spark' I got from 7 (and to a lesser extent from 8).

 

[qizah]

The obvious one would be that it's too easy (they even allow you to train at a tower/ruins). I'm sure there's others, but I actually kinda like the Tower and the Ruins. They should have kept them as post-game areas.

Ah, I could see how that'd be a turn off for fans.

I can't speak for everyone, but the individual mission design, characters, and plot weren't as compelling as the previous one. FE7 was a good yarn; FE8 is not paced nearly as well.

Makes sense. Truthfully it's been ~10 years since I've played Fire Emblem on the GBA, so I don't really remember it all that well. I was only 13 at the time too. Hoping for a re-release on the 3DS. I missed out on the DS title too, though I've heard that wasn't really that great.

 

[Mr. Fix]

Shadow Dragon was also a huge chore to play for some reason, I didn't get that 'spark' I got from 7 (and to a lesser extent from 8).

It's bad enough that they force you to sacrifice a unit at the beginning of the game, they also ask you to only have 15 throughout to access nearly all the side quests.

 

[Kincaido]

The one that started it all for most people. Lyn <3

 

[Blood Diamonds]

4's great but is a pretty different game, 5's hard in a fun way and basically invented a lot of what 7 perfects, 6 is like 7 but shittier with a less interesting story and every objective is seize (It's 7's prequel though), 8's short and easy, 9 and 10 are one story and are pretty good though 9's Hard mode is really Japan's Normal and 10 is kind of busted design-wise (unit viability and in Hard mode taking away convenient GUI elements for no reason). I would classify 4, 5, 7, 9, and 10 as a general top tier for the series.

11 was a barebones remake of the first game and I don't know what to think of 12. It's a remake of 3 and was better than 11, but the unit viability is a hot steaming mess, the game gives you 9 or so of the best units in the game in the first few chapters and the 70 or so other characters pale in comparison, and are almost unusable on the harder difficulties, and the map design can get pretty lousy. The game also relies on bullshit reinforcements as a form of artificial difficulty (oh hey I killed the thieves and recruited the guy in the village so his enemy buddy now spawns better get him over there and recrui---DRACOKNIGHTS EVERYWHERE or oh hey finally killed all those dragons time to mosey on over to the castle and end this ma DRAGONS EVERYWHERE ESPECIALLY THE 12 MOVE FUCKERS WITH 2 RANGE) and Lunatic mode essentially forces you to care about the minutia of the RNG (Reloading the final chapter over and over until Marth crits the final boss was a tedious 20 minutes) far more than should be required in a strategy game.

Thanks for this, very informative.
FE 9 and 10 are the console ones, right?
Aren't they way more slow in comparison?

 

[Empty Space]

Not at all.

That's really good to hear. I was worried considering that one character seems to show up.

 

[Mr. Fix]

Thanks for this, very informative.
FE 9 and 10 are the console ones, right?
Aren't they way more slow in comparison?

I'd argue that they're faster. In RD at least, you could turn off animations, and even the walking/attack animation done on the grid, though it'd be harder to keep track of who did what that way.

 

[IrishNinja]

i got pretty far in - love it, wish it was on the damn eshop already. sacred stones is also good but i favored this one, as well as the GC one (which i couldn't even get far into...). i wish someone woulda put me onto the series years back, i'dve transitioned from Shining Force pretty easily.

 

[Reluctant-Hero]

I've been playing FE8 on my 3DS lately to get ready for Awakening. But I should also get to my play through of FE9 and eventually start FE10.

So much Fire Emblem, so little time!

 

[vareon]

This thread hurts me because I lost my cart and couldn't find any right now.

 

[The Awesomest]

Oh God yes.
But first I need a 3DS :C

So are the the other ones not as good, then?

No, they're all amazing, except Shadow Dragon, which is only decent. Play them all.

Not at all.

Yes at all, but very distantly.

 

[Turok_TTZ]

though my first fe game was 7, I prefer FE 6 to FE 7. I never really understood the fixation of lyn on gaf here. she is quite forgettable.

 

[RedSwirl]

I've been seeing if I could finish up FE7 to get ready for Awakening. I might just give it a rest after finishing chapter 24 though.

I'm super paranoid about losing even one unit, so each of these later chapters has been an incredibly slow process of meticulous planning and restarts. Add to that all the snowing in this chapter. I think I'm at like turn 30 right now just trying to mop up the last few enemies.

I'm still disappointed that a turn-based SRPG even approaching this level doesn't exist on iOS unless you count the Final Fantasy Tactics port.

4's great but is a pretty different game, 5's hard in a fun way and basically invented a lot of what 7 perfects, 6 is like 7 but shittier with a less interesting story and every objective is seize (It's 7's prequel though), 8's short and easy, 9 and 10 are one story and are pretty good though 9's Hard mode is really Japan's Normal and 10 is kind of busted design-wise (unit viability and in Hard mode taking away convenient GUI elements for no reason). I would classify 4, 5, 7, 9, and 10 as a general top tier for the series.

11 was a barebones remake of the first game and I don't know what to think of 12. It's a remake of 3 and was better than 11, but the unit viability is a hot steaming mess, the game gives you 9 or so of the best units in the game in the first few chapters and the 70 or so other characters pale in comparison, and are almost unusable on the harder difficulties, and the map design can get pretty lousy. The game also relies on bullshit reinforcements as a form of artificial difficulty (oh hey I killed the thieves and recruited the guy in the village so his enemy buddy now spawns better get him over there and recrui---DRACOKNIGHTS EVERYWHERE or oh hey finally killed all those dragons time to mosey on over to the castle and end this ma DRAGONS EVERYWHERE ESPECIALLY THE 12 MOVE FUCKERS WITH 2 RANGE) and Lunatic mode essentially forces you to care about the minutia of the RNG (Reloading the final chapter over and over until Marth crits the final boss was a tedious 20 minutes) far more than should be required in a strategy game.

So people don't count Awakening as 11? Since the last couple were just remakes?

 

[Chrom]

It was a little over three years ago that I got into the series with this game. It's quite good, and from there on I would play all of the previous games before it in addition to FE8. Fire Emblem is one of my favorite series ever and am looking very forward to FE13.

My personal favorite right now is FE4, for the Super Famicom. In my opinion no other game comes close to it equality except for FE5. Shame that not many people on GAF seem to have played these older games, because they're exceptional.

So people don't count Awakening as 11? Since the last couple were just remakes?

The series is officially numbered.

 

[cosmicblizzard]

Yeah, game is brilliant. Was also my first one, so I didn't have the common "don't let anyone die" OCD I have now. Maybe I should go back and play it that way.

 

[Ranger X]

FE series is crystal meth. That's all I know.

 

[goldenpp72]

What Fire Emblem titles have launched in the US, and what is a good one for a new person to get in on?

 

[Chrom]

What Fire Emblem titles have launched in the US, and what is a good one for a new person to get in on?

The seventh game, Blazing Sword, localized as Fire Emblem.

The eighth game, The Sacred Stones.

The ninth game, Path of Radiance.

The tenth game, Radiant Dawn. I wouldn't recommend playing this before FE9.

The eleventh game, Shadow Dragon. Don't bother with this one.

Play this one:

The thirteenth game, Awakening.

 

[Drago]

What Fire Emblem titles have launched in the US, and what is a good one for a new person to get in on?

All the games from 7 on have been released here (aside from the second DS remake).

The new one coming to 3DS in February is supposed to be very good for beginners, and the story is separate from all other games in the series.

Edit: beaten with a much better post