Poll of the Day > Are the Fire Emblem games fun?

(+) Yeah! (+)

I got the mobile app and it's an okay way to pass the time.

I got this one called "Super Smash Bros. for Wii U" and thought it was pretty fun

I haven't played any actual FE games so this is my contribution to the topic

Yeah. Awakening is a good starting point if you're interested.
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I really want to like Fire emblem, but I dislike the instant permadeath at 0HP. Permadeath is fine, but I prefer FFT's way of handling it, 3 turns to revive the character before it happens. I usually wind up resetting if that happens anyway, but at least with the delayed death you aren't instantly forced to choose to lose the character forever or replay the battle over.

Otherwise, the games are fine. I had a lot of fun with the first one they put on the GBA, even if I never finished it.
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Very!
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PMarth2002 posted...

I really want to like Fire emblem, but I dislike the instant permadeath at 0HP. Permadeath is fine, but I prefer FFT's way of handling it, 3 turns to revive the character before it happens. I usually wind up resetting if that happens anyway, but at least with the delayed death you aren't instantly forced to choose to lose the character forever or replay the battle over.

Otherwise, the games are fine. I had a lot of fun with the first one they put on the GBA, even if I never finished it.

Pretty sure all games since awakening allow you to play with permadeath off.

FE are fun games. Not for everyone. Can be a bit challenging.
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The real Fire Emblem games have much more depth to them than Heroes. Echoes just came out a few weeks ago, and I'd probably recommend it to newcomers. It's a bit more simplistic than the last few Fire Emblems, and the difficulty level is rather tame, making it a good starting point.

Still, I wouldn't say I love the series like I do FF Tactics, Valkyria Chronicles, and Disgaea. The combat is great, but the level design has been mediocre in almost every FE I've played (almost all the NA releases), and the fanservice has been amped up and up and up, to the point where I just skip support conversations and cutscenes because I just don't care. I've never been into that (for lack of a better term) weeaboo shit.

I ordered Awakening. I guess I'll see if I like it.

The mobile app is kinda lousy. Tiny ass maps and only 4v4 really doesn't allow for any strategy.

Just don't reset when people die. The game simultaneously gets too easy and too frustrating when you save scum.
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Lightning Bolt posted...

The game simultaneously gets too easy and too frustrating when you save scum.

tell me more

Awakening is the only one I've played, I didn't like it very much. It's one of those strategy games that looks deep at first glance, but after you start to understand how it works you realize that most stats and unit types are worthless and focusing on the handful of things that matter trivializes everything. The way it handles difficulty is weird too. On the hardest settings the first few levels are brutal, but once you're past them the extra enemies thrown at you start to overlevel your team and the game only gets easier as you go further.
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I'm really enjoying Shadows of Valentia so far. It's been a while since a FE game has had an engaging story. The voice acting is top notch as well.

That being said, some of them gameplay mechanics feel a bit outdated, which is understandable since it's a remake.

SkynyrdRocker posted...

Lightning Bolt posted...

The game simultaneously gets too easy and too frustrating when you save scum.

tell me more

When a unit dies on Classic mode, they're gone forever. It quickly becomes a pain having to reset maps over and over to keep all your units alive, when it's really not even necessary because of how many units the game throws your way. Thing is, when you lose your favorite unit, of course you're gonna reset. Who wouldn't? For that reason, it's honestly better to play the newer games on hard or lunatic, but on Casual mode.

funkyfritter posted...

Awakening is the only one I've played, I didn't like it very much. It's one of those strategy games that looks deep at first glance, but after you start to understand how it works you realize that most stats and unit types are worthless and focusing on the handful of things that matter trivializes everything. The way it handles difficulty is weird too. On the hardest settings the first few levels are brutal, but once you're past them the extra enemies thrown at you start to overlevel your team and the game only gets easier as you go further.

Awakening isn't very good. Play Conquest if you want to play one the few modern Fire Emblems that get harder as it goes and not that the other way around. Those last chapters are nuts. Story is absolute crap tho.
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Awakening is the best of the newer FE games, don't let anyone tell you otherwise. You made the right choice.
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yes, they are very fun
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Final Fantasy2389 posted...

PMarth2002 posted...

I really want to like Fire emblem, but I dislike the instant permadeath at 0HP. Permadeath is fine, but I prefer FFT's way of handling it, 3 turns to revive the character before it happens. I usually wind up resetting if that happens anyway, but at least with the delayed death you aren't instantly forced to choose to lose the character forever or replay the battle over.

Otherwise, the games are fine. I had a lot of fun with the first one they put on the GBA, even if I never finished it.

Pretty sure all games since awakening allow you to play with permadeath off.

FE are fun games. Not for everyone. Can be a bit challenging.

I haven't played one since the Gamecube but the issue with them was you couldn't grind out exp so you'd be screwed for the final battle unless you leveled characters very specifically.
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Pus_N_Pecans posted...

Awakening is the best of the newer FE games, don't let anyone tell you otherwise. You made the right choice.

I would probably agree, but that doesn't mean it's a great game. Fates had a completely godawful story with horrendous writing, and Echoes has terrible map design. Awakening is a compromise between the two. Want a good story? Play Echoes. Want good maps? Play Conquest. Want a balance of both? Play Awakening.

Still rather play other SRPGs.

Pus_N_Pecans posted...

Awakening is the best of the newer FE games, don't let anyone tell you otherwise. You made the right choice.

Echos lets you get to tier 4 though!!

FourthDimension posted...

I'm really enjoying Shadows of Valentia so far. It's been a while since a FE game has had an engaging story. The voice acting is top notch as well.

agreed, the story is eons better than Fates or Awakening
Conquest was probably one of the most stupidest story I ever played through, although the Gameplay is so much harder

Awakening wasn't all that bad, some of the twists really got me =/
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The 3DS games are bad.

Play FE7 and the Radiant series.
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PLEASE TC, tell me that if you don't like Awakening, you'll at least try out FE7 ;_;
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Wait a minute, Awakening has a demo did you try it out?

Krow_Incarnate posted...

PLEASE TC, tell me that if you don't like Awakening, you'll at least try out FE7 ;_;

I'd kill for a echoes style remake :(
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i'd stay away from shadow dragon and echoes SoV till you have more experience, if you even end up liking the games. as said before awakening is a good starting point but i find birthright to be alright too, the GBA games are pretty fun while sticking to the old school style same with path of radiance if you can find it. though Raidant Dawn is a bit much even for an experienced player like me.
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Krow_Incarnate posted...

The 3DS games are bad.

Play FE7 and the Radiant series.

Awakening and Fates are literally the best in the series. FE7 is a classic, but come on.
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CyborgSage00x0 posted...

Awakening and Fates are literally the best in the series.

I love Awakening but Fates isn't even a top 5 tbh

Echoes might be though, but I haven't finished it
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Awakening is here. Should I play with permadeath on or off?

SkynyrdRocker posted...

Awakening is here. Should I play with permadeath on or off?

on
it adds depth

CyborgSage00x0 posted...

Krow_Incarnate posted...

The 3DS games are bad.

Play FE7 and the Radiant series.

Awakening and Fates are literally the best in the series. FE7 is a classic, but come on.

Nah fam Awakening was fun but Fates was ass
The gameplay was nice and all but the story was so horrendous (except Birthright, that side was fine)
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Just disable permadeath if you hate it. You can always do a new game later with permadeath on.

The random stats gain bothers me to some degree. I only played The Blazing Blade and Sacred Stones but the RNG screwed over Lyndis for me. I still beat the game but could not find Lyndis viable due to her stats.
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NomakM54 posted...

it adds depth

There's more story if you play with permadeath on?
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Revelation34 posted...

NomakM54 posted...

it adds depth

There's more story if you play with permadeath on?

Yeah, I hear some characters can die, if you go that route. :o

FourthDimension posted...

Revelation34 posted...

NomakM54 posted...

it adds depth

There's more story if you play with permadeath on?

Yeah, I hear some characters can die, if you go that route. :o

Pretty sure all of them can die with that on it. That wasn't the point of my post anyway. I was asking if the story was different at all with it on.
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Speaking as a fan since Blazing Blade in '03 (and as a current Heroes devotee), the series is ... divisive. I personally recommend starting at Echoes, since Intelligent Systems did a bang-up job on updating and localizing the game. Granted, it does not play like any other game in the series, but, in terms of presentation and story, I cannot recommend it highly enough. Fantastic game. Captures several of the reasons I still love the series.

Awakening and Fates are ... written very differently from older games in the series, to put it politely.
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