Advance Wars is entirely different in my book, so I don't really get the comparisons when people bring them up. AW is about resource management and a faster pace. If anything it has more similar qualities to an RTS, except it's turn based. I still love it, but it's so far removed from FE. You can't really cross the games, because they're just so far different. It would just be FE that looked like AW.
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Fire Emblem Awakening |OT| Lord of the RNG
- Thread starter Mr. Fix
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Looks like I will be reviewing this game. I'm downloading it now.
I'm not super familiar with the series though I have played some of the games. This one has really grabbed my attention and I was strongly considering buying it before my editor sent me a review key, so I'm very much looking forward to playing it.
Advance Wars is a turn based strategy game and Fire Emblem is a tactical RPG. They're certainly very different games. They do have that grid based strategy component in common, and they're both made by the same studio, so I can kind of see why people like to compare them.
The GBA games especially had a similar feel to them. Like they were running on the same engine. (Which they probably were.)
I'm not super familiar with the series though I have played some of the games. This one has really grabbed my attention and I was strongly considering buying it before my editor sent me a review key, so I'm very much looking forward to playing it.
Advance Wars is a turn based strategy game and Fire Emblem is a tactical RPG. They're certainly very different games. They do have that grid based strategy component in common, and they're both made by the same studio, so I can kind of see why people like to compare them.
The GBA games especially had a similar feel to them. Like they were running on the same engine. (Which they probably were.)
They are different and not directly comparable, I'm just saying the fact that you have generic troops in the game significantly changes my attitude towards them.
Yeah, I was actually agreeing with you. Just expanding my thoughts and thinking out loud too.
decoyplatypus
Member
I disagree. Soldiers in X-Com may not have support convos or pop up in cutscenes, but they do have unique names and develop different stats (and in the new one, perks). Losing an X-Com soldier is every bit as crushing as losing an FE character. Especially if, like me, you skip most cutscenes when replaying FE games. Plus most FEs have given plenty of ways for players to make up for lost soldiers. There are late recruits (who would only ever be useful if you lost a long-serving soldier) in just about every game, there's grinding in FE8/Awakening, there's bonus experience in 9 and 10.
The fact that you have unlimited dispensable units in Advance Wars is really the most important difference between the franchises. I'd love for it to incorporate that element of Fire Emblem, but I don't know how it would work.
Yeah. And they keep fucking with my hair. Just leave me alone. I got them to shave it and they still ask me if I want to change it -- how is that even possible when I have no hair? Idiots.
Yeah, I was actually agreeing with you. Just expanding my thoughts and thinking out loud too.
Haha okay, just making sure. I know I had to explain to people before the differences as well so I didn't want to come across like I was one of 'them.'
Hopefully this will be the best selling Fire Emblem in the west. I think the odds are in its favor. Loving how much appreciation and the glowing reviews so far.
They have unique names but you can always just rename them to be the same person. You can even make them look exactly the same. Stats are RNG, I'll give you that. And in Enemy Unknown there are class specific perks but the point remains that you can have any lost squadmate replaced within a handful of missions who has the exact same name, look, perks, etc. Only thing you're losing out is RNG stats and if they're PSI-capable or not.
Not to mention there is zero background info or story for them. I have used characters in Fire Emblem specifically because I liked them or they catered to my interests. When I let them die I felt like I had failed them and couldn't imagine spending the rest of the game knowing that and not having them in my party.
XeroSauce
Member
I've spent at least 150 hours on just Sacred Stones, so you are not alone.
Kai Dracon
Writing a dinosaur space opera symphony
FE games typically have good stories, especially focused on characters' personal dramas. A big reason why peramdeath is significant. Someone dies, and you never see how their story plays out or develop their support relationship with other characters.
I don't think people really play the games for the story but it's not like the story is lackluster or anything.
I'm pretty sure 20 hours is a very conservative amount. You could easily beat Sacred Stones in that time frame, but given the extra quest, the random battles, the benefits of replaying.. you'll probably spend a lot more. The same can be said for this game, especially when you consider the DLC.
Maybe for missed support convos back when you couldn't easily obtain them for everyone on a single playthrough. I still enjoy going back to older games after years of not playing them and seeing the story / convos again.
15-20 hours is probably Normal/Casual without accounting for resets. I doubt Awakening is actually much shorter than previous games, though I'm sure it doesn't reach Radiant Dawn's length (which was exceptional).
Frederick is such a beast for the first half of the game though... <.<; I can't remember if I'm playing the game on normal or hard but I hardly have any trouble clearing a stage once your main unit
gets married
Like you said though, all of the units are usable so long as you level them.
TriniTrin
war of titties grampa
Ahhh I see, So you could have a different story experience based on who survives and who dies? Awesome!
EXP hog. Definitely avoid using him if you can. Just harms the growth of everyone else.
I've tried to avoid Frederick, even though Exp isn't at a premium in this game, or anything. But he's certainly helped on a couple of the early chapters with his ability to hold a choke point by himself.
Definitely, although the punishment for your Jeigan in Awakening is pretty low. Are his growth rates anything decent, or is he truly terrible? I haven't looked at any characters growth rates, or any guides.
I just paired him with MU. Gives him a +4 DEF boost (and more) and doesn't take any of the EXP.
dakkumauji
Member
Man, that's fun. They do they every few chapter, but at least after one or two chapters they ask if you want to remove the hat or not.
Now, I'm stuck wearing a fur hat.
Laurentius
Member
I haven't played this one, but the FE games typically have really great characters in interesting worlds. The overarching stories are pretty typical, but the characters are what makes it shine.
Well, actually...one of the big reasons I play FE is for the story and characters. It's why I prefer it so much over Advance Wars.
XeroSauce
Member
Is Fredrick another "Seth"?
I made the mistake of taking his weapon in the first map, expecting the units to attack him because he was weaponless like in some previous titles. But they didn't care and went after the more defensively vulnerable characters. dat improved AI.
I didn't use him. I don't like heavy armor units that much. Now Gaius on the other hand...
decoyplatypus
Member
Sure. But that doesn't mean FE is somehow unsuitable for Iron Man. I've done Iron Man playthroughs of most of the FEs I've played (the only one I wouldn't consider trying that way is FE5. It's hard enough already, and the stamina system would make battling on with fewer soldiers less tenable). They're fun. And yeah, losing Oscar in PoR feels bad, but that doesn't mean I have to restart the entire run. That just makes the run more dramatic.
Eh, not really. For all intents and purposes, playing through the game with all but the necessary characters alive wouldn't actually change the story but the game does acknowledge their existences (or lack thereof) eventually, but it's never crucial. Death is basically an inhibitor.
Frederick isn't that amazing. He's certainly usable (sans grinding of course) but he's not in the same league as Seth.
Try archers and lightning magic.
Yeah, the problem is they stop on a cliff, so I can't reach them with either. If I get them partially into range, they just die next time. I'm going to try using less units who are super powered through supports instead of half and half and see how it goes.
decoyplatypus
Member
Not really. If a plot critical character falls in battle, it will either be an automatic game over or the character will "retreat" and be unusable in future battles. Sometimes certain characters have to be around to access secret chapters, and the games usually do a roll-call at the end, revealing surviving characters' fates, but you'll have the same story experience regardless of who survives.
I'm on Hard too, and it took me a few tries.
Strategy spoilers
I had Fredrick bottle neck the cliff, killing one unit during the first turn, while the Peg Knight and new Mage killed off a second unit. Or another ranged unit can come up behind Fredrick and finish one of them off if the others didn't. Thus only one unit to hit the Mage on the enemy turn and he'd be okay. You can use Rescue on your Cleric to pull one of the weaklings out of battle. Once you have the kids rescued and behind Fredrick, you should be okay. Regroup at the lower level and prepare for the riders / forts to spawn enemies. Archers and Wind magic will help a bunch. Try having a group on the right and a group on the left. You can lure single enemies to each group as they come down, giving you an easy time finishing them off. Don't push up to the second level until you've cleared out all the riders, including the boss, who will eventually move.
One of my favorite parts about Fire Emblem is creating god units. I remember in FE7, I had a berserker (Dart), an archer (Rebecca), and a swordmaster (Guy) destroyed an entire army on one of the harder maps.
The music is excellent in Awakening. Probably the best in the franchise. I'm playing Heroes of Light and Shadow (FE12) right now and even though the maps are great, the music and overall presentation is way behind.
Wasn't Seth a cavalry unit that developed into one of the best in PoR? Can't remember now.
dakkumauji
Member
Seth was the paladin that you start with in FE8. He had good growths and could easily become a good character, just that he joined you about 10ish chapters way too early.
Oh, don't get me wrong, I think many of the stories in FE are great and they definitely enamor many fans, but I suppose what I was getting at was that the gameplay's always so refined that I see it generally being the bigger appeal for people who like these kinds of games. I know many people who can't get enough of the characters and such, and I don't think Awakening really falters in that department either, but I think that ultimately it's the gameplay that shines the best with these games. They're really fun games.
Seth was from Sacred Stones. He was actually a really decent cavalier with good growth rates, despite being an early Exp hog.
decoyplatypus
Member
Seth was a paladin in FE8 (Sacred Stones). He was a perfectly fine unit throughout the game, and if you were going for speed, he was a godsend.
In fact, that's pretty much been the story with most modern FE games. While you never want to let the promoted units steal XP early on, there have been very few true "Jiegans" - promoted units that are no use later in the game.
Yeah it was working best when
I managed to get the kids behind Fredrick, though I was wasting turns and eventually the wyverns came down and killed them, but I think I can do it faster
Ah, OK. I only played the first handful of chapters in FE8. Went to it after Radiant Dawn and just couldn't get into it. Will always be on my 3DS thanks to the Ambassador bonus so I might try it out someday.
Didn't like the alien enemies, though. Weird for Fire Emblem.
I remember playing Fire Emblem 7 six times over.
NeonZ
Member
Frederick's growths are decent, what truly cripples him later are his caps and class options (low speed + a bunch of slow classes without many stand out skills). He's usable, but he's no Seth, who could pretty much carry the army up to the ending.
dakkumauji
Member
Man, low caps. Sounds like FE10 all over again.
His growth rates are one of the best imo.I know most people who've played older FE games are usually cautious but you can re-class like crazy in this game anyways. Plus he's guaranteed +1 HP in any class he goes to for a level up.
Growth Rates for Great Knight HP110% STR65% MAG10% SKL55% SPD50% LCK40% DEF55% RES25%
I'm playing through Sacred Stones right now and he is definitely over powered in the beginning. Up until Chapter 9 I pretty much just let him destroy every big enemy and had my main troops pick off everyone else.
Bringer Of Bacon
Member
Do you think we reach 40 pages before the game releases desu?
I'd say he's more like FE7 Marcus, but a LITTLE better.
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