NEW FIRE EMBLEM ECHOES SERIES
The crucibleĮchoes is a series of one grueling skirmish after another. The problem is that there are hardly any diversions to speak of, silly or otherwise, to break up the seemingly endless battles. But the slightly more down-to-Earth story of Echoes still carried my interest long after the gameplay couldn't. I liked the last few Fire Emblems' focus on flirting as much as anyone, which is to say I refused to beat any of them until all my soldiers were happily married. All optional talking is instead done on the battlefield itself. Few characters can develop relationships with each other, and, when they do, there's hardly any downtime between battles where they can converse. The series' signature pseudo-dating sim elements-where soldiers befriend and romance each other by fighting in proximity-are still present, but sidelined by the overarching intrigue that drives the main plot. Sworn to the swordĮchoes is the story of two long-lost friends, Alm and Celica, leading forces embroiled in a war between gods and nations, with politics and ideology at the forefront. It seems like a small difference, but it sets the tone for the rest of the game, harkening back to a slightly more sober tone of Gaiden than the melodramatic relationships of modern Fire Emblem games.
The stills show a bit less anime inspiration than in Awakening and Fates-adopting an ever-so-slightly more "classical" design. These are the primary shots of the members of your army, all with their own backstories and personalities in typical Fire Emblem fashion. What really stands out, though, is the best-in-class character art. Fully 3D battle animations are also taken straight out of Fire Emblem: Awakening and Fates. Maps that used to be static, mostly green blobs are now isometric spaces that convey a lot more character and personality to the different kinds of terrain across the continent of Valentia. The art has been painstakingly redrawn from the ground up, much to the game’s benefit. While I can appreciate the game as a meticulous and beautiful remake of the Japanese Famicom original, Fire Emblem Gaiden, I just couldn’t get into the monotonous, flat, turn-based strategy gameplay from a modern perspective.Įchoes incorporates most of what I love to see in video game remakes. I'm not just referring to the game's plot, which mostly split my time between two different armies on opposite battlefronts. Links: Nintendo eShop | Official website Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia played out like two very different games for me. Price: $40 / £32 on Amazon, or £40 on Nintendo eShop Game details Developer: Intelligent Systems
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