Fire Emblem: Awakening

 3DS
User Score
9.0

Universal acclaim- based on 1633 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,475 out of 1633
  2. Mixed: 78 out of 1633
  3. Negative: 80 out of 1633
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  1. nickojeda612
    Nov 14, 2016
    10
    This was one of the best 3DS games that I have played. The initial reason that I had gotten a 3DS was to play pokemon but I was surprised to see that this FIre Emblem game was much more fun (to me). I had played previous version on the Gamecube and Gameboy and was upset that over the years the franchise had been declining. This was a great way for the series to be revived from the brink of death.
  2. geo333
    Sep 15, 2016
    9
    Great strategy game with some beautiful 3D visuals and great characters. As a first time player the game feels like a chest game in that every move could be a great or a bad move in either scenario your at fault if you win or lose. Definitely recommend it to strategy or chest players. Overall. a 9.5 score.
  3. TemplarGR
    Sep 10, 2016
    10
    Great game, one of the best on the 3DS, and one of the few system sellers it has, as it is a game which can compete with other platforms, if you disregard the graphics for a second.

    Great production values, very nice story, good gameplay, tons of content. This game is one of the best purchases you can make if you own a 3DS. If you like strategy games, tactics, SRPGs, this is a no brainer.
  4. KmowXIV
    Jun 19, 2016
    0
    I have been playing Fire Emblem since the second game in the series. Not the second localised one, the actual second game on the Famicom. Seeing this... Destruction of a franchise I hold near and dear to my heart, and then to see people praising it... Well, it was enough to make me give up on this series. So... Where do I begin?
    The plot is garbage. It feels like 3 stories glued together,    I have been playing Fire Emblem since the second game in the series. Not the second localised one, the actual second game on the Famicom. Seeing this... Destruction of a franchise I hold near and dear to my heart, and then to see people praising it... Well, it was enough to make me give up on this series. So... Where do I begin?
    The plot is garbage. It feels like 3 stories glued together, with plot holes ridden throughout, as well as feeling like less of an SRPG and more of a Visual Novel. Characters can barely be called such, all of them have a single personality trait, and that's it. It's sad when Fire Emblem 4, which came out almost 20 years ago, has more developed and 3-dimensional characters.
    The gameplay is departure from even the previous game, and has so little strategy, that the closest you get is a game mode where people write guides on how to do exactly everything. When the beauty of Fire Emblem comes in the customization. Seriously, If you want a good Fire Emblem game with a Mature story (something people who praise this game claim it has), go play Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War.    … Expand
  5. sonicgum15
    Jun 17, 2016
    10
    I usually don't write out reviews for games, especially not in this format. But I felt the need to in order to get my opinion out there, and in my opinion, Fire Emblem: Awakening is the BEST 3DS game that I've ever played. And I will explain why:

    What is easily one of my favourite aspects of this game is it's characters, as well as it's story. Many, if not most of the characters in this    I usually don't write out reviews for games, especially not in this format. But I felt the need to in order to get my opinion out there, and in my opinion, Fire Emblem: Awakening is the BEST 3DS game that I've ever played. And I will explain why:

    What is easily one of my favourite aspects of this game is it's characters, as well as it's story. Many, if not most of the characters in this game are just so well-written and defined. Most of them are all really memorable, charming and likeable in their own way. Their individual personalities are part of why a lot of them are so endearing and worth caring about. And what helps is the Support system of this game. The Support system of this game lets you build relationships/friendships with different characters over the course of the game by pairing two units together in battle and have them help each other out in some way. If their bonds are strong enough, you can have Support conversations with them and potentially have two characters married, or have built a strong friendship over the course of the game. Now these conversations really help flesh out and develop these characters, and it gives us even more of an incentive to care about them. If you have two particular characters that you want to ship together, then this becomes even more satisfying and it helps you get invested in the story. Now admittedly, when you look back in hindsight over how a real life relationship/friendship might grow, they may seem sort of rushed. But these conversations are just so well-written, that you're not gonna care and you can honestly buy how certain characters would talk to each other and how they get married, or build a strong friendship with each other. My only main gripe with this system is that you can't ship every single character over the course of the game with whoever you want, only certain characters. This could be a potentially big problem for someone who wants to ship/build a friendship with two certain characters together, but can't. (i.e. Lissa and Olivia) But regardless, the options of what you're given are more than enough to your satisfaction, and from what I can tell, all the other conversations are in DLC, so if you're willing to invest money just to see them, then by my guest. As for the actual story, it's really well-written. How it unfolds is very interesting, you can feel the stakes if what's going on, and caring about the characters only helps care about what's going on even more. It feels epic, but also intimate enough to keep you invested, and the plot points are just very well executed that you can look past the tropes in this kind of story. The lore and setting of this world is very interesting and you actually can't help but go out of your way to experience it more. Again, my only main gripe with the story is how convoluted it can be at times, especially with your avatar's backstory, but it's well done and intriguing nonetheless. So yeah, awesome characters and story aside, how's everything else?

    The presentation of this game is really top-notch. The fully rendered CGI cutscenes look wonderful and it's honestly incredible how well they look on a handheld system. The voice acting is solid and it helps give a nice sense of personality to each character. The music is really well done and it feels epic and many of them are just so pleasant to listen to when you're playing the game. My only few minor gripes with the presentation is that when the cutscenes are in text boxes, the voice acting is only in spurts, not throughout. Which I find kinda odd, considering the fact that the fully-rendered cutscenes are fully voice acted with no problems, And ideally, I really would've liked more cutscenes like the fully-rendered ones. but, whatever, I guess you can't have everything. But the presentation is undoubtedly impressive regardless, especially in battle.

    Speaking of battle, the gameplay is phenomenal in this game. It's just complex enough, but also simple enough for both newcomers, and hardcore fans to enjoy. Early on, you can choose to play in Classic or Newcomer mode. Classic mode is that whenever your characters die in combat, they don't come back, ever. But in Newcomer mode, it's the opposite of that. It's really well-appreciated new feature that can really help expand this franchise's audience without alienating the old fans, considering this is my first Fire Emblem game in the series. The gameplay is just so much fun, figuring out your next strategy, how combat encounters may, or may not turn out, pairing characters together and how they defeat an enemy and level up, what weapons they may wield for battle, and what class they serve and how each and every one of them can be valuable to victory. The tutorials do a really great job explaining how things work, that you'd have to be an idiot to not get them. The challenges and side missions, as well as the shopping are just as engrossing and satisfying as well.

    Buy this game whenever you can.

    9.4/10    … Expand
  6. ChrisMG
    Jun 2, 2016
    10
    Amazing, Creative Story, Nice difficulty, Characters that can be easily remembered, Great Gameplay, Nice Graphics for the 3ds, I could go on forever, Thus i give Awakening a 10
  7. CallMeKevin
    May 8, 2016
    10
    This game is a masterpiece and saved the Fire Emblem franchise from extinction. The characters are memorable, the game play is engaging and music is amazing. It's one of the few games that I have played through 3+ times. If you don't have the game, get it now!
  8. BasilZero
    Apr 27, 2016
    9
    Game: Fire Emblem Awakening
    Genre: Strategy RPG
    Developer: Nintendo System: Nintendo 3DS (3DS) Total Score: 94/100 Value Score: 9.4/10 • Story: 10/10 • Characters: 10/10 • GamePlay: 10/10 • Graphics: 9/10 • Sound: 9/10 • Music: 8/10 • Length: 9/10 • Replay Value: 9/10 • Player Value: 10/10 Pros +Great story and character interactions +Ability to have your own    Game: Fire Emblem Awakening
    Genre: Strategy RPG
    Developer: Nintendo
    System: Nintendo 3DS (3DS)
    Total Score: 94/100
    Value Score: 9.4/10

    • Story: 10/10
    • Characters: 10/10
    • GamePlay: 10/10
    • Graphics: 9/10
    • Sound: 9/10
    • Music: 8/10
    • Length: 9/10
    • Replay Value: 9/10
    • Player Value: 10/10

    Pros
    +Great story and character interactions
    +Ability to have your own customized character
    +Choice of casual mode for beginners of the series and hardcore mode for veteran players
    +New Game+ and there are two different endings
    +A lot of side quests which feature additional characters
    +Marriage and Children system newly introduced to the series gives more length to the overall game
    +A lot of downloadable content both free and non-free
    +Features characters, cameos, etc from previous Fire Emblem games

    Cons
    -Some characters are limited to few choices in marriage compared to others
    -A lot of the DLC content is expensive especially for the content which is offered in some of the packs    … Expand
  9. Davidcon12
    Apr 23, 2016
    10
    An absolute triumph of a game. Whether you have been with the series for years or this is your first encounter with Fire Emblem this game is everything you can ask for. The Tactical Role Playing gameplay is as refined and enjoyable as ever with the standard weapon triangle system giving an in-depth strategical element to the game. It looks great for the system and has an amazingAn absolute triumph of a game. Whether you have been with the series for years or this is your first encounter with Fire Emblem this game is everything you can ask for. The Tactical Role Playing gameplay is as refined and enjoyable as ever with the standard weapon triangle system giving an in-depth strategical element to the game. It looks great for the system and has an amazing soundtrack. The story and characters of this game is where it truly comes alive however. The story has everything from lighthearted moments to tragic moments and the characters are incredibly developed and will either make you love them or love to hate them. The support system also gives you more reason to care about these characters and gives an added layer of strategy to the game. Overall and amazing game and one of the best on the 3DS.… Expand
  10. gingetsu
    Apr 20, 2016
    8
    a great strategy game with excellent character design a very good dificulata that will give you hours and hours of suffering and are a great strategist groria.si is advisable to play this title and all sagas
  11. Nightshroud
    Apr 12, 2016
    0
    Thanks to the good reviews I decided to try the game expecting to be a really nice game, but sadly the reality was another, this game is full of grinding, and the worst of all, is just the kind of grinding that doesn't reward you at all, the maps are very awfully designed and it hasn't any replay value, so thanks for making me throw 45€ for this BS.
  12. thealexis80
    Apr 12, 2016
    10
    This is my first game of Fire Emblem but I found the best game of 3ds.The History is Pretty good but it's not perfect, the graphics are amazing for a 3ds.And the game have a lot of hours and is incredibly addicting.The soundtrack is amazing and the cutscenes are awesome
  13. ShonenBat
    Apr 12, 2016
    10
    El juego que tu 3ds debe tener
    Si existe una franquicia que ha sabido permanecer con alta calidad, es la de Fire Emblem.
    Acá tenemos una mantenida calidad de la mano de aspectos esenciales de la saga pero de una manera más flexible. En esta ocasión el protagonista seremos nosotros, de la mano de Chrom, príncipe de Ylisse, con el cual seremos parte de una historia interesante y compleja,    El juego que tu 3ds debe tener
    Si existe una franquicia que ha sabido permanecer con alta calidad, es la de Fire Emblem.
    Acá tenemos una mantenida calidad de la mano de aspectos esenciales de la saga pero de una manera más flexible.
    En esta ocasión el protagonista seremos nosotros, de la mano de Chrom, príncipe de Ylisse, con el cual seremos parte de una historia interesante y compleja, llena de vuelcos argumentales y tramas interesantes.
    Entre las novedades que se nos presentan está la inmersión de nosotros en la historia principal, siendo parte intrínsecamente como un protagonista en concreto dándole aspectos de integración y emotividad en cada escena.
    Otra novedad es la aparición de hijos en la historia, la cual reemplaza la adhesión de personajes injustificados o casi sin importancia en la trama a nuestro ejército como se vio en entregas anteriores, mejorando de manera inteligente.
    También es posible generar Pair up, juntar unidades para complementarlas según sus aptitudes y crear una única unidad por el tiempo que estimemos para resolver instancias críticas dentro del juego, como mejorando nuestros stats o simplemente para salvar determinada unidad de la muerte, otorgando así mayor cantidad de estrategias disponibles siendo completamente necesaria para lograr finalizar el juego.
    Integra de manera excelente el spotpass y el streetpass, pudiendo luchar con los ejércitos de tus amigos o quien posea el juego, además de descargar contenido gratuito y de pago para aumentar las horas de juego.
    Este juego es recomendable para neófitos y puristas, dando diferentes modalidades de dificultad y la opción de jugar modo clásico cuando eliminan un personaje para siempre (como ha sido la tónica del fire emblem) o modo casual donde las unidades reaparecen al finalizar la misión.
    Si bien la historia es buena, creo que no supera la versión de gamecube siendo la mejor por tener mejores vuelcos, más extensa y tratar temas más maduros. Sin embargo esto se compensa con el contenido adicional que dispone el juego.
    Un punto desfavorable es el bug del idioma. Es posible jugar con voces en japonés y subtítulos en español, pero al momento de apagar la consola o resetearla, las voces cambiarán automáticamente al idioma inglés, mientras que las cinemáticas continuarán con voces japonesas. Este error nunca fue solucionado por Nintendo quedándonos sólo con la opción de tener que cambiar el idioma cada vez que iniciamos el juego, única manera de poder tener las voces en el idioma de origen.
    También es necesario mencionar que la inteligencia artificial se limita solamente a intentar atacar a nuestras unidades más débiles en lo que respecta la resistencia, concentrándose así en matarlas, pese a que es una manera básica de estrategia por parte de nuestros enemigos no quita la eficacia, llegando a crear estrategias donde tendremos que solamente lograr ganar mientras cuidamos de nuestras unidades débiles. Pese a que carece de complejidad la estrategia enemiga, si es efectiva dándonos un considerable reto.
    Pero esto no quita mérito al juego, es uno de los mejores de la consola, divertidos, con una excelente rejugabilidad y variabilidad, el tiempo de juego será tan largo como el jugador quiera y sentirá que cada misión necesitará una nueva estrategia. La música tiene melodías medievales muy buenas que por sí solas enganchan pero como soundtrack completo decae comparado entregas anteriores.
    Fire emblem es uno de los mejores juegos en estrategia que ha salido últimamente, siendo unos de los mejores de la saga y de la consola 3ds, perfecto para quienes gusten de retos o gusten de juegos de estrategias; amigable con los neófitos a la saga y el estilo, Fire Emblem: Awakenings invita a todo el mundo a ser parte de su ejército.    … Expand
  14. vahn
    Apr 7, 2016
    7
    I got this game when it launched but I only recently managed to finish, wanting to pick it up before Fates release...but since the new Fire Emblem game is a cash grab I promptly cancel my preorder (in europe it's coming out next month!) and I barely had any reason to continue this game. I explain why in a bit.

    For starters, I won't lie: I tried this game because of the newcomer mode,    I got this game when it launched but I only recently managed to finish, wanting to pick it up before Fates release...but since the new Fire Emblem game is a cash grab I promptly cancel my preorder (in europe it's coming out next month!) and I barely had any reason to continue this game. I explain why in a bit.

    For starters, I won't lie: I tried this game because of the newcomer mode, which doesn't permanently kill your units. I never liked that cheap gimmick because it's just an artificial difficulty rather than a real tactical one: in games like Valkyria Chronicles and Final Fantasy Tactics you could lose your units forever too, but you at least had the chance to save them before they died. In FE this is not the case and now, being able to play the game without that cheap gimmick it's actually a lot of fun!

    The Presentation is amazing: the graphics are pretty good for a 3DS, the cutscenes are incredibly well done and voiced, and the main characters are well written and well characterised. The game itself is also well done, with smooth controls and all information shown on screen.

    Too bad that the touch screen is BARELY used for anything....

    Since this is my first FE ever, I can't compare to the previous games however there is a lot in this game: the pairing option allows two units to become one and increase the stats of each others, but also increase in likeness and allow you to unlock dialogues AND a potential additional character...which is your future child. Thanks to the new marriage option, characters can have children and those children will come back and help you out: unfortunately not ALL the women are completely eligible (except for the MC, who can marry anyone of the opposite sex) and so in my playthrough I had one man left behind and some women who coulddn't marry anyone...except for the MC...

    But in my playthrough my MC was a female soooo....no, same sex marriage is not allowed!

    The game also allows you to change and "promote" your class to higher levels but frankly this only changes few things, such as weapons you can use, stats and passives. On top of that the max level is 20 and it's not THAT hard to reach it. in the end you'll constantly swap classes to upgrade your levels and stats

    Storywise it's also well done, with lots of in-game cutscenes with pieces of dialogue to make them sound more lively (which I promptly removed: they become annoying almost immediately). The writing is actually pretty good though and each character is unique enough.

    Frankly I'd like to keep continuing talking about the positives...but this game for me has one major issue: it has zero depth.

    Let's start from the basics: your units have no special skills for the exception of your passives, which are the ONLY unique things about each unit as they have no special active skills aside for the weapons. Weapons can break and CANNOT be repaired (actually there's just one item who can repair, but it's not worth it), meaning that you'll constantly swap weapons and save the best ones for the hardest fights. Forging it's also useless because breaking weapons so, pointless. Some units seem to be very weak, especially archers (who can't melee) and the first healers (who cannot attack) and due to the pairing they can become hard to train, forcing you to stop and train them properly.

    Secondly, while the story is good, it's...discontinued so to speak. The first part is all about killing a king, the second part is all about killing another king, and the third part is about killing a dragon...wait a minute, why couldn't the game be about one thing? I felt the second part of the game to be completely unnecessary, it was quite a bore. And the last part it's far too quick and ends too soon.

    And on top of that the game is very short: even with grinding and unlocking all the characters I could (DLC stuff not included), I only clocked around 27 hours: VERY short for a tactical rpg like this if you ask me. And the game feels really unfullfilling after a while, since all you ever do is change classes to increase your stats and it's very easy to do so.

    Unless you play on classic mode.

    That's the issue with this game: despite being a "noob-friendly" installment, it is still a Fire Emblem game at its core and the lack of permadeath makes the game easy and boring and the despite the fact that it can be quite heartbreaking to lose a unit you grew up with forever, I still think this is a cheap gimmick to make a game harder, especially when we have games with permadeath done better (Valkyria Chronicles, FF tactics to name a couple)

    So do I recommend it? Yes, definitely, it's not a bad game per se and it's very easy for the newbies like me who suck at tactics to enjoy it. Still, if you want "good" tactical rpgs I'd look further: while FE is very good, it's definitely thought for the fans of the franchise.

    Besides, this game is complete and not split into 2 games like its sequel Fates! It wins by default!    … Expand
  15. Rouce
    Apr 2, 2016
    8
    This game has one flaw that prevents a 10 of 10 rating. The difficulty balance.

    Normal is basically godmode and not interesting at all. Hard is normal difficulty with a few hard parts if you do no grinding at all. But it becomes super easy if you just do a 1 or 2 sidequests or risen encounter again. And while Lunatic is basically hard enough to satisfy any experienced strategy    This game has one flaw that prevents a 10 of 10 rating. The difficulty balance.

    Normal is basically godmode and not interesting at all.

    Hard is normal difficulty with a few hard parts if you do no grinding at all. But it becomes super easy if you just do a 1 or 2 sidequests or risen encounter again.

    And while Lunatic is basically hard enough to satisfy any experienced strategy game and FE fan, the flow of the game becomes a little awkward. Like only one of all your starter units is strong enough to really make a difference. So you're using this unit as a tank, decoy and fighter and only feed the other ones kills here and there from almost dead enemies.

    But yeah, that's just one thing in an otherwise great game and story experience.

    I would say Hard/Classic with no grinding is the perfect difficulty setting for all players. Even if the first few levels can be a little hard for starters. After that I'm recommending Lunatic/Casual. :)    … Expand
  16. gabriot
    Mar 27, 2016
    3
    This release of call of dut- I mean Fire Emblem brings *shock* nothing new to the table yet again in this tired franchise that everyone somehow loves. This particular installment garners praise from fans and critics alike. Why? I have no idea.

    Where to begin... The difficulty is just a joke. You play on normal mode and it's too easy unless it's your first time ever playing a game    This release of call of dut- I mean Fire Emblem brings *shock* nothing new to the table yet again in this tired franchise that everyone somehow loves. This particular installment garners praise from fans and critics alike. Why? I have no idea.

    Where to begin...

    The difficulty is just a joke. You play on normal mode and it's too easy unless it's your first time ever playing a game like this, you play on hard and it just isn't fun at all. On hard there is pretty much zero strategy, your only option is to just go all in on a few OP characters and literally never have anyone else fight (or else they just get one shotted from ANYWHERE).

    Some of the missions are so horribly designed that there is literally nothing you can do on the harder modes unless you just keep reloading when rng doesn't go your way (looking at you paralogue #2). Oh and they were kind enough not to include a restart mission or restart game option, you know something that games have had since the early nineties - so to add to your frustration you have to hard reset the game each **** time **** strikes during a mission (which is FAR too often).

    Same classes as EVERY other fire emblem game, same exact class progression as EVERY other fire emblem game, same awful dialogue and awful storyline as EVERY other fire emblem game, and same exacty party makeup from start to finish as - you guessed it - EVERY other fire emblem game.

    If you enjoy throwing full priced triple A money at games like Call of Duty and Madden that re-release the same game for a decade, or if having to only really play the game with 3 different character classes since every other single one gets one-shotted no matter how "strategic" you try to be (really the only strategy in this game is praying to the RNG gods you don't get crit'd) then THIS is the game for you! Such a good game, right up there with all the greats, TOTALLY deserving of a 9+ score! Thanks everyone for leading me to believe this was an actual good fire emblem game for once, I'll never trust you again.    … Expand
  17. Bianca22
    Mar 7, 2016
    10
    the best ever made ​​fire emblem , free and paid dlcs , but very complete and with many characters experience the perfect game fire emblem.........
  18. SuperMatt777
    Feb 22, 2016
    10
    I can't stress enough how much I love this game. Almost everything about it is amazing; it's storyline, it's gameplay, it's memorable features, but none so more than it's cast of characters. They are an easy to love group that I grew attached to very quickly. And it's even better when going through the various support conversations they can have. As Awakening was the first Fire EmblemI can't stress enough how much I love this game. Almost everything about it is amazing; it's storyline, it's gameplay, it's memorable features, but none so more than it's cast of characters. They are an easy to love group that I grew attached to very quickly. And it's even better when going through the various support conversations they can have. As Awakening was the first Fire Emblem games I've played, I can easily say it's friendly to first timers, with the returning casual mode. While it is true that for a first timer, many of the features did confuse me, such as weapon ranks and such, you learn quickly. And with that being said, the game's way of teaching these things is simple and effective, as it shows you various lessons on the bottom screen when the topic is first seen, thus allowing the player to proceed with the task on their own without the game stopping them to learn it. As for the storyline, it was amazing and full of twists and memorable moments. I can't deny that Fire Emblem Awakening is one of my favorite games for the Nintendo 3DS and I would highly recommend it to any first timers to the series who are interested in giving the series a shot.… Expand
  19. Skyleaf
    Feb 20, 2016
    10
    Great game, really great that you have japanese voiceover in this on compared to the **** mess of fire emblem fates. And yeah those 150 characters on metacritic really suck.
  20. javiandre10
    Feb 18, 2016
    10
    A mi gusto el mejor juego de 3DS, porque tiene una jugabilidad adictiva, buena historia, personajes carismáticos, rejugabilidad, música increíble. Fue mi primera experiencia con Fire Emblem y la Ip me sorprendió, si eres de los que compro una 3DS solo por pokemon, amigo aquí hay una opción que te alegrara la vida y te hará variar un poco, un gran Rpg que marcara un antes y un después,A mi gusto el mejor juego de 3DS, porque tiene una jugabilidad adictiva, buena historia, personajes carismáticos, rejugabilidad, música increíble. Fue mi primera experiencia con Fire Emblem y la Ip me sorprendió, si eres de los que compro una 3DS solo por pokemon, amigo aquí hay una opción que te alegrara la vida y te hará variar un poco, un gran Rpg que marcara un antes y un después, porque esta saga va para convertirse en vende consolas.… Expand
  21. AVahne
    Feb 17, 2016
    7
    Designed specifically to recapture the Blue Ocean crowd that Nintendo seemingly lost to the mobile mega machine, Awakening is an understandably streamlined and simplified experience compared to past games. Old fans will be happy to find that the basic, core gameplay mechanics are kept intact, while some (myself included) may be saddened by the lack of complexity and robust gameplayDesigned specifically to recapture the Blue Ocean crowd that Nintendo seemingly lost to the mobile mega machine, Awakening is an understandably streamlined and simplified experience compared to past games. Old fans will be happy to find that the basic, core gameplay mechanics are kept intact, while some (myself included) may be saddened by the lack of complexity and robust gameplay mechanics that made the Tellius saga and Shouzo Kaga's SNES and Playstation games so revered within the community. The story is leans much on the weak side, with mediocre story telling and many forgettable characters. Unfortunately many of the characters adhere strictly to overdone anime character archetypes, much more so than any Fire Emblem game before it. The CG cutscenes are top notch and help to alleviate some of the dryness of the story. The graphics are standard 3DS affair, with the notable loss of feet on character models. Unit design is, to be frank, awful compared to previous games and animations can be a bit jerky or simply "boring" looking (as is the case with all the magic spells). Map design and level clear conditions have also taken a hit from the casual hammer, with every map being a straightforward "rout the enemy" types of deal.
    The 'Rescue' command has been replaced by the 'Pair Up' command, its polar opposite. Whereas the Rescue command causes the initiating unit to pull in the target allied unit into its space and trigger a loss in speed and skill, the Pair Up command causes the target to take in the user and will actually boost the stats of the target. This creates the potential to storm a map with an unstoppable juggernaut duo, as the paired up status also allows partner characters to join in the assault and also COMPLETELY nullify an enemy's attack. In practice, the system is rather cool even if it turns the game into a cake walk, and it is only really balanced when playing a harder difficulty where enemies have ridiculously high stats and are armed to the teeth with the best offensive and defensive skills.

    All in all, Fire Emblem Awakening is a very competent game and it fulfilled its mission of bringing into enough new players to make the series profitable again. The game is perfect for newcomers, but may be lacking for old school fans. A challenge can still be had at higher difficulties, but to be honest any game can be made harder by jacking up the numbers. A game that has difficulty but also fairness due to masterful and balanced design is the best type of difficulty, which unfortunately is not something the series may ever see again simply due to the nature of the audience that now makes up the majority of its playerbase.

    Review written after amassing over 300 hours into the game.    … Expand
  22. Scoops8Pie
    Feb 17, 2016
    9
    The game is utterly fantastic, I wasn't a Fire Emblem fan before but after playing this I've done 2 complete runs and a good half of another. It's a really welcoming game to those who have never played a Fire Emblem before I got it for my friend and he loves the Support conversation a lot. I can't recommend it enough.
  23. dmzv92
    Jan 10, 2016
    7
    The good:

    - Great presentation - Good OST - Really intuitive and user friendly UI The bad: - The "Waifu Breeding" mechanic is extremely creepy. Seriously who marries a guy after talking with him 3 times? The whole addition of this gimmick feels like pure fanservice. - The maps feel really repetitive in design and in objectives. Seriously, virtually all missions have the same    The good:

    - Great presentation
    - Good OST
    - Really intuitive and user friendly UI

    The bad:

    - The "Waifu Breeding" mechanic is extremely creepy. Seriously who marries a guy after talking with him 3 times? The whole addition of this gimmick feels like pure fanservice.
    - The maps feel really repetitive in design and in objectives. Seriously, virtually all missions have the same objectives: kill everyone or kill the commander. What was IS thinking by making a STRATEGY game with such little variety in the mission objectives?
    - The story is horrible. Probably among the worst storylines I've ever experienced in any JRPG. It just feels really convoluted, like if the guys that wrote it had 3 different ideas for the plot and they just combined them in a really confusing, 3 arc storyline (filled with plot holes and everything). Seriously I still don't understand why the second arc was necessary. It felt like filler.
    - The game is really unbalanced in Lunatic and Lunatic+. The game is not even about strategy anymore, it's an RNG fest in those difficulties. And to even the odds a bit you have to grind (it's not necessary, but to not grind would result in the game being pretty obnoxious) and to do it you NEED the DLC. Which carries us to our next point:
    - There is an absurd amount of DLCfor this game. Seriously, why? At least they could have included the EXPonential Growth and Golden Gaffe maps into the game...

    I think those are my main complaints about this game. If you're planning on buying it please don't do it. Wait for FE: Fates.    … Expand
  24. Gwyndolin
    Jan 5, 2016
    9
    This is my first Fire Emblem game and I think it's probably one of the finest strategy RPGs in existence.

    The essence of the game lies in the challenge and the importance of strategy. Lunatic(+)/Classic settings might be a bit overkill and is geared towards hardcore FE players, but Hard mode provided a casual like me the challenge I needed. I spent more time thinking about how to keep    This is my first Fire Emblem game and I think it's probably one of the finest strategy RPGs in existence.

    The essence of the game lies in the challenge and the importance of strategy. Lunatic(+)/Classic settings might be a bit overkill and is geared towards hardcore FE players, but Hard mode provided a casual like me the challenge I needed. I spent more time thinking about how to keep my units alive and win the battle than "how to reap most rewards and make my guys OP" like in Disgaea

    It doesn't have nearly as good of a plot as FFT, its main characters aren't as colorful and charming as Disgaea, but it doesn't really fail on those fronts either. While the story is only serviceable, its hundreds of optional character interactions has a lot to offer. The localization was great.

    For newcomers that likes the strategy genre, I recommend putting it on Hard/Casual. Classic is kind of pointless for perfectionist/completionists as most people restart the battle once they permanently lose a character. Casual saves you a lot of time and frustration in that aspect.    … Expand
  25. Tbonedabeasst
    Jan 4, 2016
    10
    I recently got this game (before Christmas) and i have put a solid 40+ hours into this game. This game has an amazing story, Wonderful combat system, amazing characters, and so much more. When i bought a new Nintendo 3ds i didn't expect to play games with great stories while also having great game play. This game is a soild 10/10 and a MUST HAVE game for your 3ds! i am excited for once toI recently got this game (before Christmas) and i have put a solid 40+ hours into this game. This game has an amazing story, Wonderful combat system, amazing characters, and so much more. When i bought a new Nintendo 3ds i didn't expect to play games with great stories while also having great game play. This game is a soild 10/10 and a MUST HAVE game for your 3ds! i am excited for once to buy dlc for a game!… Expand
  26. TheSlyOne
    Jan 3, 2016
    10
    This game, in a matter of a few days, has already become one of my all time favorite games. I'm completely new to Fire Emblem, and even had a few doubts when purchasing this game. Within seconds it had me though, even with just the opening and not even really starting the game. It has some wonderful game play, with an equally great story that kept me coming back for more. Even after I beatThis game, in a matter of a few days, has already become one of my all time favorite games. I'm completely new to Fire Emblem, and even had a few doubts when purchasing this game. Within seconds it had me though, even with just the opening and not even really starting the game. It has some wonderful game play, with an equally great story that kept me coming back for more. Even after I beat it, I immediately wanted to replay it so as to explore the rest of the game, as there really is a lot of content stored in this game. In the end, it was a magnificent experience that I would recommend to anyone and everyone.… Expand
  27. anichels
    Jan 1, 2016
    10
    It's a nice puzzle game with a great story and graphics.
    Absolutely love it!
    It's one of those games that I will be purchasing any sequel they release, because I trust the developers that much!
  28. Oharo
    Dec 6, 2015
    8
    Not the best Fire Emblem of all time but a lot easier to get into for newcomers to the series and the story is not bad either. Wish you could do more than route the enemy though, other than that it is great
  29. LeonhardWalhout
    Nov 11, 2015
    10
    I probably wouldn't played any Fire Emblem Game if I wouldn't heard so many positive things about this game. So after waiting for 1 year I bought it, and it didn't disappoint. the game-play is amazing, the story and characters are amazing and the soundtrack while not being anything special still is great. If you like RPG 's you should at least try it out
  30. Hypie
    Oct 6, 2015
    0
    To make it Short the Title Fire Emblem: Grinding would be more matching. Like Midipon already said you grind levels, skills, some boring marriage stuff but it's not rewarding at all...
  31. Jeremiah98
    Sep 23, 2015
    10
    Immersive, re-playable, and addicting, this game is a brilliant addition to the series. The game-play, graphics, and story were all beautifully done. My number one favorite game.
  32. mr_dad
    Aug 28, 2015
    10
    Do you accept Lucina's judgment?

    As many others, I was first introduced to Fire Emblem with Awakening. And If the previous games are anything like this, then I really need to get playing them right away. Boasting a massive cast of unique and likable characters, an engaging and often tragic story, intense tactical combat, a high amount of customization, and more personality and charm    Do you accept Lucina's judgment?

    As many others, I was first introduced to Fire Emblem with Awakening. And If the previous games are anything like this, then I really need to get playing them right away. Boasting a massive cast of unique and likable characters, an engaging and often tragic story, intense tactical combat, a high amount of customization, and more personality and charm than 90% of games today, FE:A is an absolute must-have for fans of JRPGs, strategy games, or just a game that's jammed full of humor and character.

    Make way for Waifu Simulator 2013.

    THE GOOD
    + A massive cast of diverse and lovable characters.
    + Simple tactical combat mechanics allow for deep strategic experimentation.
    + Both the art direction and the music are fantastic.
    + Support conversations give so much depth to every character. Plus they're funny...REALLY funny.
    + Casual Mode is a extremely welcome addition for newcomers.
    + Marriage and Children add even more depth and uniqueness to both the characters and the gameplay.

    THE BAD
    - Occasional morality choices are meaningless (except for the last one).    … Expand
  33. Cesarin_1007
    Aug 21, 2015
    10
    Excelente juego, simplemente la musica, jugabilidad, personajes, armas son el centro en esta obra de arte. Si tienes una 3ds este es uno de los juegos que no deben faltar en tu colección.
  34. AriseAndBe
    Aug 5, 2015
    9
    Easily my favourite 3DS game so far. The massive amount of playable characters are interesting and thoroughly engaging. The strategy that this game involves always keeps you on your toes and never gets dull. The story, while a little simple, is still fun to experience. All in all, a wonderful game that everyone should play.
  35. CallMeMrGeek
    Jul 31, 2015
    9
    o que distingue a série Fire Emblem das outras é, por exemplo, a exploração das relações entre as personagens. Cada vez que os dois personagens têm uma conversação, a afinidade que tem um pelo outro aumentará, dando-lhes estatísticas de apoio e activando um bónus de apoio cada vez que estão perto no campo de batalha.

    Se dois personagens têm uma relação romântica, uma forte amizade, ou    o que distingue a série Fire Emblem das outras é, por exemplo, a exploração das relações entre as personagens. Cada vez que os dois personagens têm uma conversação, a afinidade que tem um pelo outro aumentará, dando-lhes estatísticas de apoio e activando um bónus de apoio cada vez que estão perto no campo de batalha.

    Se dois personagens têm uma relação romântica, uma forte amizade, ou outro tipo de conexão, estes chegam em ter três níveis de suporte, e o resultado destas conversações afectará o final do jogo. Dependendo dos personagens, tais resultados podem terminar em um casamento, uma profunda amizade, ou uma continuação de sua relação.

    Outra particularidade muito interessante é a morte das personagens.
    As personagens/unidades de Fire Emblem aos que se lhes acabam os pontos de vida e morrem, não podem voltar a usar-se no que fica de jogo.

    Esta regra vai além quando trata-se de um personagem principal, já que se morre, a partida termina e o jogador é obrigado a reiniciar o capítulo desde o princípio.

    Mais argumentos:
    O que torna Fire Emblem Awakening um dos melhores jogos da série e da 3DS é a inclusão de todas estas adições características da série mas também uma história muito cativante, um magnífico mundo a explorar, um sistema de combate viciante, a customização das personagens, que por si só nos faz ficar agarrados ao jogo, as cutscenes são perfeitas e ainda a quantidade de conteúdo DLC torna o jogo quase perfeito.

    Contras:
    O único problema do jogo é que não disponibiliza batalhas Co-op via online ficando o jogador limitado a jogar com os seus amigos via Wireless.

    Conclusão:
    Fire Emblem Awakening é sem dúvida um óptimo jogo, indispensável para fãs de RPG que tenham uma Nintendo 3DS, já que o jogo explora muito bem a opção 3D e vale mesmo a pena utilizar durante todo o jogo a função 3D(ao contrário de outros jogos em que a opção é quase dispensável).    … Expand
  36. iipotato
    Jul 22, 2015
    7
    First FE game I played, and I have mixed feelings over it. Don't get me wrong, I don't regret obtaining this game. But it is quite overrated.

    The characters are interesting (beautiful art btw, may I say), but not so much to the point where you're engrossed over them. The marriage system was one of my favorite aspects of the game; it's a shipper's paradise haha. And the game is really    First FE game I played, and I have mixed feelings over it. Don't get me wrong, I don't regret obtaining this game. But it is quite overrated.

    The characters are interesting (beautiful art btw, may I say), but not so much to the point where you're engrossed over them. The marriage system was one of my favorite aspects of the game; it's a shipper's paradise haha. And the game is really dependent on the battling, so you may want to consider if you fancy a system like this. Overall, FE:A is a fun, refreshing game with a decent amount of things to do in a file, however the storyline is not the greatest you could get from a JRPG.    … Expand
  37. RafaelDB464
    Jun 24, 2015
    10
    i never was a big fan of Fire Emblem. the only games i played was Radiant Dawn for Wii and Sacred Stones for GBA... but all i have to say is... THIS IS THE BEST 3DS RPG I ever played in my entire Life!!

    Pros: Deep and Amazing Gameplay Easy to Learn the Basics Great characters with Different Personalities Marriages for have Children that can be the Future of Battle Nice Graphics    i never was a big fan of Fire Emblem. the only games i played was Radiant Dawn for Wii and Sacred Stones for GBA... but all i have to say is... THIS IS THE BEST 3DS RPG I ever played in my entire Life!!

    Pros:
    Deep and Amazing Gameplay
    Easy to Learn the Basics
    Great characters with Different Personalities
    Marriages for have Children that can be the Future of Battle
    Nice Graphics
    tons of Content and DLC
    Very good Soundtrack
    Story is great with some really Emotional moments
    Cons:
    Multiplayer could have been Online too

    Overall: even if the Multiplayer doesn't have Online, I still love this game! the Great Story, Characters, Gameplay and anything on this game got to my Heart!    … Expand
  38. VidyaBum
    Jun 23, 2015
    9
    The bad in FE: A :
    -The Barracks system is a little silly, you could have had a much more believable cantina system where you have let's say 10 tables and you sit down at one of them and listen to the conversation. Instead we get this silly-looking room where everyone comes, walks around and says 1-2 lines then leaves.
    -Some gameplay mechanics aren't that well-explained. Like the sword    The bad in FE: A :
    -The Barracks system is a little silly, you could have had a much more believable cantina system where you have let's say 10 tables and you sit down at one of them and listen to the conversation. Instead we get this silly-looking room where everyone comes, walks around and says 1-2 lines then leaves.
    -Some gameplay mechanics aren't that well-explained. Like the sword vs axe vs spear thing, supposedly there is a rock-paper-scissors relationship in this, but in some fights I had a strong axe that was "weak" against the foe and a sword that was "strong" against it, yet the axe dealt more damage. These mechanics don't seem to really matter to be honest.
    -Because the gameplay is a little poorly designed, almost every battle can be won with just one tactic: turtle your units together, let them get the bonuses they get for grouping, and just walk through the battlefield like a Roman cohort. Battles are varied enough that this never becomes the only tactic and you'll often break away some units, but for easily 1 fight out of 2, my best bet is to turtle my units in one or two groups and blaze through. The system is made so that if you have enough defense, the enemies have virtually no chance of hurting you, so you can literally walk through 10 enemies with 4 units all curled up, and you'll be fine because out of 10 maybe 3 will hit you, and 6 will die.

    The Good:
    -Despite the mild complaints about turtling up and some mechanics, the gameplay is very very good. Each unit has got its own type, attack, capabilites(flying, distance attack, magic, physical, etc), you have a randomness factor which seldom ever hurts you and serves you a lot, aka the good kind of random that only provides bonuses, every unit has its strength and weaknesses and if you know the game well, preparing your formation and fighting a battle is equally important and fun. The diversity is just right, no units are unused and no units feel wanting. It may be just a tad on the simplistic side here and there, but the difficulty helps correcting that.
    -The difficulty in FE is always depending on how many units you accept as casualites. I always played in "real" mode IE if a unit dies, it dies for good, and I found myself restarting some battles over 30 times. Extremely frustrating? Sort of, but honestly, the fact that every mistake could be the death of a unit was very powerful. It kept asking excellence out of me and I learned the hard way, which is the best way to truly enjoy gameplay. I played and played and played until I had come out of the battle with my full team(out of the whole first playthrough I lost only 3 characters). So the gameplay's simplicity is a rather good thing, even if the factors aren't that numerous, they are sufficient to keep the game interesting and the difficulty of not losing anyone makes it a continuously demanding challenge. As long as there is challenge, I'm in for it.
    -The story is a little bit of a mess. You get a first story which lasts roughly 9 missions, then a second which lasts about 12, then a third. They feel disconnected with each other and aren't anything that fancy(except the twists at the end). But I genuinely enjoyed all of them, the death of characters were memorable, the situations were well-put and even if it was messy, nothing about it made me want to call writer failure on it, ever.
    -Characters are fairly hard to do for a Fire Emblem writer, I'm sure. Simply because you get dozens of them and the game takes care of fleshing them all out. Well, on that front, they did a truly great job. None of them except the main cast(Chrom, yourself, Lucina) are AMAAAAAZING but they all bring something, are all memorable, few are complete duds and I generally enjoyed all of them, even regretting not knowing the one or two that I didn't get to catch through the story.

    The Amazing:
    With all the points I cited, good or bad, FE: A was going to be around 8/10. Gameplay is nothing formidable and story is on par, despite the general qualities there is nothing astounding about this game, it's just another game with nothing especially fancy on tactical games I played (HoMM5, Xcom) or RPGs (Elder Scrolls, Final Fantasy, Persona). While FE: A can't claim to be filled with true genius, it does have the undeniable quality of seriously hard work. The game is polished beyond belief. All its elements, story, characters or gameplay-wise are extremely polished and worked upon, you can tell that this game got a ton of love. The menus are so intuitive and complex, the combat almost never left me dissapointed and surprised me lots, the characters are again not just likeable but also different and memorable. The polish that went into this game is amazing, so many tiny details were added after obvious dozens of hours of work, and I almost failed to mention before that the soundtrack and cutscenes are incredibly good.

    It may not reach genius or have one super-strong element, but a game so polisehd easily deserves a 9.    … Expand
  39. pi597
    Jun 7, 2015
    10
    Oh man... This game, this game is life. The story is very well thought out, and the combat system is so amazing, they must have spent years thinking it all out. You WILL fall in love with at least one of the characters, and the marriage system is brilliant.
    The only downside I can think of is, the higher difficulties, (Lunatic and Lunatic+) are the hardest things that are in existence.
    I    Oh man... This game, this game is life. The story is very well thought out, and the combat system is so amazing, they must have spent years thinking it all out. You WILL fall in love with at least one of the characters, and the marriage system is brilliant.
    The only downside I can think of is, the higher difficulties, (Lunatic and Lunatic+) are the hardest things that are in existence.
    I was addicted to this games for months, I seriously needed help.
    Those couple hundred hours were not wasted, go and get it.    … Expand
  40. Carlitoxic
    May 18, 2015
    10
    This is my first Fire Emblem and also can say that it´s one of my favourite RPG. Amazing gamming and beatiful design. At this moment one of my favourites games of 3DS.
  41. BillzHere
    May 5, 2015
    8
    Fire Emblem; a series that has gained the limelight in the last few years. A game series that was little known to the west, and only released in Japan up until the early 2000's. A game series that had very few but very well polished and enjoyable games (especially those on the GBA). A game series that was set to end with Awakening as it's last title (thirteenth game in the series). I canFire Emblem; a series that has gained the limelight in the last few years. A game series that was little known to the west, and only released in Japan up until the early 2000's. A game series that had very few but very well polished and enjoyable games (especially those on the GBA). A game series that was set to end with Awakening as it's last title (thirteenth game in the series). I can say that I'm very glad that Awakening was released, because it allowed the Fire Emblem series to continue one once again. Enough with the history of the franchise, now we delve into the newest installment itself: Fire Emblem Awakening (Oh and the review will contain spoilers).

    Let us start with the most notable things about the game itself...
    The game is very well made and polished, as to be expected with Fire Emblem games. However this one definitely delivers in the quantity of content. Since this was slated to be the last Fire Emblem game to release, they made sure it was filled to the brim with a lot of content and DLC. Surprisingly, it worked in their favor. Awakening seems to borrow some ideas from previous installments as well as creating new ones of their own. Gameplay is smooth and it's quite enjoyable to say the least. The graphics are pretty good, considering this is a 3DS game. As I mentioned before the game introduces new ideas and borrows old ones, here's what those are:
    The game seemingly borrows an old mechanic only seen in Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War(1996), which was the first fire emblem game that allowed you to play two generations of characters, and returning the skill system that was introduced in the same game. Skills are something you acquire when you level a unit up (5, 10, 15) which grants a unit a special ability they can use inside or outside of combat. Awakening introduces 'pairing up' with other units. You do this by assigning units to 'pair up' with another unit, and this allows the pair to potentially gain stat increase and attack more than once during a single battle. Awakening also returns the 'Class Change' (otherwise known as a Second Seal) that was introduced in Shadow Dragon. Returning to the subject matter of 'pairing up', when this process is also done, you will raise the units that have been paired together's support level. Support level increase will then allow you to access a conversation that these two units have (most of which are pretty funny to say the least). This level increases the more these units are paired together. When you reach the 'S' rank of support (only accessible to Male and Female pairings) then you get a special support conversation which pretty much ends up in the two getting married. Also forgot to mention that the games soundtrack is pretty friggin awesome. All of these things sound great, and they really are. When I originally played this game, I saw no flaws with it at all, and for some time I thought it was the best game I had ever played. However, upon playing through the game more than once, then playing its predecessors, I began to see its flaws.

    I'll begin by saying that the 'Class Change' mechanic in this game can BREAK THE GAME. I'm dead serious here, you can truly break this game with the class change. Since you can change class whenever you want, you can re-class, get a skill you want, re-class and repeat the process over and over; making units extremely powerful and rendering the hardest difficulty to immensely easy. What's even worse is that these skills can carry over to children (as mentioned before) which then makes them extremely overpowered to the point where the game is no longer fun.
    The game's story in comparison to others is rather weak in this regards. To me when replaying the game over, it seems like they rushed some bits of the story just to get a finished product. This is not to say they did not put any attention or care into the story itself, I'm just stating that it's rather weak. This is something I can forgive, it is tough to create a gripping and immersive story for a game.
    My last gripe is the character supports. After playing my favorite Fire Emblem game, the Sacred Stones and its predecessor Blazing Sword, I realized something different between those two games and Awakening. Their writing and delivery of the conversations seem well thought out and well written in comparison to Awakening. While in Blazing Sword and Sacred Stones, conversations are only heard during actual gameplay; Awakening however, you hear these conversations after the battles. In my opinion the conversations in Awakening's GBA counterparts are far superior in charm, writing, and in some cases humor.

    Overall the game itself is not bad at all, it just seems like a very weak release in comparison to earlier games. I couldn't touch up on all details of the game (due to metacritic's character limit) so I'll leave by saying that Awakening is clearly aimed at new players and not the veteran ones. Does this deter the game? No. Worth the buy? Yes.    … Expand
  42. taptothebeat
    Apr 18, 2015
    8
    This is a great game.

    Things to note regarding gameplay that I found along the way: 1. There is a lot more to the romance and character interaction element than I was expecting there to be. Since I got the game for the tactics, playing part, this was more of a distraction/downside to me rather than an upside. That is of course just a personal preference though. 2. The best part    This is a great game.

    Things to note regarding gameplay that I found along the way:

    1. There is a lot more to the romance and character interaction element than I was expecting there to be. Since I got the game for the tactics, playing part, this was more of a distraction/downside to me rather than an upside. That is of course just a personal preference though.

    2. The best part about this game is the variance in difficulty levels. Each difficulty level feels very different. Additionally, by being able to choose your own difficulty level this game is really nice for more than just one type of person.

    3. There is a solid base of tactics that comes with the differences between the classes. There is difference in movement, you are either: on foot, flying, or on a ground mount. There is also a difference in weaponry, which results in a rock-paper-scissors element. These elements along with other complexities that arise with them keep the tactics element very present.

    4. While the above is true, I do note though that even though there are a wide variety of class choices, the attack-range patterns amongst them are very similar. For attacking, you can either be ranged and attack two spaces away, or be close ranged and attack one space away. This is as much variation as you get. This seems lacking to me, as one of my most favorite turn based strategy games is Final Fantasy Tactics Advance for GBA, which has a lot more variation in terms of attacks. Since games like those exist, I wonder why the same could not be done for this one?

    5. Going along with the above, I think magic is slightly overpowered compared to the other attacks since it is both a 1 and 2 ranged attack. While I believe mages are supposed to be weaker defense wise to counterbalance this, there are enough classes that have magic as well as defense capabilities that this concern is less so for the most part.    … Expand
  43. skykappah
    Apr 8, 2015
    10
    From the makers of the Advance Wars series, Paper Marios.. WarioWare games.. Comes Fire Emblem: Awakening. By far one of the best teams in the Video gaming world, Intelligent Systems. They have never ceased to impress me and with this game... It's like time travel, I turn this game on and when I switch it off, 2 months flew by. It's simply too addictive and I recommend you not to buy it ifFrom the makers of the Advance Wars series, Paper Marios.. WarioWare games.. Comes Fire Emblem: Awakening. By far one of the best teams in the Video gaming world, Intelligent Systems. They have never ceased to impress me and with this game... It's like time travel, I turn this game on and when I switch it off, 2 months flew by. It's simply too addictive and I recommend you not to buy it if you have a social life or a family.… Expand
  44. Otoma
    Apr 7, 2015
    10
    This is the first Fire Emblem I played (mainly motivated by Super Smash Bros) and it became my favorite 3DS game of all time pretty quick.

    The Story is awesome, the characters are AMAZING. I mean come on, dozens of characters and I know every single name of them. These aren't just stupid puppets, but people with their own story and relationships and family's (that you can form!). The    This is the first Fire Emblem I played (mainly motivated by Super Smash Bros) and it became my favorite 3DS game of all time pretty quick.

    The Story is awesome, the characters are AMAZING. I mean come on, dozens of characters and I know every single name of them. These aren't just stupid puppets, but people with their own story and relationships and family's (that you can form!). The fighting system is awesome. The graphic is.... well ok. The character Sprites are 2D, but I guess if they where 3D they would look worse. But the cinematic Scenes are awesome.

    This is really an amazing game. Buy it. Now!    … Expand
  45. lokq
    Mar 22, 2015
    9
    9/10 simply amazing
    -interesting story about dragons and future
    -great tactical gameplay and interesting mission
    -classic mode (man i lost 2 unit from this)
    -lovable character with their unique story
    -coupling system where you can get your party member to marry, and have their children to join you

    ps: lucina-tan moe >/////
  46. Kotastic
    Mar 16, 2015
    10
    Not only is it the best Fire Emblem game, but it's the best game i've ever played period. Just the amount of content, story, relations, and deep mechanics of the game earns my top spot of best video game lists ever.
  47. BaganLeleo
    Mar 15, 2015
    10
    This game is the best game on the 3DS. The addition of Support Conversations added a lot of replay value with people like me trying to unlock every conversation, the characters were unique with each having a distinct personality, the story, while simple, did entertain me, and had a few twists and turns, in short, I LOVE THIS GAME!!!!!!!!!
  48. Archmageaki
    Mar 3, 2015
    10
    I never thought i would get into fire emblem, I only knew it from smash bros; but my god is this game amazing. I played it for a bit and fell in love with its gameplay and story, the characters were very developed (my two favorite being Morgan and Lucina who i married) , the different classes were awesome and i even recruited Ike and Marth. Fire Emblem Awakening is my all time favoriteI never thought i would get into fire emblem, I only knew it from smash bros; but my god is this game amazing. I played it for a bit and fell in love with its gameplay and story, the characters were very developed (my two favorite being Morgan and Lucina who i married) , the different classes were awesome and i even recruited Ike and Marth. Fire Emblem Awakening is my all time favorite game and i give a 10/10.… Expand
  49. ChanReview
    Feb 15, 2015
    10
    This is my first 'Fire Emblem' game and it did not disappoint! The graphics and art were great and I particularly enjoyed the option to customise yourself down to your very voice. I haven't played many turn-based strategy games, but this one has convinced me to play more! Story line was simple, but pleasing and each battle(?) was enjoyable and never felt repetitive. For the first time IThis is my first 'Fire Emblem' game and it did not disappoint! The graphics and art were great and I particularly enjoyed the option to customise yourself down to your very voice. I haven't played many turn-based strategy games, but this one has convinced me to play more! Story line was simple, but pleasing and each battle(?) was enjoyable and never felt repetitive. For the first time I wished the game went on for longer, though in saying this I did not let go of this game for 4 days straight playing every little side mission possible.… Expand
  50. Mystril
    Feb 14, 2015
    10
    Just about the perfect turn based strategy game? - Yes.
    - I love the graphics, beautiful sprites and backgrounds, and the cutscenes are amazing.
    - The soundscape is great aswell, good voice acting and awesome music.
    - The story is very good, I guess you can find better, but it works very well.

    Go buy the game yesterday, it is that good.
  51. Fask1ng
    Feb 3, 2015
    10
    It is the best game I have ever played, honestly. The art style is flawless, the gameplay is enrapturing, and the story is absolutely flawless. It is almost impossibly good.
  52. InspectorJ
    Jan 6, 2015
    10
    This game is brilliant; a classic RPG story, thoroughly perfected mechanic systems, extensive support and relationship combinations, nostalgic music delivered in a very original method during battles, brilliant character writing which creates truly memorable characters, a perma-death option for those that want to play with an ultimate challenge, around 30 hours of content, a plethora ofThis game is brilliant; a classic RPG story, thoroughly perfected mechanic systems, extensive support and relationship combinations, nostalgic music delivered in a very original method during battles, brilliant character writing which creates truly memorable characters, a perma-death option for those that want to play with an ultimate challenge, around 30 hours of content, a plethora of DLC - this game is one of the most original RPG's/Tactics games I have played.

    My one only gripe is that the 'Barracks' system could have been expanded so much more; this mechanic is rather overshadowed from the perfection of all of the other mechanics.

    Nonetheless, if you own a 3DS and don't already own this game, you are truly missing out - you don't need to be knowledgeable with the previous Fire Emblem games to enjoy this memorable experience, so it is a great place to start in the series.    … Expand
  53. TomMatt
    Dec 29, 2014
    10
    One of the best games I have ever play in a pocket console, and one of the best games of rpg/ strategy. The best game in 3ds, by far. If you like to think and make good strategy, you must play this game.
  54. WheelzFourReelz
    Dec 29, 2014
    9
    Fire Emblem: Awakening manages to create a beautiful world full of diverse characters. Combine that with the classic gameplay and the new relationship mechanic, and you've got yourself a winning game.
  55. kooltrex
    Dec 22, 2014
    10
    One of the best games I have ever played. GREAT characters,story,music,gameplay,visuals,graphics,dialogue and very addicting! If you like strategy jrpgs or just want an awesome game this is truly a masterpiece!
  56. anginesu
    Dec 20, 2014
    10
    If you ever asked how 3D could be interesting, check the cutscenes for this game. The art is awesome, so is the voice acting (can be hilarious at times) and the way you interact with the characters. Making your "avatar" have a significant importance may shock some hardcore fans, but the story is still consistent and makes the gameplay practically flawless if you play as any Fire EmblemIf you ever asked how 3D could be interesting, check the cutscenes for this game. The art is awesome, so is the voice acting (can be hilarious at times) and the way you interact with the characters. Making your "avatar" have a significant importance may shock some hardcore fans, but the story is still consistent and makes the gameplay practically flawless if you play as any Fire Emblem game should be played: classic with the hardest difficulty available. Of course, some of the most intriguing aspects of other FE games are back, so don't think casual mode is a new thing that "destroyed" it. It's perfect to make the franchise more mainstream, making more people like the genre, and thus, loving the finest features it has.… Expand
  57. aasecr14
    Nov 18, 2014
    9
    Before I bought this game, I had only heard tales of Fire Emblem. As soon as I booted it up, the rich storytelling enthralled me. As soon as the gameplay began, I knew I was hooked. Since that day I have beaten the game four times all the way through. The gameplay is fun and challenging, the story is exciting and involving, (most of) the characters are lovable and well written, and theBefore I bought this game, I had only heard tales of Fire Emblem. As soon as I booted it up, the rich storytelling enthralled me. As soon as the gameplay began, I knew I was hooked. Since that day I have beaten the game four times all the way through. The gameplay is fun and challenging, the story is exciting and involving, (most of) the characters are lovable and well written, and the game leaves me with that sense of "wow" you get when you finish a really good game. 9/10… Expand
  58. MikeSword13
    Nov 9, 2014
    10
    This is probably one of the best games I've ever played in my life.
    This was my introduction to the Fire Emblem series and i'm impressed. You can really feel all the effort the developers put in this game. The music, the story, the gameplay, everything in this game is great. You really care about those characters and what happens to them. The relationship system is also great. It develops    This is probably one of the best games I've ever played in my life.
    This was my introduction to the Fire Emblem series and i'm impressed. You can really feel all the effort the developers put in this game. The music, the story, the gameplay, everything in this game is great. You really care about those characters and what happens to them. The relationship system is also great. It develops the characters and improves the game play. This mixed with the class system give this game great replay value. The soundtrack is fantastic. I was actually blown away by some of the music in the game. But keep in mind, this is not a game for everyone. It's a strategy RPG so the action is not the most important. It requires patience and thought. Even before I bought it I thought I wasn't gonna like. So keep an open mind about it. For me, it is the best game on 3DS right now and I think everyone should give it a shot.    … Expand
  59. pinball123
    Nov 8, 2014
    10
    Amazing game. Must play. Everything in this game is well produced and fun. The story is epic and well written. The gameplay and battles are fun and a great challenge. My only complaint is that they didn't have a sequel waiting for me when I finished this!
  60. Failatlife
    Nov 1, 2014
    9
    Lunatic is broken and unplayable.
    That's the only complaint. Aside from that, Hard difficulty is the perfect level of challenge for anyone interested in Fire Emblem. A delight for newcomers who are curious about strategy games, and a huge amount of evolution and innovation to impress FE veterans. The "Pair Up" system completely flips the old paradigm on its head. Rescues are gone, and    Lunatic is broken and unplayable.
    That's the only complaint. Aside from that, Hard difficulty is the perfect level of challenge for anyone interested in Fire Emblem. A delight for newcomers who are curious about strategy games, and a huge amount of evolution and innovation to impress FE veterans. The "Pair Up" system completely flips the old paradigm on its head. Rescues are gone, and that probably is for the best; it didn't really make sense.
    The music has always been perfect in Fire Emblem, and this entry is no different. So many songs just stay in your head and make you well up with some truly intense emotions.

    The story is solid too, although some plot points are well-worn, they're handled with enough earnest weight to make them matter and to keep the player from rolling their eyes. Also, this is one of the greatest localizations, period. Bar none.

    Now for some nitpicks. The character models look a bit strange (seriously... look at their FEET. So tiny!), and some characters are annoying, which is practically a first for the serious. I personally detested Severa and Sumia. Severa's just unpleasant and Sumia seems a bit cliched (Oh, the clumsy girl with a good heart...).    … Expand
  61. Englad
    Oct 26, 2014
    5
    This game is graphically superior to anything else on 3DS and the music is superior to previous FE games. But the gameplay is the same as before. I wanted to see a queue system in a Fire Emblem game instead of the player and enemy rotations, but I wasn't given that option. Fire Emblem has always been afraid to innovate itself (not the genre - itself) and as usual I am rewarded for being aThis game is graphically superior to anything else on 3DS and the music is superior to previous FE games. But the gameplay is the same as before. I wanted to see a queue system in a Fire Emblem game instead of the player and enemy rotations, but I wasn't given that option. Fire Emblem has always been afraid to innovate itself (not the genre - itself) and as usual I am rewarded for being a chicken by keeping my lower level units back beyond harm. I was at least given a casual option to play the game which means you can lose units and they won't disappear forever in the casual mode. There is also a male/female option for choice of main character.… Expand
  62. danech10
    Oct 25, 2014
    7
    Awakening has proven to be a very divisive game amongst the Fire Emblem fanbase. Players new to the series seem to appreciate many of the new features that have been added, while series vets find that their presence has come at the cost of other key components such as mission variety, map design, and balance.

    Ultimately, whether or not you will enjoy this title is dependent very much on    Awakening has proven to be a very divisive game amongst the Fire Emblem fanbase. Players new to the series seem to appreciate many of the new features that have been added, while series vets find that their presence has come at the cost of other key components such as mission variety, map design, and balance.

    Ultimately, whether or not you will enjoy this title is dependent very much on your own expectations. If you're less familiar with SPRGs, or if you prefer a more open-ended take on the genre a la Disgaea or Final Fantasy Tactics, then you'll find plenty to enjoy here. If you are a long time fan of Fire Emblem, however, you will likely be let down by what's on offer in Awakening. Personally, as a new player to the series myself, and with a minimal history in the genre (about 8 hours of Valkyria Chronicles), I found the Pair Up features to be somewhat distracting in a way that seemed to undermine the core of the game.

    It's worth pointing out what this game does well aside from its gameplay. The level of polish and amount of content is terrific, the 3D cutscenes are stunning, and the potential for replay-ability is certainly high. I found the story, and some of the characters, to be pretty bland.

    It's hard to call Fire Emblem: Awakening a bad game, but it may be a disappointment to long-time fans.    … Expand
  63. Hugothester
    Oct 20, 2014
    10
    This is just the best 3ds game I have ever played, it was my first Fire Emblem title, so I did not know what to expect, but a friend told me that past titles were extremely good, so I tried it. And OH MY GOD it was good, I liked it even more than Brevely Default, and I can´t stop replaying it.
    The gameplay is awesome, in the line of previous titles (I have bought them too and are playing    This is just the best 3ds game I have ever played, it was my first Fire Emblem title, so I did not know what to expect, but a friend told me that past titles were extremely good, so I tried it. And OH MY GOD it was good, I liked it even more than Brevely Default, and I can´t stop replaying it.
    The gameplay is awesome, in the line of previous titles (I have bought them too and are playing them now), the story is serious, sad and fun at times, and the graphics are the absolute best of 3ds.
    I will just add that the 3d effect in this game is astonishing, probably one of the best made 3d´s I have seen since Mario.    … Expand
  64. eyb0ss
    Oct 15, 2014
    10
    This game is quite amazing. When coming to legitimate flaws this game has none. It's Fire Emblem in that it's a tactical RPG with a perma-death system. It's difficult and unforgiving, but with a truly unique and beautiful art style, complimented by competent story telling and likable and characters (except Lucina). The relationship system is the icing on the cake, adding an interestingThis game is quite amazing. When coming to legitimate flaws this game has none. It's Fire Emblem in that it's a tactical RPG with a perma-death system. It's difficult and unforgiving, but with a truly unique and beautiful art style, complimented by competent story telling and likable and characters (except Lucina). The relationship system is the icing on the cake, adding an interesting dynamic and massive amounts of replay ability. And the children, oooooooooh my god don't even get me started on the children. Skills and kids and parents and stats and leveling and the weapon system and uhhhhhh... More stuff. It is hard though.
    Game of the Year
    /5    … Expand
  65. ArchangelsBlade
    Sep 24, 2014
    10
    So, this is the first fire emblem game, but after owning it for about eight months, I have to say it is probably one of the top five games I've ever played, second only to Dark Souls. Yes, this game has its flaws, but they are not too important in my mind, so they do not detract from the score, and this game spoke to me on a level that not many games that I have played do. Some of you willSo, this is the first fire emblem game, but after owning it for about eight months, I have to say it is probably one of the top five games I've ever played, second only to Dark Souls. Yes, this game has its flaws, but they are not too important in my mind, so they do not detract from the score, and this game spoke to me on a level that not many games that I have played do. Some of you will say that the story is dry, that the characters are bland and the gameplay is repetitive, but every time I play the game it feels different. It never goes exactly the same as the first time, or the second, or the third. I've never played any other Fire Emblem game before, but I have already decided that I need to get as many as I can and play them all.… Expand
  66. ACM3PTS
    Sep 23, 2014
    10
    This game is a masterpiece, it was my first time playing a fire emblem game and I think its worth buying a 3ds just to play this game. It has an amazing and engaging story, great character development and a deep and rewarding combat system. The art style and music are amazing too, and all the customization options are incredibly vast. Fire emblem games have a feature in which if a unitThis game is a masterpiece, it was my first time playing a fire emblem game and I think its worth buying a 3ds just to play this game. It has an amazing and engaging story, great character development and a deep and rewarding combat system. The art style and music are amazing too, and all the customization options are incredibly vast. Fire emblem games have a feature in which if a unit dies, it stays dead for the rest of the game, but this time there's a casual mode for newcomers to the series. It changes the perma-death mechanic so that fallen units come back in the next chapter. I do not recommend playing in this feature, even if you're new to the series. I feel it changes drastically the experience of the game, but not in a good way. Anyways if you're planning on buying this game you should also consider buying 3 of the DLCs: Future past trilogy, Rogues and redeemers trilogy and Apotheosis, they're all great and add to the experience.
    But by far the greatest thing about this game is how much replay-ability it has. I have spent over 710 hours of gameplay on it and I'm still playing, and I'm not planning on stopping any soon.

    PS. I didn't like RPGs in general until this game opened my eyes.    … Expand
  67. TheTokenFemale
    Sep 21, 2014
    10
    One of the best games I've brought this year. The Graphics are beautiful and actually look good in 3D (A rarity for the system in my experience) and the gameplay is engaging. It's difficult in places and I've gameover'd my fare share of times whilst playing on difficult but I don't find it frustrating in the way in would have with some other games.
    I really enjoyed the support    One of the best games I've brought this year. The Graphics are beautiful and actually look good in 3D (A rarity for the system in my experience) and the gameplay is engaging. It's difficult in places and I've gameover'd my fare share of times whilst playing on difficult but I don't find it frustrating in the way in would have with some other games.
    I really enjoyed the support conversations to the point where I would play random encounters with weaker characters not only to level them up but to try different support combos so I could see all the conversations.
    My one complaint would be that the ending felt and bit rushed and the game a little too short for my liking, however this is made up for by the sheer replayability of this game and some half decent DLC which isn't badly priced and is fun to play    … Expand
  68. TheCritic1
    Sep 2, 2014
    10
    After the Fire Emblem character reveals for Super Smash Bros. for WiiU and 3DS, I really wanted to try out Awakening to see what it was all about. To conclude, I found my favourite game I have ever played.

    Fire Emblem : Awakening is a turn-based strategy game, similar format to Pokemon, but much more strategic. While I played the game on Newcomer/Casual mode where units are revived when    After the Fire Emblem character reveals for Super Smash Bros. for WiiU and 3DS, I really wanted to try out Awakening to see what it was all about. To conclude, I found my favourite game I have ever played.

    Fire Emblem : Awakening is a turn-based strategy game, similar format to Pokemon, but much more strategic. While I played the game on Newcomer/Casual mode where units are revived when they die, Fire Emblem also allows for Classic Mode, where units die permenately when they are killed in battle. The battles in this game are amazing with their giant battlefield and sheer amount enemies that sometimes out-number your fore by two. But this is what makes the game fun - facing off against something so huge that it almost seems real. Of course that is not the only reason that makes the game fun.

    My personal favourite part of the game was the characters : each one is different. From the careful and thoughtful Avatar character Robin, the careless, clumsy Sumia and my personal favourite, badass Lonq'u. And all of the different characters classes as well makes the game that much more in depth... with the opportunity to change a character's class completely OR to master-class them and make them even more powerful.

    All the different characters brings me to my next point : the sheer amount of content, particularly the 'Support' section. Characters that work together in battle can build up Support conversations, which give us EVEN more personality to the characters. Through these conversations, male and female units can 'marry' which, when they work together in battle, basically makes them an unstoppable killing machine. Aside from 'Support', you have the option to recruit characters from previous Fire Emblem games, such as Marth or Ike, and battle through StreetPass and recruit EVEN more characters for your army.

    The one gripe about this game I have is that in order to win battles, you have to grind... like HAVE to. In particular, side-stories that come along after Chapter 13. You could be let's say Level 15 base class ,after grinding for like at least 2 hours, at this rate but EVERY enemy is AT least Level 5 Master Class. That basically stops you from progressing with extra content if you do not grind your levels.

    Also, did I mention this game looks excellent with 3, yes 3, different models for each character. And the environments also look great.

    And finally, the story is absolutely fantastic. Most Nintendo games I have played have alright story but the storyline in this game is great and gave me another one of my favourtie characters in Lucina. The game also has you make quick decisions that could impact a lot which is great (although the choice you make does not matter in the long run)

    Enthralling game-play, brilliant characters, beautiful graphic, a fantastic storyline and a multitude of features - what more could you want?    … Expand
  69. Allbase42
    Aug 22, 2014
    10
    I love this game I can spend all day reading getting everyone in the game to A support with each other and the battle are fun and I really enjoy a stagy game with actual character instead of customization soldiers.
  70. Syrek
    Aug 9, 2014
    10
    A masterpiece and a work of art, Fire Emblem: Awakening captures the essence of what makes a video game while at the same time becoming something truly amazing, an experience that you will reflect on for years to come.

    I had never played a Fire Emblem game before Awakening. I knew about the franchise from Super Smash Bros: Melee, as I'm sure many other gamers did as well, but I was    A masterpiece and a work of art, Fire Emblem: Awakening captures the essence of what makes a video game while at the same time becoming something truly amazing, an experience that you will reflect on for years to come.

    I had never played a Fire Emblem game before Awakening. I knew about the franchise from Super Smash Bros: Melee, as I'm sure many other gamers did as well, but I was always hesitant or reluctant to dive into the challenging world of Fire Emblem where death is permanent, a gameplay mechanic that was both new and frightening to me. It wasn't until early 2013 when I noticed that a demo for Awakening was on the 3DS e-shop that I took notice of the Fire Emblem franchise. I had heard quite a bit of praise already from gaming websites, youtube reviews and many more outlets across the internet and my interest for the game continued to pique when I heard this entry in the series was the most inviting for newcomers like myself but still providing a challenge for veterans of the series. So I downloaded the demo and I was immediately hooked.

    What happened after I had played the demo, which I played more than several times I might add, is what I can only call an incredible obsession, one that I had no experienced in MANY years. I hadn't been this excited, addicted and invested into to a video game since The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. I bought the game digitally day one, wouldn't even wait the next day to purchase it physically, and spent the next few weeks absorbed in Fire Emblem: Awakening. Everything about the story, the characters and interactions with the characters, the beautiful and majestic music, the pleasant visuals, and of course, the deep and addicting gameplay resonated with me in a way that is still to this day difficult to explain. I suppose the simplest way to put it is that I viewed Fire Emblem: Awakening as more than just a video game but rather an piece of art, one that stirred so many emotions and feelings and to this day still does, regardless of how many times I play it. It's that freaking good!

    I've invested over 500 hours into Fire Emblem: Awakening and I have not once regretted spending that much time into this incredible game that I now consider my favourite game of all time, and that is saying quite a bit. I NEVER would have expected Fire Emblem: Awakening to garner such praise from me, especially considering I've been playing games for over 20 years now and have many games under my belt in terms of completion or as close to completion. If your even slightly into RPG's, I cannot stress how much you will enjoy this game and even if you don't like RPG's, at least try the demo and see for yourself why this game has become not only the highest rated Fire Emblem game but one of the best, if not the best, 3DS game.    … Expand
  71. WelshTom
    Jul 26, 2014
    9
    An outstanding strategy title with nice features and a balanced learning curve to go with the impressive graphics and story. You will grow attached to your characters, particularly in the knowledge that one false move at any time could be their last (assuming you are playing with the 'dead is dead' setting). My only gripe is the frustrating regularity with which new enemy soldiers spawnAn outstanding strategy title with nice features and a balanced learning curve to go with the impressive graphics and story. You will grow attached to your characters, particularly in the knowledge that one false move at any time could be their last (assuming you are playing with the 'dead is dead' setting). My only gripe is the frustrating regularity with which new enemy soldiers spawn without warning, ending with casualties that seem so unfair you simply have to restart.… Expand
  72. bearbishop
    Jul 22, 2014
    10
    I'm just writing this, because I didn't have a Metacritic account when I originally played it, and this game just plain rocks. I had played advanced wars before, but not any of the fire emblem games, so I wasn't too sure going into it. This game will keep you up late at night if you aren't careful. Gameplay rocks the graphics are beautiful aside from the weird stumpy feet. I named my unitI'm just writing this, because I didn't have a Metacritic account when I originally played it, and this game just plain rocks. I had played advanced wars before, but not any of the fire emblem games, so I wasn't too sure going into it. This game will keep you up late at night if you aren't careful. Gameplay rocks the graphics are beautiful aside from the weird stumpy feet. I named my unit Stumpy in honor of those feet. The music is fantastic and the story is pretty cool too. The sense of loyalty Chrom has for the my unit character is really awesome towards the end of the game. Also Lucina and My Unit will be characters in the new smash bros game. KICK ASS (sorry Chrom). Lucina even has her badass mask in some screens! This game is probably still the best game on the 3DS.… Expand
  73. teshime
    Jul 15, 2014
    10
    I bought Fire Emblem: Awakening on a whim one day, and as a series newbie, I really didn't know what to expect. I was then pleasantly surprised to find I'd bought one of the best games I've played in recent years. The graphics and CGI cutscenes are incredibly stylish, and as someone who has always fallen flat with turn-based strategy games, I was amazed with how quickly I engaged with andI bought Fire Emblem: Awakening on a whim one day, and as a series newbie, I really didn't know what to expect. I was then pleasantly surprised to find I'd bought one of the best games I've played in recent years. The graphics and CGI cutscenes are incredibly stylish, and as someone who has always fallen flat with turn-based strategy games, I was amazed with how quickly I engaged with and got the hang of it. To more seasoned players I can see how it may come across a bit repetitive and simple, but that simplicity gives it a lot more accessibility, which a wonderful game like this should have.
    The story is interesting, and will appeal to anyone who likes a good fantasy narrative spliced with sorcery and dragons. Also, along the way in the adventure you build a band of beautifully designed, engaging characters who fight alongside you. There's also the support system, which is the icing on the cake; there's lots of lovely character development to discover as the characters get to know each other, not to mention the chance to marry them all off (which I really enjoyed)!
    In all seriousness, this is one of the best games for the 3DS so far, and you won't regret buying it!    … Expand
  74. Paissios
    Jul 12, 2014
    9
    The game is amazing and i recommend it to any 3ds owner.The only problem with the game is that there's a lot of dialog and no voice acting.Also if you play normal mode the game becomes quite easy
  75. BlazingTiamat
    Jul 11, 2014
    9
    Deep old school strategy RPG with some very interesting features (romances and children!) and complex, involving combat. Generally difficult and demanding game, but AFAIK probably one of the most accessible in the Fire Emblem series. Some features are missing (online play and tournaments, more side quests, equipment and character customization), certain parts may not be for everyone (lotsDeep old school strategy RPG with some very interesting features (romances and children!) and complex, involving combat. Generally difficult and demanding game, but AFAIK probably one of the most accessible in the Fire Emblem series. Some features are missing (online play and tournaments, more side quests, equipment and character customization), certain parts may not be for everyone (lots of character interactions, manga-inspired) and DLCs are quite pricey (and sometimes not worth the money at all, especially the money and EXP boosters!), but it really is a massive game with over 60 hours of gameplay to be had. Worth noting is that the actual strategy combat is more like Panzer General and less like Final Fantasy Tactics - ranged attacks are generally 2-3 squares away max. Not as good as FFTA2 (crazy amount of side-quests, classes and items!), but outstanding in its own terms.… Expand
  76. erhanz
    Jun 30, 2014
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Finished this game by the beginning of the week.
    SPOILER ALERT
    Well, it certainly is a good game, but not great. Truth to be said, i think this game is too overrated. I saw many good reviews about the game on the internet, but oh well..when i actually play the game, it's not as good as i thought it would be.

    The Story starts with you, the main character, see a dream where you kill Chrom.
    And then you suddenly wake up to find Chrom standing in front of you. You join his gang, The shepherds, as the Tactician. Seeing that the nation is in a war state, Chrom journey off with the shepherds to save his king. One day he met a girl with a mask who called herself as "Marth", the legendary heroine who put Grimma the dark dragon to sleep several hundred years ago. It turns out that "Marth" is actually Lucina, the daughter of Chrom, who came from an alternate future to save Chrom from being murdered. So, how will the story ends? Can they bend the destiny? Play and find out yourself.

    Plus point:
    - This game has an interesting gameplay & great job system. The battle is fun and have a very good graphics. I mean i enjoy hacking people when they used a weapon that's not good against mine.
    - Marriage system? Well it's one of the interesting point. You can build relationship between male and female in your team, and they'll get married, affecting their offspring who came from the future as well. And you have a lot of choices for that! I mean i considered a lot about who my main character going to marry.

    Minus Point:
    - Story is just too cheesy. I mean, your son/daughter came from alternate future. And you fight together to change the future? Well yes, it seems good at first, but ridiculous at the same time. They went back to the past but couldn't go back to their future, so they have to stay at the present with their parents? Seems kinda weird for me.
    - Too many characters. I mean too many characters, but you can only take some people to the battle. And every character doesn't have any special traits. I mean, they are basically the same. Just different job, but you can change the job.
    -Leveling up could be a pain in the ass. You get a new character, but they start at a pretty low level. You have to fight your way through to make them level up. Which is a total pain in the ass, because the enemy could kill that character in one hit. If you pair him with another character, there are chances that they won't get any experience. It sucks.

    Well in the end, i think this game is just too overrated. I thought it would be super good, but in fact the game is just okay. 7/10 for this game.
    And the last boss is just too easy. I kill him within 2 turns without any damage. Pretty much too easy.    … Expand
  77. CJ_SCOUT
    Jun 23, 2014
    10
    If anyone you know claims that the 3DS is for little kids...take a copy of this game and shove it in their face! I rarely give 10 out of 10 on ratings unless they truly deserve it, but this game DEFINITELY deserves it. Great strategic combat, gorgeous cut-scenes, great story, great music, gives you the freedom of choice, and has a huge amount of content and replay value. There's not muchIf anyone you know claims that the 3DS is for little kids...take a copy of this game and shove it in their face! I rarely give 10 out of 10 on ratings unless they truly deserve it, but this game DEFINITELY deserves it. Great strategic combat, gorgeous cut-scenes, great story, great music, gives you the freedom of choice, and has a huge amount of content and replay value. There's not much more I can say...support this game and check it out!… Expand
  78. breadlofe
    Jun 14, 2014
    10
    This game is truly amazing. After playing Marth in Super Smash Bros. I wanted to see what the games where like, then I bought Fire Emblem Awakening and it quickly became not only one of my favorite Nintendo games but also became one of my favorite games of all time. Me and my brother took a big risk buying a new game from a series new to us but we were both amazed at the great animateThis game is truly amazing. After playing Marth in Super Smash Bros. I wanted to see what the games where like, then I bought Fire Emblem Awakening and it quickly became not only one of my favorite Nintendo games but also became one of my favorite games of all time. Me and my brother took a big risk buying a new game from a series new to us but we were both amazed at the great animate cut-scenes and intuitive game play. This game gets a 10/10 and a Pick It Up As Soon As Possible medal… Expand
  79. Wawacoffee89
    Jun 6, 2014
    10
    Masterpiece period. Game flow, scenery, graphics; are all AMAZING. This game holds up to its predecessors in every way, adding more than ever. Plz buy this game if you own a 3ds, u will not be disappointed.
  80. Malprodigy
    Jun 5, 2014
    5
    I'm rather confused as to how this game is receiving such exceptional reviews. It's a mediocre tactics game that suffers from a lack of compelling elements. My biggest complaints are:
    - You have to move THEN attack, no attack then move
    - Maps are bland and lack features present in better tactics games (altitude, etc.) - The "voice acting" mainly consist of simple utterances that are    I'm rather confused as to how this game is receiving such exceptional reviews. It's a mediocre tactics game that suffers from a lack of compelling elements. My biggest complaints are:
    - You have to move THEN attack, no attack then move
    - Maps are bland and lack features present in better tactics games (altitude, etc.)
    - The "voice acting" mainly consist of simple utterances that are repeated far too often
    - Story & Characters are dull and uninteresting
    I could go on but I'll leave it at this. The game isn't horrible and brings back a lot of the classic Fire Emblem nostalgia, but it's very far from great.    … Expand
  81. fanabanana
    May 18, 2014
    10
    Best in the series. The game has a great mix of features and characters, leaving you a lot to do and lots of tactics to explore. The story is fairly interesting. There is DLC available, both free and paid.
  82. Vanpire73
    May 9, 2014
    7
    Fun TBS game, but honestly it's pretty overrated. Sacred Stones was the only other one I played in the series. Permadeath seemed to carry much more wight in that one, as you couldn't farm for helpers at your leisure. At the end of the day though, most of the additions were welcome. As far as story goes, who gives a f*ck. It's a lame RPG story I'm guessing. I don't play strategy gamesFun TBS game, but honestly it's pretty overrated. Sacred Stones was the only other one I played in the series. Permadeath seemed to carry much more wight in that one, as you couldn't farm for helpers at your leisure. At the end of the day though, most of the additions were welcome. As far as story goes, who gives a f*ck. It's a lame RPG story I'm guessing. I don't play strategy games for story.… Expand
  83. Bananaman_2
    May 2, 2014
    10
    This game is beyond perfect and my personal favorite it's an 11 out of 10. On top of it's breath-taking graphics, amazing gameplay , perfected mechanics, and tons of variety and replayability, the game's story and characters are so well-written, it outclasses even the best animes and movies out there. It's one thing for a game just to be a masterpiece in one aspect like the Legend ofThis game is beyond perfect and my personal favorite it's an 11 out of 10. On top of it's breath-taking graphics, amazing gameplay , perfected mechanics, and tons of variety and replayability, the game's story and characters are so well-written, it outclasses even the best animes and movies out there. It's one thing for a game just to be a masterpiece in one aspect like the Legend of Zelda, but Fire Emblem Awakening is a masterpiece in many, that's why I consider this game the best game ever.… Expand
  84. snkcake666
    Apr 30, 2014
    10
    I actually created an account specifically to write a review about this game. The combat system was great and the graphics decent, but what I found so incredible about this game was the story, the character development, and the music. These were easily some of the best which I have ever seen in my life as a gamer. You will not regret playing Fire Emblem: Awakening.
  85. midipon
    Apr 26, 2014
    3
    I wanted to like this game, I did...but it doesn't hold up. Your grind to survive on the flat, tedious maps, grind to marry your bland team mates off, grind to get skills, etc etc etc! But then it doesn't even pay off. The game is too short for you to fully enjoy what you've done with your team, but its not like it matters much anyway since the characters and story are boring and harp onI wanted to like this game, I did...but it doesn't hold up. Your grind to survive on the flat, tedious maps, grind to marry your bland team mates off, grind to get skills, etc etc etc! But then it doesn't even pay off. The game is too short for you to fully enjoy what you've done with your team, but its not like it matters much anyway since the characters and story are boring and harp on its black and white morality. There are much better games out there.… Expand
  86. bloodboy227
    Apr 13, 2014
    9
    Fire Emblem Awakening, while not perfect, is one of the greatest video games I have ever had the pleasure of playing. This was my first Fire Emblem game, and I can see that I have been missing out on a fantastic series. The graphics are beautiful to look at, and the soundtrack is one of the best in gaming history. Noteworthy songs include "Don't Speak Her Name" and the final battle theme.Fire Emblem Awakening, while not perfect, is one of the greatest video games I have ever had the pleasure of playing. This was my first Fire Emblem game, and I can see that I have been missing out on a fantastic series. The graphics are beautiful to look at, and the soundtrack is one of the best in gaming history. Noteworthy songs include "Don't Speak Her Name" and the final battle theme. The gameplay however, is where Fire Emblem Awakening truly shines. This is a turn based strategy RPG. You and the opponent take turns moving, positions, and attacking troops. While it may sound simple, the game will require skill and intelligence to beat, unless you are playing on Casual Normal mode. Multiple factors influence how a battle will turn out, be it what weapon your troop is wielding, what terrain they are battling on, or even who is fighting by that particular troop's side. Do not let this hardcore nature dissuade you, though. Thanks to casual mode and 3 default difficulty settings, the game can be easily accessed by newcomers. They can learn about how the game works on Normal difficulty (or as I call it, pathetically easy mode) and test there newfound knowledge by increasing the difficulty for their second play through. Players can pair up characters to get married in ALMOST any way they see fit. The dialogue is well written and the characters are all great. Seriously, the dialogue and characters can be hilarious at times. Frederick, Kellam, Lissa, and some special characters later in the game are a few that constantly had me either chuckling or laughing as loud as I could. As good as a game Fire Emblem Awakening is though , it does have a few MINOR shortcomings. I was a little annoyed that some characters have ridiculously limited options in who they can have conversations with (Anna can only marry the player created avatar? disappointment). There are a few rare yet infuriating moments that can occur. What do I mean? Let's just say that if an enemy has a 1% chance of getting a critical hit, you may end up disappointed when either Tharja's or Lissa's face make friends with the cold hard ground. It is not really a problem, but frustrating nonetheless. There is one big flaw though. Downloadable Content. I do not have a problem with DLC. I have a problem with the fact that I can exploit the downloadable maps to level grind and make my team ridiculously over leveled by chapter 6. Now, you don't have to exploit DLC if you don't want to, so it isn't a deal breaker. It's just annoying when someone says, "I'm the greatest Fire Emblem player ever, because I had 5 dollars to buy the EXPonential growth DLC". Despite these nitpicks, Fire Emblem Awakening is still fantastic, and anyone who owns a 3DS should try it without question. If you are a newcomer that is still not sure as to whether or not you should buy this game, at least download the free demo. You will not be disappointed.… Expand
  87. Killua
    Apr 10, 2014
    8
    This review is for Fire Emblem Veterans who are craving a challenge!
    FE: Awakening is a great introduction into the Fire Emblem series, but lacks in proper difficulty. Let me rephrase, FE: Awakening can be quite difficult, but difficult in the worst kind of way. From the start the game quickly establishes it's Rock, Paper, Scissor combat system, punishing players for being careless or not    This review is for Fire Emblem Veterans who are craving a challenge!
    FE: Awakening is a great introduction into the Fire Emblem series, but lacks in proper difficulty. Let me rephrase, FE: Awakening can be quite difficult, but difficult in the worst kind of way. From the start the game quickly establishes it's Rock, Paper, Scissor combat system, punishing players for being careless or not predicting their enemy's movement range.

    I played the game on Classic Hard. As the game progresses, enemies start spawning from off-screen or from fortresses, gaining a turn immediately after their arrival. This was fine towards the beginning, but the game precedes to try to increase the difficulty of the game by spawning more in-battle enemies right next to my units at a time. This was a bit of a slap in the face for me because I am not able to predict which enemy/weapon that will spawn, making the rock,paper,scissors aspect established in the beginning a sort of crap shoot.

    On top of that, the game tells me exactly how much damage I will do and will be done to me, which prevents me from making any mistakes. The challenge of the game immediately dissolved when I realized that I could easily gauge who would win by comparing unit's ratings.

    I love the pairing system but it gave me little incentive to ever split my paired units apart. I just put the stronger character in front and let the weaker character make the last hits.

    Another gripe i had is that some of the terrain was incredibly dull. No joke, there were some maps that were essentially flat plains with a few bushes here and there. This is just lazy. That being said, the game maps really excelled when the battles were indoors, forcing me to change my tactics.

    So why do I give this game an 8? Because it's a fantastic game, I would just enter it with low expectations for the die hard FE fans who crave a challenge    … Expand
  88. FordPrefect
    Apr 8, 2014
    9
    This game is very very good. I've not yet finished it, but after 36 hours I can say it is a must buy for the 3DS. Awakening combines the classic Fire Emblem battle mechanics with a variety of new features which make it much more entertaining to play.

    The in-depth class and skill system creates great variety in how you approach each confrontation, full 3D combat animations freshen up    This game is very very good. I've not yet finished it, but after 36 hours I can say it is a must buy for the 3DS. Awakening combines the classic Fire Emblem battle mechanics with a variety of new features which make it much more entertaining to play.

    The in-depth class and skill system creates great variety in how you approach each confrontation, full 3D combat animations freshen up long battles, playing with perma-death on forces you to think carefully before acting, and support conversation between characters really make you like and feel like you get to know the characters you control.

    The only issues I found with the game is that the few cutscenes are so ridiculously well done and epic, I found myself constantly disappointed when story scenes were done with chat boxes instead of full cutscenes. Moreover, some characters are very limited in whom they can gain support status with which makes the player not want to use them as much.

    In the end, Awakening is definitely one of the best in the franchise and a true gem of the 3DS platform. Anyone who loves RPG's or is interested in them should buy this game. It has enough depth to satisfy an experienced player, but can be forgiving enough for newcomers too.    … Expand
  89. kiwijinxter
    Apr 4, 2014
    10
    This has got to be one of the BEST games I’ve played across ANY platform (I’ve got the Xbox 360, Wii, PC, DS and of course the 3DS)!

    To know for sure if you like this game, here’s a checklist: 1) Do you like a good story and funny dialogue? Check! 2) Do you like a good RPG? Check! 3) Do you like a good turn-based game? Check! 4) Do you like good originality? Check! 5) Do you like    This has got to be one of the BEST games I’ve played across ANY platform (I’ve got the Xbox 360, Wii, PC, DS and of course the 3DS)!

    To know for sure if you like this game, here’s a checklist:
    1) Do you like a good story and funny dialogue? Check!
    2) Do you like a good RPG? Check!
    3) Do you like a good turn-based game? Check!
    4) Do you like good originality? Check!
    5) Do you like good in-game animation? Check!
    6) Do you like to produce good kids? Check!
    7) All of the above? Check!

    Fire Emblem: Awakening covers so much ground it’s no surprise that the appeal is so wide. At its heart, it is a grid-based turn-based strategy game based on some pretty memorable characters with their own strengths and weaknesses depending on their classes such as Swordmaster, Sorcerer, Sage, Dark Mage, Dark Flier, Warrior, Berserker, Archer, Lord and so on. You pick up more characters (all playable!) as the story progresses to join your party. In each mission, you pick a mix of characters to do the mission. Each mission progresses the story but there are other Side Stories and Paralogues – more on that later. The turn-based strategy has a twist – you can PAIR these characters on the maps. Each time you pair them, they can SUPPORT each other in unique ways (such as increasing your main attacker’s attack, defense, avoidance etc., and even come to the defense of the unit!) But we do ourselves an injustice to just call it a “turn-based strategy game” – it’s much much more.

    That’s where we come to… child-bearing. Yes, child-bearing. You can pair various characters at every turn, and the more times you pair them, the stronger their relationship becomes. Then in the dialogue part of the game, over time, you get the pairs to talk to each other up to a point where they get married. Once they get married, at some point in the game “Paralogues” open up. These are side-missions specifically related to the kids from these marriages. These kids inherit some of their parents’ (depending who you end up pairing into marriages) skills and stats. And here’s the clincher – you can then enlist any of the kids into your party too and play them as characters!!!

    And here’s the part for RPG lovers. As you move on, you can use a Master Seal or Second Seal to change classes or promote within a class for ANY character in your party. And when you change classes, they get to keep the perks they’ve earned. For example, I turn one of my characters Anna into an Assassin to get the “Lethality” perk (chance of one-hit-KO), then changed her class into a Dark Knight to get the “Lifetaker” perk (recover HP by 50% after she defeats an enemy). So as you level up and change classes over time, your characters get stronger and stronger. There is an element of grinding at times – and which RPG game doesn’t have that? But grinding doesn’t feel so bad when the battle animation is SOOOOOOOO good. While I got a bit bored of Pokemon X and Y battle animations after awhile, I have NEVER tired of watching hours of Fire Emblem: Awakening battle animations – it feels so alive and organic that it impresses me even if I’ve seen some of the same moves a 100 times. Especially when there’s those “chance of activating” perks like “Lethality” which is peppered in the usual combat animations. Want the lazy way out (like I did) of too much grinding? Welcome to the DLCs.

    While paid DLCs are NOT required for game completion, I highly recommend them. They are of top-notch quality and each of them actually grants you something valuable so it’s actually worth buying. For example one of them grants you a new class, the Dread Fighter. Another DLC grants you a new character. My favourite is the “EXPonential Growth” DLC mission, which eases the pain of levelling up by quite a fair bit. You can buy them in sets of three which is a few dollars cheaper. There’s just SO much replayability that’s added with these DLCs. I’ve probably used “EXPonential Growth” about 100+ times.

    The animated cutscenes, although it doesn’t no appear often, are really good. That said, the dialogues in the story are so funny. The story and relationships between characters are really engaging, and at times, real hilarious and worth reading through.

    Now I personally hate overly difficult games. This game allows you to tune the difficulty. For example, I play on a casual mode where if the characters get KO’d, they return in the next mission. If you’re in for a challenge, you can go for the “Permadeath” mode where once a character is lost in a mission, he or she is lost forever. Pretty tough especially if you honed and levelled up that character and grown to love it.

    If I haven’t already got a 3DS, Fire Emblem: Awakening would’ve done it for me. No game is perfect, but this comes pretty darn close!    … Expand
  90. exmordis
    Mar 26, 2014
    10
    I had nearly put my 3DS to rest when February had arrived last year. It was a busy time, and I wasn't getting into games as much as I had in the past. I was this close to storing it and waiting for Pokemon X and Y, the game I thought would be the magnum opus for this system.

    Boy, was I dead wrong. There was something about this game, something that made it all click together. First    I had nearly put my 3DS to rest when February had arrived last year. It was a busy time, and I wasn't getting into games as much as I had in the past. I was this close to storing it and waiting for Pokemon X and Y, the game I thought would be the magnum opus for this system.

    Boy, was I dead wrong.

    There was something about this game, something that made it all click together. First booting up this game, I was skeptical. A strategy game on the 3DS seemed too abstract for me.
    The opening cut scene appeared, and of course it was a sight to see. The 3D capabilities were being used to their fullest.
    Then the menu came up, and I was greeted with a blasting rendition of the Fire Emblem theme. It was nothing less of perfect.
    Jumping into the game immediately, I was greeted with great voice acting, superb gameplay, and of course, an amazing cast of characters. They are what make this game. You immerse yourself into this small screen, and you find a world as big as ours. Intelligent Systems really hit gold on this one, I couldn't believe how hard this game could get a grip on you until I had 100 hours logged in.
    So to review in sections:
    Graphics: 8/10 The weaker part of the game, but altogether fabulously well done for such a system. The 3D feature is used well in cut scene and gameplay alike. Turned off, it doesn't leave that much of an impact, leaving the best of both worlds. While people may not have feet rendered in this world, the artstyle is satisfying and showcases the power of the 3DS.
    Gameplay: 10/10 When I had hit 100 hours in the short span of a few weeks, I had realized that there was nothing this game couldn't do. The strategy-based gameplay allowed for planning and numerous ways to go about a mission. The variety of difficulties allowed for casual and hardcore gameplay, and Lunatic+ will give you the biggest challenge in 2013. Overall, superb and addicting, the actual playing of the game gets my vote for some of the best fun you can have in 2013.
    Sound 10/10: The music is just amazing, it sets the mood perfectly and has a wide range of emotion put into each of its songs. A personal favorite of mine, Id~Serenity, the track that plays when you meet Chrom at the start of the game. It brings peace and sound into the viewer, and it creates that image of happiness that doesn't fade anytime after. Overall, killer soundtrack. I'm baffled it wasn't nominated for any of the major OST awards in the shows this year, but the good never gets the most recognition.
    Story/Characters: 10/10 How can I put this lightly? The story in this game is simple, yet complex. It has the typical medieval setting, but various archetypes of it. The characters look generic, but are each unique. Every character you meet has that special quirk to them that brings them to life. From serious to lighthearted, nothing could beat the giant cast of Fire Emblem: Awakening and their adventures. You will cry at the end, not from a death or anything like that, but because you have to leave the world of Ylisse and all of its amazing characters. Until you replay it. Again, and again.

    Overall: 10/10
    When the major games this year received the recognition they had, I was baffled at how this game got not even a sliver of what they received. It beats out 90% of this years soundtracks, it crushes 99% of this years gameplay, and it is the best story of 2013. It goes to show you don't need ham-handed philosophical lessons or wacky "intelligent" time-travel plots to make a story great. You just need a little soul and love to bring it to our world.

    Fire Emblem: Awakening gets my vote as the Game of the Year of 2013.    … Expand
  91. IGNsus
    Mar 25, 2014
    8
    I love the Fire Emblem series. Unfortunately, I don't share the same enthusiasm for Awakening.

    Honestly, I wanted to love the game. I expected that I would love it. It was actually one of the reasons I got my 3DS. What ended up happening was I liked the game well enough, but it fell short of my expectations. There are a few glaring faults in Awakening. First, the infinite number of    I love the Fire Emblem series. Unfortunately, I don't share the same enthusiasm for Awakening.

    Honestly, I wanted to love the game. I expected that I would love it. It was actually one of the reasons I got my 3DS. What ended up happening was I liked the game well enough, but it fell short of my expectations.

    There are a few glaring faults in Awakening. First, the infinite number of reclassing makes the game extremely easy, even on the hardest setting. Second, the story is cliched and has very little development. What you get is a plot that speeds along, but it lacks the political intrigue of the earlier FE games. Both of these problems I can overlook, but the map design I simply cannot ignore.

    Quite simply, the map design in Awakening is deplorable. The maps are boring and their layouts are not conducive to strategic gameplay. What I mean is that it's obvious how to place your units at first glance of the map. There are few maps where cowering in a corner does not lead to an easy rout. To compound this problem is that fact there are only two winning conditions in Awakening. Enemies will always dive head first into your units.

    Buy the game, but don't expect it to be as good as older Fire Emblem entries.    … Expand
  92. KriticalChaos
    Mar 25, 2014
    10
    Now this is one of those niche-type games, but don't let that discourage you if you're new to the games. They have made Fire Emblem more accessible than ever with Awakening.
    If you're familiar with the genre, don't worry about the changes this game makes to battles. I was worried at first but pairing up and picking supports is like a puzzle and is good fun. It's also quite the challenge    Now this is one of those niche-type games, but don't let that discourage you if you're new to the games. They have made Fire Emblem more accessible than ever with Awakening.
    If you're familiar with the genre, don't worry about the changes this game makes to battles. I was worried at first but pairing up and picking supports is like a puzzle and is good fun. It's also quite the challenge on classic hard mode. Overall, it's one of my top 3 video games and couldn't think of any better strategy game.    … Expand
  93. guitarguy001
    Mar 23, 2014
    10
    I already did a review for this game, but i felt like it did not do it any justice. This game is hands down one of the best RPG's ever made overall and is one of my favorite games of all time. It surpassed Pokemon Platinum as my favorite RPG (and that my friend is very difficult).

    This is by far the most accessible game in the series. I am a first time Fire Emblem player and i know the    I already did a review for this game, but i felt like it did not do it any justice. This game is hands down one of the best RPG's ever made overall and is one of my favorite games of all time. It surpassed Pokemon Platinum as my favorite RPG (and that my friend is very difficult).

    This is by far the most accessible game in the series. I am a first time Fire Emblem player and i know the others have perma-death that you can't turn off. Awakening gives you casual mode and difficulty levels to make the game easier for new players and it works like a charm. The gameplay is a bit tricky to get used to at first for a newcomer but for veterans it's immediately accessible and it's awesome how you have to strategically place your units so that they can win the battle and not die.

    And speaking of units, the best thing about this game is just how well developed and written the characters are. Every single character is memorable. Chrom is a badass, your unit, regardless of gender, is very well thought out and is really well spoken. I could talk about every character, but i'd spend hours talking about each one. The marriage system makes the character all the more engrossing and engaging and they have children and with all the possible couples you can make, this game will give you hours, upon hours, upon HOURS of content. I have over 30 hours and i have yet to pass the first playthrough AND i have created a new game with a new Avatar. Another thing, even on Normal Casual mode, you will absolutely hate losing characters in the game. Thats how fleshed out they are.

    The visuals are great. The in-game graphics look good but the rendered cutscenes look stunning and gorgeous. The score is among the best scores of 2013, alongside Metal Gear Rising. Id Purpose, Devine Decree and Don't Speak Her Name are among the best tracks of any score i have heard in a video game and of 2013.

    Fire Emblem Awakening is a masterpiece within the realm of RPG and strategy. A great story with fantastic visuals, soundtrack and gameplay with one of the best cast of characters i have seen in an RPG and in a game in general. An absolutely mesmerizing experience and for me, it's one of the best games ever made.    … Expand
  94. Honesth0mbre
    Mar 18, 2014
    10
    Summary of the review: Fire emblem awakening is a very rare type of strategy game. it is one that will be as easy or difficult as you want it to be. Purists will tell you to ignore casual mode, but is in having this mode not ruin the core experience that Awakening has its greatest triumph. You will want this game if you enjoy character relationships, well executed fantasy plots, extensiveSummary of the review: Fire emblem awakening is a very rare type of strategy game. it is one that will be as easy or difficult as you want it to be. Purists will tell you to ignore casual mode, but is in having this mode not ruin the core experience that Awakening has its greatest triumph. You will want this game if you enjoy character relationships, well executed fantasy plots, extensive rosters of unique characters and replay value. There is no way you will regret the purchase, if you want a breakdown of some presentation and gameplay elements read on.

    Presentation:
    for a 3DS title the production values are extraordinary. Small details such as perfectly formatted text boxes and character portrait placement make sure none of the action is obscured. Said character portraits also do a great job of letting the character's personality get across. of course though these story elements are all well and good they would be useless if the bread and butter (combat) was a pixelated mess. On this I will be brief. Combat looks like an early Wii game, not a 3DS game. combat visuals and even overworld graphics actually felt better than fire emblem path of radiance on the gamecube. You will also never mistake any of your unique units even when zoomed out either. No one in this world has feet though, which the detail oriented amongst you may find insufferable due to how detailed the character models are otherwise. the menus are very clear, information is presented to you in two modes. First is an easy mode telling you all you need to know such as hit probability and the damage you will deal. the second is a detailed mode that will give you much more information. Even convoluted elements such as weapon durability are presented in a way that can’t be missed. This ensures that an obscure mechanic hidden behind layers of obtuse menus will never make you feel cheated. Simply put, the menus are not only appropriate visually for the feel of the game, but they actually provide relevant and unobtrusive information to you. Truly one of the best presented games on 3DS. Presentation score 10

    Gameplay:
    When you start the game you will be presented with a few very important choices. Casual or hardcore boils down to deciding if defeat in battle permanently kills the character in question for the rest of the game. The standard easy, normal, hard setup is there as well and it governs how well equipped and aggressive the enemy AI is. Do not let ‘casual’ mode fool you, it will kick your unprepared ass if you bundle it with hard or even normal difficulty (should you get cocky). Harcore mode on easy will likewise not prove all that hardcore if you take reasonable care in battle. You also decide via limited customizability, what your avatar will look like. It won’t drop your jaw with its versatility but will make you feel a part of the world. More pressingly you decide what kind of starting attributes the avatar will have such as their best and weakest stat. Stats are very robust, nothing that needs mentioning if you’ve ever played an RPG. The stats system in fire emblem works well and the best that can be said of it is that it gels so well with the other mechanics that nothing stands out about it. There are a lot of classes, with characters starting as basic classes in most cases and later getting access to advanced classes. An item permits class swaps as well, though they will be rest to lvl one with higher base stats as your reward. To put this another way, every time you change a character’s class they will have their stats cap raised. So you literally get back what you put into a character. The one flaw here is that nothing can stand against you if you really sink time into training your favourites. This a turn based strategy game that strongly rewards positioning, since different classes have different attack ranges and movement ranges. There is also a rock, paper, scissors setup between weapons and classes that works very well. Still, beware that some advanced skills are a bit too useful and potent. Gameplay score 9

    The limited space for user reviews prevents me from treating these as extensively as I’d like so I will be brief. The music is great but there are a few pieces in the mix which I personally found to be truly outstanding. DLC actually contributes to the experience here. I know, shocking. I recommend any of the scramble or future past packs. these provide the best value, for the rest, only those with a love of nostalgia need apply.

    There are several high quality anime cut scenes throughout the game, these will piss you off tremendously and make you wish for an Anime due to how striking they are. A slew of fun extras unlock after the first completion as well, one of which is a theatre to watch the cut scenes in.

    Total score 9.5 ( 10 since metacritic does not permit decimals)    … Expand
  95. Michael-5
    Mar 11, 2014
    10
    Best SRPG ever made, why? It's just so damn polished and packed with content. From the pre-rendered cinematics, to the 3D effects, to the whole support/marriage system, to the skills/class system, to the extra features such as casual mode (which makes the game so much more accessible), this is just one of the most well thought out RPG's I've ever played.

    It's also really long, I    Best SRPG ever made, why? It's just so damn polished and packed with content. From the pre-rendered cinematics, to the 3D effects, to the whole support/marriage system, to the skills/class system, to the extra features such as casual mode (which makes the game so much more accessible), this is just one of the most well thought out RPG's I've ever played.

    It's also really long, I finished the game in 75 hours with all the side quests, and some DLC. Never have I put this many hours into a hand-held game since the original Pokemon/Advance Wars came out.

    On a technical level, this game is just mind-blowing, when a flock of birds flew past my screen I nearly dropped the 3DS is shock thinking ants were walking on my screen. Graphically this is the best game in the series.

    As a game, there were no compromises made, and Intelligent Systems clearly learned how to make a good formula after all this time. You still get the same 25-40 hour Campaign, but you also get another 25-35 hours of paralogue quests. Character recruitment only occurs in paralogue missions, so you can never miss out on that super unit. Plus now there is a casual mode, so you don't have to pull your hair out when your favorite character dies on the last turn in a level.

    This game is just insane, it's the reason why I bought a 3DS, and after the Chrono Trigger & Front Mission (for me) remakes on the DS, I would argue this is the best hand held game ever made. Which means yes, it's better then the original Pokemon

    This game is now After the Chrono Trigger & Front Mission remakes for the DS    … Expand
  96. felixable
    Mar 7, 2014
    10
    No doubt one of the best game I have ever played. The story, game-play and graphics (especially the animation) are perfect combination. Difficulties are suitable for most players with different options to choose from. DLC are available for purchases to extend the awesomeness. Definitely worth every dollar you pay for the game. Nothing much to criticize about and is purely a masterpiece.No doubt one of the best game I have ever played. The story, game-play and graphics (especially the animation) are perfect combination. Difficulties are suitable for most players with different options to choose from. DLC are available for purchases to extend the awesomeness. Definitely worth every dollar you pay for the game. Nothing much to criticize about and is purely a masterpiece. Look forward to a even better game in the future!… Expand
  97. Caste
    Mar 6, 2014
    10
    What a game! If you like the tactical-RPG genre, stop reading and go to your favourite shop ;)
    If you are still doubting, the game offers some little twists over the classic genre, with not too long battles, easy to read, all packed with a consistent story and character relation system.
    Also, the game can be played in hardcore mode (don't remember the exact name) where the fallen    What a game! If you like the tactical-RPG genre, stop reading and go to your favourite shop ;)
    If you are still doubting, the game offers some little twists over the classic genre, with not too long battles, easy to read, all packed with a consistent story and character relation system.
    Also, the game can be played in hardcore mode (don't remember the exact name) where the fallen characters die for real, they are out of the party forever. The feeling of care over all of them is awesome, and you will really think deeply your following moves in battle or you will cry later!
    In short, in my opinion is a long, perfectly executed and very replayable title. You should buy it!    … Expand
  98. EggManStudio
    Feb 25, 2014
    9
    Since this was my first Fire Emblem game, I wasn't sure what to expect. But when I did play it... I most certainly was not disappointed. There is so much that is good about this game. As a turn-based strategy, it is as engaging as it is fun. It's always so satisfying to see your character smashing another to bits with his huge axe or slicing another with his sword, maybe even frying himSince this was my first Fire Emblem game, I wasn't sure what to expect. But when I did play it... I most certainly was not disappointed. There is so much that is good about this game. As a turn-based strategy, it is as engaging as it is fun. It's always so satisfying to see your character smashing another to bits with his huge axe or slicing another with his sword, maybe even frying him with a lightning spell.

    Another upshot of this game is its characters. Every single character has their own backstory, their own strengths and weaknesses, their own style of play. You can run in all-guns-blazing with Barbarians and swordsmen, or you can play more craftily, attacking enemies from afar with magic and bows. And each character is likeable in their own way, be it because they're funny, because they're cute or because they're just plain awesome. Fire Emblem: Awakening has a character for everything.

    As I said before, this game is as engaging as it is fun to play, but that's not the only upshot to the game. This game's replay value is endless. You can play it over and over and over again, to perfect your strategy and build the best team you can. And in a game of its type, that is a great addition.

    The game's utilisation of StreetPass is among some of the best I've seen - one can battle, buy items from or even recruit other players' avatars, making the possibilities all the more endless!

    There are only two reasons why I did not give this game a perfect score. One, the voice acting. To be more specific, the English voice acting. Some of the characters' voices are good, but some don't really fit their character compared to the Japanese voices, and a fair few (I'm looking at you, Sumia) are absolutely awful. However, the game also includes the option to have the Japanese voice instead of the English, which works around that problem.
    The game also lacks online multiplayer, something which would make this game ten times more replayable than it already is. However, the StreetPass functionality more than makes up for this.

    To summarise: For many reasons, Fire Emblem: Awakening is an absolutely amazing game. Owning a 3DS and not also owning this is absolute sacrilege.    … Expand
  99. FireEmblemFan
    Feb 23, 2014
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Fire emblem mixes the best graphics you can get on portable consoles and the action packed, dramatic and gripping storyline you expect from fire emblem. The story is one of the most challenging there has been and great for newer players. It just promises EPIC from the title page all the way to the credits and follows it's promises, a credit to Nintendo and games of 2013.… Expand
  100. Legion455
    Feb 17, 2014
    9
    Think pokemon X and Y are the reasons to buy a 3DS or 2DS? NOPE this game is the reason.

    It has a excellent story and is much easier for new players to the series since permadeath is now a option and not forced on the player along with the child system and the other ways of recruitment you'll have a very powerful team of heros to fight along side the avatar and Chrom
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Awards & Rankings

1
#1 Best 3DS Game of 2013
1
#1 Most Discussed 3DS Game of 2013
2
#2 Most Shared 3DS Game of 2013

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
92

Universal acclaim - based on 72 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 72 out of 72
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 72
  3. Negative: 0 out of 72
  1. Pelit (Finland)
    Jun 13, 2013
    93
    A truly excellent tactical role-playing game. [June 2013]
  2. Hyper Magazine
    Jun 10, 2013
    90
    Ignore Casual mode, set the difficulty to hard, and enjoy what is arguably the best turn-based strategy game released since Final Fantasy Tactics. [July 2013, p.76]
  3. Games.cz
    May 19, 2013
    100
    A great turn-based strategy game surpassing not only its blood-related predecessors but step-brothers and step-sisters of the Advance Wars series as well. Fire Emblem: Awakening is the new benchmark of the genre that is practically uncriticizable. At the moment on Nintendo 3DS there is not a better alternative.
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