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. Incarta
    Feb 16, 2014
    9
    Another great entry in the series. Much improved over the DS shadow dragon. They've managed to find plenty of ways to modernise the series without harming the core gameplay. Great job!
  2. CoffeeGuy22
    Feb 15, 2014
    10
    Just buy this game, just buy it. If you don't own a 3DS just buy one. That's how good this game is. Easily one of the top 5 best games of all time. Buy it.
  3. demonred0
    Feb 12, 2014
    9
    This game is definitely an Awakening for me. the games art style and cut scenes has one of the best graphics for the 3ds so far. It has both english and japanese voices witch I have to give some appreciation to. it has a normal mode in which the character do not die in your game save but for you fans of the series their are two modes that have that feature if you choose to one in normalThis game is definitely an Awakening for me. the games art style and cut scenes has one of the best graphics for the 3ds so far. It has both english and japanese voices witch I have to give some appreciation to. it has a normal mode in which the character do not die in your game save but for you fans of the series their are two modes that have that feature if you choose to one in normal mode and one in hard mode. the game play is the same with a new partner system where you can get stat boost depending on who you choose to be with. each character has their own interesting stories and conversations. their are also some maps you can get via the eshop which is a minor nit pick of mine since you have to pay for the maps but I do not mind so if you want to get it then you can. the sound track is done nicely as well having some familiar sound effects such as the level up theme. overall if you want a challenging strategy game with a good story, great characters, and beautiful art and sound design I get this game. for those who do not like turn base strategy I wound avoid at all cost.… Expand
  4. GERCharon
    Feb 2, 2014
    9
    This is the first Fire Emblem game I have ever played and I am totally (positively) surprised by the game. Fire Emblem is a great tactical game and has impressive graphics and an epic story. You have many possibilities in how to train your army. Your Units gather friendship points, if you put them close to each other on the battlefield or if you melt two units into one bigger unit. If theyThis is the first Fire Emblem game I have ever played and I am totally (positively) surprised by the game. Fire Emblem is a great tactical game and has impressive graphics and an epic story. You have many possibilities in how to train your army. Your Units gather friendship points, if you put them close to each other on the battlefield or if you melt two units into one bigger unit. If they like each other much enough, they might even have children, that can be recruited, too.
    At some point you can even change a unit's class, so you are able to customize your army to your liking.

    At first, you can select between three difficulties which influence the strength and mass of enemy units in each level. Additionally you can choose, if permadeath shall be activated. This means, that fallen Units are dead for good. I like this option so much, because you want to optimize your strategy in order to minimize casualties.
    Still, I like to have quite a challenge but I got the feeling, that you need a lot of luck to beat the game on the highest difficulty and permadeath activated. I needed to retry some missions over and over until I got enough critical hits to kill an enemy in a certain number of turns in order to survive. I wished that this difficulty was less luck-based but skill-based.

    There is also a StreetPass feature which let you play against other armies and rewards you with extra weaponry.

    All in all the game is very very much fun. I love the story and its presentation. I love the gameplay, the graphics, animations and sound. I will give this game a 9, because I didn't like that luck or grinding seems to be a big factor on higher difficulties.

    I would recommend everyone to at least try the demo, which was very fun and gives a good impression of the game.    … Expand
  5. The3DSCube
    Feb 2, 2014
    10
    Fire Emblem Awakening is currently my favorite game on the Nintendo 3DS, and my all time favorite game. I own Radiant Dawn on the Nintendo Wii, which I received several years ago. Never got into the game much, so I was skeptical about picking up FEA. I was not disappointed in the slightest. Beautiful graphics, soundtrack, and characters. The story is more on the cliché side, but stillFire Emblem Awakening is currently my favorite game on the Nintendo 3DS, and my all time favorite game. I own Radiant Dawn on the Nintendo Wii, which I received several years ago. Never got into the game much, so I was skeptical about picking up FEA. I was not disappointed in the slightest. Beautiful graphics, soundtrack, and characters. The story is more on the cliché side, but still good nonetheless. There is a boatload of DLC and you can have up to three files per game for hours of fun. My main complaint with this game is the online features. You can battle teams that meet via SpotPass but they are hardly a challenge, even if their units are stronger than yours. I would have personally liked if there were better online and you could battle people live. You can also play as Fire Emblem characters from previous titles, but their character designs do not differ from the base classes that FEA offers. I would have liked if there was more work put into that.… Expand
  6. fireemblemfan13
    Jan 29, 2014
    10
    Fire emblem awakening is a really fun JRPG with great cast of characters, great story, graphics. The overall game is astounding and has taken the series to a new level. The DLC is also very nice some examples are getting new classes, skills, weapons, gold,and even challenging yourself. Wi-fi would have been nice but i can see Intelligent Systems and Nintendo put lots of time and effortFire emblem awakening is a really fun JRPG with great cast of characters, great story, graphics. The overall game is astounding and has taken the series to a new level. The DLC is also very nice some examples are getting new classes, skills, weapons, gold,and even challenging yourself. Wi-fi would have been nice but i can see Intelligent Systems and Nintendo put lots of time and effort in it so that makes me rate this game a 10.… Expand
  7. Adam_2411
    Jan 28, 2014
    10
    This is THE best 3DS game, and I don't know what could take over.

    It has an intriguing story, great characters, fun tactical/action game play, a great relationship system, great difficulty, and great visuals/music to entertain you!

    If you own a 3DS, you MUST buy this game.
  8. nkanhai
    Jan 28, 2014
    9
    Last night I sat down to finish FE after about 2 weeks and 31 or so odd hours of gameplay.

    My overall thoughts on the game are that it is was created by a team of people who knew how to pack as much fun into a mobile game as they could. The turn-based strategy forces you to develop strategies that involve making full use of the beautifully (seriously hot) detailed maps and environments,    Last night I sat down to finish FE after about 2 weeks and 31 or so odd hours of gameplay.

    My overall thoughts on the game are that it is was created by a team of people who knew how to pack as much fun into a mobile game as they could. The turn-based strategy forces you to develop strategies that involve making full use of the beautifully (seriously hot) detailed maps and environments, where you could decide to funnel enemies through a narrow corridor (picking them off one by one with your strongest characters), or causing them to have to run through trees or sand dunes, effectively slowing down their movements.

    The story picks up fast and hard at the outset, and it holds up nicely for the first several hours of gameplay. Then it seems like they ran out of budget for story-telling and filled in a large gap with player driven narrative in the form of 'coupling' of characters. Basically your characters can have children if they are paired together for enough battles on the battlefield, they develop relationships outside of the battles and eventually have children. It's an interesting mechanic, but I found it to be rather shallow and a bit hollow at times. The story never really picks up too much, instead it branches out into a strange direction before being brought back on track in the game's final chapters. Fortunately, the gameplay is so strong and entertaining that the slightly predictable story can be forgiven... that is, until the end of the game.

    The final chapters have you fighting enemies that barely matter or weren't developed as villains, and while they try to go for a grandiose finale it kind of explodes with a whimper. Poor decisions at the end of the game, as well as a lack of closing cinematic (which there were plenty of throughout the game that were both beautifully presented and timely in regards to story development) left me feeling cheated, as if the developers ran out of ideas or budget by the time the game came to an end and did a rush job on closing the story.

    For a game that had SO much attention to detail throughout, it was really disappointing to see them close off their adventure so anticlimactically. They try to wrap it up with a 'now this character is doing this and that in the world' for each of the characters you collect along the way, but the problem with it is that they are uninteresting and presented a snail's pace. It just feels irrelevant, and in my opinion, the entire ending is somewhat disrespectful to the game as a whole.

    Would I recommend this game to anyone? Absolutely, there's a good reason why I stayed with it for +30h. I'm nitpicky on story because I feel like those are the main driving factor for what keep me involved in a game these days, but the gameplay is pretty much flawless and engrossing. You just want to keep battling, building up your forces, finding new characters in the world. You also don't want to lose any of them, because if they die in battle you can't use them anymore. I lost 3 characters out of 45 throughout my whole game... I'd often reset a match if even 1 character were to die. That's how good they are at having you care for the progress of your characters. Not necessarily for their personalities, but for their attributes and strengths which you develop through fighting.

    Definitely play this one, I think it's one of the best that Nintendo has to offer on the 3DS.    … Expand
  9. hwarming
    Jan 25, 2014
    10
    This is the only Fire Emblem game I played, and I bought it after hearing it was good. But wow, I was really blown away by this game, it's easily one of the best games on the 3DS.

    First, the game looks great, the drawn portraits are very well done and show the characters in different varieties of emotion, the actual in game models are still pretty good, but they could've used them    This is the only Fire Emblem game I played, and I bought it after hearing it was good. But wow, I was really blown away by this game, it's easily one of the best games on the 3DS.

    First, the game looks great, the drawn portraits are very well done and show the characters in different varieties of emotion, the actual in game models are still pretty good, but they could've used them better.
    The prerendered cutscenes look amazing, I believe it is cel shading, which works very well on the 3DS.

    Great cast of voice actors, Kyle Hebert, Liam O'Brien, Laura Bailey, Yuri Lowenthal, Tara Platt, and a lot of other voice actors that aren't in the limelight, but still do a good job.

    The gameplay is fun, you can have characters work together on the battlefield to help eachother in combat, and build relationships which improve their strengths when working together. It also provides a relationship system where characters can become friends, or marry eachother. If you're not big into strategy, you might not like it, but I suggest at least giving it a try, I believe there's a demo on the Nintendo eShop.

    My only issue with this game is that during the character creation for your Avatar, at least for the males, the choices are pretty limited, you can make him look like a 10 year old, a femme boy, or a really manly man with a chin that would make Leno blush. I admit, it's only a superficial thing, but it just kind of bugs me that there's no happy medium.    … Expand
  10. Vivifyingly
    Jan 25, 2014
    10
    I don't suppose it's unreasonable to call this the crown jewel of the 3DS lineup, and a must-have for any owner's collection. From the sales figures to the overall critical acclaim, no Nintendo employee or owner of this title can possibly refute the success it is for its system and its 40+ hours of playtime. Those interested in DLC, higher difficulty levels, and fully hashing out the manyI don't suppose it's unreasonable to call this the crown jewel of the 3DS lineup, and a must-have for any owner's collection. From the sales figures to the overall critical acclaim, no Nintendo employee or owner of this title can possibly refute the success it is for its system and its 40+ hours of playtime. Those interested in DLC, higher difficulty levels, and fully hashing out the many conversations between all the possible marital, filial, and civil relationships can easily find themselves at the 150+ hour mark. A success as an RPG in its metagame mechanics, a success as an epic in its storytelling and beautiful cutscenes, and a success as an overall work of art, it reigns king even approaching its first anniversary.… Expand
  11. SpyXDemon
    Jan 21, 2014
    10
    Let's start with WOW. Fire Emblem not only turns in its best game ever, but they also made its tactical RPG genre into something everybody could enjoy. The voice acting is right at the top
    (Next to Kid Icarus) , the graphic are phenomenal 2D and 3D, and overall just makes you want to play all day and night.
    I'm a guy who's played all Fire Emblem games and I think that this game is a    Let's start with WOW. Fire Emblem not only turns in its best game ever, but they also made its tactical RPG genre into something everybody could enjoy. The voice acting is right at the top
    (Next to Kid Icarus) , the graphic are phenomenal 2D and 3D, and overall just makes you want to play all day and night.
    I'm a guy who's played all Fire Emblem games and I think that this game is a great place to start for Fire Emblem Beginners since there's only one returning character (But its explained in the game).
    If you own a 3DS and you don't have this game, i don't know why but get it as soon as you can.    … Expand
  12. GoombaJMR
    Jan 12, 2014
    10
    Fire Emblem Awakening is a wonderful game that should be played by all fans of the RPG Genre/Turn Based System. This takes turn based combat to a new level, as you have new people in new battlefields. The main story is around 20-30 hours long, depending on the difficulty level you choose, and the fun of the game makes replay value very high. The high amount of Spotpass items, DLC, and goodFire Emblem Awakening is a wonderful game that should be played by all fans of the RPG Genre/Turn Based System. This takes turn based combat to a new level, as you have new people in new battlefields. The main story is around 20-30 hours long, depending on the difficulty level you choose, and the fun of the game makes replay value very high. The high amount of Spotpass items, DLC, and good streetpass capabilities cause this game to also have great replay value outside of story mode! Highly recommended for all RPG Fans!!

    Gameplay: 10/10
    Story: 9.5/10
    Music: 10/10
    Presentation: 9.5/10
    Length: 9/10
    Overall: 9.5/10    … Expand
  13. basilion
    Jan 10, 2014
    10
    First fire emblem game I ever played.
    It's one of the greatest games on the 3DS, a must buy for fans of: rpgs, strategy games, anime, medieval times, anyone with good taste.
    Visuals=perfect
    Sound=perfect
    Gameplay=perfect
    I'm sure the fans of the series will love it.
    My problem, why characters had no feet?
  14. SophieR
    Jan 9, 2014
    10
    I have been a fan of the Fire Emblem series for a long time, and I was not disappointed when I played through Awakening when it was first released. It is still one of my favourite titles on the 3DS, and one that I play almost on a daily basis.

    The gameplay is fantastic and offers a variety of options to welcome both new and veteran players; difficulty levels and Classic vs. Casual    I have been a fan of the Fire Emblem series for a long time, and I was not disappointed when I played through Awakening when it was first released. It is still one of my favourite titles on the 3DS, and one that I play almost on a daily basis.

    The gameplay is fantastic and offers a variety of options to welcome both new and veteran players; difficulty levels and Classic vs. Casual consequences. This also gives more freedom in how to enjoy the game; if you are a player who only has a limited amount of time to dedicate to the game, you can still complete the story without worrying too much about losing a few fights here and there between units.

    The class system is fantastic as usual, and the option of infinite leveling as well as summoning opponents from every previous game gives veteran players a wealth of content in order to maximize their units and refine their characters as much as they'd like. The street pass option is also one of my favourites; fighting a passerby's team and comparing your team to those around you offers plenty of incentive to continue leveling up outside of or beyond the main story.

    The DLC is also very well made and beneficial, however it is in no way necessary to complete the story or maximize the units as mentioned above.

    The support and marriage system is very innovative, and highly useful in combat. It also adds to a player's connection to the units in the game as they grow together through the story, combat, and levels helping each other out on the way. Although the conversations between characters and the marriages can be rather cheesy or unbelievable in certain cases, it also adds in a comical balance to the dramatic gameplay that keeps the game fresh and fun throughout.

    Finally, as always, the story, cutscenes, voice acting and graphics do not fail to disappoint. It is well told and fully developed, with additional difficult challenges available for free with a wireless connection.    … Expand
  15. klaptrap
    Jan 5, 2014
    10
    Fire Emblem Awakening is an absolutely spectacular video game that deserves at least a glance from any and every 3DS owner or potential owner. This was my first Fire Emblem game and I must say, I was blown away with how much I fell in love with this game. For this review I'll cover the story, game-play, visuals and atmosphere.

    Fire Emblem Awakening's story is typical Japanese role    Fire Emblem Awakening is an absolutely spectacular video game that deserves at least a glance from any and every 3DS owner or potential owner. This was my first Fire Emblem game and I must say, I was blown away with how much I fell in love with this game. For this review I'll cover the story, game-play, visuals and atmosphere.

    Fire Emblem Awakening's story is typical Japanese role playing game fare. It has plenty of drama and intrigue along with a few plot twists for good measure. There's nothing spectacular in the actual plot, but the character development is something to be commended. By the end of this game you will find a good handful of characters that you'll truly connect with and care about in the heat of battle.

    Awakening is a strategy role playing game with turn based combat, experience points and a level up system. The game is filled with different classes of characters, different types of attacks and rules for each unit on the field. I like to think of it as a very deep game of chess where a pawn is more than just a piece, but is a character that you've followed and watched grow. This aspect of the game is truly endearing and adds to the game in so many ways. The game also features a relationship building system where units can be married and have children. This adds to the game greatly as you can pair units with whoever you want whether your goal is stat gains or just watching a fun pair on the field of battle. Everything is done very well and each facet of the game feels very polished. Game-play is an enormous strength of this game.

    Awakening features four different art styles all in one game. There are the hand drawn images of each unit, the 3D units used in battle animations, the 2D sprites used on the battle field and the 3D renders used in cut-scenes. The cut-scenes are absolutely breathtaking visually. Certainly some of the best visuals on the 3DS. The 2D sprites are charming and fit their role extremely well. The 3D units in battle animations may lack feet but they do their job and are certainly not ugly by any means. The hand drawn art is also very impressive. The graphics of Fire Emblem Awakening are the best of the series and probably the best of the 3DS.

    The atmosphere of Fire Emblem is very interesting. The game is set in a dark fantasy world filled with time travel, zombies, knights, mages and flying horses all wrapped up in a Japanese artful flare. The music is well orchestrated and can really set the mood well. Although the game is very serious at times I've found myself laughing out loud in between battles due to the great character interactions.

    Overall Fire Emblem Awakening is easily a top five game of 2013 and is my personal favorite 3DS game yet. I highly recommend it to anyone that owns a 3DS. If this review hasn't swayed you enough to make a purchase, I understand, but please take a look at this game yourself, it deserves that much. I highly recommend the free demo on the eshop for current 3DS owners.

    Score: 10/10    … Expand
  16. AhmadAlsumain
    Jan 2, 2014
    10
    This is my first FireEmblem game ever. I am not really a huge fan of this type of games (or that's what I thought) but this game astonished me. It is by far the best 3DS game I've ever played. Period. Yes, I think it is even better than Zelda and Pokemon...etc

    Pros: * The battling system * The story and cutscenes! The emotional side and tragedy of the story * The fact that when the    This is my first FireEmblem game ever. I am not really a huge fan of this type of games (or that's what I thought) but this game astonished me. It is by far the best 3DS game I've ever played. Period. Yes, I think it is even better than Zelda and Pokemon...etc

    Pros:
    * The battling system
    * The story and cutscenes! The emotional side and tragedy of the story
    * The fact that when the characters die, they die forever. It's kinda heartbreaking, but also adds a depth to the game, especially when I get attached for one character!

    Cons:
    * Nothing    … Expand
  17. Malt4zar
    Dec 29, 2013
    9
    A great title in the 3DS library of games.great graphics,good sound effects (like the voices of the Characters),amazing music,super fun gameplay and a interesting history.
    The best entry in the fire emblem series is Fire Emblem Awakening, go buy this game now!!!
  18. cam155
    Dec 29, 2013
    10
    This is probably one of the best handheld games I have ever played, I have logged over 60 hours into the game. The game features impressive use of the 3d technology for the maps as well as fighting cut scenes.

    The story is good but predictable. I wasn't as predictable in the beginning, but as I neared the end everything fell into place. The relationship/support system adds a lot of    This is probably one of the best handheld games I have ever played, I have logged over 60 hours into the game. The game features impressive use of the 3d technology for the maps as well as fighting cut scenes.

    The story is good but predictable. I wasn't as predictable in the beginning, but as I neared the end everything fell into place.

    The relationship/support system adds a lot of play time to the game, players will want to see all of the support conversations between all of the characters.

    The only thing that i disliked about the game was the fact you couldn't verse other players or do the double battles over the internet, you had to be in range of the other player.    … Expand
  19. DemKin
    Dec 28, 2013
    10
    Awakening is a proper heir of this fantastic series.
    The game has all the things that made the success of Fire Emblem the loveable characters, the apparently simple but hooking story, the intense battles, the perfect, very rich and yet accessible, gameplay,...
    But this time with the 3DS specs, the graphics have significantly improved. The game is gorgeous, the fighting animations brutal    Awakening is a proper heir of this fantastic series.
    The game has all the things that made the success of Fire Emblem the loveable characters, the apparently simple but hooking story, the intense battles, the perfect, very rich and yet accessible, gameplay,...
    But this time with the 3DS specs, the graphics have significantly improved. The game is gorgeous, the fighting animations brutal and the cinematics breathtaking.
    New elements have also been added to the gameplay, and they are all very well thought. The most noticeable is the possibility to make "duos" of characters, which adds a whole new depth to the battles and tons of possibilities.
    The only bad thing I could say about this game is its difficulty. The Normal/Hard modes are too easy, when the Insane difficulty is ridiculous. Disappointing when we know how well Intelligent Systems did with the previous games, but that's forgivable as the game strikes perfectly right on all other levels.

    I was always confident into Intelligent Systems to offer us a great game for their comeback on the 3DS, and I was right. Fire Emblem: Awakening is up there with the best games of the series.
    I'm more than glad this episode sold well, as it could have been the last according to Nintendo. Fire Emblem is one of the most classic video game series of all time and definitely one of the best, and proves it once again with this great episode.    … Expand
  20. Grimmolf
    Dec 23, 2013
    10
    Literally the best game I have ever played. My favorite game of all time. If you like strategy RPG games you are in for a serious treat. Great Graphics, Great combat, Great character build-up, and Great Plotline! That is all I can really say.
  21. spi280
    Dec 23, 2013
    9
    This is currently my favourite game on the 3ds and it's one of my favourite games of 2013. The storyline isn't super original and I saw a lot of the twists coming but what really makes the story shine is the well written cast of characters and the conversations that most of them can have between each other. In Awakening you have the option to make the game a lot easier than all the otherThis is currently my favourite game on the 3ds and it's one of my favourite games of 2013. The storyline isn't super original and I saw a lot of the twists coming but what really makes the story shine is the well written cast of characters and the conversations that most of them can have between each other. In Awakening you have the option to make the game a lot easier than all the other FE games but i always felt the other games where way too hard for a strategy game noob like me, so I'm glad you have the option to make it easier. There's a ton of levels, lots of characters,multiplayer, street pass battles, lots of extra content and you can even buy DLC so this game will definitely keep you occupied for a long time.… Expand
  22. VonSeux
    Dec 17, 2013
    10
    Awesome game. The new pairing system is very interesting and open whole new strategies to the series. Some call it unballanced, probably aren't using the pairings to their favor. LOTS of characters with charisma and fun dialogues. Lots of fan-service too, but it won't get in the way for newcomers. Essential 3DS title. Expect to spend 100+ hours on this beast.
  23. janic
    Dec 11, 2013
    10
    Take this from someone who has never played a Fire Emblem nay never played a Tactical RPG or JRPG for that matter before: I love this game. It's one of those games that are so perfectly crafted and streamlined that you can enjoy it even without being into the genre. Some highlights in short:

    *Amazing looking cutscenes *No grinding required *Great characters *Great humor: Not many    Take this from someone who has never played a Fire Emblem nay never played a Tactical RPG or JRPG for that matter before: I love this game. It's one of those games that are so perfectly crafted and streamlined that you can enjoy it even without being into the genre. Some highlights in short:

    *Amazing looking cutscenes
    *No grinding required
    *Great characters
    *Great humor: Not many games get chuckles out of me repeatedly
    *No big tutorial, you're thrown into the action with some pointers, the rest is learning by doing
    *Plenty of information is displayed very efficiently
    *Lot of options in battle. You can fast-forward or 'skip' turns and just see the results or completely autoplay turns
    *Intelligent Systems thought of everyone: Noobs like me or veterans who prefer hardcore mode

    With a lot of games I at least partially ask myself: 'Have they even played the game themselves?'. With this one, it's like someone played the game a 100 times and kept nitpicking until every flaw was erased.    … Expand
  24. Gollygeeanelite
    Dec 5, 2013
    10
    FE:Awakening will have you hooked. I neglected school work after purchasing it because the story drove me to have 4-5 hour binges. It is by far the best game on the 3DS because it appeals to so many different genres. The difficulty modes are perfect and even normal difficulty will have you carefully planning out your moves. Nothing feels gimmicky and animations are smooth.

    I don't know    FE:Awakening will have you hooked. I neglected school work after purchasing it because the story drove me to have 4-5 hour binges. It is by far the best game on the 3DS because it appeals to so many different genres. The difficulty modes are perfect and even normal difficulty will have you carefully planning out your moves. Nothing feels gimmicky and animations are smooth.

    I don't know why you are still reading this review. You should be buying this game instead.    … Expand
  25. RadicalMADMAN69
    Dec 2, 2013
    10
    This game is definitely my game of the year. It has the best graphics on the 3ds, the gameplay is so addicting, and the story is awesome. The characters are amazing and well developed, it has so much content that is will keep you busy for months, and the wireless features always keep me coming back. There is not a single negative comment that i can say about this game, even if you don'tThis game is definitely my game of the year. It has the best graphics on the 3ds, the gameplay is so addicting, and the story is awesome. The characters are amazing and well developed, it has so much content that is will keep you busy for months, and the wireless features always keep me coming back. There is not a single negative comment that i can say about this game, even if you don't like strategy turn based rpgs you should give this game a go. i recommended it to 6 of my friend who don't really like the genre and they are in love with it and can't put it down.… Expand
  26. Falcus
    Nov 28, 2013
    9
    An incredible game--very well done characters and art, great music (if a little overused at times), an incredible script, and an amazing combat system. The story takes unexpected twists and turns and the added Paralogues extend the main game for dozens of hours. I've literally played for 270+ hours and I still play. Any fan of strategy RPGs should absolutely not miss out on thisAn incredible game--very well done characters and art, great music (if a little overused at times), an incredible script, and an amazing combat system. The story takes unexpected twists and turns and the added Paralogues extend the main game for dozens of hours. I've literally played for 270+ hours and I still play. Any fan of strategy RPGs should absolutely not miss out on this experience.

    + Great story and characters
    + Impressive visuals
    + Great replay value
    + Tactical gameplay at its best

    - Multiplayer options are extremely limited
    - Full voice acting (at least for the main scenes!) would have been better

    PRESENTATION: 9/10
    CORE GAME: 9/10
    VISUALS: 8/10
    AUDIO: 7/10
    GAMEPLAY: 9.5/10
    LASTING APPEAL: 10/10

    Overall Score: 9/10    … Expand
  27. Justkallmekai
    Nov 24, 2013
    10
    Wow this game is amazing. It has a ton of content, great game play with complex battles, and great story. The visuals are amazing especially with the 3D on. The music is phenomenal!!! The characters are great. They have funny, serious, ect. Personalities. Play this game if you have a 3DS. Definitely the best game on the 3DS.
  28. rhaynes7
    Nov 23, 2013
    9
    Fire Emblem Awakening is nothing short of superb. With such a large amount of missions and replay value, this game is one of the best in the series.

    This game stands out from the other games by including a new pair up system, that really adds to the idea that your units should stick close together and that forming bonds between them is important. To reward you are some the best    Fire Emblem Awakening is nothing short of superb. With such a large amount of missions and replay value, this game is one of the best in the series.

    This game stands out from the other games by including a new pair up system, that really adds to the idea that your units should stick close together and that forming bonds between them is important. To reward you are some the best support conversations with some of the best writing for the series. You learn to cherish each unit despite their inherent flaws.

    Most of the missions are comprised of either killing the leader or routing the opposition. Sometimes there are unique stipulations, but otherwise that's it. This is perhaps where this game is it's weakest as several previous mission has had a variety of missions that focus on defending your position or trying to escape. This makes everything a little bit one sided and the core of the game focused on building an all out offense. Only once is a serious defensive strategy utilized. In one instance, you must protect someone for roughly 10 turns. If you want to defend them, you cannot pair up because otherwise, the enemies will reach her and it's over. Other than that, the game sticks to the usual (that is unless you play lunatic).

    The graphics and art style took awhile to get used to as I've grown up with a different style, and I was concerned about more steampunk type things making it's way into Fire Emblem, but that was not the case. Every character looks unique and accentuates their oddities. They do have strange looking feet in battle animation, but it eventually becomes quite endearing. The 3-D looks gorgeous when turned on and everything is much more fluid, unlike Path of Radiance and Radiant Dawn.

    As far as music is concerned, they spared no expense in making a solid soundtrack. Some of the music is particularly moving.

    On the storyline note, this game was also excellent, although there were a few moments later in the game where I felt they were dragging things out too long. The game occasionally even gives you storyline options that really cause you to pause and reflect on your circumstances that furthers your emotional investment. It's too bad that these decisions are meaningless and do nothing at all...

    The DLC is great and there's plenty of it. Multiplayer isn't much, but you can battle against some street pass teams and do a few other things, like recruit their avatar character.

    Overall, this is one of the best Fire Emblem games available, but the constant attack to win missions and the pseudo-choices presented in the storyline are just somewhat disappointing. Otherwise, please go out and buy this. You'll be glad you did.    … Expand
  29. BlacksitePSU
    Nov 13, 2013
    10
    Fire Emblem: Awakening is practically flawless in its execution as a fun, addictive strategy RPG. If you are looking to get into the series and wish to expand your 3DS library with quality titles, Awakening should not be overlooked.
  30. DarthVader599
    Nov 6, 2013
    10
    I've played the Fire Emblem franchise since its debut in Japan, and I've never loved a FE title as much as Awakening. Excellent strategy combat, combined with meaningful dialogue and some of the best in game music I've ever heard, completes this game. The addition of marriage brings a new flair to Awakening, as you can toy around with skills the 2nd generation character receives. AndI've played the Fire Emblem franchise since its debut in Japan, and I've never loved a FE title as much as Awakening. Excellent strategy combat, combined with meaningful dialogue and some of the best in game music I've ever heard, completes this game. The addition of marriage brings a new flair to Awakening, as you can toy around with skills the 2nd generation character receives. And creating myself as a character was something I'd always wanted to do in game. Simply a top class game, and the best Fire Emblem title ever by far.… Expand
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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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