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. alanm1991
    Feb 4, 2013
    10
    Great graphics with multiple art styles and a voice acting 2nd only to kid icarus It has the same formula as all the fire emblems you come to love but gives you the choice to play on easy mode so beginners to the franchise can first get used to it then can play it harder, it even receives some great crafted dlc and wireless co-op mode to make t on of the greatest games in the 3ds library,Great graphics with multiple art styles and a voice acting 2nd only to kid icarus It has the same formula as all the fire emblems you come to love but gives you the choice to play on easy mode so beginners to the franchise can first get used to it then can play it harder, it even receives some great crafted dlc and wireless co-op mode to make t on of the greatest games in the 3ds library, that's allot to say considering you have mario 3d land and kid icarus.… Expand
  2. EnixSquared
    Feb 5, 2013
    10
    Simply amazing. Presentation, menus, graphics, gameplay, music and more, this game has it all. I love the sleek new look that they have given everything and the gameplay has gone through a great new reboot. This game is incredibly addicting and doesn't cease to please any hardcore strategy RPG fan. I recommend playing on classic hard mode for your first playthrough, I wouldn't recommendSimply amazing. Presentation, menus, graphics, gameplay, music and more, this game has it all. I love the sleek new look that they have given everything and the gameplay has gone through a great new reboot. This game is incredibly addicting and doesn't cease to please any hardcore strategy RPG fan. I recommend playing on classic hard mode for your first playthrough, I wouldn't recommend doing casual mode unless that's your thing I guess. All in all, get this game if you have a 3DS.… Expand
  3. Oceanicus
    Feb 4, 2013
    10
    Easily a goty contender and it's portable! Get it now... It is everything that is fine in a srpg and so much more. Excelent in every aspect, from character development to graphics...
  4. 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
  5. 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.
  6. 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
  7. NIntendoFan94
    Aug 25, 2013
    10
    Fire Emblem Awakening is a perfect 3DS game of a year, The storyline is amazing, graphics are good. I have been so much enjoyed this game. The boss fights are extremely insane.
  8. andresvicunat
    Sep 1, 2013
    10
    Wow, just Wow, this game honors the fire emblem saga, beautiful story line, characters, CHARACTERIZATION, the game play, the tactics the challenge. Definitively a must play for 3ds, Do play it if you are not familiar with the series. The wedding/having kids detail is new and well placed.
  9. TriggerManX97
    Aug 20, 2013
    10
    This game is Amazing, Hands down it is the best 3DS game out there, if you have a 3DS and don't have this game, get it, NOW. Almost everything about this game is perfect, The animation, the writing the strategy, and the basic but complicated game-play is so much fun. Every character has their own little quirk that makes them interesting and because of this every character felt unique,This game is Amazing, Hands down it is the best 3DS game out there, if you have a 3DS and don't have this game, get it, NOW. Almost everything about this game is perfect, The animation, the writing the strategy, and the basic but complicated game-play is so much fun. Every character has their own little quirk that makes them interesting and because of this every character felt unique, there were never any characters that felt unnecessary in the game. One part that I found quite surprising was the story, most JRPG stories are convoluted and usually don't make any sense, but fire emblem's story is pretty basic (Storyline is essentially Kill the evil king, slay the dragon and collect the magical gems to power your MacGuffin) however a big twist in the story right around the Half-Way point (Don't worry I won't ruin it for you) helps keep you entertained by it, this game also features some story telling elements that aren't normally done in fantasy. Basically in the end I personally love every thing about this game, the only problem I had was wondering how Nintendo and Intelligent Systems will top themselves next time, it seems like they put all their ideas and thoughts into this game and I really hope that they don't run out of ideas before the next game in the series.… Expand
  10. javaleno
    Oct 14, 2013
    10
    Oh man, this game is something. This is one of the best games I have ever played in my life. The story is absolutely amazing. The gameplay is awesome, and the overall rpg aspect is just fantastic. I love the freedom you have with your characters and their classes. I love how there is a marriage system due to the awesome new characters you can unlock. I definitely recommend this game toOh man, this game is something. This is one of the best games I have ever played in my life. The story is absolutely amazing. The gameplay is awesome, and the overall rpg aspect is just fantastic. I love the freedom you have with your characters and their classes. I love how there is a marriage system due to the awesome new characters you can unlock. I definitely recommend this game to anyone who likes an amazing story and enjoy the turn-based gameplay aspect. Try this game out. Oh, and I really like how critics and users rated this game at 92, I think this game is a 96-100, but I don't mind an official 92 rating.… Expand
  11. Aerokii
    Sep 23, 2013
    10
    I'm a long time fan of the series, having played each game available stateside (and several that typically aren't, thanks to fan translations.) This is why I can say without hesitation that this game is easily the best in the series. Crisp and stunning graphics, solid and spot on game play, and writing/humor that's unparalleled in the genre.

    The biggest addition to this game over the    I'm a long time fan of the series, having played each game available stateside (and several that typically aren't, thanks to fan translations.) This is why I can say without hesitation that this game is easily the best in the series. Crisp and stunning graphics, solid and spot on game play, and writing/humor that's unparalleled in the genre.

    The biggest addition to this game over the other titles is the DLC- downloadable and replayable chapters that add a lot of longevity to this title, and remove the need for both bonus experience and arenas from the previous game. Add this to the fun that can be had by battling or buying from people you casually pass on the street, and you can still be playing this months after purchase.

    Other changes from the series include different modes- casual and classic. Classic maintains what's always been important in the series, and that's the importance of each unit you field- in classic, if they fall, they're gone for good. However, the new casual mode allows you to keep units even after they fall, with the exception of certain highly important characters who will prompt a game over instead. This, in addition to the varying game difficulties and ability to save during battles makes the title far more accessible to the more casual audience- while maintaining modes that are incredibly difficult to defeat for even the most hardcore fan of the series.

    Also introduced for the first time stateside is now combat-worthy Avatar unit. In the original GBA Fire Emblem you were able to create a character, but it was more a plot device and NPC than anything else. In Awakening, your character is customizable and treated like everyone else- able to fight, grow, converse and marry. It is also used as a representative for your streetpass team, and able to be recruited by those who can defeat you, meaning your character can exist far beyond your own game.

    All these new additions plus an update to the overall graphic style, an absolutely stunning soundtrack (Four CDs worth!), brilliant writing, and a compelling story make for a fantastic game in its own right- and for Fire Emblem itself, it has seated itself as the jewel of the series. Prepare yourself!    … Expand
  12. K-Star
    Sep 26, 2013
    10
    I absolutely love this game. I have been playing it for some time now and everything charms me, the story, characters, combat system... It's a MUST buy for every 3DS owner!
  13. LazyKingSingh
    Nov 1, 2013
    10
    With out a doubt, this is one of the best games I have ever played. Do yourself a favor and buy this game. There is absolutely nothing else to say here.
  14. 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
  15. 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!
  16. 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
  17. 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
  18. 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.
  19. 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.
  20. 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
  21. monnomest
    Nov 24, 2016
    9
    Easily the best in there series: the support mechanic is a ton of fun, the characters are as charming as ever. The story is hit or miss and the missions are pretty repetitive but the gameplay saves it all
  22. marvs869
    Mar 11, 2017
    10
    Sacred Stones was my first Fire Emblem game while Radiant Dawn was my favorite one. I love Awakening for how it incorporated the two most notable features (traversable map and skills) in both these games and eventually culminated into one of the best games I have ever played in my 3DS. I recommend this to anyone who loves strategy games similar to Valkyria Chronicles, Age of Empires, XCOMSacred Stones was my first Fire Emblem game while Radiant Dawn was my favorite one. I love Awakening for how it incorporated the two most notable features (traversable map and skills) in both these games and eventually culminated into one of the best games I have ever played in my 3DS. I recommend this to anyone who loves strategy games similar to Valkyria Chronicles, Age of Empires, XCOM and the like.… Expand
  23. Wake_loms
    Apr 27, 2017
    9
    Rescatar una de las grandes franquisias de nintendo de la extinsion no es una tarea sencilla y este juego lo logro, ofrece una jugabilidad atractiva para todos aquellos que les interese este genero y contiene una inmensa cantidad de elementos que enriquesen la experiencia, tristemente cambia un poco la formula de la saga que nos encantaba a muchos fans, pero estoy contento de que estaRescatar una de las grandes franquisias de nintendo de la extinsion no es una tarea sencilla y este juego lo logro, ofrece una jugabilidad atractiva para todos aquellos que les interese este genero y contiene una inmensa cantidad de elementos que enriquesen la experiencia, tristemente cambia un poco la formula de la saga que nos encantaba a muchos fans, pero estoy contento de que esta entrega haya atraido a mas gente hacia la franquisia… Expand
  24. mitllo88
    Sep 29, 2017
    9
    Much better than the GBA Fire Emblem games, the interface is nice and sleek, the gameplay is just as brutal as always and the graphics/sound are great. The story is good as well.
  25. Adubis27
    Mar 20, 2018
    9
    9.4/10, great music, replayable, great cast, etc. Any fan of strategy RPGs needs to get this.
  26. T-Dex
    Apr 1, 2018
    10
    This game is fantastic! It is my favorite title in the entire Fire Emblem series.
  27. Sunshadow87
    Jun 4, 2020
    9
    Uno de los mejores FE, y el juego que salvo la saga y la propulso a la fama actual. Sin embargo, no es el mejor de la saga y introduce algunas mecánicas que derivan en "contras" y no en "pros".
    La historia y las situaciones de batalla son interesantes, y continua la de algunos de los FE pasados, con algunos de los personajes más conocidos, y también presenta personajes interesantes. El    Uno de los mejores FE, y el juego que salvo la saga y la propulso a la fama actual. Sin embargo, no es el mejor de la saga y introduce algunas mecánicas que derivan en "contras" y no en "pros".
    La historia y las situaciones de batalla son interesantes, y continua la de algunos de los FE pasados, con algunos de los personajes más conocidos, y también presenta personajes interesantes. El juego es muy accesible (no es de los más difíciles) y una buena opción para los que no han jugado a ningún FE.
    Es el juego que introduce la mecánica de los hijos (y el único juego de la saga donde tiene sentido por motivos argumentales), y aunque es ciertamente un acierto en este juego, introduce personajes con un trasfondo mucho más débil, a pesar de ser aquellos con mayor potencial (los hijos). Esto gustara a muchos, pero personalmente es un menos para mí. Un sistema con menos opciones parentales y un mayor desarrollo de estos personajes a cambio hubiera sido una mejor opción (aunque en esto muchos disentirán).    … Expand
  28. rendered9
    Feb 4, 2013
    9
    Been a good game to me so far. I say this since I am normally terrible at grid based strategy games. Fire Emblem Awakening caters to my casual intensity with a mode just for the risk adverse personalities. My primary role in playing any game is for the sake of a story. Fire Emblem Awakening opens that up with a casual mode nobody dies and breaks your heart.

    Add on top of that a class    Been a good game to me so far. I say this since I am normally terrible at grid based strategy games. Fire Emblem Awakening caters to my casual intensity with a mode just for the risk adverse personalities. My primary role in playing any game is for the sake of a story. Fire Emblem Awakening opens that up with a casual mode nobody dies and breaks your heart.

    Add on top of that a class switching system, a customized player character, a StreetPass system that adds a random battle element, and romance-able characters: amazing!

    Class switching is a little difficult since it requires a level 10 character and the purchase of some rather expensive materials. But I am in the early parts of the game.

    Also, it gets kind of hard to get two characters to hookup if there is a level discrepancy. Relationships are fostered in large part by supporting characters in battle. If one character is basically useless, they become an impediment and not worth the stray resource that could have been occupied by someone with some battle merit.

    Overall, this game is pretty sweet and a welcomed experience.    … Expand
  29. padako
    Feb 5, 2013
    10
    if you don't like turn based strategy games (valkirya chronicles, ghost recon shadow wars) then read no further, this game isn't for you. other than that, there's not a single negative I can give this game. the turn based strategy system in this game is the best I've ever used. seriously. there is so much to this game it is ridiculous. there are an endless amount of ways to approach eachif you don't like turn based strategy games (valkirya chronicles, ghost recon shadow wars) then read no further, this game isn't for you. other than that, there's not a single negative I can give this game. the turn based strategy system in this game is the best I've ever used. seriously. there is so much to this game it is ridiculous. there are an endless amount of ways to approach each battle and decisions you make in battle will affect your characters and even the story in meaningful ways. if you have a tendency of pairing two ppl up in battle then you can also harness their relationship outside of battle through conversations. also, in classic mode (the way the game is meant to be played) character deaths are permanent and any story branches pertaining to that character and their actions will be gone. this is real decision making (spare me your conversational choose-your-own-adventure BS). the character building system is also very deep. you can level your characters, find dropped weapons for them to use, craft weapons to make them better, forge relationships and even switch their classes. I could go on for hours about this game's amazing depth but that's not what a review is supposed to be about. the last thing I would like to touch on is the graphics. the cut scenes are truly breathtaking and the 3D effects work beautifully. the actual in game graphics are the standard 3DS fare and are more than "good enough" to portray the action. the overall attention to detail and the varied environments make the game a pleasure to look at. the story and characters are all top notch and very engaging. in summary, if you are a turn based strategy fan then you should have bought this game yesterday. if you don't already own a 3DS/3DSXL then go buy the bundle NOW.… Expand
  30. PuckMan
    Jun 1, 2013
    9
    Fire Emblem Awakening does everything right. Well everything that matters anyway. It is deep and stylish yet accessible and streamlined. All the characters are like-able and when one dies in battle it is genuinely heart wrenching in a way that X-Com Enemy Unknown wasn't.

    The only criticism I have is that there are too many talking heads with dialogue boxes and not enough cut scenes with    Fire Emblem Awakening does everything right. Well everything that matters anyway. It is deep and stylish yet accessible and streamlined. All the characters are like-able and when one dies in battle it is genuinely heart wrenching in a way that X-Com Enemy Unknown wasn't.

    The only criticism I have is that there are too many talking heads with dialogue boxes and not enough cut scenes with voice acting. You can skip the dialogue with one press of the start button when all the talking get's too boring and the load times are none existent but the cut scenes are of such a high standard it is a pity they weren't used more to tell the story.

    In Summary FE Awakening is the best strategy RPG I have ever played and the best reason to own a 3DS.    … 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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