Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia

 3DS
User Score
8.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 419 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 356 out of 419
  2. Mixed: 37 out of 419
  3. Negative: 26 out of 419
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  1. BillyBillyBoBil
    May 20, 2017
    9
    10. I played Gaiden on an emulator and I have to say that this is amazing. I'm confused as to why the DLC is 40 dollars but the DLC is optional. The style is fantastic, the music is amazing, and character development is spot on. The cutscenes also look very nice.
  2. SuperMatt777
    Jun 11, 2017
    10
    Long time fans of Fire Emblem are no doubt aware that the series started primarily in Japan and didn't see a western release in any game until the Gameboy Advance era. With Fire Emblem: The Blazing Blade being the first localized title, it still left a lot of Japan exclusive titles. Fire Emblem's first title did see a localized remake on the DS, but that still left a lot of unlocalizedLong time fans of Fire Emblem are no doubt aware that the series started primarily in Japan and didn't see a western release in any game until the Gameboy Advance era. With Fire Emblem: The Blazing Blade being the first localized title, it still left a lot of Japan exclusive titles. Fire Emblem's first title did see a localized remake on the DS, but that still left a lot of unlocalized games. Thankfully, it wasn't the first and last as the second game in the series, Fire Emblem Gaiden, saw a remake in the form of Echoes: Shadows of Valentia. The only time I heard of this game was in Smash Bros. Brawl/Wii U through a few songs, so I went into this game without any knowledge on how it would play. To get right to the point, I was really glad about that, cause this game was amazing.

    The story centers around two characters; Alm and Celica. Alm was raised in a small village in Zofia while Celica has moved from a few places during her childhood. I won't get into too much story details, as I don't want to spoil anything, but I can easily say that the plot was great. While it was slow and the map progression made it tough to tell when important story bits would turn up. Unlike the previous 3DS FIre Emblem titles, which displayed story bits at every chapter, you could go a few battles without seeing anything relating to the story happen before or after. It did make me more motivated to play through the story, as I love to see what happened next. Despite the slow start, the climax of the game, happening in the fifth act, was spectacular, with everything coming together in a brilliant way. I personally felt several emotions run at me all at once as I played through the fifth act and I enjoyed every moment of it. Gameplay wise, the game has you follow two different routes; one following Alm and the other with Celica. Both routes have their own set of characters to use and different maps to play. Dungeon exploring is another key element in the game and I'm a bit mixed on that. The dungeons were fun to explore, especially when it came to finding hidden routes to treasures, but like other rpg titles, enemy encounters sometimes got annoying when I just wanted to progress. It's nothing I'd use to degrade the experience however, as it's just how rpgs go.

    Now to get on to another aspect of the game I loved: the characters. I've played a few games in the series, but I've only finished Awakening and Fates. But I loved the characters in both games. Echoes, I can safely say, was no different. It offered another amazing roster of characters I grew to enjoy very quickly. Alm's friends were amongst some of my favorites, alongside the likes of Valbar, Leon and Kamui and others such as Forsythe, Lukas and Python. They were a great cast of characters, even if their interactions were more limited compared to Awakening and Fates, due to the limited supports each character could have. New characters not present in the original game were also amazing, with Berkut being one of my favorite villians in the series. The game also featured full on voice acting for just about every bit of dialogue in the game and it sounded amazing. The voices were great at projecting the emotions the game's scenes were presenting, with the notable and my all time favorite ones being Alm and Berkut.

    All in all, the game was amazing, with a great story, great characters, amazing presentation and visuals and great voice acting. As someone who never played Gaiden in any form, it was awesome to play through and, while I don't know how the original game played, I thought the additions this remake had were just as good. If you're a series fan, this is definitely a game to pick up.    … Expand
  3. Burken
    Jul 13, 2017
    9
    I really enjoyed Shadows of Valentia. Yes, the combat and unit promotion systems are simpler than in recent FE games. However, I recommend just accepting that as part and parcel of the remake, enjoying the nostalgia and appreciating the other features - great story (in my opinion second only to The Sacred Stones), excellent art and sound, and the addition of explorable dungeons that II really enjoyed Shadows of Valentia. Yes, the combat and unit promotion systems are simpler than in recent FE games. However, I recommend just accepting that as part and parcel of the remake, enjoying the nostalgia and appreciating the other features - great story (in my opinion second only to The Sacred Stones), excellent art and sound, and the addition of explorable dungeons that I felt added an extra element to the experience. Another good addition is that there's some genuine post-completion game play, in contrast with Awakening and Fates in which your last save is prior to the Endgame. I haven't got into the DLC yet - the full package looks expensive, but there's quite a variety to pick and choose from if you're reluctant to shell out all at once.… Expand
  4. Kart01
    Apr 12, 2018
    10
    I'm a happy man that i got to play this game. After a good Awakening and not bad Fates (only Conquest could give you a challenge) Echoes is a shiny diamond. Finished it in 46hrs. Best game in series for me so far. I loved the most Radiance Dawn before, but today it's FE Echoes. For games like this you should buy consoles.
  5. mash27
    Sep 21, 2017
    10
    for me this is the best fire emblem game on the 3ds. It has the best story, best characters, best music and best voice acting. The various changes to the tradition FE formula make the game more interesting. I was really disappointed by FE birthright and found Awakening to be very unbalanced. FE echoes is an extremely well polished game. If you want a real FE game rather than anfor me this is the best fire emblem game on the 3ds. It has the best story, best characters, best music and best voice acting. The various changes to the tradition FE formula make the game more interesting. I was really disappointed by FE birthright and found Awakening to be very unbalanced. FE echoes is an extremely well polished game. If you want a real FE game rather than an unbalanced, uninspired dating simulator get this one.… Expand
  6. weskergamer
    Jul 7, 2020
    8
    I really loved Alm and Celica relationship in this game, the story was really good and the music, the graphics and the gameplay. But i don't know why i felt so lost at the beginning of the game, maybe it was that it was different from the previous game, i don't know or it just was that i didn't pay much attention. But i really enjoyed it a lot
  7. ironzombi
    Sep 11, 2017
    9
    Like many people, Awakening was my first FE game and I love that game, it is one of the best games on the 3DS easily. Once I had played Awakening I played Sacred stones and fire emblem on the GBA.
    I was a big fan of the fire emblem series at this point, then FE:Fates came out...
    Fire Emblem Shadows of Valentia is another brilliant game in the fire emblem series and is everything Fates    Like many people, Awakening was my first FE game and I love that game, it is one of the best games on the 3DS easily. Once I had played Awakening I played Sacred stones and fire emblem on the GBA.
    I was a big fan of the fire emblem series at this point, then FE:Fates came out...
    Fire Emblem Shadows of Valentia is another brilliant game in the fire emblem series and is everything Fates should have been, although the removal of the combat triangle is not a bad addition it is also something I wouldn't mind to see return in future games, Echoes does pretty much everything right and I hope this is a sign of things to come for Fire Emblem.

    Dungeon Exploration impressed me a lot more than I expected although it can become a bit of a chore, this is something I would like to see explored in future games though.
    Currently I am not sure which game I think is better, Awakening or Echoes. That is just how good this game is, it stands shoulder to shoulder with Awakening and IMO above Fates.    … Expand
  8. Kallenovsky
    Jul 21, 2017
    9
    FE Echoes: Shadows of Valentia received some negative feedback for its changes from the previous two 3DS titles in terms of combat and in-game relationships. However, I don't see the problem with either. While the previous two FE 3DS titles were great in their own right, they were easier than Echoes. This latest FE game removes the rock-paper-scissors battle system for a cleaner and moreFE Echoes: Shadows of Valentia received some negative feedback for its changes from the previous two 3DS titles in terms of combat and in-game relationships. However, I don't see the problem with either. While the previous two FE 3DS titles were great in their own right, they were easier than Echoes. This latest FE game removes the rock-paper-scissors battle system for a cleaner and more challenging experience. Echoes also provides more of a challenge by removing the team up advantage introduced in Awakening. In addition, for those not interested in a dragging relationship builder, Echoes has character conversations on the fly—during battles and in towns and they are quick. The full voice acting ends up providing a surprising amount of depth by comparison to the grunting or silent convos of the past. Overall, Echoes is a great 40 to 60 hour playthrough that will please most fans, but less particularly the newer crowd. That said, I am actually a part of that newer crowd, having first played the series with Awakening. I suppose to each their own.… Expand
  9. Chimera17
    Oct 30, 2017
    9
    The soundtrack is fantastic
    The visuals are also great, especially for a 3DS game.
    It's also very replayable because of the villagers, Villager pitchfork (Free DLC), Samson/Arran Scenarios, and other choices.
    The soundtrack is fantastic, same about the voice-acting
    And it's fun
    Also did i mention the soundtrack ?
  10. Sunshadow87
    Jun 5, 2020
    9
    Dentro de los FE de los últimos años, Shadows of Valentia, un Remake de la oveja negra de la saga, ha pasado bastante desapercibido para muchos. Y sin un motivo real. No es la oveja negra de la saga por ser un mal juego, si no por introducir mecánicas que no aparecen en ningún otro FE transformando la experiencia completamente.
    Lo primero es entender que este es un FE clásico sin    Dentro de los FE de los últimos años, Shadows of Valentia, un Remake de la oveja negra de la saga, ha pasado bastante desapercibido para muchos. Y sin un motivo real. No es la oveja negra de la saga por ser un mal juego, si no por introducir mecánicas que no aparecen en ningún otro FE transformando la experiencia completamente.
    Lo primero es entender que este es un FE clásico sin mecánicas de hijos (y por tanto sin personajes de relleno). Cada personaje esta bien desarrollado, él y sus relaciones. La dificultad es elevada, pero adaptable y accesible por las mecánicas exclusivas (y por la inclusión del sistema opcional de deshacer las últimas acciones, cuyo uso baja la dificultad a algo bastante medio).
    Incluye la novedad de llevar a dos personajes con sus propios ejércitos y batallas, que avanzan paralelamente hasta un momento común de unión. Esto implica también cierta variedad (por ejemplo, algunos personajes puedes reclutarlos con un ejercito u otro en diferentes momentos, pero obviamente si los reclutas con uno, no podrás con el otro).
    Aparte de esto, la gran novedad de este juego son las mazmorras. Y no hablo de mapas de estrategia, si no mazmorras en 3D con enemigos pululando, ítems, etc, añadiendo un sistema de exploración (similar a la base de FETH, pero en las mazmorras). El entrar en contacto con un enemigo despliega un pequeño mapa de batalla para combatir contra ellos, y cosas cómo atacar por la espalda genera ventajas en el despliegue de las unidades y turnos.
    Por toda esta innovación, los buenos personajes, la historia, este es un muy buen exponente de la saga, diferente del resto, pero muy buena entrega. Eso sí, sigue siendo un remake de un clásico, y hay algunas mecánicas que pueden ser algo repetitivas (farmeo de objetos para algunas quests).    … Expand
  11. ogorangeduck
    Dec 29, 2018
    10
    This is my first Fire Emblem game, and I have to say, it is a very good game. The story is a typical "gods fighting, they solve their dispute, 2 countries formed, now they are on the brink of war", but it is fleshed out nicely. Also, the visuals are absolutely astonishing, especially on new 2ds. I also love the soundtrack. It does a great job of suiting the atmosphere. If you have neverThis is my first Fire Emblem game, and I have to say, it is a very good game. The story is a typical "gods fighting, they solve their dispute, 2 countries formed, now they are on the brink of war", but it is fleshed out nicely. Also, the visuals are absolutely astonishing, especially on new 2ds. I also love the soundtrack. It does a great job of suiting the atmosphere. If you have never played an FE game, pick up Echoes .… Expand
  12. Morag
    Sep 16, 2018
    10
    Remake from a Fire Emblem game never came out of Japan (Gaiden), Echoes is probably my favorite Fire Emblem game. The Hidari art are gorgeous, the music is fantastic, the characters personallities are great as well as their voices (even if it is sad they didn't put japanese voice option), great DLC (price isn't a rewiew criteria IMO) and good enjoyement! It is THE Fire Emblem game you needRemake from a Fire Emblem game never came out of Japan (Gaiden), Echoes is probably my favorite Fire Emblem game. The Hidari art are gorgeous, the music is fantastic, the characters personallities are great as well as their voices (even if it is sad they didn't put japanese voice option), great DLC (price isn't a rewiew criteria IMO) and good enjoyement! It is THE Fire Emblem game you need to play on 3DS!… Expand
  13. currer_bell
    May 30, 2017
    10
    At first I was thinking " Ok, it's a remake of an old game, just buying a little time until the next real Fire Emblem title..." But it turns out Echoes is just as good or even better than Awakening or Fates.

    I felt the combat was more fun and rewarding than on previous titles. You can grind as much as you want and the free-roaming dungeons are a great addition that leaves you with a lot    At first I was thinking " Ok, it's a remake of an old game, just buying a little time until the next real Fire Emblem title..." But it turns out Echoes is just as good or even better than Awakening or Fates.

    I felt the combat was more fun and rewarding than on previous titles. You can grind as much as you want and the free-roaming dungeons are a great addition that leaves you with a lot more things to do. Overall the game adds more freedom and is less linear to play.

    I could'nt care less about the disappearance of the weapon triangle. As for the pairing, I also prefer the old way; without it. There is no silly marriage and siblings thing which was a bad idea anyway (On Awakening it was OK cause it was part of the story, but on Fates they really should have left that out.)

    So Echoes is really another excellent Fire Emblem game. Similar in the spirit but different enough to be relevant. A must buy even for newcomers and all 3DS users.    … Expand
  14. BasilZero
    Dec 21, 2019
    9
    Game: Fire Emblem Echoes Shadows of Valentia
    Genre: Strategy RPG
    Developer: Intelligent Systems Publisher: Nintendo System: Nintendo 3DS (3DS) Year of Release: 2017 Length of Playthrough: 45 Hours Total Score: 90/100 Value Score: 9.0/10 • Story: 9/10 • Characters: 9/10 • GamePlay: 9/10 • Graphics: 8/10 • Sound: 10/10 • Music: 8/10 • Length: 9/10 • Replay Value: 8/10 •    Game: Fire Emblem Echoes Shadows of Valentia
    Genre: Strategy RPG
    Developer: Intelligent Systems
    Publisher: Nintendo
    System: Nintendo 3DS (3DS)
    Year of Release: 2017
    Length of Playthrough: 45 Hours

    Total Score: 90/100
    Value Score: 9.0/10

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

    Pros
    +Good Story and character interaction
    +Choice of casual mode for beginners of the series and hardcore mode for veteran players
    +Ending can be changed depending on who you recruited or survived till the end of story
    +Remake of the 2nd Fire Emblem game - additional characters added to storyline, visual improvements and a lot of voice acting

    Cons
    -Additional characters and classes tied to DLC which is also expensive and never reduce in price
    -Street Pass requirement needed to access some background story scenes and to get items
    -None of the QoL improvements from Awakening are included    … Expand
  15. Elyk25
    Jun 5, 2017
    10
    Fire Emblem Echoes is the best FE game in a long time. Updated from the original, Echoes improves Gaiden's story and storytelling, while preserving the retro elements of early Fire Emblem. The is the first game in the series since the start of the DS generation to force me to reorder the top half of my favorite Fire Emblem games. Fates and Awakening still had great characters, and a veryFire Emblem Echoes is the best FE game in a long time. Updated from the original, Echoes improves Gaiden's story and storytelling, while preserving the retro elements of early Fire Emblem. The is the first game in the series since the start of the DS generation to force me to reorder the top half of my favorite Fire Emblem games. Fates and Awakening still had great characters, and a very nice change to combat mechanics, but have not told as great a story or had as good villains since FE 9 & 10. This game just hits the right balance of game its elements versus the other more recent titles.… Expand
  16. iipotato
    Aug 10, 2017
    9
    Before I proceed, I've played FE Awakening and Conquest!

    Oh I just adore this game. There are so many aspects that I love so I'll break it down. Graphics: 8/10. Let me just say that I love the new art style for the game. I love the less-crisp character portraits that SoV has in comparison to the previous two games, and I love the ability to go through maps in a first person POV and    Before I proceed, I've played FE Awakening and Conquest!

    Oh I just adore this game. There are so many aspects that I love so I'll break it down.

    Graphics: 8/10. Let me just say that I love the new art style for the game. I love the less-crisp character portraits that SoV has in comparison to the previous two games, and I love the ability to go through maps in a first person POV and look for items in the background. The battles contain the usual grid-based scheme, but I love how when engaging into a fight, you can see that the background is almost always accurate to the placement of the character on the map. I don't remember if Conquest had this (it probably did), but SoV's graphics really are memorable.

    Characters: 9/10. I'll be honest, I play games mostly for the characters and their depth. For me, FE SoV has utilized characters greatly. The ability to interact with them in town, the elimination of pairing up so you really have to use each character on the map, their personalities--I love how much depth these characters have. The voice acting, which is done VERY well, especially adds to the effect. I think for me, this game has a great amount of characters I actually cared for in comparison to Conquest and Awakening.

    Battle System: 7/10. A few differences in this game (Which i believe was in the original Gaiden too) are the absence of pairing up units, the status effects on the map (poison tiles, etc), and how magic uses HP. While I found the latter two a bit troublesome, it added a nice challenge to the game. Surprisingly, I liked the fact you couldn't pair up units. It encouraged me to really use the characters and get to know them.

    Music: 8/10. I liked it! The soundtrack was a bit repetitive but not to the point of annoyance. They were all played enough for me to find them catchy. Definitely memorable.

    There were of course a few things I didn't enjoy. I wasn't too fond of the dungeon crawling, as I didn't enjoy how most of the maps were dark and eery. I was also a bit sad that the game felt short (40hrs for main story), but it probably feels that way because I've played games like RF4 for 140hrs and Bravely Default for 90hrs.

    Overall, I think FE SoV is something one shouldn't pass up! You'll enjoy your time with it.    … Expand
  17. Purples
    Aug 26, 2017
    10
    Jörg Luibl from the 4players.de review didn't even experience the game in it's entirety and had no prior experience with Fire Emblem games (just referencing the games rather than mentioning differences doesn't do anything for a "professional" review), therefore his review should be omitted due to the sheer lack of plausible points made against the game's multitude of features andJörg Luibl from the 4players.de review didn't even experience the game in it's entirety and had no prior experience with Fire Emblem games (just referencing the games rather than mentioning differences doesn't do anything for a "professional" review), therefore his review should be omitted due to the sheer lack of plausible points made against the game's multitude of features and replayability..

    That being said, Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia is the 2nd (3rd if you're japanese) attempt Nintendo has made at remaking/remastering classic Fire Emblem titles and must I say, Echoes it the epitome of what us Gaiden players wanted in a remake. The game feels fresh & new to the Fire Emblem series without neglecting the classic mechanics introduced and present in Gaiden.

    Sound design, character development, gameplay, and the OST (OH MY GOD THE MUSIC) were all executed to perfection. People who rightfully complained about the direction Nintendo was taking Fire Emblem with Awakening & Fates with the increasing emphasis on supports/relationship pairing and decrease in actual plot/writing were shown a face of Classic Fire Emblem under a more sophisticated light. Shadow Dragon wasn't bad but since it was a 1:1 remake with only new art, textures, and modes. Echoes is a release that gracefully invites players to experience strong story telling. voice acting, and excellent gameplay on the 3DS.    … Expand
  18. frederik1478
    Mar 5, 2020
    9
    One of my favorite in series #best presentation of any Fire Emblem game and it is Unique Experience
  19. PyroFierceDeity
    Dec 1, 2020
    9
    Being e remake of Fire Emblem Gaiden, the second game in the series and only released in Japan at the time, Intelligent Systems knocks it out of the park again with an excellent remake and an excellent Fire Emblem game. People might crucify me on this one but I like it way more than Awakening. I do respect and love Awakening however since it saved Intelligent Systems from going bankruptBeing e remake of Fire Emblem Gaiden, the second game in the series and only released in Japan at the time, Intelligent Systems knocks it out of the park again with an excellent remake and an excellent Fire Emblem game. People might crucify me on this one but I like it way more than Awakening. I do respect and love Awakening however since it saved Intelligent Systems from going bankrupt which means this franchise would have died right after Awakening.

    The music is again excellent in this one, and it once again fits the narrative very well. The story was also excellent as well. It had some nice twists I didn't see coming, and I grew very attached to Alm and Celica. Alm's story arc and character development were absolutely epic and the change in music in the later acts make the late game a masterpiece. I also love how the post-game ties in with Awakening story-wise. The gameplay was fun and it actually felt challenging at certain points. You really needed to formulate a strategy or else it you would struggle. This game introduce the turn back time mechanic which was also added in Three Houses, but I found myself rarely using it in this one. A good strategy was mainly all you needed. I always recommend not letting anyone die because seeing all your characters make it out in the end is very heartwarming.

    An excellent and damn near masterpiece for the 3DS and I recommend it to ALL 3DS users.    … Expand
  20. karican
    Jul 8, 2017
    10
    I have played nearly every Fire Emblem game released in the US, and this one blew me away. It takes a step back from the anime type direction the series has been trending toward lately and the story feels a bit more grounded. The characters, maps, and music were all fantastic.
  21. PabloDesigns
    Jul 30, 2019
    10
    This game deserves a 10 just because Heritors of Arcadia. That song is the **** best and deepest you will ever hear in any videogame.
    Oh and also, the game is good.
  22. Wake_loms
    Nov 13, 2017
    9
    Buen juego, mantiene la escencia del pasado y se siente la diferencia en la jugabilidad con otros fire emblem, la malo es que el reto no varia en los mapas de una de las mitades del ejercito que controlas, pero si corrigen eso, yo contento de que todos los FE de ahora en adelante sean asi, la animacion es la mejor que encontraras en esta saga y ademas esta todo con voz que tambien esBuen juego, mantiene la escencia del pasado y se siente la diferencia en la jugabilidad con otros fire emblem, la malo es que el reto no varia en los mapas de una de las mitades del ejercito que controlas, pero si corrigen eso, yo contento de que todos los FE de ahora en adelante sean asi, la animacion es la mejor que encontraras en esta saga y ademas esta todo con voz que tambien es excelente, si no le doy el 10, es solo por que los mapas pueden llegar a ser repetitivos, y eso no se perdona en esta saga… Expand
  23. CH513
    Jan 8, 2018
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. 81%? To me, that score is just really unfair for the masterpiece Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia is. This is one of the best games for the Nintendo 3DS, along with Kid Icarus: Uprising. I'm aware it's merely a remake of a 1992 game (Fire Emblem Gaiden), but it was so well made.

    The story is about two childhood friends who were parted: Alm (the prince of the Rigelian Empire raised as a farmboy in Ram Village) and Celica (the princess in hiding from the Kingdom of Zofia) and is full of some beautiful moments filled with emotion. The game takes place 7 years after their parting, and each of them starts their own attempt to free the Kingdom of Zofia of the problems it started to face. The game is divided in 6 acts. On the first one, you control Alm's group. On the second one, you control Celica's group. After the 3rd one starts, you can control the groups of both. The game's character roster is somewhat small compared to other Fire Emblem games (34 playable characters in total), but they get so much character development that they really grow on you. Coupled with how amazing the voice acting is, you get some amazing characters. Python, Clair and Delthea from Alm's group, and Mae, Saber and Leon from Celica's have become some of my favorite characters in the series. Only Faye from Alm's group is dislikeable, but she still has a lot of development. The game's difficulty is elevated, meaning you'll have to carefully plan your strategies to overcome each of the game's maps. The game's soundtrack doesn't fall short either, with many beautiful and epic pieces that play either during cutscenes or in battle. Exploring 3D dungeons to uncover treasure and strengthen your army is a neat addition, and feels like a nice reference to The Legend of Zelda. And I haven't even mentioned the final boss fight against Duma.

    Still, the game has flaws. Some battles can get a bit annoying. You have to grind a lot in dungeons. The cutscenes are nice, but they look a bit downgraded from those of Radiant Dawn, Awakening and even Fates due to a different studio making them. And finally, the DLC is overpriced, being more expensive than the game (but it's optional at least, so you don't have to buy it).

    Regardless of this, the game is still deserving a 10/10. I've invested as much as 80 hours playing it, and I liked it a lot more than Awakening, the most popular and acclaimed game in the series.    … Expand
  24. InkV
    Jul 10, 2017
    9
    Fire Emblem Echoes fixes most of the problems found in Gaiden and truly well worth your time.If you are wondering getting in the series i recommend you this one but most likely this is the only Fire Emblem other than Gaiden to be in styled like this.I find the music and the character development to be phenomenal and the cutscenes impressive for a game in the Nintendo 3Ds.
  25. Shadz
    Aug 1, 2017
    10
    I've played a fan made English dubbed version of Gaiden, and it was definitely an enjoyable game. With some decent character development, story, and game mechanics and improvements from the original FE title, Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light. My personal favorite FE game to date is Awakening, but Echoes is a very close second.

    People here complain how there's no weapon triangle,    I've played a fan made English dubbed version of Gaiden, and it was definitely an enjoyable game. With some decent character development, story, and game mechanics and improvements from the original FE title, Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light. My personal favorite FE game to date is Awakening, but Echoes is a very close second.

    People here complain how there's no weapon triangle, how the gameplay contrasts greatly to Awakening and Fates, and the lack of diversity in classes. This is all because it's a remake of an extremely old FE game. If you're making a remake, you should at least stay faithful to the source material by keeping some game mechanics and gimmicks. This is what Echoes does perfectly in every aspect. I think people are getting too used to the newer FE games, expecting games that come out in the future to be exactly like them, with stuff like buying items and EXP farming.

    The one way how Echoes doesn't stay faithful to its source material is by the addition of casual mode. Now, this isn't at all bad, in fact, I think it's an improvement. Before New Mystery of the Emblem, your units stayed dead forever. When the GBA and Tellius era became localized in other countries, this was definitely a rude welcoming to those new to the FE franchise. This is why I think the addition of casual mode is a positive one. I'm just happy they didn't bring Phoenix mode back.

    Another great aspect about the game is full-on voice acting. I'm a voice actor myself, and it's really hard to dedicate this much time into just one game, when you have many other projects on your plate. And the voice actors deliver their lines amazingly. My personal favorite voice actors for Echoes are Brian Beacock as Luthier, Bonnie Gordon as Silque, Joe J Thomas as Deen, and Kyle McCarley as Alm.    … Expand
  26. Dreonas
    Jan 27, 2018
    9
    This is the review of a Fire Emblem fan that hadn't played Gaiden before.

    First of all, keep in mind that this is a remake, that's why some features of the new games are not present. Lovely. The story is a little bit basic but interesting, the music is top notch, the characters artwork is beatiful, and the maps are challenging at certain points. Of course that the absence of the new    This is the review of a Fire Emblem fan that hadn't played Gaiden before.

    First of all, keep in mind that this is a remake, that's why some features of the new games are not present.

    Lovely. The story is a little bit basic but interesting, the music is top notch, the characters artwork is beatiful, and the maps are challenging at certain points. Of course that the absence of the new games mechanics (like the weapons triangle) is notorious, but it doesn't make it unplayable. I was amazed with the dungeon parts because I didn't expect something like that in a Fire Emblem game; also, I was happy to know that the weapons didn't wear out.    … Expand
  27. Neon_Icarus
    Dec 11, 2017
    10
    Best Fire Emblem since Radiant Dawn. Classy old school Fire Emblem with minimal waifu stuff. Great presentation for a 3DS game. The soundtrack especially is one of the best on the platform.
  28. CaponeGANGBege
    Jan 26, 2018
    10
    Works well both as a new game and as a reimagining of all the world of Gaiden, properly brought to modern times and with updated looks and mechanics to its characters and world.
  29. LinkMaster505
    Jan 20, 2018
    10
    Has to be one of the best fire emblem games especially considering the story and screw the weapons triangle it's also very accessable to new players.
  30. j0hnnyclaymore
    Feb 18, 2018
    8
    Great Fire Emblem, enjoyed the "old" new features from the remake. Love the visuals, gameplay and the characters. Very good difficultes, waiting for the others (especially fe6!)
  31. Da3_who_knows
    Jul 4, 2018
    8
    A very good FE game. Not excellent, not perfect but very good. The storyline is amazing (some can say it is naive and it is kinda true but it is still exciting), the characters are great and the music is beautiful. I knew it was a remake so I was not expecting much from it and I was pleasantly surprised with this game. this new dungeon exploring mechanics was good but not great. in thisA very good FE game. Not excellent, not perfect but very good. The storyline is amazing (some can say it is naive and it is kinda true but it is still exciting), the characters are great and the music is beautiful. I knew it was a remake so I was not expecting much from it and I was pleasantly surprised with this game. this new dungeon exploring mechanics was good but not great. in this game you can compare the strengths of your army with the enemy's army which was very useful. And yeah tis time rewind mechanics is super useful and I like it a lot. However there is something missing in this game. Probably I got used to this child and pair up mechanics too much so whiteout them game was kind of empty, as if it lacks something. It is still a wonderful game and all but if you compare this game to the previous two FE games you would understand that they were special. There is nothing so special about this game and it is very sad. this game might have had the potential to become one of the greatest games in FE series if only the developers spend more time on it.… Expand
  32. GVS2001
    Jul 27, 2018
    10
    Very good game! The combat is perfect and the story is sure to draw attention. A true Fire Emblem title for those who like a great game with lots of strategy!
  33. Emiliano105
    Jun 20, 2020
    10
    It is a beautiful rwmake, one of my favorito videogames, have a grat story and grate caracteres, the soundtrack is perfect and the gameplay is good
  34. Thamygamer17
    Nov 5, 2019
    8
    FE Echoes: Shadows Of Valentia es un remake muy bien rediseñado del aquel Fire Emblem Gaiden.
    La historia del juego es maravillosa, encontrandonos con personajes donde desde el primer momento conectamos con ellos y como se narran los hechos invitan al jugador a querer siempre saber mas y mas.
    El gameplay sigue la linea de sus antecesores en la plataforma (Awakening y la serie Fates) asi    FE Echoes: Shadows Of Valentia es un remake muy bien rediseñado del aquel Fire Emblem Gaiden.
    La historia del juego es maravillosa, encontrandonos con personajes donde desde el primer momento conectamos con ellos y como se narran los hechos invitan al jugador a querer siempre saber mas y mas.
    El gameplay sigue la linea de sus antecesores en la plataforma (Awakening y la serie Fates) asi que muchos cambios no hay pero para que tenerlos si la formala funciona a las mil maravillas.
    Lo menos que me gusta de este juego es quiza su algo injusta dificultad donde por momentos a los jugadores menos expertos en el genero los hara desesperarse un poco y llevarlos a dropeo del juego o a cogerle algo de tirria pero yo como jugador no tan experto en este tipo de generos te aconsejo que te arme de paciencia y que todas esas derrotas o anclajes te hagan conocer mas el juego y por supuesto mejor jugador de Fire Eemblem    … Expand
  35. Kiriken
    Aug 19, 2019
    10
    Even with Fire Emblem: Three Houses released for the Nintendo Switch... I'm keeping this game as my absolute favorite Fire Emblem game. Why? The answer is quite simple: old-school mixed with new-school is my school.

    This game is as good as people have told me it is... however I was a little discouraged when I heard commentaries like: "meh, it could've been better." or "remember    Even with Fire Emblem: Three Houses released for the Nintendo Switch... I'm keeping this game as my absolute favorite Fire Emblem game. Why? The answer is quite simple: old-school mixed with new-school is my school.

    This game is as good as people have told me it is... however I was a little discouraged when I heard commentaries like: "meh, it could've been better." or "remember everything you knew about Fire Emblem? Well this game throw that to the dumpster" and I was quite hesitant when I bought my own copy... they lied. Or worse yet... they didn't know.

    Just when I booted up the game and saw the title screen and then heard the main theme playing I was like: "wait... is- is this real?". Heck yeah it was. Just when I was about to start, characters were reciting everything the dialogue box was saying and well... don't mind if I do. I love the whole VA thing, it just adds so much life to the story!!

    And now a big "oof"... the characters. And it's not a bad "oof", it's an actual great "OOF" i'm going for here. The characters. Oh, my, god! I just can't hate them, I love hating some of them: Jedah, Saber, Alm, Celica and even minor characters. Everything stays in line with a good and complete character development.

    A heartbreaking story, an amazing "new" mechanic where you have to use HP points to use things like magic or even special moves, a great cast, freaking Hidari as lead artist... heck, this game has everything.

    I'm keeping it and replaying it for years to come. A must-play treasure and an underrated masterpiece, and believe me, I'm choosing my words wisely.    … Expand
  36. new2dsxl
    Sep 8, 2019
    9
    As the last Fire Emblem chapter on Nintendo’s heroic handheld, Echoes delivers a perfect swan song for the series’ 3DS days. This is a satisfying, deeply strategic adventure with an engaging, personal story and beautiful presentation, full of appealing art and lovely details that come alive as you play. But more than that, it’s also just delightfully different from its predecessors, inAs the last Fire Emblem chapter on Nintendo’s heroic handheld, Echoes delivers a perfect swan song for the series’ 3DS days. This is a satisfying, deeply strategic adventure with an engaging, personal story and beautiful presentation, full of appealing art and lovely details that come alive as you play. But more than that, it’s also just delightfully different from its predecessors, in ways that only broaden its appeal: if you loved Awakening and Fates, this is close enough to be comfortable but with plenty of tweaks and additions to feel exciting and fresh; if you didn’t like those entries and yearn for a more ‘traditional’ Emblem experience, you’ll love Echoes’ throwbacks and unique touches; and if you’re a JRPG fan who’s never understood the appeal of the SRPG chessboard, explorable towns and dungeons make this a perfect point of entry to crossover.

    Proof that the 3DS still has life left in it yet, Echoes is a phenomenal Fire Emblem and a wonderful tactical title to tuck into.    … Expand
  37. Alecseus
    Apr 30, 2021
    10
    Finally finished this awesome game. The best part of the series after Geneology.
    The old traditions of the series are combined with new mechanics.
    But DLCs arent worth its price.
  38. Fer_O
    Nov 15, 2019
    10
    This game is so peculiar, it forgets about a core mechanic from many other FE entries but does it so in a way that results in a very unique game truly deserving on it's own. Everything from this game, the characters, the music, the story, the game play, it's what makes it so enjoyable.
  39. spicysmoochy
    Nov 15, 2019
    10
    My favorite FE so far, the story is extremely bittersweet and makes you feel part of the story. Great OST and voice acting
  40. tukumalu
    Jan 30, 2021
    10
    Among the best in the series with groundbreaking 3D animation, amazing voice acting and intriguing characters.
  41. Josenolito72
    May 24, 2022
    9
    Este juego es uno de los más grandes de la consola. Realmente es una experiencia única la cual muy pocos juegos te pueden dar aunque haya quejas sobre su jugabilidad. Historia de 10, gráficos y diseños de 10 y banda sonora, uffff la banda sonora de 1000. Simplemente un fantástico fire emblem Se tiene que probar aunque sea solo una vez. MAGISTRAL!!!
  42. Rodrigohonorio
    Sep 1, 2021
    9
    I really like this game. The units are great and the cutscenes also look nice. The dungeons is kinda boring.
  43. BappiBoi399
    Aug 26, 2020
    8
    Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia is nothing but a masterful mix of emotional storytelling, sweeping music, and overall invigorating detail and atmosphere. Where it tends to fall short, however, is in the primary game play and actual meat of the franchise: the combat and stratagem. Although the animations are interesting and smooth, the faithful yet outdated maps and mechanics makeFire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia is nothing but a masterful mix of emotional storytelling, sweeping music, and overall invigorating detail and atmosphere. Where it tends to fall short, however, is in the primary game play and actual meat of the franchise: the combat and stratagem. Although the animations are interesting and smooth, the faithful yet outdated maps and mechanics make this game mostly more of a chore to complete than an enjoyable experience. Without the other wonderful factors of the game pushing you forward, this game would be sub-par at best. However, because this game offers up a plethora of enticing storytelling elements that push it arguably above other predecessors and other absolutely infatuating details, it is more than worthy of carrying the torch, remake or the likes of it not.… Expand
  44. Reed_Reviews
    Oct 27, 2020
    9
    As the final Fire Emblem game of the 3DS era, Shadows of Valentia delivers a compelling character-bases narrative accentuated by a rich score and engaging gameplay.
    Story: 9/10 Simple, yet entertaining due to its well written structure. Each line can be individually savored.
    Voice Acting: 10/10 Each line of dialogue is delivered by a professional cast. Voice actors of Berkut, Alm, and    As the final Fire Emblem game of the 3DS era, Shadows of Valentia delivers a compelling character-bases narrative accentuated by a rich score and engaging gameplay.
    Story: 9/10 Simple, yet entertaining due to its well written structure. Each line can be individually savored.
    Voice Acting: 10/10 Each line of dialogue is delivered by a professional cast. Voice actors of Berkut, Alm, and Mae characterize their lines particularly well.
    Visuals: 8/10 The hand drawn character models and subtle Greek mythology art style add a lot of charm. The 3D models used in cutscenes, however, will not age well.
    Music: 9/10 An enjoyable leitmotif appears frequently throughout songs and sound effects, giving the game's music a binded and cohesive sense.
    Gameplay: 9/10 The new gameplay addition of Mila's Turnwheel will help propel the Fire Emblem franchise forward for years to come. Shadows of Valentia plays with the idea of dungeons, which would have been a thrilling area for the game to pursue if it doubled down on this new addition. The downside is that many of the faithfully created maps are dated, and thus not contributive to strategic gameplay. Repetitive enemy encounters in dungeons with no variety also drag pacing.

    Overall: 9/10    … Expand
  45. hector_bcn98
    Nov 4, 2022
    9
    Tiene todo lo que debería ser un remake de Fire Emblem. Historia de calidad, personajes y dualidad de ellos interesantísima, dificultad muy bien ajustada... En resumen, un remake esplendoroso y sin necesidad de comprarlo dos veces, pagar contenido descargable... Compra obligada.
  46. piff2000
    Dec 29, 2020
    8
    I think this game sets the standard for how an NES remake should be done. The updated art and voice acting along with new characters and features breathes new life into the game. Sometimes the map design shows its age, but other than that it’s a captivating adventure.
  47. attemptatreason
    Oct 29, 2021
    9
    I agree with the user ratings but not the critics, definitely not near an 8/10. This game is amazing, to be Frank. Any level of player can pick it up and enjoy it, it expands on the core mechanics of what the FE series did amazingly (combat). This includes the blacksmith - which to my knowledge was the precursor of fe3h. Also, an in-game model where you move freely which brings the spritesI agree with the user ratings but not the critics, definitely not near an 8/10. This game is amazing, to be Frank. Any level of player can pick it up and enjoy it, it expands on the core mechanics of what the FE series did amazingly (combat). This includes the blacksmith - which to my knowledge was the precursor of fe3h. Also, an in-game model where you move freely which brings the sprites to life well. I didn't think I'd like the "double party" system within one game, but overtime both the two seperate parties became fun to play. The promotion system was also very generous and rewarding, also super satisfying to hear the statue music and the promotions. The characters were super likeable or hateable, but regardless all art and sprites looked amazing and consistent. The look is very unique to the FE games but it works. I thought the way they used a "pad wheel" for the auto battling made farming and combat super simplified. I do recall an overabundance of dragons just everywhere, I believe in the Cecilia route - having more enemy diversity may have helped at certain stages. Also new to the FE titles was the voice acting - I am so happy this game had top level voice acting all the way through - even a year after beating the game, I can hear the voices of each character pretty vividly every time I see the characters. This game is amazing and is a must play for any one that enjoys turned based combat and army building.… Expand
  48. D_Games
    Oct 15, 2021
    10
    My actual favorite game. I started my FE journey with Awakening then Fates. I started playing the old GBA titles and even emulated PoR & RD. Without a doubt Shadows of Valentia stands on the shoulders of the titles that came before.
  49. Den162047
    Oct 15, 2021
    10
    Неплохая игра на 3дс, не знание прошлых частей игр, не мешает играть так как история самостоятельная, а ещё как человеку который не играет в стратегии и РПГ от слова совсем, боевая система очень понравилась
  50. BetaPlayer
    Aug 1, 2022
    8
    The only thing that suck about this game is the Celica levels, specially the desert ones,. Everything else is great. All the characters (except Faye because she's always talking about Alm) are likeable.
  51. Plumbo2000
    Jan 29, 2023
    9
    A beautiful and spellbinding experience that only really suffers from a failure to update old maps from the NES era.
  52. Phrancium
    Feb 6, 2023
    9
    great game, great use of two different paths, good story telling, interesting new mechanics, and likeable characters
  53. Traumereix
    Feb 7, 2023
    10
    This was the last good entry from the franchise unfortunately...................
  54. Bugggger
    Aug 23, 2023
    10
    One of the best games on the 3ds, and one of the best remakes ever made. This game manages to be impressively faithful to Gaiden while also adding in it's own new things such as combat arts and 70ish% of the story and characters. Not all of it works, like Conrad, but most of it fits in perfectly. And it's not like I hate Conrad or anything, it's just really easy to tell he was added in,One of the best games on the 3ds, and one of the best remakes ever made. This game manages to be impressively faithful to Gaiden while also adding in it's own new things such as combat arts and 70ish% of the story and characters. Not all of it works, like Conrad, but most of it fits in perfectly. And it's not like I hate Conrad or anything, it's just really easy to tell he was added in, like in an Atlus Girl kind of way if you know what I mean.… Expand
  55. Pate
    May 24, 2017
    10
    This is easiest one of the best FE games I've played. The voice acting was a very nice surprise and was done very well and should be a staple for all future games. Also this game is a lot better than Fates in many aspects. The 3 bet things are 1 it's a lot more challenging and there's no phoenix mode. 2 the story is A LOT better and is told very well. 3 it's not waifu emblem. You getThis is easiest one of the best FE games I've played. The voice acting was a very nice surprise and was done very well and should be a staple for all future games. Also this game is a lot better than Fates in many aspects. The 3 bet things are 1 it's a lot more challenging and there's no phoenix mode. 2 the story is A LOT better and is told very well. 3 it's not waifu emblem. You get attached to the characters very well and you want to keep playing and stay engaged to figure out the truth behind Alm and Celica. Now there some things I prefer in Awakening and Fates like interface stuff and support between all characters but nonetheless this is an amazing game and I recommend to anyone in the series. Game was a lot better than I anticipated and experiencing the story of Gaiden is one to remember. Great game.… Expand
  56. SpaceAceJoh
    May 24, 2017
    10
    I'm a long time FE fan and I have played every single one /except/ the original Gaiden. This game is different from Awakening and Fates - two games I enjoyed a whole lot although I prefer the older games like PoR or RD - and it is by far one of the best games I have played both this year and last combined!
    The battle system felt a bit wierd at first since it was not what I was used to,    I'm a long time FE fan and I have played every single one /except/ the original Gaiden. This game is different from Awakening and Fates - two games I enjoyed a whole lot although I prefer the older games like PoR or RD - and it is by far one of the best games I have played both this year and last combined!
    The battle system felt a bit wierd at first since it was not what I was used to, but I learned very quickly and was soon building my Ultime Armies!
    The characters are all very interesting and have their own character. Some are of course more important to the plot and takes more space, but you never feel like a character is just there for filler.
    The writing is snappy, smart, funny, and heart-tugging and it all feels so natural!
    The art is gorgeous, and the battle system is honestly way more fun than the pair up system since it feels like you have to trust in your units' skills alone and you have to carefully plan ahead which units you should use.

    In short; this game is superb, and I highly recommend it to both old and new fans of the FE-series.    … Expand
  57. rhe
    May 22, 2017
    9
    Because I have played other FE titles outside of the 3DS (I have played Sacred Stones too) I was not as annoyed by the big changes that were made to this game. However, because I understand most gamers had begun playing FE on the 3DS, I felt this review should really focus on the changes made to the game so that anyone interested could make a more informed decision on whether to buy thisBecause I have played other FE titles outside of the 3DS (I have played Sacred Stones too) I was not as annoyed by the big changes that were made to this game. However, because I understand most gamers had begun playing FE on the 3DS, I felt this review should really focus on the changes made to the game so that anyone interested could make a more informed decision on whether to buy this game or not.

    - Social Links and Children are very much a lessened feature of this game. This may be the biggest deal breaker for most awakening and fates fans, as the idea of pairing up certain units and getting the most powerful children possible added a layer of strategy to those games. I honestly can see why this was done, as the children that would be made in those games were ridiculously powerful and they likely felt that it would have broken the balancing of the game.

    - You can not change classes with crests anymore but can only change classes using shrines that you may need to backtrack to. This can be a negative because it makes it more difficult to change classes, but I quite liked this as it encouraged backtracking and not simply ploughing forward with reckless abandon.

    - You cannot pair up units anymore. This can make the game far more difficult, as it means that you need to be more strategic in how you tackle enemies.

    - The traditional weapon triangle has been removed and there are no weapon advantages. I actually quite liked this change, as it made defence and resistance stats stand out A LOT more. The advantages of the weapon triangle meant that defence and resistance could be less noticeable because the enemy would be more likely to miss if they had a weapon disadvantage and it gave you more options to tackle an enemy. Because of the removal of this, this means that you need to be more focused in how you approach an enemy.

    - Skills are no longer gained from levelling but are tied to weapons for warrior types while mages learn new spells by levelling and only one item can be carried by each unit. I actually quite liked this, as it made each weapon feel unique and different, and the fact that you can only have one item at a time again adds a new layer of strategy as it encourages the player to consider whether to equip a weapon or shield, or if they want to give the character a healing item to hold. Also because mages use up HP to cast magic it again adds another layer of strategy: do you simply cast a spell at the cost of HP or do you try to send in a warrior who may do less damage but wont lose HP from casting?

    - Archers now can shoot right in front of themselves and four spaces away but no longer have the bonus damage against flyers immediately. This I think actually makes archers a lot more useful in the game, as much of the time in all the FE games I played archers felt VERY situational as they could really be used against flyers and could be less useful compared to other units against any other enemy type. This shift I think gives archers more versatility and makes them more useful in the game but I can see if people won't like this change.

    Overall, I think this game is a far more strategic take on the FE franchise, while it is my favourite on the 3DS and actually I feel better in gameplay compared to Sacred Stones, if you had only just gotten into the games during the 3DS, this game may not be worth investing in as it is far more unforgiving than the other two FE titles on the 3DS.    … Expand
  58. whyamihere44
    May 19, 2017
    9
    While I do think this would have been great on the switch the game is a very good game on 3ds. This has things missing from fates and awakening that got more people playing the series and that might seem like a bad thing but to me this is Nintendo reaching out to fire emblem veterans and giving them the game they wanted. A fire emblem veterans, fire emblem is one way to describe this game.While I do think this would have been great on the switch the game is a very good game on 3ds. This has things missing from fates and awakening that got more people playing the series and that might seem like a bad thing but to me this is Nintendo reaching out to fire emblem veterans and giving them the game they wanted. A fire emblem veterans, fire emblem is one way to describe this game. Dungeon crawling is fun, dialogue is much better compared to fates, localization is much better compared to fates, having two army's to control is great, the different gameplay elements are awesome, and music is great. The only draw back is you got to do some grinding but overall the game is still a very good game.… Expand
  59. Cectis
    May 21, 2017
    10
    I'm really loving Echoes, the best FE game I've played so far. The first FE game i have played was Fates and after that I've also played Awakening. I must say it, Echoes has a better plot than the previously 2 games. The characters are more charismatic and the story flows better, making you want to play more and more.
  60. Welkinhans82
    May 26, 2017
    10
    This game is fantastic. I normally don't like how people on metacritic flood reviews with 10's for games that they like, and 0's for games that they don't, and while this isn't necessarily a perfect game, any complaints that I have are too small or nit picky for me to give it anything but a 9 or 10. The writing is excellent, the voice acting and dialogue are great, the graphics lookThis game is fantastic. I normally don't like how people on metacritic flood reviews with 10's for games that they like, and 0's for games that they don't, and while this isn't necessarily a perfect game, any complaints that I have are too small or nit picky for me to give it anything but a 9 or 10. The writing is excellent, the voice acting and dialogue are great, the graphics look excellent for a 3DS title, the dungeons are fun to explore, the music is great, the combat is challenging and fun, the characters are interesting and well developed, and the maps are beautiful to look at. There's a lot of variety to this game. A small complaint that I do have is that the maps are often larger than needed, but considering that this is a game that's over 20 years old, it's acceptable. And it's not that this is a bad thing, it's just something that doesn't necessarily make a lot of sense from a design standpoint. Marriage isn't in the game (sorry newer fans), but this is a story that's meant to be told with certain cannon couples in mind. This is a remake done right, and I applaud Intelligent Systems for doing it as they have. It's story and gameplay are gripping, and I can't wait to continue seeing what Valentia has to offer!… Expand
  61. Andrewaps
    May 27, 2017
    9
    After three mediocre Fire Emblem games (four if you count FE12: Heroes of Light and Shadow), Intelligent Systems has somehow managed to impress me with a Gaiden remake of all things. As the "black sheep" of the series, Gaiden has been widely received as the worst FE game by most hardcore fans (until Fates, that is), but IS has proven with Echoes: Shadows of Valentia that some games wereAfter three mediocre Fire Emblem games (four if you count FE12: Heroes of Light and Shadow), Intelligent Systems has somehow managed to impress me with a Gaiden remake of all things. As the "black sheep" of the series, Gaiden has been widely received as the worst FE game by most hardcore fans (until Fates, that is), but IS has proven with Echoes: Shadows of Valentia that some games were simply ahead of their time.

    With a solid polishing, Echoes shines in pretty much every way, even though many of its flaws yet remain. From the old school gameplay to the fantastic cast, this is the perfect throwback for the older fans that never got to experience Gaiden, and with the updated graphics, new mechanics and features, and enlarged dungeons, this game works well for both newer fans and newcomers to the series as well.

    Pros:
    + One of the best stories in Fire Emblem (not much of a compliment, considering... but still)
    + Great battle animations
    + Stellar soundtrack, remastered from Gaiden. Seriously, 10/10
    + The cast, totaling at 33 characters (not including DLC), are all amazing (almost all of them, anyway).
    + Great supports
    + Voice acting was top notch, and Echoes is the first fully voiced (almost) Fire Emblem game to date
    + Unique, fun, and challenging gameplay that old fans will enjoy
    + Casual mode, for those that desire it
    + One of the best final boss fights in Fire Emblem to date, and my PERSONAL favorite
    + Slight gameplay balances from Gaiden
    + Mila's Turnwheel
    + Optional ability to grind for exp and items
    + The little things that make the game so much better, from sound effects and voice lines during certain moments, to unexpected cutscenes, etc.

    Cons:
    - Lack of weapon triangle
    - Heavy reliance on magic users due to the increase in terrain bonuses
    - Not as hard as some of the older titles (some may be disappointed by this)
    - Forging, as certain weapons can only be obtained through this method (which requires grinding for coins)
    - Cliche love-related plot between the main characters
    - Cutscene during the first minute of the game that spoils an important moment later on (you'll know what I mean once you've seen it)
    - Less replay-ability than other games in the series
    - Confusing world map (it gets really bad later on)
    - Easy to get lost in dungeons
    - Hard to maneuver Alm/Celica in dungeons; i.e. poor controls
    - Post-game shouldn't exist, it hampers the ending of the main game and feels forced

    Overall, I give Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia (FE15) somewhere around a 9/10, and I fully recommend this game to older fans of the series. Without a doubt, Echoes: Shadows of Valentia is one of my top three Fire Emblem games to date. Thank you for giving Gaiden a second chance, IS.    … Expand
  62. Vectus
    May 20, 2017
    10
    this game was made for the fans of the older titles and i feel like its not fair to compare its game play to fates or awakening as it was taking a different approach . this game trumps both in presentation and story the side characters are way more fleshed out and the two protagonists are much better written then the avatar characters of both awakening and fates. The game play thothis game was made for the fans of the older titles and i feel like its not fair to compare its game play to fates or awakening as it was taking a different approach . this game trumps both in presentation and story the side characters are way more fleshed out and the two protagonists are much better written then the avatar characters of both awakening and fates. The game play tho simplified is much more satisfying for older fans of the series .… Expand
  63. Stone4D
    May 20, 2017
    8
    Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentina is without doubt the best Fire Emblem title yet in terms of presentation. The characters are redesigned beautifully, the menus are even cleaner and better polished then either Awakening or Fates, and the music is as mind blowing as ever. The soundtrack, of course, accompanies key story moments, which are brought to life with beautifully animatedFire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentina is without doubt the best Fire Emblem title yet in terms of presentation. The characters are redesigned beautifully, the menus are even cleaner and better polished then either Awakening or Fates, and the music is as mind blowing as ever. The soundtrack, of course, accompanies key story moments, which are brought to life with beautifully animated cutscenes. Even the scripted sequences using the in game models are solid, not just using battle animations like in Fates and Awakening.

    Gameplay wise, it's a very unique experience. Shadows of Valentia is born from a time when developers experimented a lot, and its source material, Fire Emblem Gaiden, is basically the Zelda 2 of Fire Emblem. You'll go through dungeons, roam around towns, fight several battles per chapter, and experience battle mechanics the likes of which are not seen anywhere else in the series. Mages learn spells, archers can attack from one tile away, and characters always carry a default weapon. But at its core, this is Fire Emblem through and through. Strategy is just as important, and if you're not a hardcore fan the features from Gaiden might throw a wrench into your plans. I won't discuss the story too much, but it's leagues better than Fates and edges out Awakening, although don't expect anything groundbreaking. It's also fully voice acted, a series first, and it is stellar, bringing the characters and story to life like never before in Fire Emblem.

    On the downside, the map design is not good at all, which was a problem in Fire Emblem Gaiden. They stayed a little too true to the source material on this front. Most maps are extremely boring, are huge, have almost no enemies, and add nothing to mix up your tactics. They keep this game from the 9 or 10 it deserves. In addition, the DLC practices for this game are also absurd and absolutely abhorrent from Nintendo. But it's not a part of the game and won't effect my feelings towards it.

    Overall, Shadows of Valentia is a refreshing and beautiful entry to the Fire Emblem series, and I recommend it to anybody looking for a good and unique strategy RPG.    … Expand
  64. mememe2595
    May 19, 2017
    9
    The game has been pretty good so far. The plot is way better than Fates, which in my opinion was complete garbage. I love how the game has full voice acting. I really like the art style. I've enjoyed the dungeon exploration and the combat. I don't really like the fact that healing takes hp from the healers, but the fact the Nosferatu tome is broken fixes the problem. (Clerics miss veryThe game has been pretty good so far. The plot is way better than Fates, which in my opinion was complete garbage. I love how the game has full voice acting. I really like the art style. I've enjoyed the dungeon exploration and the combat. I don't really like the fact that healing takes hp from the healers, but the fact the Nosferatu tome is broken fixes the problem. (Clerics miss very regularly though, so rip!) I like how everyone starts off with an unbreakable weapon. I am relieved to say that clerics come with a tome, so they're not completely defenseless shards of glass. Everyone seems pretty balanced so far in my play through. I really don't like how the DLC costs more than the actual game. I honestly don't care that this game isn't a dating sim (even though that's what got me interested in the series with Awakening). But overall the game is really good and I'd recommend it to people who like Strategy RPGs. There are some things I don't like about the game, but they're really just mechanics from Gaiden, the game Shadows of Valentia is based off of. The game is really different from the most recent installments in the Fire Emblem series, but in my opinion it's way better than Fire Emblem Fates.… Expand
  65. Flypaper
    Jul 5, 2017
    9
    Very much enjoying (22 hours in) this game! Excellent story (best one so far and that's saying something for fire emblem games. Good gameplay even without the rock paper scissors strategy of previous games. Very enjoyable maps. One in particular has a poison swamp between you and the enemies you must defeat. It saps your hp as you cross and the enemies try and block you from crossing.Very much enjoying (22 hours in) this game! Excellent story (best one so far and that's saying something for fire emblem games. Good gameplay even without the rock paper scissors strategy of previous games. Very enjoyable maps. One in particular has a poison swamp between you and the enemies you must defeat. It saps your hp as you cross and the enemies try and block you from crossing. Healing and moving and killing the enemies (who are constantly spawned in by necromancer types) in the way gets a little tense. So you are racing to get to the necros so they can't summon anymore enemies. Upgrades to weapons are done at the smith's location. Characters are upgraded at the temples by changing/upgrading character class (typical of fire emblem except characters seem to be able to change class twice (maybe more - who knows). This happens around level 10-12 depending on the character. So much strategy is making sure you are leveling up everyone and not just using your most powerful characters over and over. Highly recommended to turn based strategy fans and definitely to fans of good stories with mostly likeable characters (has to be a couple of annoyingly effeminate characters in any Japanese game these days apparently).… Expand
  66. smahlt
    May 21, 2017
    8
    This is a fantastic game and a welcome change from Awakening and Fates. I've never played the original, but I'm loving the more old school feel to it. From what I understand, they made the gameplay close to the original game, that means none of the pair up nonsense from recent games. Unfortunately, that also means no weapon triangle. I also recall reading that they considered adding anThis is a fantastic game and a welcome change from Awakening and Fates. I've never played the original, but I'm loving the more old school feel to it. From what I understand, they made the gameplay close to the original game, that means none of the pair up nonsense from recent games. Unfortunately, that also means no weapon triangle. I also recall reading that they considered adding an avatar character, and I approve of the decision to not shoehorn one in.

    I'm not really sold on the dungeon exploration aspect. It doesn't really add much and the controls are clunky. Doubly so on both points when inside towns and bases.

    The (low) difficulty is also worth mentioning. Instead of Awakening and Fates where it starts out impossible and becomes a cakewalk later on, Echoes has been fairly easy throughout Act 1 and 2 on Normal. I would recommend playing on Hard. You can make of that what you will, but I consider it a slight improvement, as the first playthrough is for seeing the story without too much frustration and later playthroughs are for higher difficulty.    … Expand
  67. jbakes25
    May 23, 2017
    10
    I gave this game a 10 because I cannot stop playing this game. It is so addictive. The story, the characters, the gameplay, the music, and the nostalgia. This is a wonderful remake of a classic Fire Emblem game that introduced so many elements that we see throughout the Fire Emblem series. The game keeps a lot of same features from the original game and I love it when Fire Emblem doesI gave this game a 10 because I cannot stop playing this game. It is so addictive. The story, the characters, the gameplay, the music, and the nostalgia. This is a wonderful remake of a classic Fire Emblem game that introduced so many elements that we see throughout the Fire Emblem series. The game keeps a lot of same features from the original game and I love it when Fire Emblem does this. It makes you play the game with a whole new perspective from having no weapon triangle, one inventory slot, bases sending enemy parties after your characters, and dungeons to explore. Each battle required some good thinking into the strategy and playing with 2 different parties was fun. The story is good, the music is great, and I look forward to future remakes of classic Fire Emblem games, that bring back memories of my first Fire Emblem game, the Blazing Sword when it was released in NA. Any Fire Emblem fan whether a veteran or newcomer will enjoy this game.… Expand
  68. King_Saul
    May 22, 2017
    9
    This game has surprised me for the attention to detail alone:

    -Things like the animations, when Alm or Celica are in a stair his/her legs will align to the steps. -The combat is simple but fun, there is the lack of the weapon triangle but it would unbalance the game, because the majority of the enemies use Lances, and Axes are locked to an enemy only class. -The focus on character    This game has surprised me for the attention to detail alone:

    -Things like the animations, when Alm or Celica are in a stair his/her legs will align to the steps.

    -The combat is simple but fun, there is the lack of the weapon triangle but it would unbalance the game, because the majority of the enemies use Lances, and Axes are locked to an enemy only class.

    -The focus on character interaction is amazing, the characters feel as if they were real people with relatable traits, and the revamped story is great, its a breath of fresh air after the disappointment of Fates.

    -You may only hold an item, but this is a non issue with the skill system that gives variety.

    -The magic might seem broken at first but it is controlled by the fact that it uses your HP, the music is the best in the series, and it doesn't repeat a single song to the point of disliking it (looking at you Lost in Thoughts All Alone).

    I will give it a 9/10 for how well it performs, there are things like the sub-par Awakening map design and the enemy witches.    … Expand
  69. marcostoso27
    May 19, 2017
    10
    Otimo jogo com uma trilha sonora sensacional.Com certeza um remake indispensável da serie e recomendo para quem ta iniciando sua aventura pela franquia.
  70. Hugothester
    May 24, 2017
    10
    Compared to previous 3ds Fire Emblem games this is a huge improvement, the changes feel refreshing (though might be confusing to new players) graphics are impressive for the console and gameplay is spot on. What surprised me the most was character development, which was amazing, maybe because it was more focused on the main characters and less on love-life.
    Probably the best game in the    Compared to previous 3ds Fire Emblem games this is a huge improvement, the changes feel refreshing (though might be confusing to new players) graphics are impressive for the console and gameplay is spot on. What surprised me the most was character development, which was amazing, maybe because it was more focused on the main characters and less on love-life.
    Probably the best game in the 3ds if you like this kind of games.    … Expand
  71. MidnightClip
    May 23, 2017
    10
    Honestly this is a game I have been waiting for since my disappointment with Fates. The writing from Fates to Echoes has been a great improvement. Pair this with the excellent voice acting and I would wager that this might be the best 3DS era story for Fire Emblem. The maps may be barren, and lacks the modern mechanics such as pair ups but that does not mean that echoes is any less aHonestly this is a game I have been waiting for since my disappointment with Fates. The writing from Fates to Echoes has been a great improvement. Pair this with the excellent voice acting and I would wager that this might be the best 3DS era story for Fire Emblem. The maps may be barren, and lacks the modern mechanics such as pair ups but that does not mean that echoes is any less a tactical rpg. The much more weaker units with the fatigue mechanic forces you to use everyone in your army instead of relying on only one great unit to steam roll your enemies. The game might feel "simplistic" but a can guarantee series veterans and newcomers looking for a good challenge and a well told story with likable characters will enjoy this entry in Fire Emblem.… Expand
  72. TheRavingTimes
    May 21, 2017
    7
    Let me get this out of the way, but I've been a huge fan of the Fire Emblem series ever since I played Shadow Dragon. However, I'd argue that Fire Emblem Gaiden is one of the worst games in the franchise due to terrible map designs, gameplay choices and a plot that barely makes sense. Thankfully Echoes tries its best to resolve these issues to the best of its abilities. Realistically,Let me get this out of the way, but I've been a huge fan of the Fire Emblem series ever since I played Shadow Dragon. However, I'd argue that Fire Emblem Gaiden is one of the worst games in the franchise due to terrible map designs, gameplay choices and a plot that barely makes sense. Thankfully Echoes tries its best to resolve these issues to the best of its abilities. Realistically, there's no way to work around the poor map design that forced players to spend 10-20 turns moving their units to the enemies front-lines. Thankfully, the poor gameplay mechanics from Gaiden have been altered to add a little more depth ranging from skills that can activate during battle at the cost of HP, the ability to arrange your units before non-dungeon battles and supports to give your units a small boost in battle. However, compared to Awakening and Fates there is a LOT of content that remained absent ranging from the ability to pair units, carry more than one item/weapon, the weapon triangle, equipable skills and A LOT more. Thankfully the battles are more fast-paced and the inclusion of full-voice acting during in-game dialogue. The dungeons you can explore are a nice addition, though controlling Alm/Celica in these dungeons feel stiff and sometimes I'm ambushed by a bandit or a terror due to these poor controls. The music is also amazing, though it easily pales in comparison to Fates OST. A majority of the characters in this game are fairly interesting, though it feels like they either fit the category of offering relevance to the plot (like Lukas, Clive and both protagonists) or exist for the comedic value (like Gray, Tobin, Mae and Boey) Overall I enjoyed Fire Emblem Echoes, though I feel like that the attempts to retain some of Gaiden's unique gameplay mechanics damaged the experience for me. If you're a newcomer to the series, you should stick to Awakening or Fates Birthright version. But you're a veteran to the series, you may want to check this game out when you have a chance.… Expand
  73. MediaFreak
    Jul 27, 2017
    7
    The worst fire emblem title in years.

    I get it, it's a remake of a classic fire emblem so doesn't have all the new stuff, but the game has come along way in 25 years. The graphics look great outside of the actual battles, but the battle themselves look much in need if update, more akin to shadow dragon than any of the more modern titles. Even the art style of the game boy advance    The worst fire emblem title in years.

    I get it, it's a remake of a classic fire emblem so doesn't have all the new stuff, but the game has come along way in 25 years.

    The graphics look great outside of the actual battles, but the battle themselves look much in need if update, more akin to shadow dragon than any of the more modern titles. Even the art style of the game boy advance games was more pleasant than this. All the troops looks sametpy which makes them hard to care about.

    The battles the self are just lacking so more depth that any previous game I've played in the series offers (aka everything that came out in the west). The 3rd person exploration bits are like something about of the persona games, except they feel even clunkier to control and just out of place in a game like this.

    I rushed the 3rd story of fates due to how soon after this game came out (a year isn't long to play essentially 3 fire emblem games) and wish I hadn't, because even the story can't be save this game.

    A huge dip in quality for fire emblem and a game that was probably too faithful to the original. Only for die hard fans and even then you'll probably be dissatisfied.    … Expand
  74. BillzHere
    Nov 7, 2017
    4
    I was extremely hyped for this game, I wanted it to be so amazing. The thought of them bringing back an old, unknown game to the west just ensnared me, and I could not wait for this game to come. I was stupid. This game was just painfully, a disappointment.

    Now, not too much is inherently wrong with the game. For the niche amount of people who aren't too invested in the Fire Emblem    I was extremely hyped for this game, I wanted it to be so amazing. The thought of them bringing back an old, unknown game to the west just ensnared me, and I could not wait for this game to come. I was stupid. This game was just painfully, a disappointment.

    Now, not too much is inherently wrong with the game. For the niche amount of people who aren't too invested in the Fire Emblem franchise, this game is a remake of Fire Emblem Gaiden, the second Fire Emblem game in the series. Otherwise known as one of the worst to grace the franchise. So of course, you'd expect them to improve what made that game bad and rectify it more than 20 years later. Sure...

    To it's credit, Shadows of Valentia has got very nice unit artwork and a great soundtrack, which makes the game very attractive. Characters have average VOs, but they fit the bill for each character. These things attracted me to the game, and for a while I thought the game was incredible. I played the game under this facade until I hit the final level. That's where I snapped and I saw the true flaws of this game.

    Shadows of Valentia continues on the Fates tradition of removing staple features of Fire Emblem games. In this installment, the developers removed the ever-so iconic weapon triangle, further degrading any sort of strategy you put into the game. Not only removing that and still keeping no-durability from Fates, they also give every character a 'one item only' carry limit where in other previous games a character could carry about 5 items. Being restricted like this makes gameplay extremely frustrating, and in some cases forces you to grind so you can get past certain parts of the game.

    I've never played Gaiden, after attempting to play the original Fire Emblem on a NES emulator, I just never bothered. From what I've seen though, they've apparently re-used old Gaiden maps in Shadows of Valentia, which makes sense since the game is a remake. However, they are almost identical, as in no changes to the maps whatsoever. Which doesn't compliment any of the newer systems they've inputted in this installment.

    The story is strange, but pretty generic when you get past all of the confusing bits. You'll find yourself scratching your head for the most part.

    This game is not good. It's below average in my opinion. I had expected a lot more from this one, but was left sorely disappointed. It seems like these last couple of Fire Emblem titles have been going two steps forward, and then two steps backwards. This game almost feels like a game trying to be Fire Emblem with a very nice Fire Emblem paint job. If you like Fire Emblem, then you should buy this game when it's on sale, because it is certainly not worth the $40 base price.    … Expand
  75. fishychoo
    May 23, 2017
    10
    FE Echoes is a very welcomed edition to the series as well as a great remake to boot. As someone who personally has never played the original or any of the previous entries before Awakening the clear defining factor between the old generation and new is fairly clear. I am all in for the pair up system and marriage that was present in the last 4 games (I'm counting Fates as 3 separate gamesFE Echoes is a very welcomed edition to the series as well as a great remake to boot. As someone who personally has never played the original or any of the previous entries before Awakening the clear defining factor between the old generation and new is fairly clear. I am all in for the pair up system and marriage that was present in the last 4 games (I'm counting Fates as 3 separate games to be more specific) that have been release but once I started playing Echoes which has none of those features I actually found myself enjoying it more now that I don't have to worry about constantly moving units around on the field just to build up relationships. The difficulty as well compared to the previous games is also to my liking more so in this entry just due to the fact that even playing on casual mode still provides a challenge in of itself (one with no weapon triangle and and secondly with terrain effects but personally I couldn't live with myself if I lost 2 of my beloved characters for the entire game if I played on classic lol) and please don't get me started on the RNG factor xD All in all Echoes is a solid faithful traditional tactical RPG without the ridiculous amount of fan service which I fear a lot of JRPGs in general are getting too much of nowadays and a great remake of it's original. (When you can sit and play for 6+ hours straight in my case it's a terrific game :P)… Expand
  76. Cartoondudedub
    Jun 9, 2017
    8
    Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia does not follow the Fire Emblem formula as much as previous entries. Since Echoes is a remake of Fire Emblem Gaiden it lacks some of the staple mechanics that fans love such as the weapon triangle, class skills, and branching promotions, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. Fire Emblem hosts many mechanics that may overwhelm new players, soFire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia does not follow the Fire Emblem formula as much as previous entries. Since Echoes is a remake of Fire Emblem Gaiden it lacks some of the staple mechanics that fans love such as the weapon triangle, class skills, and branching promotions, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. Fire Emblem hosts many mechanics that may overwhelm new players, so getting rid of a couple may actually do Echoes a favor.
    For veteran fans it may be odd to attack a sword unit with a lance unit, but it doesn't take much time to adjust. In fact, this game feels closer to an action RPG with the classic grid-based battles Fire Emblem is known for. The dungeons offer a fun distraction from the constant big battles that vets are used to. The map design within dungeons aren't particularly challenging because they're generally just a square with maybe a few chunks of terrain spaces between your units and the enemies. The same can be said for many of the main battle maps that progress the story. Most of the maps that aren't huge fields with some terrain spaces randomly strewn about the area are probably two open fields connected by a small lane generally 1-2 spaces wide. It may feel a bit disappointing hot off the heels of the great maps in Fire Emblem Fates: Conquest and Revelation, but I see this more as an opportunity to greet new players into the franchises combat system. These problems likely occur only because Echoes was meant to be as true as it could be to Gaiden-which was made on inferior technology. Mila's turnwheel also helps newcomers, but for veterans it can just be used to abuse the RNG system like an enemy hitting a low % critical hit.
    Supports makes a return in this game-even though it wasn't in Gaiden- and gives Intelligent Systems an opportunity to flesh out some characters that originally only had minimal development. Support conversations return to the battlefield like in the Gameboy titles, but there are a few changes. For one, there is no menu that directly tells you who can support with who. There are also passive supports-as they're referred to on the Fire Emblem Wiki-that provide a character with combat bonuses, but they cannot have a conversation with them. For example, Alm-one of the main characters-gets supports from the four characters who are childhood friends with him, but he can only converse with one of them-Faye. The pair-up system is gone, but, instead, when a unit is about to enter combat there will be small portraits in the upper-left of the screen indicating who the character is getting a support bonus from. You can get support bonuses from units who are more than one space away, but those portraits are the only way to know who a unit can support with. Besides support conversations, you can also converse with units in villages and Mila Shrines, and these conversations can also provide greater insight into a character. Marriage is taken out of the game-therefore kids have been removed as well-which is fine from a story standpoint and is a welcome removal.
    The story is far better than Fates' and doesn't stumble towards the end like Awakening's, but it definitely is not the most impressive. Fire Emblem's stories have never been innovative or magnificent, but, rather, its the characters that we get the most enjoyment out of-which there are plenty to enjoy. The story is competent and does a good job of developing some of the characters over others. The main enemies are hit-or-miss depending on who you are, but full voice-acting does wonders for the series. In every conversation I listened to with characters, none of the voice actors do a poor job. I applaud the localization efforts 8-4, Nintendo, and the voice actors. The translation is far better than Fates' and the characters feel so much more real and animated than they ever would have been in simple phrases that have nothing to with the actual text. In addition to these feats, Echoes boasts some of the best music in the entire franchise. In all of Act 1 you hear March of Deliverance (Prologue), but when you get the final battle of the act it switches to just March of the Deliverance and the change is just excellent. The overworld themes all do an excellent job as well, and, overall, the music and sound design in this game is exemplary.
    The combat animations aren't over the top like some of Fates' and the Gameboy titles', but they certainly are fluid and nice enough to look at. The character portraits all look very detailed and well done, so that is a job well done on the artists.
    Overall, this game is a welcome entry to the franchise. It feels the least Fire Emblem-y of all the ones I've played, and I see it as the best game to introduce people unfamiliar with the franchise and genre with. Map design is overall mediocre and the rest of my problems with this game are a bit nit-picky. If you can only see one major problem with a game and get into smaller problems than I think you have a great game on your hands.    … Expand
  77. andarial6670
    May 22, 2017
    2
    There are so many differences between what Echoes provides and what other Fire Emblem games have had for the past decade. These are the differences I am displeased with:

    This game feels extremely oversimplified, compared to even Fire Emblem Heroes, which is free on mobile. There is no weapon triangle, in fact you won't get any playable axe units at all. Axe users are exclusively enemy    There are so many differences between what Echoes provides and what other Fire Emblem games have had for the past decade. These are the differences I am displeased with:

    This game feels extremely oversimplified, compared to even Fire Emblem Heroes, which is free on mobile. There is no weapon triangle, in fact you won't get any playable axe units at all. Axe users are exclusively enemy only, and they are all 'the same', because of the lack of class diversity.

    More on that: Class diversity is horrible. Here your lance users: Cavaliers, Knights, Falcon knights. All of these characters will use lances and only lances, and they will, like all the other classes, promote in a straight line, instead of having any choices. You have one bow class line that gets to ride a pony in his final form. You get one sword class line that for some reason can promote backwards into a villager and then respec into any of the other classes. The mages are a little better; they all heal, move the same, and attack the same, but some can do one thing differently, like warp instead of rescue.

    You can't buy anything. You can only upgrade what few items that are in the game. But that's 'okay', because all units can only carry one item anyway. So in past Fire Emblem games, you could have something like a Great Knight (on horse) who was a heavy armored calvary unit that could use axes, swords, and lances, as well as several variations such as the 'creaver' type(opposite weapon triangle effect), critical hit type, ranged type, armor slaying type, dragon slaying type, horse slaying type, double hit type, etc. Now, units can only use one type of weapon, any non-default weapon would also occupy the item slot, and most of the weapon diversity itself is also gone. There's actually a lot of item diversity in the food consumables. Like, we got oranges, water, soup, bread, flour, carrot, holey cheese, blue cheese, meat, herring, fishes, ham, honey, cookies, yogurt butter, and MANA herbs, and all of them do the exact same thing: they restore some HP, and literally nothing else. The game developers actually foresaw this, as I can rename my forged items to Dick, Bigger Dick, Long Dick, and tinypenis to artificially improve weapon diversity.

    Instead of being able to learn a variety of skills like in Fates/Awakening, you can only get skills from your base class, or from the one item you're holding. You can 'learn' skills from these items--- but can only use those skills when you have that one item equipped. Skills that could buffchange stats passively/actively/for another unit is basically a mechanic that has been preserved by this new downgraded item system. Marriage/avatar is also gone.

    The maps are so so bad. These are carbon copies of the maps used in Gaiden, which had so much useless open space that just threw any positioning strategy out the window. You also get to use all of your units, dumbing the game down even further. They seriously could have at least made some improvements in this area, as it certainly wasn't one of Gaiden's strengths. Am I imagining things or did Fire Emblem games used to have fog, darkness, destructible environment, intelligent design?The most interactive and interesting map element in Echoes has been the occasional bridge.

    As a strategy game, this feels really weak. Many strategic elements of past fire emblem games are downgraded or removed completely, and everything, the units, the maps, the items, feels homogenized. Most of the new features also seem unimpressive or completely inconsequential (fatigue being such a trivial element it might as well not be included at all). The 'explorable' villages and dungeons are just linear, forgettable time sinks. The unit sprites also look incredibly ugly. But the story is still better than Fates, sooo...2/10? I'll just roll the dice on the rating like nintendo did with this game    … Expand
  78. Rtheom
    Jun 14, 2017
    6
    Definitely the weakest game in the series, unfortunately, Echoes is kind of a grind all around. Between poor map design that forces you to spend several turns just moving to combat while heavily funneling you, forcing you to fight with only a couple of characters at once, enemies that infinitely spawn more enemies, the fatigue system that does nothing but drag out already boring battles,Definitely the weakest game in the series, unfortunately, Echoes is kind of a grind all around. Between poor map design that forces you to spend several turns just moving to combat while heavily funneling you, forcing you to fight with only a couple of characters at once, enemies that infinitely spawn more enemies, the fatigue system that does nothing but drag out already boring battles, the lack of the combat triangle to add tactical depth, and the extreme simplification of the item system, you really feel like you're spending A LOT of time putting in work just to advance the story of the game. Fortunately the characters and story are very strong and the only reason I did push though this mostly frustrating grindfest. As others have said, newcomers should stick to Awakening, this is really only good for vets that are already willing to put the time in.… Expand
  79. Prinny101
    May 19, 2017
    3
    A huge step back after the fire emblem fates. It does not have anything, especially for a $ 100 game. Pairing? Gone. Perks? Gone. Weapon triangle? Gone. No more tactics, now it's just a "go and punch".
  80. hahahacker
    Jul 4, 2017
    3
    Even fates had be more interesting characters i find Cecilia incredibly unlikable the fact we can only have one item and that we need items for skills means that all our healing comes from mages who are then unable to attack and the combat system is a pretty large downgrade
  81. salanzxd
    Dec 19, 2017
    10
    este juego se gana el 10/10 una historia excelente que te envuelve y los giros que da no puedes predecir que sucederá, el modo de juego sigue fiel a un fire emblem personajes muy carismáticos lo único malo es sus DLC que son mas un agregado un poco innecesario me encante y es un recomendado
  82. PlayorNaygames
    Jan 21, 2020
    6
    Don't go into Shadows of Valentia thinking you'll have a standard Fire Emblem experience. There's a lot of odd design choices, some good, some bad. Since this game is a remake, there's also some old-school rough edges that were not touched. Here are the differences:

    -No weapons triangle or durability. Money is used simply for upgrades to existing weapons. Your units can only hold 1 item    Don't go into Shadows of Valentia thinking you'll have a standard Fire Emblem experience. There's a lot of odd design choices, some good, some bad. Since this game is a remake, there's also some old-school rough edges that were not touched. Here are the differences:

    -No weapons triangle or durability. Money is used simply for upgrades to existing weapons. Your units can only hold 1 item and learn skills from that item. When you take off the item you lose access to the skill sadly. The game still has the FE problem of "arts" not being worth using most of the time. This time, Arts and magic cost health to use, so for physical arts especially, they aren't worth the hp cost and loss of a double attack most of the time. There's no UI to easily flip through your skills like in FE: 3 Houses either.
    -Very strange "required" skills to beat levels that the game doesn't tell you you need. There are some enemies that spawn 4-8 enemies every turn and there is a spell that will insta-kill 2-5 of them you can use every turn, for example. You will not know that the spell exists or when you'll get it, leading to frustration if you try to complete a map that requires it without it. There's several other instances of this as well.
    -3rd person dungeons for side quests and loot. I liked this, but there is too many generic battles and combat is too slow. Dungeons are relatively small and you have to revisit them as you get quests to go back.
    -2 different armies that you have to flip back and forth to. I didn't care for building up 2 different armies because you're basically doing the same thing over again. Double the grind for no reason other than to increase the play time they boast on the back of the box. You also have to use an annoying to find NPC to ship items back and forth between armies.
    -Tons of generic, repetitive unavoidable battles. As time passes on the world map, the enemy will send out troops to fight. Also, certain areas will have enemy armies respawn every time you pass by the area. This happens frequently and you'll be going back and forth a lot trying to find new NPCs in the same areas you have visited before.
    -Maps that are poorly designed. Lots of annoying mechanics that waste time and test your patience. From what I have read, they are copy/paste from the original game. I think they could of spent time redesigning the maps to be more interesting. For example, there are quite a few desert maps that will reduce movement significantly and you'll spend 4-5 turns just getting in position. Why? There are many maps that have choke points that highly favor the enemy. Since most of your units won't be 1 shoting enemies, there's a slog to get through the choke point while archers (which have crazy range in this, 5+ squares) rain down on you. It's simply not fun.

    That said, the story is standard JRPG anime fantasy. There is a lot of English Voice acting, which is nice, with a few recognizable voices you may have heard elsewhere. The visuals are better looking than FE Fates for the character models, but the environments, towns, NPCs, ect. are very generic and lack detail. There's a lot of repeated dialog in towns from your party members. Side quests are rudimentary, but quick normally. I find the rewards don't usually equate to the effort to complete some of them.

    Overall, FE: SoV is a good game, but not the one fans deserve. I would recommend this to extreme FE enthusiasts only.    … Expand
  83. Rstiles7
    Jun 7, 2018
    7
    When Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia was first announced, I was really excited, as it meant that I would get to experience a Japan-only Fire Emblem title for the first time. Once the game came out, it did two things for me: it did a good job of showing me why long-time veterans of the series speak so highly of the older titles, but it also perfectly showed off exactly why theWhen Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia was first announced, I was really excited, as it meant that I would get to experience a Japan-only Fire Emblem title for the first time. Once the game came out, it did two things for me: it did a good job of showing me why long-time veterans of the series speak so highly of the older titles, but it also perfectly showed off exactly why the series has evolved and moved on from its beginnings.

    Before I get into this game's major problems, I will first address its strengths, as there definitely are great things about this game. First off, the story is great, and has excellent writing and execution. In addition to the story, the characters are pretty memorable too, with standouts being Alm, Clair, Saber, and Berkut. Both of these elements are a big step up from Fates (though that really isn't saying much). Finally, I have to give the game credit for trying something different and feeling like a unique game as a whole, considering it introduced new mechanics such as dungeon crawling. Other great elements include the soundtrack and the fact that your actions and choices actually have an impact on the story.

    While Echoes may succeed in quite a few departments, it unfortunately has some insanely glaring flaws that cannot be looked past. The gameplay in this game is archaic and boring thanks to the omission of the weapon triangle, AKA the mechanic that makes Fire Emblem the strategy series it is. Now, you might be saying that Fire Emblem Gaiden (the original game) did not have the weapon triangle either, so its a problem, but that is a terrible reason not to include it now considering the whole point of a remake is to make a game feel more modern and advanced. Secondly, the map design in this game is unacceptable, as nearly every map in this game is either an open field that is way larger than it has any reason to be or map that is designed specifically to be biased against the player. Want proof? Look at every single swamp map and the enemy placement within them. Also, the RNG system in this game is broken as hell, and I cannot tell you how many times I had a 90+ hit chance but still missed. I don't mind missing a 90 hit chance every now and then, but when I miss like one or two every map, it becomes a constant issue and annoyance. Other issues include the lack of replay value, thanks to the fact that the game never limits the number of units you can use per map (and using less units in this game does not make the game feel more fun and challenging), the horrible difficulty scaling, and poor excuse for support conversations.

    All and all, I would call Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia a great remake, but not a great game. Because it does a great job of feeling like a unique and modern Fire Emblem title, but lacks severely in many departments. Echoes is a mixed bag, but overall I would call a frustrating gameplay experience but pleasant story experience. If you are a long time fan of the series or strategy RPG's in general, give this game a try, but otherwise, I wouldn't recommend this game to anyone else.    … Expand
  84. HarrySatschel
    Nov 27, 2018
    7
    A good entry in the FE series. There are quite a few changes in the combat system compared to other recent FE entries, most of the changes I enjoyed. I like most of the characters in this one. It helps that the voice acting is quite well done in the English version. I also like the change to 2d cutscenes instead of cgi. Also the character models in this one even have feet.

    Overall the    A good entry in the FE series. There are quite a few changes in the combat system compared to other recent FE entries, most of the changes I enjoyed. I like most of the characters in this one. It helps that the voice acting is quite well done in the English version. I also like the change to 2d cutscenes instead of cgi. Also the character models in this one even have feet.

    Overall the story was quite good, but I have two complaints. First, way too much heavy handed situational irony. Like instead of hinting at an interesting part of the story that might get fully revealed later, they hammer away again and again the same point until it's painfully obvious and even frustrating that the characters haven't realized it yet. Also the unrequited love interests. There are always multiple characters in every FE game who are defined entirely by their obsession with another character.    … Expand
  85. sandora85
    Jan 17, 2021
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Worst story I everseen every cutscene make angry you Celica most idiotic and selfish person.MC is a cry baby and how many times enemy escape your hand omfg.… Expand
  86. ThePSButton
    Apr 8, 2020
    7
    Los calabozos son un concepto muy interesante, pero no se explota lo suficiente. En general es un Fire Emblem de buena calidad. Lo que más le duele es la ausencia del triángulo de armas.
  87. DigaHole
    Apr 6, 2020
    7
    Felt kinda boring in some parts, due to unnecessary spamming of some opponents, but in the end a pretty good title with loveable characters and the best soundtrack ever in the final boss battle. What a f****** anthem.
  88. Hasancan2001
    Dec 27, 2020
    6
    I started playing this game so that I could work my way up to the last game because I knew that if I played them in reverse order everything would seem old and clunky. So this is my first experience with fire emblem and it gravely disappointed me. I started the game in classic mode to the full experience and was amazed by how well the game pulled you into it's story and immediately madeI started playing this game so that I could work my way up to the last game because I knew that if I played them in reverse order everything would seem old and clunky. So this is my first experience with fire emblem and it gravely disappointed me. I started the game in classic mode to the full experience and was amazed by how well the game pulled you into it's story and immediately made you care about the characters. The story was instantly compelling and dialogues as well as character models were excellent. Every character felt like they were an actual person. I started my first few fights and loved the sharpness of the gameplay despite the lack of enemy variety in the game. I could only manage the health of my characters, the weapons triangle wasn't there (yet). But I kept on playing because the fighting animations were done very well and theydidn't get old quick despite them being repetitive. I hit my first and last wall with the leather shield merc. He felt impossible to get through with all my characters still intact. So I couldn't, after many quit and reloads the best performance I got was killing the guy while only sacrificing Tobin. He had volunteered to join our quest so he could make the money to feed his family. It was sad seeing him go like that, I mourned my loss and moved on to the outpost I had recovered from the enemy. The game broke before my eyes when I entered the dungeons and the game showed a dialogue scene where Tobin -whom just sacrified his life for the quest- was casually chatting with Gray. My actions that were supposed to have so much weight just seemed dismal and the game degraded from a perilous journey of a group of friends where every decision of their leader mattered and had tangible meaning, to a strategy game that lacked depth and repeated itself way too often at the beginning stage. I know it was way too early to judge the fighting system but the lack of weight your decisions have on the story would only get worse and that was for me the main selling point of the game. I can think of many games with much better strategy elements, the perma-death system was the thing that made the game unique and it still does -except for x-com?- but you should know that it has no applications to the story. I will try my luck with other games from the series but so far this franchise has disappointed me.… Expand
  89. Zorwasa
    Aug 9, 2021
    0
    the dungeons a terrible, later on into the game you have you main character fight 1v10 and its rng if you win or not, and thats at the end of the dungeon, so if you lose you have to replay an 1 hour of gameplay, so **** terrible game design
  90. Kalcool12
    Dec 4, 2022
    3
    | Nothing Redeeming |

    I don't want to be too harsh in this game because there are certainly some things I enjoyed. From the combat, many of the characters, and a lot of ideas I thought were very good. However... there's nothing else. The game attempted to implement this exploration-dungeon thing, and I did not enjoy it. The game had different characters than the previous    | Nothing Redeeming |

    I don't want to be too harsh in this game because there are certainly some things I enjoyed. From the combat, many of the characters, and a lot of ideas I thought were very good. However... there's nothing else.

    The game attempted to implement this exploration-dungeon thing, and I did not enjoy it. The game had different characters than the previous installments, and none are as memorable as Awakening's or Fates' characters. The story is interesting and builds up to big surprises, but nothing comes close to the Lucina twist or Grima storyline or Three Houses' twists or... yeah.

    Overall, this is a game that follows the Fire Emblem formula, but with nothing better than its contemporaries.    … Expand
  91. klaaz
    Jan 25, 2023
    6
    A remake that feels old because it is afraid to change outdated mechanics from its original version even though they had already been modernized in FE Awakening and Fates.
  92. JustAGameGuy
    May 14, 2023
    4
    Easily my least favourite 3DS Fire Emblem. Playing through this game was miserable, with a mediocre story and boring gameplay. After the great time I had playing Fates and Awakening, I was hoping to enjoy Shadows of Valentia, before I was met with a terrible omen of things to come - one inventory slot. As the game progresses, things get worse. Boring boat maps, Cantors infinitely spawningEasily my least favourite 3DS Fire Emblem. Playing through this game was miserable, with a mediocre story and boring gameplay. After the great time I had playing Fates and Awakening, I was hoping to enjoy Shadows of Valentia, before I was met with a terrible omen of things to come - one inventory slot. As the game progresses, things get worse. Boring boat maps, Cantors infinitely spawning monsters - and later on - teleporting witches, desert maps that slow anyone without a Pegasus to a crawl, swamp maps that force you to walk through damaging swamps just to complete the map - there’s no other way to beat them!

    I ended up quitting the game right as I reached act 5, because despite the fact that I was so close to finishing, I could not handle it anymore. Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia is a miserable experience and I could only ever recommend it to superfans of the Fire Emblem Series.    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

7
#7 Best 3DS Game of 2017
4
#4 Most Discussed 3DS Game of 2017
2
#2 Most Shared 3DS Game of 2017

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
81

Generally favorable reviews - based on 76 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 67 out of 76
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 76
  3. Negative: 0 out of 76
  1. Riot Pixels
    Aug 25, 2017
    76
    Even though Shadows of Valentia lacks some of the cool ideas from the previous installments in the Fire Emblem series, this tactics game is very addictive. It’s head and shoulders above the dull Fire Emblem: Fates.
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  2. Nintendojo
    Aug 16, 2017
    91
    Fire Emblem has come to be one of Nintendo’s premier franchises, with Shadows of Valentia further cementing the series’ sterling reputation. This is some of the best storytelling and gameplay anyone could hope for on any platform, whether home or portable. Its presentation belies the fact that the game is running on a portable console, and the clever additions to the familiar Fire Emblem formula have yet again breathed new life into a series that has never been stagnant. There are other features waiting to be enjoyed, like the addition of Amiibo that bring new dungeons and fighters, a StreetPass feature, and more. It’s likely that other than Fire Emblem Warriors this will be the last time the franchise appears on 3DS, but it’s going to be a long goodbye—expect to sink many hours into this adventure. Alm and Celica have firmly cemented themselves into the ranks of my favorite Fire Emblem characters, and I hope that when the series transitions to Switch it will be half as entertaining as Shadows of Valentia.
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  3. NZGamer
    Jul 14, 2017
    90
    Fire Emblem Echoes is the second best entry in the new generation of Fire Emblem games, ranking lower than Awakening, but higher than Fates. Tight storytelling, paired with challenging gameplay, makes for a thoroughly enjoyable experience, as accessible to new players as it is inviting to old. Watch out for tantalising-but-expensive DLC, and a bit of a nerf on older consoles. It’ll be hard for the next Fire Emblem to step out from under the Shadows of Valentia.
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