Fire Emblem Fates: Birthright

 3DS
User Score
7.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 528 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 376 out of 528
  2. Mixed: 78 out of 528
  3. Negative: 74 out of 528
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  1. EpicLadySponge
    Feb 29, 2016
    8
    And again even in Conquest, there's still more negative ratings than mixed ratings on Birthright. Something's definitely wrong with these users nowadays.
  2. Se7en717
    Feb 23, 2016
    10
    ***TLDR: Don't Listen To People Bashing The Game Because Of Cut Content. It Is An AMAZING GAME***

    I haven't completed the game yet (Chapter 20 so far), but this is by far more than what I could wish for. Yes, some stuff was cut/censored for localization but NoA will learn from that mistake. Dual Audio couldn't be brought to western countries because a different recording studio was used    ***TLDR: Don't Listen To People Bashing The Game Because Of Cut Content. It Is An AMAZING GAME***

    I haven't completed the game yet (Chapter 20 so far), but this is by far more than what I could wish for. Yes, some stuff was cut/censored for localization but NoA will learn from that mistake. Dual Audio couldn't be brought to western countries because a different recording studio was used this time around for the japanese voice actors and one of the voice actors has a union contract which cannot be breached. Some of the stuff was over the top with the censorship (like some names being changed by 1 letter), but it's nothing I can't live with. The petting mini-game was (mostly) cut. When I say mostly, you can still pet your waifu to wake them up and blow into the mic to blow steam after they had a bath in the hot springs. By the time you get to end game, you get tired of playing those mini-games anyway so doing it with everyone would have been an optional hassle (I have OCD). Audio was also cut but it still has a massive 1500 lines of dialog (if not more). The people complaining just can't cope with change. There is a massive difference between Western Culture and Japanese, so some of it made sense some of it didn't but in the end it didn't take away from the experience for me. The combat is amazing as usual. They improved on many things that needed improvement from awakening. Conquest has more classical/western types of weapons and Birthright has more asian themed weapons. The online features are great. Being able to travel to different peoples castle and buy their weapons/accessories/resources/etc feels like I am not alone in this fight. Speaking of which, Accessories!!! These make your units feel more unique as you can add features to your characters (like hair ribbons/glasses/shields/etc). It is a small feature but makes you feel as if each character is unique to you, the player. They have improved on the way your units pair up and fight with your other units. Now, if you just want stat gains/protection/build your support, you need to pair them up. Otherwise, it is more viable to fight side-by-side/behind/etc for 2 units to attack a target as that is the only way to do it now which brings out more strategy to the game. The story has massively improved from awakening. IMHO, Awakening had a "bland" storyline and was predictable in many areas whereas this game's storyline had me in "AWE" in every chapter. In Awakening, I only had a specific amount of people I had any interest in but whereas this game, every time I got a new character/read a new support/etc, I kept posting new screenshots on Miiverse updating who my favorite character was (so far I have over 20 favorite characters). I also bought conquest, and have revelations pre-ordered (gamestop), so I will be busy for quite a while. For being the weakest story in this 3 game release, it is still quite the amazing story and feel for my unit throughout his travels. The people who are giving this game a 0 or low score due to cut content, are just mad and I do understand their frustrations as I wish they could have been in this game to make it even more epic but even with the cut content, it is still a massive, entertaining, memorable, and fantastic game that will be going down in my all time favorites. Fire Emblem was endangered when Awakening came out but because of the sales of Awakening, they were able to create this for us which I truly thank the devs for doing so. Please, buy the game and help keep the franchise alive. I am sure NoA has learned their lesson from the public outcry from the fans and will do even better in their next game (hopefully on the nintendo nx) :D    … Expand
  3. VonSeux
    Feb 19, 2016
    9
    Fates is the New Fire Emblem game that come to us as the accomplishment of everything this franchise fought to be; a big, epic game, on the path of Shinning Force III it also offers 3 full-blow scenarios, that might seem like milking too much, but's actually a game with so much beef that can last you a whole year. On Birthright you play as the "goodies" on an traditional japaneseFates is the New Fire Emblem game that come to us as the accomplishment of everything this franchise fought to be; a big, epic game, on the path of Shinning Force III it also offers 3 full-blow scenarios, that might seem like milking too much, but's actually a game with so much beef that can last you a whole year. On Birthright you play as the "goodies" on an traditional japanese landscape. The new classes, maps and gimmicks will keep your FE heart beating fast.… Expand
  4. awakeningfe
    Feb 21, 2016
    10
    Most of the low reviews on this game make no sense. People who liked Fire Emblem Awakening will love this game. The main complaints are about censorship and it seems to be trendy to jump on that bandwagon, but if you actually look up what was changed for the localized version, it's hard to be disappointed. Supposedly you could rub people's faces in My Castle. That seemed weird to me, andMost of the low reviews on this game make no sense. People who liked Fire Emblem Awakening will love this game. The main complaints are about censorship and it seems to be trendy to jump on that bandwagon, but if you actually look up what was changed for the localized version, it's hard to be disappointed. Supposedly you could rub people's faces in My Castle. That seemed weird to me, and after playing the game for almost 10 hours I can tell you, it is definitely not something to "miss."

    The game, so far in my opinion, has improved upon the game mechanics from Awakening. When you pair up with a partner in game there is now offense and defense separately. Standing by your partner is offensive (they will join in on the attack) and having them combined for "pair up" on the same square is defensive where the backup supports your stats but can't be hurt and doesn't fight. Also when you get attacked your shield builds up and you can now see when your support will block an attack for you. You can plan better this way. Small nuances were also added such as the weapons and tomes triangles show the color that you are better than in the bottom of the weapon square. For example sword is red and beats axe which is green so if you have a sword the icon will be mostly red with green on the bottom. Useful and thoughtful. Also when you select a flying unit there will be an exclamation point if someone has a weapon that is strong against Pegasus. These touches are very useful and make the game more seamless. You want to be implementing your strategy and not accidentally doing the wrong thing because you forgot to check a menu detail.

    If you liked Awakening, you'll like this game. Birthright is the easier one. Don't hate on the games being separated or localization that doesn't take away from the game at all. Great game so far 10 hours in.    … Expand
  5. workingforfee
    Feb 19, 2016
    10
    I Have been playing this series for many years. While this one is not my favorite it is definitely good. The art style is as cool as ever and the soundtrack is the best. Wish it wasnt seperated into different versions but they are good in their own rite. Check this out if you are a fan of this world or if you are looking to jump into it for the first time.
  6. CDogg83
    Feb 21, 2016
    9
    People complaining about the price of this need to get a life. Someone said it's $80 with only $50 worth of content, and that is pbjectively false. Considering that each path is a full story, it ends up being $80 for $120 worth of content. I don't see how it's that hard to understand, but to each his own...
  7. lostinthefacts
    Feb 19, 2016
    10
    This is my favorite version. Easier for newer players. Has the best character development. Good gameplay mechanics and awesome soundtrack.Always like games that let me create my own character.
  8. Based_Michalis
    Feb 19, 2016
    10
    Best Story out of all three routes. Gives great character depth to most characters that needed it. It is truly the best out of all three paths and is one of my favorite FE games.
  9. Rtheom
    Feb 21, 2016
    8
    If you liked Awakening, you'll want to play Birthright. It's pretty close to the same, with a few extra bits that aren't necessary but just kinda fun. The story isn't as good as Awakening, and overall I'd say Awakening was better, but its still enjoyable.

    If you've played Awakening, get this. If you haven't, go buy a used copy of that.
  10. lexgamer
    Feb 19, 2016
    10
    I see some people are confused by the version model. These are very different stand alone experiences. Yes, if you reeeally want to choose the other option and didn't know before hand, you have to shell out another $20, but that's still only half the price of another full fire emblem title, which is sweet.
    Oh, and it's really fun :)
  11. vitalemrecords
    Feb 23, 2016
    10
    We can all agree that any negative reviews under 5 are BS, right? This game is near perfect. About as perfect as a game can be. People complaining about the price? You get 3 full games for 80 dollars.
    And the third game is HUGE.
    And in this day and age, get over it. Good things cost money. And the "mini-games are missing" complaint is BS - so you can't stroke your characters - big    We can all agree that any negative reviews under 5 are BS, right? This game is near perfect. About as perfect as a game can be. People complaining about the price? You get 3 full games for 80 dollars.
    And the third game is HUGE.
    And in this day and age, get over it.
    Good things cost money.
    And the "mini-games are missing" complaint is BS - so you can't stroke your characters - big deal - I'm glad it is removed. Seems like meaningless tedium to me.
    So the West got the best version of this game if you ask me.
    And people complaining about the "easy" version - dude you clearly haven't played it. You posted your negative review on the day the game was released.
    Really when you get a negative review on the day of the release you can just assume that person doesn't know what they are talking about - aside from glitches and gamebreaking moments.    … Expand
  12. saltyponiesgo
    Feb 19, 2016
    10
    This games is the best game of the year on the 3ds thus far. The characters are fun and cool and the general design is amazing. Pick up both versions if you can. Special edition is 80 bucks but well worth it if you are a fan of the series.
  13. tobnottb
    Feb 19, 2016
    10
    Good game. Better character development than conquest. If you are into story more than mechanics get this version. Also soundtrack is really awesome. Best part for me is creating your own character.
  14. Eiennai
    Feb 22, 2016
    0
    While the gameplay is really great, the removal of mini games, the awful voice acting and the cut dialog makes Fire Emblem Fates story an unenjoyable mess that is not worth your time.
  15. TheOrange91
    Feb 19, 2016
    0
    I picked up Birthright because I heard it plays more like Awakening, which is what I want since I don't like the formula of the older Fire Emblem games. The problem started the instant I got to Chapter 6, the chapter where you have to choose between siding with Nohr, or siding with Hoshido. What I wasn't aware of going in was that, if I wanted to play as Nohr in Birthright, I would have toI picked up Birthright because I heard it plays more like Awakening, which is what I want since I don't like the formula of the older Fire Emblem games. The problem started the instant I got to Chapter 6, the chapter where you have to choose between siding with Nohr, or siding with Hoshido. What I wasn't aware of going in was that, if I wanted to play as Nohr in Birthright, I would have to pay an ADDITIONAL $20 on top of the $40 for the game (and YET ANOTHER $20 if I want to play the "hidden" third route, Revelations). Not only that, but if I want to play as Nohr, I have to play the game using the formula of the older Fire Emblem games, meaning no "grinding" between missions, which is what I bought Birthright to avoid in the first place. I refuse to pay that, and I'm strongly considering returning the game in the morning. This blatant money-grubbing is completely unacceptable, and I really expected better of Nintendo, It's just... all so disappointing. I'm rating this one 0/10 on principal. If you really love Fire Emblem, you'll find the money to burn on this. Everyone else should stay away; this game is corporate greed at its finest.… Expand
  16. Leo13
    Sep 3, 2019
    6
    This version gets boring fast and is too easy. Get Fire Emblem Awakening or Three Houses instead
  17. frederik1478
    Feb 13, 2020
    5
    Is the weakest game in the fate Trinity Plus it
    has a insane difficulty spike in the end of the game
  18. ShyGuy187
    Mar 4, 2017
    6
    This game has the best class system in the franchise, good mechanics and a huge weapon variety, but as you can see by the score i gave this game is not flawless.
    The protagonist is annoying and bad, they tried to make your avatar a super good person, meaning that he doesn't kill anybody... in a clash of two kingdoms. The narrative and the story are terrible and deserve the protagonist    This game has the best class system in the franchise, good mechanics and a huge weapon variety, but as you can see by the score i gave this game is not flawless.
    The protagonist is annoying and bad, they tried to make your avatar a super good person, meaning that he doesn't kill anybody... in a clash of two kingdoms. The narrative and the story are terrible and deserve the protagonist they have.
    There are very few good maps, mainly because they tried to make the game difficult adding a **** ton of reinforcements, the game is still pretty easy and with always the same objectives.
    That game makes marriage weirder than in real life, you can watch your 2D avatar kiss, wake up and blow the hair of your 2D wife/husband. You can have a baby with another kid, and that kid is introduced in the game by a very poor explanation. JUST BUY CONQUEST.    … Expand
  19. JCgamer18
    Jul 25, 2019
    6
    This game is way more balanced that conquest but its way too easy with only every map doing a single objective and that is kill all enemies. The story is not as good as conquest but that is not saying much since its more basic there is less plot holes but still does not fix the inherent issues. This game does not overstay its welcome but its pretty bland and disappointing for a Fe titleThis game is way more balanced that conquest but its way too easy with only every map doing a single objective and that is kill all enemies. The story is not as good as conquest but that is not saying much since its more basic there is less plot holes but still does not fix the inherent issues. This game does not overstay its welcome but its pretty bland and disappointing for a Fe title after awakening or even its predecessors.… Expand
  20. GoldenJeans37
    Nov 17, 2019
    3
    Oh dear god this game was stupidly easy, even in the hardest difficulty. Everyone is OP, You can solo the game with Setsuna on lunatic (I did). If you're new to Fire Emblem I'd highly suggest going Echoes or Three Houses.
  21. tukumalu
    Nov 14, 2020
    5
    Predictable plot elements, bland characters and underwhelming maps. Such great potential wasted
  22. Kitsune12354
    Aug 29, 2020
    6
    the gameplay is pretty good, the maps are meh but everything else is great. the story is a 5/10 its the best story of the 3 games
  23. piff2000
    Dec 29, 2020
    7
    The story is weaker than Awakening, but the updates to the mechanics are really cool. I still really like this game!
  24. Plumbo2000
    Jan 29, 2023
    6
    It's slightly below average. That's all you can really say about it. If you want gameplay, play Conquest instead. If you want a good Fire Emblem game, play almost anything else.
  25. BasilZero
    Mar 29, 2021
    9
    Game: Fire Emblem Fates Birthright
    Genre: Strategy RPG
    Developer: Intelligent Systems Publisher: Nintendo System: Nintendo 3DS (3DS) Year of Release: 2016 Length of Playthrough: 54 Hours Total Score: 93/100 Value Score: 9.3/10 • Story: 10/10 • Characters: 10/10 • GamePlay: 10/10 • Graphics: 9/10 • Sound: 7/10 • Music: 8/10 • Length: 10/10 • Replay Value: 9/10 •    Game: Fire Emblem Fates Birthright
    Genre: Strategy RPG
    Developer: Intelligent Systems
    Publisher: Nintendo
    System: Nintendo 3DS (3DS)
    Year of Release: 2016
    Length of Playthrough: 54 Hours

    Total Score: 93/100
    Value Score: 9.3/10

    • Story: 10/10
    • Characters: 10/10
    • GamePlay: 10/10
    • Graphics: 9/10
    • Sound: 7/10
    • Music: 8/10
    • Length: 10/10
    • Replay Value: 9/10
    • Player Value: 10/10

    Pros
    +Great story and character interactions
    +Self contained story with a choice that affects characters being available or not
    +Marriage system in tact from Awakening
    +Art and character design as great as Awakening
    +Customizable town system
    +Sidequests available that are free and also from marriages
    +Plenty of opportunities to grind for exp and money outside of main story battles

    Cons
    -Voice acting limited compared to Awakening
    -Full story divided into two other games and as separate DLC
    -Though not needed in this game , there are DLC maps for grinding exp and money

    ---

    Series Scorewise comparison sake

    Fire Emblem Awakening (3DS): 94
    Fire Emblem Fates Birthright (3DS): 93
    Fire Emblem Echoes Shadows of Valentia (3DS): 90    … Expand
  26. Twin2712
    Jul 1, 2016
    9
    + Great difficulty level, its always fair and rewards tactical thinking, and turning off perma death is great for new players
    + watching your units relationships with eachother develop is rewarding and fun
    + Replay value, you can play through any of the campaigns again and have a new experience by favouring different units, trying out different romance paths or upgrading units to    + Great difficulty level, its always fair and rewards tactical thinking, and turning off perma death is great for new players
    + watching your units relationships with eachother develop is rewarding and fun
    + Replay value, you can play through any of the campaigns again and have a new experience by favouring different units, trying out different romance paths or upgrading units to different classes
    + Emotional story with believable characters...

    - ...Even if the dialogue is stilted at times
    - Repetitive level design compared to Conquest/Revelation    … Expand
  27. Xtord
    Jun 13, 2016
    9
    Were to start..before I start. I played trough fire emblem 6,7,8,9,10,11 before this and on the last chapter on awakening doing optimization when it comes to s support , stats and characters/children.

    So what is there to say about fates: Birthright? First lets talk about the difficulty Well firstly i played it on hard ,did two paralogues and barely any grinding. And the game is fairly    Were to start..before I start. I played trough fire emblem 6,7,8,9,10,11 before this and on the last chapter on awakening doing optimization when it comes to s support , stats and characters/children.

    So what is there to say about fates: Birthright?
    First lets talk about the difficulty
    Well firstly i played it on hard ,did two paralogues and barely any grinding. And the game is fairly hard , when people say it is similar to awakening , i can because you have more option to grind , how ever i still found awakening harder. But with that said dont let it surprise you if you end up with some chapters that is really hard. The majority of the chapters i had to use multiple tries to get trough.

    Story- Well it has a better story then in awakening. The story feels more unique and has soem sad moments too. And the villains is mostly good too, with that said i liked some of the villains from the previous entries Aversa from fe 13 etc, Nergal, Limistella, Sonia , Lyon , The black knight etc. But mostly the villains feels a little better.

    Characters- If we count both games i would choose fates, if we count birthright simple vs awakening i prefer awakening cast. But never the less you find a lot of good characters, interesting once and it feels bad when you have to fight your " siblings" no matter what route you choose i guess ( just started conquest)

    Gameplay- Well if you played a fire emblem game you know how this is. The gameplay is similar to awakening with some tweeks like enemy pair up etc. Support is again unlimited. Weapons doesnt have durability, but staffs does. And you have some more options when you customize you characters. And there are some other surprises here.

    The only major con is that i wish there was more then one objective type. But again dont bother me to much, but if conquest has more variety as they say , then i will look forward to conquest and be happy ( started it yesterday on chapter 8).

    All in all a very good game 9.5/10
    With that said i have played this for around 73 hrs and 30 min. My favourite is stilI fe 7 and 13. Fe 7 isnt because it was my first fe game , cuz that was fe 8. Now i am on to play conquest then revolution and also have to figure when to finish awakening.

    NB: Probably one of my favourite game series , and the only turn based strategy games that comes close is civ 5, and tw: Rome+ medieval 2.    … Expand
  28. Zalty
    Mar 30, 2016
    8
    Overall, the story I enjoyed the most of the three. This path honestly makes the most logical sense, and has the least forced moments in it. I felt it was the most emotionally impacting, with the most out-of-combat character deaths, both preventable and not. Combat and the story were pretty much straightforward for a Fire Emblem game, though I absolutely loved the changes made to theOverall, the story I enjoyed the most of the three. This path honestly makes the most logical sense, and has the least forced moments in it. I felt it was the most emotionally impacting, with the most out-of-combat character deaths, both preventable and not. Combat and the story were pretty much straightforward for a Fire Emblem game, though I absolutely loved the changes made to the pairing-up system. A vast improvement from Awakening overall.… Expand
  29. iMustang
    Mar 26, 2019
    8
    I was worried if I would like this franchise due to not caring much for Final Fantasy Tactics, but my fears were quickly dismissed as the simplified strategy elements of this game, while still maintaining decent complexity, were perfect for me to enjoy. I really enjoyed the characters I met (so many of them!) and going on this grand journey with them, and of course pairing them all off andI was worried if I would like this franchise due to not caring much for Final Fantasy Tactics, but my fears were quickly dismissed as the simplified strategy elements of this game, while still maintaining decent complexity, were perfect for me to enjoy. I really enjoyed the characters I met (so many of them!) and going on this grand journey with them, and of course pairing them all off and doing shipping was addicting, especially when you got to meet their kids! This game broke my heart several times with it's tragic story, but it was still very well written. I do feel like I had a lot of questions that weren't answered, which I feel is why they want me to play Revelations to get those answers. If I were more cynical I may have made a comment here about having to pay more money to get the true ending, but that's definitely not the case! This was definitely a complete game from beginning to end, and Revelations is also it's own full game, so I don't mind buying it at all.… Expand
  30. albertc
    Feb 26, 2016
    9
    Fire Emblem has always been a series that has confused me beyond belief. I never really liked strategy games. (Well I love The Civilization games but they don't have a heavy combat focus.) I happen to be on one of those people that heard of fire emblem when super smash brothers brawl came out and contained Marth and Ike. I knew the games existed but never gave them much thought because IFire Emblem has always been a series that has confused me beyond belief. I never really liked strategy games. (Well I love The Civilization games but they don't have a heavy combat focus.) I happen to be on one of those people that heard of fire emblem when super smash brothers brawl came out and contained Marth and Ike. I knew the games existed but never gave them much thought because I never liked strategy games. Then when the Fire Emblem new 3DS XL came out. I needed a new 3DS as my launch day system was starting to fail. So I purchased the new 3DS XL Fire Emblem edition and bought Birthright with the branching conquest DLC added to it. After finishing both the Birthright and Conquest story lines I can say that I now have a love for strategy games (Or at the very least Fire Emblem.) The story is of two kingdoms (The Hoshidans and the Nohrs) that are in the middle of a war with each other. In the middle of this whole conflict is a kid by the name of Corrin who was raised by the Nohr's. As The story Progresses we learn more and more about this kid and it turns out that (WARNING: small spoiler alert ahead.) he was born as a Hoshidan but was taken away from his family at a very young age. He then has to face a choice. If you bought Birthright with the Conquest DLC then you can make the choice of going back to the family that raised you and Conquering the world with the Nohr's, or you can stay with your biological family. This is actually a very important part of the game as it changes which characters will fight with you, as well as the story. The Gameplay is that of a strategy game. You have units and so does your enemy. Your job is to kill all the enemies units. There are certain classes that your units can fall into. There are plenty of them so I suggest that you look them up. The soundtrack is probably the weakest part of this game. There is a song sang throughout the game multiple times which I am almost sure was originally in Japanese because the lyrics never sound quite right in English. There is also quite a bit of Character development. This game is easily my second favorite 3DS game and I feel like I could keep playing it over and over again. It also was a great intro to the series for me as I am now half way through Fire Emblem Awakening.… Expand
  31. SuperMatt777
    Feb 26, 2016
    9
    Fire Emblem Fates: Birthright is the game that plays more alike to Awakening in the sense that you get unlimited opportunities to train and build support conversations, which is something I truly enjoy doing. The gameplay is solid and the music is amazing. I feel Birthright's storyline has more twists and surprises than Conquest's did, but I still loved both storylines. The cast ofFire Emblem Fates: Birthright is the game that plays more alike to Awakening in the sense that you get unlimited opportunities to train and build support conversations, which is something I truly enjoy doing. The gameplay is solid and the music is amazing. I feel Birthright's storyline has more twists and surprises than Conquest's did, but I still loved both storylines. The cast of characters in this game was just as good as Conquests, but neither of them can match my enjoyment for Awakening's cast. Overall, I liked Birthright a bit more due to being a bit easier to live up to the challenge the game has.… Expand
  32. r_lobo
    Feb 26, 2016
    10
    Just amazing. So emotional, and well done that I had a really hard time choosing sides....
    This game, and Awakenings, stand at the top with the very best, in any console in any generation.
  33. destroyer3242
    Mar 16, 2016
    9
    (Note, this review is currently ONLY for Birthright, the other paths have not been finished yet)

    Ah, Fire Emblem. This series as a whole has been something I've been playing since the games first started coming out in America. As a whole, the series has continued to evolve over the years, changing its mechanics, stories, etc. However, despite these changes, however drastic they may    (Note, this review is currently ONLY for Birthright, the other paths have not been finished yet)

    Ah, Fire Emblem.

    This series as a whole has been something I've been playing since the games first started coming out in America. As a whole, the series has continued to evolve over the years, changing its mechanics, stories, etc. However, despite these changes, however drastic they may be, there's always been a style of Fire Emblem, with its textures, characters' quirks, and combat system that is undeniably recognizable as part of a Fire Emblem game.

    So, now we enter into the Fates trilogy, given to us after the universally acclaimed entry, Awakening. It keeps a familiar feel to the game, while changing certain aspects of the game. The main change that you will notice right away is that weapons no longer break (other than healing spells). You might think this is odd at first, given how it is a staple of the series, but you'll later realize that it is necessary that they did it this way, and you'll probably appreciate it that Nintendo decided to do it.

    I can't get away with a review without touching on the censorship issues. Yes, they did censor parts of the game. Do I care? Honestly, not really. One of the issues people need to realize about localizing a game is that some teams believe that they need to make it culturally acceptable, so it's not immediately obvious to those who don't pry into the field that it is an international game. Is this a bad thing? Well, it depends on what is getting censored. A lot of people won't really care about them removing a 'minigame' about... petting... but the 'bond' feature is still present. My simple stance on it is that it is not negatively impacting the game, so I don't really mind it being changed. At least it's not Bravely Second getting bad endings censored. That's just ridiculous.

    So, as for the actual characters in the game, as you might expect after Awakening, each of them has their own little quirk about them. However, the series still suffers from my main complaint, which is where this 9/10 comes into play.

    The thing is with Fire Emblem games, is that each of the playable characters are all unique individuals, instead of being a unit with a generic model, image, and equipment set. This is what distinguishes Fire Emblem games from most other tactical games. However, the way it is implemented has always been a personal issue for me. This is because of the simple fact that characters that emerge into your story, their relevance to the story is as follows:

    1.) You enter a battle.

    2.) You begin to have some trouble.

    3.) New character swoops in to save the day, and gets the spotlight for the rest of the battle

    4.) Battle finishes.

    5.) For the rest of the game, they're (mostly) irrelevant, save for a couple lines of dialogue here and there.

    6.) Their legacy is carried on via any support conversations that they may have.

    What I always wished this series would accomplish as it evolved was the small hope that they would have characters that were NOT the main characters, have a true impact on the story. I mean this is the context of, for instance, you were originally going to take a path that you would have been able to get through originally, with person 'X's help, but because they died in a previous battle, you are no longer able to take the "easy way", and instead, have to do something else. Or, perhaps another ally refuses to join you because you let their friend die, and they can't trust you as a leader.

    While this is not really a major complaint per say, it's something that prevents the game from going above and beyond into something truly special, and incredibly complex.

    As for Birthright specifically, I like that they made the game slightly easier than other routes in order to ease people that are not that good at FE games (including myself, sadly) into the world without high punishment, while leaving room for wanting to play the other routes. The characters in Birthright's route are of personal opinion, but I found myself coming to really like a majority of the characters, for how much development some of them get, be it through support conversations for side characters, or the actual story for main characters.

    However, this being said, the game still has a large amount of content to offer their players, and if you like any good tactical RPG, you will most certainly appreciate Fire Emblem Fates: Birthright. Despite the game being easier than other routes, it still has the signature difficulty of the series, and will definitely challenge your mind. To give an estimate, my save file says I've played for about 30 hours, whereas my actual game time is about 50, played on hard mode, classic (which turns on perma-death), so, if you're like me, you'll be doing a lot of soft resets. This game will not hold your hand for more than a couple chapters, so, if you plan on playing, good luck, and plan carefully.    … Expand
  34. realkinko
    Nov 5, 2021
    6
    Having played Three Houses first, and then Awakening I was excited to continue my journey with Fire Emblem games by playing Fire Emblem Fates (Birthright). Oh, boy, was I disappointed.

    The story is probably the worst story I've ever had to suffer through to play through a main campaign. The characters are the weakest set of characters I've ever experienced in a game - period. They're    Having played Three Houses first, and then Awakening I was excited to continue my journey with Fire Emblem games by playing Fire Emblem Fates (Birthright). Oh, boy, was I disappointed.

    The story is probably the worst story I've ever had to suffer through to play through a main campaign. The characters are the weakest set of characters I've ever experienced in a game - period. They're not memorable at all, in fact they're mostly annoying - all of them. The dialogue is absolutely horrendous - even for a 3DS game.

    The music.. Well, it's basically one song for the most part and that's a pretty good song, but overall it's pretty lackluster.

    How come I'm still giving this game 6/10 despite this criticism? Well obviously, the gameplay is Fire Emblem so it's good - just like in Awakening - and if it hadn't been for that, I would never, ever have played through the entire game. Also the cinematics look pretty dope.    … Expand
  35. rodericrinehart
    Jul 10, 2016
    10
    Fire Emblem is definitely one of my top 5 franchises ever, and I think superior to XCOM as the best turn-based tactical strategy game, and with far better story and character development on top of better tactics. Birthright is the easier of the 3 Fire Emblem Fates, but it is still definitely worthy of your purchase and time. It expands and improves on everything in Awakening and keeps allFire Emblem is definitely one of my top 5 franchises ever, and I think superior to XCOM as the best turn-based tactical strategy game, and with far better story and character development on top of better tactics. Birthright is the easier of the 3 Fire Emblem Fates, but it is still definitely worthy of your purchase and time. It expands and improves on everything in Awakening and keeps all the good stuff, exactly what a sequel in a long-running game series should do. I really hope they make amiibo for the top 5-6 characters from the trilogy. I would buy them all!… Expand
  36. weskergamer
    Jul 7, 2020
    4
    Fire Emblem has always being a good quality franchise, until this game. I dont really like the Fates "saga", you don't have to play all of them because it's just gonna make you hate the story and Corrin even more. So what's wrong with it? OK so from 30+ characters, there were around only 5 that were actually good, or had a good character development. And Corrin OMG, corrin, she's just oneFire Emblem has always being a good quality franchise, until this game. I dont really like the Fates "saga", you don't have to play all of them because it's just gonna make you hate the story and Corrin even more. So what's wrong with it? OK so from 30+ characters, there were around only 5 that were actually good, or had a good character development. And Corrin OMG, corrin, she's just one thing in one game and one completely different thing on the other. And after you have to experience in the prologue of both games i don't think how can you like the Nohrian family, but the worst part is that you already paid for it so you don't have any more choose than to play as the bad guys or spend $40 more for the other game. This was a so bad decision. But after that do you think the story is the only bad thing? NO, the characters are over sexualize, in Awakening i would only say that Olivia and Tharja are the only ones than can be considered but in this game more than half the cast is. The maps are boring, and the gameplay seems so unbalanced. The only thing i would say is really good are the cutscenes to be honest, but i think at least the first 5 chapter i had some fun so it'll be a 4/10 for me… Expand
  37. LoneWolfSones
    Feb 23, 2016
    9
    Fire Emblem Fates: Birthright is a worthy followup to the critically acclaimed Fire Emblem Awakening. Like Awakening Birthright is accessible for new players as well as offering familiar options like permadeath for older fans. The game has a number of difficulty settings consisting of casual, normal, or hard. It also has variations to further augment the difficulty. Phoenix Mode revivesFire Emblem Fates: Birthright is a worthy followup to the critically acclaimed Fire Emblem Awakening. Like Awakening Birthright is accessible for new players as well as offering familiar options like permadeath for older fans. The game has a number of difficulty settings consisting of casual, normal, or hard. It also has variations to further augment the difficulty. Phoenix Mode revives allies instantly. In Classic mode if your ally falls they are gone for good. Then there is Lunatic mode which is incredibly punishing.

    Phoenix mode feels designed for those that want to enjoy the story while the other modes will appeal to series vets and purists. For those that want a challenge I recommend starting on Hard difficulty. Normal is still a bit too easy and your units will feel pretty overpowered early on even if you are playing on classic mode.

    It needs to be said that FE:Fate's presentation is top notch. The cutscenes and character animations are well done. The character models themselves actually have feet! In areas like my castle you can tap the L shoulder button to zoom down and see your surroundings in 3rd person. In battle the camera shifts from top down to also zoom in on your surrounding terrain.

    Birthright's story can be best described as standing with your family the Hoshido against the Nohr empire. Conquest on the other hand has you siding with Nohr. But as any Fire Emblem vet can tell you; its a bit more nuanced than that. Birthright and Conquest essentially start the same. At mission 5 you will then branch off into that version's storyline. Birthright is the easier more accessible version. It allows you to grind and fight random battles to build up your party.

    Fates introduces some new mechanics that shake up some classic Fire Emblem staples. Weapons no longer take durability damage (aside from staves and rods). The map can be altered using what are called Dragon veins. These spots can create bridges, level mountains and more.

    The game also introduces a new area called My Castle. You can build buildings such as shops, mess hall, fishing pond and more. These often offer items that you can use in a number of ways. In my castle you can also invite party members to your private quarters to boost your relationship. The dating sim elements of Awakening have been expanded here in that once you marry you will have new options within your private quarters. You may also have to use the stylus to wake your significant other for instance.

    My castle also has a little bit of online multiplayer in it that allows you to siege other player's castles and defend your own as well.

    Its advisable to play Birthright first followed by Conquest and then Revelation. Buying physical copies of both is essentially a waste of money because you get the others at a cheaper price as a download once you own one version.

    Overall Birthright is excellent part in one of the most expansive Fire Emblem tales to date.    … Expand
  38. jholden3249
    Feb 19, 2016
    10
    This is quite possibly the best video game I have ever played. I love all the games in the Fire Emblem series, but Fates is superior in nearly every aspect. Engaging, emotional story, gamely tuned to perfection, diverse maps, lovable and relatable characters, interesting new mechanics like Dragons's Vein and the new weapon triangle... And some of THE best art and music your senses haveThis is quite possibly the best video game I have ever played. I love all the games in the Fire Emblem series, but Fates is superior in nearly every aspect. Engaging, emotional story, gamely tuned to perfection, diverse maps, lovable and relatable characters, interesting new mechanics like Dragons's Vein and the new weapon triangle... And some of THE best art and music your senses have experienced to date.

    It's also an incredible value- all 3 paths are quite literally a full game- in fact, each path has more content than many $60 console games. All 3 paths are varied and unique with different characters, different story, different map objectives, the works. And what's more, the second and third game come at half price!

    Fire Emblem Fates nails it. It just nails it. Don't listen to any of the sourpuss reviews spouting a bunch of biased garbage- this is truly one of the greatest video games ever crafted.    … Expand
  39. Dragonfire14
    Mar 8, 2016
    6
    This game is an excellent sequel to Awakening. The story is interesting, combat is fun and tactical, castle building is fun, and multiplayer works well. New weapon system is interesting, weapons are not entirely an upgrade to the previous tier, but rather each tier has it's own stat that makes it better. Characters are interesting, and the Japan vs Europe theme is cool.

    The place this    This game is an excellent sequel to Awakening. The story is interesting, combat is fun and tactical, castle building is fun, and multiplayer works well. New weapon system is interesting, weapons are not entirely an upgrade to the previous tier, but rather each tier has it's own stat that makes it better. Characters are interesting, and the Japan vs Europe theme is cool.

    The place this game fails in is the fact that it is split into 3 versions for no reason. Birthright, Conquest, and Revelation are all basically the same game from a different view. They all branch from one decision that you can make in the game. If you do not have all the games, and pick a choice that is not meant for your game it will bring you to a place to buy the needed game. Fates feels like a game that costs $90 to play ($50 for the first game, and the other two are $20 each as downloads. Only if you own one). This on top of all the DLC that is coming out make it cost around $120 for the full experience. This system of splitting games up works with games such as Pokemon that promote going out and finding people to trade with to collect them all, but not with a single player tactical rpg rts with multiplayer elements.    … Expand
  40. D1rtydan12
    Feb 21, 2016
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Not as good as Awakening, but the game brings back good memories! I love the story, although my reunion with Hinoka was a bit random in the start, I don't think it suits her very well, to be the first person to break in tears and give you a hug, I would have seen Sakura to be more like that. Other then that, although this rating might seem a bit biased because I love fire emblem and strategy games! It isn't a master piece, but I am looking forward playing both conquest and revelation!… Expand
  41. ziiachan
    Mar 13, 2016
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Starting the Fire Emblem Fates branch, I picked Conquest for my first gameplay. The game, I assumed, was set to you picking either side as your first gameplay without anything being affected. After finishing that one, I heard a lot of people praising Birthright over Conquest, saying it had better character development and story. So when I finally picked Birthright, I was expecting great things from it. I wasn't going in with clouded thoughts of going against the Nohr side.

    As soon as we side with the Hoshido family, it's become clear our only reason for joining Hoshido is.... because a sword our dad gave us was destroyed by some random person we don't know. We don't try to find out who that is or question our father, that we grew up with. We just drop the family that raised us and go into war to kill our dad ...

    And if it was for the reason of us being blood related, we quickly learn this family ISN'T our birth family either. Our mother came to Hoshido and just married the king, but none of the kids are related to her, except for us. So truly, both families aren't related by blood, but one we grew up with. I questioned this side even more after that.

    As I progressed deeper into the story, I noticed how different our character has become. We went from being naive and caring to all people, to very paranoid and finicky to all people. We suddenly treat our Nohr family like they're strangers, we don't speak as warmly to everyone like we did in the beginning. Maybe I was judging too early at first, but later in the story, we definitely change. So much so that Elise points it out. We preach about wanting to make both families come together without anyone dying, but then threaten to kill Xander if he gets in our way... We exterminate a whole species of werewolves, and then get over it in one second.

    Speaking of getting over death, after we join Hoshido, everyone suddenly stops talking about Mikoto in the story. The side that pressures us greatly about our mother dying when you join Nohr suddenly doesn't bat an eye to Mikoto being dead. Besides that point, I feel like the Hoshido side holds a lot of bland characters as well. Maybe it's just me, but there's so many serious characters that only talk about training or going to meetings. I know we had characters like this in Awakening, and a few on the Nohr side, but it feels like the theme of Hoshido. We only have a few different characters from that theme, like Kaden, Setsuna, Oboro, Orochi, and Hayato.

    I just feel this side is very hard to stomach going through when our Corrin is awful acting, too many of our soldiers are bland (when you judge by personality, not design, people), and the Nohr family sounds like the actual sensible ones compared to Hoshido, the side described as "noble" and "heroes". I feel like there's just too much hypocrisy and irony to this side to enjoy it. Maybe the character development is that we change for the worse on this side, but as much as that is a twist I wouldn't have expected, it doesn't suddenly make this side better.

    The story is what drives this series, so I wanted to focus on it more, but the gameplay is important as well. I don't mind the gameplay, it's still good and like the basic modern FE game. However, with the add on, My Castle, it's even more fun and connecting to our soldiers. I love this feature and hope they continue to include it, as well as the bonding and inviting allies to our tree house feature. Though something I really question is how much money is just nothing to the Hoshido side. This was mentioned within the story as well, how the Nohr kingdom hardly gets money and Hoshido is drowning in it, but I didn't think they'd really make it this easy. No complaints here, but I'm sure some don't like the babying too much.

    Sorry for the completely all over the place review, but I felt like Iike having to share these thoughts. Might not be the right place, but it's something. I guess you can say, in the end, I'm .. FOR NOHR!    … Expand
  42. cloudskynine
    Apr 19, 2016
    10
    Ignore the bad reviews and hate for the censorship . I played and finished conquest,birthright and revelation. These games are awesome without the sexual pandering.
  43. elyse14
    Mar 23, 2016
    8
    I loved this game. The story is actually not terrible in this version of FE:Fates, but my complaint is that the game feels... too easy. Even on the hardest difficulty, it is very easy to just steamroll the game (without "grinding", or DLC). To get a challenge, you sometimes have to purposefully set up some restrictions for you to follow. Aside from that, it's a pretty enjoyable game.I loved this game. The story is actually not terrible in this version of FE:Fates, but my complaint is that the game feels... too easy. Even on the hardest difficulty, it is very easy to just steamroll the game (without "grinding", or DLC). To get a challenge, you sometimes have to purposefully set up some restrictions for you to follow. Aside from that, it's a pretty enjoyable game.

    The soundtrack is also really good.    … Expand
  44. ZachClapps
    Sep 26, 2016
    7
    Birthright is definitely fun, but in no means the best, it's a numbers game like Awakening, but it won't even let you grow as strong as you could in it's predecessor. Whilst the story is alot lighter theb Conquest it does have dark moments such as Elise's death, Zola sacrificing himself, and so on. 7/10, worst of the trio, but not a bad game. Should've had the removed features and Zola asBirthright is definitely fun, but in no means the best, it's a numbers game like Awakening, but it won't even let you grow as strong as you could in it's predecessor. Whilst the story is alot lighter theb Conquest it does have dark moments such as Elise's death, Zola sacrificing himself, and so on. 7/10, worst of the trio, but not a bad game. Should've had the removed features and Zola as a recruitable character. Needs more Zola.… Expand
  45. arxos231
    May 29, 2016
    8
    The fire emblem series has really improved over the years it's been around. Fates as the 14th instalment to the series was very surprising on how different it was. There's an advantage to have a sibling since he got conquest and got birthright. After play both ended up leaning more towards Hoshido. It was because of all the new classes and some new weaponry they even changed the weaponThe fire emblem series has really improved over the years it's been around. Fates as the 14th instalment to the series was very surprising on how different it was. There's an advantage to have a sibling since he got conquest and got birthright. After play both ended up leaning more towards Hoshido. It was because of all the new classes and some new weaponry they even changed the weapon circle around abit. Plus the way how they used the new mechanic called the Dragon Vains which can provide very useful way's of going through a mission or hinder your progession. Also love the castle system where you can walk around you very own castle and even customize it to you likeing. It gives the player the chance to have a little freedom in the game by letting them collect resoures to even later betting them to earn even more of that item for forging and food. Runing shops for buying weapons plus seals and staffs. Bonding with some unit in the treehouse and even having a quote on quote pet dragon. The game play it self is simliar to awaking gameplay just with some tweaks and really pretty animasion that runs very well on the platform it runs on. Even like how they did the pair up system and even where the enemy units can use the system as well. The system is broken into the attack and defense stance were a unit standing next to each other will always attack togther and if they are paired up with each other then they begin the defend stance where a small bar will fill up after your unit a enemy unit attack once it's full the secondary unit will defend the lead unit for one attack.

    Now for the Negative parts of the game. The way some of the weapons work are pretty cool but a majority of them are very risky to use or are very low on power for using them. For a little more detail the weapons in fates no longer have durability but some weaponry have negative effects like steel which lower the speed stat of units by 3 and sliver which lower skill and strength. The missions in birthright have some issues, during one of them it relies on weather you use the Dragon Vains with a 50-50 chance to flood the level your units are on with lave causing them to lose hp every turn or lift a bridge and progress with little issues. Some of the characters in the story really enjoyed but a good few really didn't enjoy as much. Some of the skills were either useful, risky, or not very useful on some of the classes.

    As for the the censorship and way they market the games its really not that big of an issue but don't really understand why some people make it a big dea. Love how they decided to take up this new FE and some of the ways how the improved it. Even though it has some flaw think that it very well worth the money.

    A good score of 8 outta 10    … Expand
  46. TheDavyStar
    May 27, 2016
    10
    Once upon a time, there was this game for 3DS called Fire Emblem Fates, which had a rough time getting dragged through the mud due to unnecessary and inconsistent censorship. The result is the above user score, which, frankly, is a damn insult to the fine craft of Intelligent systems that has once again struck gold and strengthenes its position as king of strategy RPGs.

    In Birthright,    Once upon a time, there was this game for 3DS called Fire Emblem Fates, which had a rough time getting dragged through the mud due to unnecessary and inconsistent censorship. The result is the above user score, which, frankly, is a damn insult to the fine craft of Intelligent systems that has once again struck gold and strengthenes its position as king of strategy RPGs.

    In Birthright, as you may know, you get to experience an easier game (that can still be hard should you choose the appropriate settings before beginning your campaign). As is custom in Fire Emblem, when your characters die, they are gone for good - unless you rage quit, of course. You can also spend time shipping the hell out of every single character in Fates, which is fun given the broadly drawn personalities in the game.

    The story centers around a person born into a peaceful kingdom, but abducted and raised in a kingdom of cruelty. It's more decent than properly great, but the characters are a real treat.

    As for the gameplay itself, it's some of the tightest in the entire genre of strategy games. It's not different from any other Fire Emblem game, but its credentials are unquestionable. You can choose to watch the game play out with pizazz and pyrotechnics, or just skip past the fluff and make the game play out as quickly as possible. Regardless of whether you believe the dual-screen setup of the 3DS is worth anything, it's use in Fates cannot be ignored. Character names, stats and properties are shown here, and tapping on any of the statistics or names shown down below gives a clear explanation of what they mean, meaning it's super easy to learn as you go along. PRO TIP: enable permadeath.

    The angry haters who bemoan the censorship of the game aren't wrong, but they decry NoA's work so much that they forget the fact that, even with the censorship, the finished package of Fates is amazing. The game has a beautiful mix of art styles, the CG/anime cutscenes are among the most gorgeous in gaming, the characters are lovable, and - most importantly - it's still the Fire Emblem we all know and love, only with refined gameplay and sidegame mechanics to appeal to both the newbie and the pro.    … Expand
  47. VBTruthSeeker
    Apr 23, 2016
    10
    This is a fantastic game. The story was a beautiful tale of family, betrayal, tragedy, and death. While it wasn't perfect, it had powerful themes and many touching moments. You can relate with Corrin's struggle, making for a great story. At the same time, the gameplay allowed for intense decision making. Many moments had me at the edge of my seat. Whenever I played badly, it was my faultThis is a fantastic game. The story was a beautiful tale of family, betrayal, tragedy, and death. While it wasn't perfect, it had powerful themes and many touching moments. You can relate with Corrin's struggle, making for a great story. At the same time, the gameplay allowed for intense decision making. Many moments had me at the edge of my seat. Whenever I played badly, it was my fault alone. Also, the my castle features and the romance aspects allowed for added replayabliliy. Also, the localization allowed for added realism. Instead of petting your wife or husband, which no couple would do, you rub them gently to wake them up, or blow the steam off him or her after they take a shower. It feels more realistic. Finally, the anime art style works very well, and the voice acting, for the most part, works really well. You should play this game. I give it a 10/10!… Expand
  48. NerdyThursday
    May 14, 2016
    8
    After putting in about 12 hours, I realized that this game isn't for me anymore. I grew up loving this style of game, and really wanted to love it. But I just don't have the time that I want to be able to sink into this game. BUT I can say that I recognize how good this game is. If you are a fan of this style, or a fan of the series, this is a no brainer of a purchase. When you purchaseAfter putting in about 12 hours, I realized that this game isn't for me anymore. I grew up loving this style of game, and really wanted to love it. But I just don't have the time that I want to be able to sink into this game. BUT I can say that I recognize how good this game is. If you are a fan of this style, or a fan of the series, this is a no brainer of a purchase. When you purchase one, you have the ability to buy the downloadable version of the other storyline for 20, which is really nice and gives you more to sink your teeth into.… Expand
  49. Jonastheweavile
    May 26, 2016
    10
    This is a great game I had a lot of fun playing this game and it is one of the best games of 2016 so far in my opinion. The combat is great the characters are great the story is great this game is perfect.
  50. Lone_Wolf_Sones
    Aug 7, 2016
    9
    Fire Emblem Fates: Birthright is a worthy followup to the critically acclaimed Fire Emblem Awakening. Like Awakening Birthright is accessible for new players as well as offering familiar options like permadeath for older fans. The game has a number of difficulty settings consisting of casual, normal, or hard. It also has variations to further augment the difficulty. Phoenix Mode revivesFire Emblem Fates: Birthright is a worthy followup to the critically acclaimed Fire Emblem Awakening. Like Awakening Birthright is accessible for new players as well as offering familiar options like permadeath for older fans. The game has a number of difficulty settings consisting of casual, normal, or hard. It also has variations to further augment the difficulty. Phoenix Mode revives allies instantly. In Classic mode if your ally falls they are gone for good. Then there is Lunatic mode which is incredibly punishing.

    Phoenix mode feels designed for those that want to enjoy the story while the other modes will appeal to series vets and purists. For those that want a challenge I recommend starting on Hard difficulty. Normal is still a bit too easy and your units will feel pretty overpowered early on even if you are playing on classic mode.

    It needs to be said that FE:Fate's presentation is top notch. The cutscenes and character animations are well done. The character models themselves actually have feet! In areas like my castle you can tap the L shoulder button to zoom down and see your surroundings in 3rd person. In battle the camera shifts from top down to also zoom in on your surrounding terrain.

    Birthright's story can be best described as standing with your family the Hoshido against the Nohr empire. Conquest on the other hand has you siding with Nohr. But as any Fire Emblem vet can tell you; its a bit more nuanced than that. Birthright and Conquest essentially start the same. At mission 5 you will then branch off into that version's storyline. Birthright is the easier more accessible version. It allows you to grind and fight random battles to build up your party.

    Fates introduces some new mechanics that shake up some classic Fire Emblem staples. Weapons no longer take durability damage (aside from staves and rods). The map can be altered using what are called Dragon veins. These spots can create bridges, level mountains and more.

    The game also introduces a new area called My Castle. You can build buildings such as shops, mess hall, fishing pond and more. These often offer items that you can use in a number of ways. In my castle you can also invite party members to your private quarters to boost your relationship. The dating sim elements of Awakening have been expanded here in that once you marry you will have new options within your private quarters. You may also have to use the stylus to wake your significant other for instance.

    My castle also has a little bit of online multiplayer in it that allows you to siege other player's castles and defend your own as well.

    Its advisable to play Birthright first followed by Conquest and then Revelation. Buying physical copies of both is essentially a waste of money because you get the others at a cheaper price as a download once you own one version.

    Overall Birthright is excellent part in one of the most expansive Fire Emblem tales to date.    … Expand
  51. Thamygamer17
    Nov 5, 2019
    10
    Aqui estamos ante mi juego favorito de toda la saga y al primero que jugue! una autentica pasada de juego, combates epicos, una historia cruda pero a la vez bella, unos giros de trama inesperados y un final apoteosico.

    Este Fire Emblem junto con Awakening son sin duda de los mejores de la saga
  52. megabear
    May 21, 2018
    0
    I bought this game due to good reviews. I feel as if I've been duped because it lacks a soul. The story is so generic and bare, and the horrible voice acting sounds just like it's been copied from Pokemon. I may have enjoyed the game if I was 12, but no. I highly recommend against this game.
  53. madehenrads
    May 12, 2016
    8
    It was great entry for those who never played Fire Emblem before. The RNG are not so brutal as Awakening, but the story and music are mediocre. But it's worth playing it. For those who veteran of Fire Emblem, just play Conquest instead.
  54. klkevinkl
    Apr 28, 2016
    0
    Fire Emblem Fates: Birthright is one of three Fates games released. The game follows a prince/princess who was abducted at a young age and now attempts to reconnect with his or her biological family and abandoning the family that he or she has known all their life. Nohr had just given Corrin a sword that literally exploded and was used to attack Hoshido, so Corrin has the common sense toFire Emblem Fates: Birthright is one of three Fates games released. The game follows a prince/princess who was abducted at a young age and now attempts to reconnect with his or her biological family and abandoning the family that he or she has known all their life. Nohr had just given Corrin a sword that literally exploded and was used to attack Hoshido, so Corrin has the common sense to not go back, thus creating conflict with his or her biological family. The problem here is that while Nohr is marked as an evil kingdom with an evil king, the siblings are not evil and are acting out of fear (though they have multiple chances to run away, they never take them).

    One of the good features of the game is the introduction of Phoenix Mode, which is like an easy mode because the only way you can lose is if all your characters die on the same turn. It prevents a single mistake from completely screwing you over considering how many instant kills there are in this game.

    The battles are pretty straightforward with most maps having you walk down some narrow corridor towards your enemies and killing all of them. Sometimes you only have to kill the enemy boss though. The problem is that there are no unique objectives and some battles rely more on luck than strategy. Dragon Veins are able to manipulate the battlefield, but the changes are often undone at the end of the turn. That spike pit the enemy created will always be there and will only hurt the enemy too if you choose to activate the Dragon Vein. There was another where you had a 50% chance to set the entire map on fire and a 50% chance to open up the next section of the map. Pretty stupid function if you ask me. I just used save scumming to get the right one and never touched that map, even for grinding purposes again.

    The biggest problem I had with the game is the forced online feature when online does not even work most of the time. I can access Inbox just fine, but the moment I try to update My Castle or connect to someone else's the game just fails. The problem is that you must go to other people's castles in order to collect the resources needed to upgrade your weapons. Without doing so, the late game is much more difficult due to the lower stat caps, useless specialized weapons, and that you can only get one or two resources from your castle at a time. If they had other means for you to acquire these items, it's not a big problem. However, the only other way you can acquire them is through dumb luck from talking to people with exclamation marks on their head in your castle.    … Expand
  55. emperorbob
    Feb 20, 2016
    2
    If you don't understand Japanese this is what you are stuck with. Localization for these games used to be pretty good, but this....

    Import if possible, or settle for this.
  56. RealSovietDamag
    Feb 24, 2016
    4
    It's solid enough. The writing is lacking in a few areas, and there are some questionable dubs. It's extremely easy, with most enemies not even having a single skill. The map design is slightly better than Awakening. This would be a 7 but they removed a bunch of content from my game because it was "creepy" so I removed a bunch of points from their score because it's ****
  57. Mackro
    Mar 16, 2016
    8
    I'll start off by saying this is a great game. I'm absolutely enthralled with the characters, the music sets the right mood, and the atmosphere is perfect. It's very important to note the glaring flaw here, however. Nintendo has gone down an incredibly greedy road and split what should be 1 game with multiple choices into 3. I believe this is the fault of DLC. game makers think it isI'll start off by saying this is a great game. I'm absolutely enthralled with the characters, the music sets the right mood, and the atmosphere is perfect. It's very important to note the glaring flaw here, however. Nintendo has gone down an incredibly greedy road and split what should be 1 game with multiple choices into 3. I believe this is the fault of DLC. game makers think it is acceptable to charge us more than ever before for games and then want us to spend even more on additional content. Games like this take DLC too far. 2 parts of the story are missing unless you want to spend another $50+ on the other 2 paths ON TOP of the $50+ you've already spent. I love this game, but, it's not worth over $100. Let's be honest here the so called "special edition" should be the ONLY edition and should simply be titled "Fire Emblem Fates." From there you can choose the Birthright, Conquest, or Revelation story to your hearts content. At the very least Nintendo should not be charging $25+ for each additional piece of the puzzle. Loyal fans have already bought the game. The additional paths are discounted but not nearly enough. If Nintendo wants to put their hands in our pockets again they should only be charging a minimal fee. $5 for both would be completely reasonable and FAIR. Once again this is a good game just be prepared to either take out a second mortgage, be disappointed when you can't afford to pay for the rest of the story, or head to youtube to watch someone play the rest of the game. I still love you Nintendo...please don't forsake us again...… Expand
  58. Sarna
    Feb 10, 2020
    0
    Fire Emblem Fates is as enjoyable as puking up your spleen. You spend too much time running around an imaginary castle like Hogwarts, and I didn't like the weird drunk guy (his name was Gunther, maybe?). The goo monster dude was funny, but he doesn't excuse the amount of grinding in this game. Azura may be the worst character in FE history--there's absolutely nothing to her supports. NotFire Emblem Fates is as enjoyable as puking up your spleen. You spend too much time running around an imaginary castle like Hogwarts, and I didn't like the weird drunk guy (his name was Gunther, maybe?). The goo monster dude was funny, but he doesn't excuse the amount of grinding in this game. Azura may be the worst character in FE history--there's absolutely nothing to her supports. Not to mention the UGLY graphics. I know the 3DS can do better, especially with the fancy-shmancy games Nintendo has been making recently (Chibi-Robo! Zip Lash comes to mind).

    Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance is as dope as a dingo in a desert. The same can be said for Thracia 776 and Echoes. I even liked the one where Marth was a girl. But not even the fire-breathing sushi waifu can save this putrid pile of pitiable pixels. Given the choice, you're better off spending $40 on cheese whiz; unlike a 3DS cartridge, cheese whiz tastes good on crackers.

    ...Thanks for reading my fake review, F. Keep making quality videos.    … Expand
  59. currer_bell
    Sep 15, 2016
    9
    Fantastic game. I choose to buy Birthright because the characters seemed more appealing - and they are. Graphics and style are awesome, you can't get any better than this on any console. But what's really great about this game is the new Castle mode, which I enjoyed more than anything else in the game. I hope they keep this idea in future FE games.

    It's not quite as perfect as Path of    Fantastic game. I choose to buy Birthright because the characters seemed more appealing - and they are. Graphics and style are awesome, you can't get any better than this on any console. But what's really great about this game is the new Castle mode, which I enjoyed more than anything else in the game. I hope they keep this idea in future FE games.

    It's not quite as perfect as Path of Radiance on GameCube so I'm giving a final score of 9 instead of 10, but really this is a monolith of a game, even slightly better than Awakening in my opinion.    … Expand
  60. birdman3
    Dec 28, 2016
    8
    I wrote a lengthy review on Revelation's page, and I won't reiterate the pros and cons here. Needless to say, there are enjoyable things about the changes they made to this version of Fire Emblem (removing weapon durability in favor of having more diverse weapon choices, for example), but they also added some superfluous activities (everything related to My Castle). I don't wish they hadI wrote a lengthy review on Revelation's page, and I won't reiterate the pros and cons here. Needless to say, there are enjoyable things about the changes they made to this version of Fire Emblem (removing weapon durability in favor of having more diverse weapon choices, for example), but they also added some superfluous activities (everything related to My Castle). I don't wish they had made the game into 3 games because the story didn't deserve it, but it's still a Fire Emblem game.… Expand
  61. JJTX
    Mar 24, 2019
    9
    While it never quite reaches the excellence of its predecessor, Fire Emblem Fates is still one of the best RPGs on the Nintendo 3DS. If you're new to the series, it retains the same accessibility options as FE: Awakening, such as turning off permadeath and reducing the overall difficulty. While the Birthright edition won't give you access to the game's hardest campaign and true ending, itWhile it never quite reaches the excellence of its predecessor, Fire Emblem Fates is still one of the best RPGs on the Nintendo 3DS. If you're new to the series, it retains the same accessibility options as FE: Awakening, such as turning off permadeath and reducing the overall difficulty. While the Birthright edition won't give you access to the game's hardest campaign and true ending, it is still a solid tactical RPG with an addictive gameplay loop and a story that is just engaging enough to keep players coming back for more.… Expand
  62. Ydun79
    Feb 11, 2019
    8
    Although it all seems awesome it is not the absolute best I've come to expect from fire emblem games. The characters are forgettable and nothing really stands out. Don't get me wrong, this is a good game, it's just not what fire emblem usually delivers.
  63. Fobmcrafi6
    Mar 7, 2018
    10
    While the story might be a little less intense than that of Conquest. It still seems like a perfect game that has the enticing elements of turn-based RPG. With the hint relationship simulation that feels like Awakening, it still feels like its own with My Castle feature and unique story-telling.
  64. ixalfleet
    Feb 19, 2017
    10
    And again even in Conquest, there's still more negative ratings than mixed ratings on Birthright. Something's definitely wrong with these users nowadays.
  65. gxfranc00
    Sep 28, 2016
    8
    Fire Emblem es una saga muy clásica, su sistema de combate durante toda su historia ha cambiado realmente poco, ¿y eso por que?, ¡por que es excelente!. este juego no innova a nivel jugable pero si es una clara mejora al sistema del FE:Awakening.

    La historia está realmente bien, no se hace pesada la transición entre capítulos y los personajes en su mayoría tienen carisma y te terminas    Fire Emblem es una saga muy clásica, su sistema de combate durante toda su historia ha cambiado realmente poco, ¿y eso por que?, ¡por que es excelente!. este juego no innova a nivel jugable pero si es una clara mejora al sistema del FE:Awakening.

    La historia está realmente bien, no se hace pesada la transición entre capítulos y los personajes en su mayoría tienen carisma y te terminas encariñando con algunos al punto de no querer perderles bajo ningún concepto.

    La dificultad es decente (no es la mas desafiante y es la mas "baja" de sus versiones, pero no es para nada un paseo por la pradera, está bien.

    ¿por que le doy un 8?, no lo doy un 10 por que a pesar de lo bueno que es, la censura y recortes de la versión americana es una broma totalmente innecesaria, y no le doy el 9 porque en pleno año 2016 es impresentable (bajo mi punto de vista) que no tenga traducción de texto al español, el doblaje me da igual (puede que en japones estuviese mejor ya que la versión en ingles deja bastante que desear), pero no de texto... ¿en serio? yo personalmente no tengo problemas con el inglés pero es un punto muy negativo para la gente que si tenga dificultades con dicho idioma.    … Expand
  66. likevin96
    Dec 28, 2016
    8
    True Score: 8.6

    Pros: - New unit/weapon types for the FE franchise! Exciting! - Children system has become less grindy compared to previous games - Soundtrack has great highs - Characters feel more unique now due to the revised skill system - Story is much improved from Awakening - The core battle system is as solid and fun as ever Cons: - New weapon system makes the weapons    True Score: 8.6

    Pros:
    - New unit/weapon types for the FE franchise! Exciting!
    - Children system has become less grindy compared to previous games
    - Soundtrack has great highs
    - Characters feel more unique now due to the revised skill system
    - Story is much improved from Awakening
    - The core battle system is as solid and fun as ever

    Cons:
    - New weapon system makes the weapons themselves seem less valuable and unique
    - Level design is horrid for the most part
    - Treehouse interactions are awkward and kind of empty
    - Censorship from NIntendo
    - While I love the children system, it pigeon holes you into a particular way of playing
    - Base management seems like a good idea, but is ultimately rather boring and simple    … Expand
  67. MrGreenBanana
    Aug 6, 2018
    9
    Prior to playing Birthright, I was completely inexperienced with Fire Emblem (unless you count Heroes), and I was really surprised at how good it was. The characters honestly could've been explored and developed a bit better, and the music got a bit old after a while, but the gameplay was well done, the story was nice and original, and the final boss music. MY. GOD. I don't think betterPrior to playing Birthright, I was completely inexperienced with Fire Emblem (unless you count Heroes), and I was really surprised at how good it was. The characters honestly could've been explored and developed a bit better, and the music got a bit old after a while, but the gameplay was well done, the story was nice and original, and the final boss music. MY. GOD. I don't think better final boss music will ever be composed. Overall, FE: Fates Birthright is a pretty great game, but could be better in some fields.… Expand
  68. yomymy123
    Jan 4, 2019
    10
    It's very good but I think graphics could be a tiny bit better I like the characters too
  69. GoSunMan
    Feb 16, 2020
    1
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. In my opinion this is the worst game in the series even though this was my introduction to fire emblem it's just not as good as the others the games the gameplay is good but the story is the worst in all of fire emblem, it is extremely boring (like the cast) as each map is the same objective (rout the enemy) there's just no verity like the other games and you don't have to try once you get Ryoma. honestly it's a 5 out of ten but they kill off my favorite character in the series (Elise) so 1 out ten if you want to play fates just play conquest it's the best of the three.… Expand
  70. MiguelAngel78
    Mar 22, 2020
    8
    Muy superior a Conquest en varios apartados. La historia es mas organica y el personaje principal menos irracional e inmaduro. Se abandona la odiosa dificultad presente en Conquest, y ahora se permite presenciar las interacciones con los demas personajes a medida que se entrenan las unidades. Las relaciones con otros personajes se sienten genuinas y fluidas, ademas de incluir varios girosMuy superior a Conquest en varios apartados. La historia es mas organica y el personaje principal menos irracional e inmaduro. Se abandona la odiosa dificultad presente en Conquest, y ahora se permite presenciar las interacciones con los demas personajes a medida que se entrenan las unidades. Las relaciones con otros personajes se sienten genuinas y fluidas, ademas de incluir varios giros inesperados que hacen de esta estrega de las mejores que puede ofrecer la consola.… Expand
  71. LeCha0sCst
    Jun 24, 2020
    10
    This was my second Fire Emblem game and I love it.
    The music is really good and gameplay is also good.
  72. redstonecard12
    Aug 6, 2020
    8
    Absolutely love the gameplay! Classic Fire Emblem with a base that kept me there for far too much time than I would like to say. What is keeping me back is the general writing of the game just feels cheesy for my taste. Definitely give the game a go. It's worth it. Just be prepared for a story that might not thrill the average Fire Emblem fan.
  73. hector_bcn98
    Nov 4, 2022
    8
    La vía estándar de los Fire Emblem Fates. Interesante planteamiento de dos visiones de la misma historia.
  74. KNX2501
    Jul 17, 2021
    8
    Es un buen juego, aunque personalmente creo que esta por debajo de su contraparte Conquest en lo relativo a la historia y a los personajes que fungen como protagonistas principales. También debo notar que la dificultad del juego esta por debajo no solo de las otras dos partes de Fire Emblem Fates sino de otras sagas, posiblemente para apelar a nuevos jugadores.
  75. Lani337
    Jan 31, 2023
    8
    While being a lot easier than Conquest, it has a good difficulty spike towards the end of the game. The first 20 chapters are a cakewalk though. However, this doesn't mean this game is bad by any means. It can be a very good game to begin with the series. It can be entertaining for intermediate players on lunatic difficulty as well. Solid game
  76. ssjkale1987
    Apr 21, 2022
    10
    I did birthright after Conquest since i wanted to play the more challenging version first. Birthright was too easy in comparizon with Conquest, died only twice and was surprised with the story being less interesting than Conquest. Still enjoyable but not as dark as Conquest's story. What i loved the most in the version are characters that follow your avatar in this story. They areI did birthright after Conquest since i wanted to play the more challenging version first. Birthright was too easy in comparizon with Conquest, died only twice and was surprised with the story being less interesting than Conquest. Still enjoyable but not as dark as Conquest's story. What i loved the most in the version are characters that follow your avatar in this story. They are interesting and have good chemistry with the avatar. I'm just surprised and a bit saddened by how some viewers hate the game just because of the story and it's even worse for Birthright. The story isn't the greatest of all fire emblem games but it's decent and some reviews go a little too far

    In the end Birthright was inferior to Conquest because ot its story but still very good to play thanks the nice characters.    … Expand
  77. Ninjazk
    Jul 13, 2022
    10
    I love this game ! The gameplay is cool, and the characters are so incredible.

Awards & Rankings

7
#7 Best 3DS Game of 2016
4
#4 Most Discussed 3DS Game of 2016
14
#14 Most Shared 3DS Game of 2016

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
86

Generally favorable reviews - based on 35 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 30 out of 35
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 35
  3. Negative: 0 out of 35
  1. games(TM)
    Jun 26, 2016
    80
    A tough tactical adventure. [Issue#175, p.78]
    Read full review
  2. NZGamer
    Jun 9, 2016
    90
    If you have a 3DS, Fire Emblem Fates is a must-buy; if you don’t, it’s yet another reason, on top of so many others, to get one. Just be sure you do your research, and stick to Birthright unless you’re absolutely ready for the challenge Conquest has to offer.
    Read full review
  3. GameOver.gr
    Jun 8, 2016
    95
    Another great addition to the Fire Emblem series, the newest chapter offers amazing visuals, an entirely captivating story and engrossing gameplay. Neither veterans nor newcomers should miss a change for one of the best offerings for the 3DS.
    Read full review
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