1. plasticEGO

   10

   Finally, the game everyone's been waiting for! Though most are still impatiently waiting (due to shipping issues), some have proceeded to download the digital copy and immediately thanked themselves, among other unspeakable things. This is definitely the much needed scratch for the strategist's itch. From the intuitive battle system, beautiful music scores and masterfully written dialogue, this game is easily another must have for anyone even slightly interested in the genre. The battles have never been more intense, as you've never felt more of a connection with the characters. Each characters flowing with personality. Some charming, some annoying, some lovable, and ALL capable of being turned into cannon fodder, should you let your guard down (or if you're conspiring). Top it all off with enthused, well spoken voice overs that never overstep their purpose and vivid cut scene videos that never fail to impress. All in all, this game is a MUST HAVE for anyone seeking to exercise wit and is even tailored to newcomers in the new Classic mode. I'm slightly bummed out at the limitations of online mode. Should a DLC for online battles be released, I'd change my score to a perfect 10. I highly recommend picking this one up, even if you're slightly interested. I know a couple of people who recently purchased the 3ds for this game alone, if that tells you anything. "9 out of 10" plasticEGO… Expand

   • Helpful? 2 of 2 users said Yes.
2. Cloppers

   8

   The game is good, refreshing; yet still brings back memories from earlier games. The new support function is amazing, and being able to marry characters together is a long wanted feature.
   
   The biggest problem with the game is the huge gap in difficulties. Hard mode is ridiculously easy for veterans of the game, yet Lunatic is nearly impossible without hours of grinding particular units.… Expand

   • Helpful? 0 of 0 users said Yes.
3. citizenerased

   5

   I've invested 20 hours into this game so far on the Hard setting and here is my take. It is way too easy and repetitive and unfortunately I have little drive to pickup this game to play now, which is a shame because the first few hours contained so much promise. The one negative review that presently exists nailed the issue on its head there's no reason to use 80% of the characters you obtain since the main party levels up so quickly. Due to this you will not experience an enormous amount of text and back story between these characters since you will never use them. The game is repetitive battle after battle with little variation. Yes, the graphics are nice and the story is decent although VERY typical JRPG fare. After you've promoted your main characters to their master ranks and leveled their weapons up to the top rank around the 15th hour there's not much else to experience except for the tepid storyline.
   
   I need to say I am absolutely shocked at the amount of poorly written positive reviews for this game that do not highlight these critical flaws in the game. I can only hope for the day Metacritic introduces some standard of quality for their user reviews. How can only ONE negative written review exist for this game that is the only review that points out something so glaringly obvious.
   
   Disclosure: Gamer of 25 years, played hundreds of RPG's on PC, (S)NES, PS, etc.… Expand

   • Helpful? 0 of 0 users said Yes.
4. RightEOThen

   3

   I love Fire Emblem.
   I just want to preface this review by saying that I love the series and that Fire Emblem 7 (just called Fire Emblem here in the States) is my favorite game of all time. The problem with Fire Emblem Awakening lies in the way it drifts so far from what Fire Emblem should be. Fire Emblem is a series of some of the best strategy games of all time. Games with near perfect linear game design, compelling (if not a little dry) stories, and a flair for inventing new concepts for other strategy games to follow. And all of it is placed alongside one of the best systems of strategy combat in history, forcing a player to face up to the real possibility of losing their soldiers.
   But Fire Emblem Awakening does not do the series proud.
   Some of the hate I have for Awakening could be grounded in its divergence from all things Fire Emblem, but I dislike it even more because it tricked me into thinking the whole game would be as good as the first couple chapters. Fire Emblem Awakening does away with the linear style of old Fire Emblem games. At first, this was exciting, but later on I found it made the game devoid of challenge as ranking up your team is far too easy when the battles never stop. There is no point in trying to include weaker characters, no point in trying to form a solid team, and no point in playing on permadeath mode anymore, because the game never actually ends. Sure, there is a final level, but it doesn't matter when you consider that there is no end to the fighting. The game is built for casual mode, which might as well put the nail in the coffin of a series that defined itself as a linear series that had games with a set end. You worked to build a team strong enough to win the war, and lost comrades on the way. But now, every comrade lost is just one less character available for the infinite fights after the end credits roll. Losing a character isn't something you can just keep on without, as their is so much more game to play.
   Of course, the combat is still good despite the poor design, leaving the developer to work on a good story. Unfortunately, the story is an overdone JRPG story featuring a cast of about five relevant characters. The danger in the story isn't real because none of the characters take it seriously. They carry on with their laughably unfunny single trait "personalities" and their pointless conversations while the world falls apart around them in a sea of enemy blood. Now, I realize that Fire Emblem games of the past haven't set the world on fire with their stories, but they at least had some serious enough moments in them to make the world threatening danger somewhat believable.
   Now, the counter argument might be that all of this fits the tone and theme of the game, and it does. But the problem with Fire Emblem Awakening is that it just isn't a Fire Emblem game anymore. Its more comparable to Final Fantasy Tactics than Fire Emblem.
   And as such, it shouldn't have spent time trying to be a Fire Emblem game.
   To sum up this admittedly long winded review, Fire Emblem Awakening is not a Fire Emblem game. If you want to see a good Fire Emblem game, their are about 10 other games in the series (excluding the dull Shadow Dragon) that have not only aged well due to their great combat and well done stories, but that also qualify as Fire Emblem games in feeling, design and execution. Its a sad day to see an IP be turned around and made into something completely different, but I hold out hope that the inevitable next Fire Emblem game gets it right.… Expand

   • Helpful? 1 of 36 users said Yes.

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