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An ideal handheld game. It's simple to pick up, the quest is long and worthwhile, and there's plenty of replay value.
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95The gameplay is simply addictive, the graphics and sound are stellar and the storyline is incredible making Fire Emblem a must buy srpg for the GameBoy Advance!
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Overall, this game is brilliant. Great gameplay, good graphics, witty writing and a rich storyline support this game and make it one of the best of its genre.
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This is easily one of the finest and most refined GBA games to date (maybe one of the last, too). It contains a narrative that takes the audience seriously (yet provides good comic relief) and a superb cast of characters.
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Strategy noobs might find this title a bit too much to digest, as character death is permanent and even normal fights stretch your brain to the limit. [July 2005, p.126]
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Sacred Stones brilliantly treads the line between depth and accessibility, and Intelligent Systems has bone to great lengths with the difficulty settings to please gamers of all skill levels. [July 2005, p.100]
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90It is challenging, with enough depth of both gameplay and story to please existing fans, while multiple difficulty settings will keep the title accessible to most everyone.
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Just as good as the original, but it doesn't bring anything new to the table. For fans of the series and newcomers this is a great thing.
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90Not only is this title many times better than the original, it offers one of the best and fulfilling experiences for the Game Boy Advance.
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90A great little game that instantly sucks you into a deep fantasy world of conflict and combat. The learning curve is average for an RPG game, but the rewards are well worth the study time.
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90Easily one of best GBA titles to ever come out for the handheld system. Its rich story, colorful characters, and excellent gameplay all add up to make this a truly satisfying experience.
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This approach is similar to chess, but there are far more variables.
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88One of the deepest and enjoyable games I have played in sometime, let alone the fact that is on the GBA.
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88Offers a lengthy, rewarding, thought-provoking experience that truly makes you feel as though the decisions you make, waging one exciting battle after the next, carry serious consequences.
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If you can handle a strategy game that'll ruthlessly punish you for making even minor mistakes, pick this up the next chance you get.
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88It takes a lot of time and effort to have the best experience. If you are like me and eat this stuff up like breakfast, Sacred Stones will last you 70 hours at a bare minimum.
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87While the story isn't as long as others, there's definitely much more depth involved with the game and plenty of replay value to it as well.
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To put it plain and simple, this game is worth double its original price.
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86Strategy fans will fall in love with Fire Emblem.
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85It's still a great strategy experience, but because the game has already wowed us in the original 2004 release its lost some of its luster.
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85Turn-based strategy that'll turn your life upside down.
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By bringing back some of the complexity from the Super Famicom titles that the GBA games have lacked, and by catering to new players by compensating the difficulty level, Intelligent Systems have crafted a fine addition to the Fire Emblem name. [JPN Import]
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85A great handheld game. Though it doesn't offer the sort of depth or complexity your typical RPG will, the game is perfect for the sort of places a handheld was made to go, entertaining without being overly taxing.
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85A hallmark tactical RPG that is sure to please fans of the series and those who like the genre. [JPN Import]
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More unique battlegrounds, different attack ranges and effects, a new mechanic or two - the Emblem formula would benefit from some added complexity. [July 2005, p.117]
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82If you're a rabid Fire Emblem fan, you'll love this game. It's more of the same style with a new plot with new characters for you to match up, and the added bonus of extra dungeons to try to complete as fast as possible.
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80If you're looking to make a long-term commitment to a strategy role-playing game, then Sacred Stones is as wise an investment as you can make.
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80This is just as beguiling as the first Emblem; but while it's still true love, I'm getting to the stage where we nag each other, and get fed up with each other's little idiosyncrasies.
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80Don't be discouraged by Sacred Stones' similarity to the previous Fire Emblem game; we wouldn't change it for the world. [Aug 2005, p.116]
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You won't find anything grounbreaking here, but you will find a highly enjoyable strategy game. [July 2005, p.82]
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80The successful parsing of battle, dialogue, and set-up sessions in Sacred Stones demonstrates again that the GBA might not be a Revolution, but it's something I sure would revisit time after time.
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80It's full of story clichés, but plot in these games is as vital as nipples on guys. It's the combat that really matters, and Sacred Stones is just about as good as it gets.
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For a change, the single-player mode is actually better than the multi-player mode. Expect weeks upon weeks of pure gaming fun.
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80I didn't have any desire to replay it again, but in this case, your first time will indeed be the best.
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80The main reason why I like The Sacred Stones is because it looks and feels old school, meaning it's reminiscent of classic NES RPGs, but beyond its look this is a quality turn-based experience that'll last you for hours.
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75Technically sound but leaving me feeling hollow and unsatisfied, Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones reminds me quite a bit of the series I mentioned earlier, "Advance Wars." Both games hooked me immediately and sucked me in the first time around, and both sequels left me hungry by staying too close to the original formula and coming off like add-ons or extended missions instead of being true sequels.
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Over-levelling all too easily threatens to undermine Fire Emblem's unique place in the genre. It's a problem easily side-stepped by both choosing an appropriate difficulty level and tempering your levelling, but nevertheless the option is unwelcome. [Aug 2005, p.90]
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70Combined with slightly above-average aesthetics and the chance to go through the game again as a different twin, The Sacred Stones is a solid and worthy diversion for the tactical fan.