1. domflo

   10

   After the relative success that was Fire Emblem (Rekka no Ken, to be precise), Nintendo decided to release it's successor, The Sacred Stones, in the west as well. And, let me tell you this, it was the right decision.
   The game's art style is a bit darker than before, and the story is a bit more straightforward than Rekka no Ken's story was. The cast of characters has also been reduced, allowing for a deeper view on each character this time around. Gameplay wise, this game plays exactly like it's predecessor. The only notable differences are special class skills that some classes inhabit, and, most importantly, the world map. The world map feature allows the player to visit shops freely after clearing a certain chapter, and it also grants access to what most people would call training grounds: The Tower of Valni. It allows the player to go through it over and over, thus training your units. This can be used to make the game easier, or to level up characters post-story. Concerning difficulty, this game should be a good one for beginners, as it is a bit easier than other Fire Emblems, not only but also thanks to the Tower of Valni mentioned earlier. The replayability is, as one would expect knowing the franchise, very high. Not only can you continue playing after beating the story (to unlock certain characters, for example), but there are also two main routes to follow the story on. One has to play the game at least twice to get to enjoy all chapters, which could tick some people off, but shouldn't be a big deal, as this game is very addicting.
   To conclude, the game is one of the best in the franchise, and one of the best games for the system as well. It manages to be absolutely "Fire Emblem" while adding some spice with some small changes and attracting new players that are easily frustrated by the other installment(s). If you own a GameBoy Advance or a Nintendo DS/DS lite and are at least remotely interested in turn-based strategy, this game is a must have.… Expand

   • Helpful? 0 of 0 users said Yes.
2. Teru_XD

   10

   Amazing game. I was a bit skeptical at first, but when I finally got to play it through the 3DS Ambassador Program, I was floored. This game is addictive as hell! The replay value is definitely strong in this one.… Expand

   • Helpful? 1 of 1 users said Yes.
3. NocheShade

   10

   Tenouttaten!
   Truly the best game I've played.The story is well written,the graphics are well done and the game play is superb.With 2 to 3 characters of every class and each character being individual statistic-ly and personality wise,each play through is different and fresh.Amazing… Expand

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

   7

   With slick graphics, phenomenal gameplay and plenty of replay value, Sacred Stones has a lot to offer. I have a few issues, though. First up, the game automatically saving when you turn off the game mid-battle is arbitrary. This leads to scenarios where you have played 3 hours, cleared 9 tenths of a battle and lose your best unit to a zombie's claw, AND YOU HAVE TO START THE FIGHT ALL OVER AGAIN IF YOU WANT TO KEEP THAT UNIT! I simply cannot exaggerate the frustration caused by this. The storyline and characters are also a cavalcade of cliches for the most part and weapon degradation as a design concept is as bad as it has always been. At least they could have made the sacred weapons unbreakable or at least make them a bloody lot more usable, but oh no, if you want to clear the Lagdou Ruins you practically have to decline from using them for about 4/5 if the time you have them.… Expand

   • Helpful? 0 of 0 users said Yes.

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