Fire Emblem Fates: Birthright

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.

Fire Emblem Fates: Birthright is a fantastic balance of tactical challenge and accessibility. Even after I finished the story, I found myself returning to the battlefield again and again to unlock more conversations between friends and test my army’s might against Nohr’s finest. I’m addicted to Fire Emblem Fates, and that’s fine by me.

Maybe the Conquest version is a little superior, but Birthright is the ideal starting point for Fire Emblem Fates, both for beginners in tactical role-playing games and also for hardcore gamers who are going to play all three storylines of the game.

The most impressive refinement of Fire Emblem to date, this game belongs in everyone's 3DS.

Fire Emblem Fates: Birthright represents one of the greatest games in this genre. Its great story telling, complex gameplay mechanics and stunning art direction and music, makes it a must have for every single person who enjoys videogames. Hands down.

Birthright is a grueling, fantastic experience that not only matches the quality of its predecessor but possibly outshines it as well, more than earning its place at the table of must-play strategy/RPGs.

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.

After the success of Fire Emblem Awakening, Fates takes it as a base to build its new world but trying to keep old fans on board too. It offers a better plot and three different experiences tailored to veterans and newcomers. Sadly it fails to bring many improvements in gameplay (except for the addition of more interactive scenarios and the unit combination) and graphics, but in exchange adds the massive my castle function, including its multiplayer functions and online mode. It's disappointing that the good end is exclusive to the downloadable "Revelations" path, though.

Fire Emblem Fates: Birthright is amongst the best tactical videogames of all time. While it’s not the wholesale reinvigoration that Awakening was, it is the refinement of three decades worth of game development, from a team who have fundamentally defined the handheld tactical genre.

Fire Emblem Fates Birthright is the sequel Awakening fans are waiting for. It's a more linear and easier experience than Conquest, but still a beautiful and deep mix between a RPG and turn-based strategic game.

Fire Emblem Fates is an incredible package and an experience that rivals the very best the 3DS has to offer.

The best Fire Emblem yet, with more depth of gameplay and options than ever before and yet still perfectly accessible for new players.

Fire Emblem Fates: Birthright is a fantastic addition to the series and easily one of the best Fire Emblem games.

Birthright may be the best place to start out of the two versions, as it’s easily accessible to anyone regardless of their experience with the series. Some story beats may be a bit cliche, but Birthright still has a captivating tale about family, love, and duty. By the same token, the gameplay and presentation is tighter than its ever been.

Fire Emblem Fates: Birthright is a great followup to the amazing Fire Emblem: Awakening. The story is solid, the tactical combat is great, if simplistic in this version, and the characters are wonderfully endearing. The game excels in providing options, letting players tailor how they want to experience this world. If you care more or equally about the romance and social aspects of Fire Emblem, this is the version you should be playing.

FEF: Birthright is the best episode to get to know this series. It's more accessible, but it still has the depth and complexity you find in other episodes. No matter if you know the franchise already or not, it's a game you'll enjoy from the very first minute to the very last.

Beyond the commercial gamble, Fire Emblem Fates is an excellent tactical-RPG, just like Fire Emblem Awakening was. This new game takes back everything that worked in the previous entry (relationships, support) and adds some very addictive elements, like the castle management or this three-headed story you'll want to explore completely.

While I wish the story had more twists and that the main character had more depth, Fire Emblem Fates: Birthright is fantastic package with a lot to offer.

Speaking of alleviating frustration, Birthright is probably the best starting place for newcomers. Not only does it offer unlimited grinding opportunities to beef up your party, but the actual missions mostly consist of easy "rout (kill) the enemy" parameters. The tale is also relatively open and shut, following a traditional storyline from a macro perspective, while keeping the complicated relationships intact.

I don't think there are any bad Fire Emblem games, and despite that Birthright still manages to be one of the better ones.

Fire Emblem Fates: Birthright is a great tactical JRPG with a weird release. The game itself is fantastic though.

A tough tactical adventure. [Issue#175, p.78]

This is the best choice if you are looking a Fire Emblem for everyone. Its missions aren't the most inspired, but it is still a good game.

Picking up the ball that Fire Emblem: Awakening passed to it, Fire Emblem Fates: Birthright is a second chance at jumping into an iconic franchise for the first time and getting lost in the magic of love on the battlefield.

Ultimately, Birthright is an excellent tactical game with a lackluster story.

I may have done a lot of nitpicking, but Birthright is still undeniably a solid Fire Emblem entry.

Fire Emblem Fates: Birthright does a great job of preserving and building on its predecessor's strengths as well as offering a solid standalone experience, and is a must-play for any 3DS owner looking for a quality RPG.

Fire Emblem Fates: Birthright is an absolute delight to play, from the battlefield to the bedroom. If you loved its predecessor Awakening, you'll enjoy the heightened tension and intimacy imbued in every moment of Birthright.

While the core gameplay of Fire Emblem: Fates remains intact and enjoyable, the poorly conceived release model, along with a predictable story that feels incomplete holds it back from true greatness.

This is a bloody good RPG, but it's one that's been significantly watered down in an attempt to bring in new players. If you're trying to draw a friend into the world of strategy RPGs, Birthright is ideal. If you're a more experienced RPG fan this might well satisfy, but another version of Fire Emblem Fates might satisfy you more - this one is just a little too simple and easy, and in line with that is a touch lacking in depth.

Fire Emblem Fates: Birthright could very well be an outstanding chapter in a series that is cherished for its narratives and gameplay mechanics. Unfortunately Birthright falls down before it reaches its goal. Its very good production values and sharp combats openly clash with an uninspired and dull narrative, poorly implemented difficulty curve, generic and empty characters and the simple fact that it just doesn't work as a stand alone game in the first place.

When Birthright transcends its repetition and monotony, it's on the same level of Awakening – but that happens far less often than I hoped. [Issue #20 – March/April 2016, p.74]

It's an above-average tactical RPG with excellent production value and moderately good gameplay scenarios, but it feels surprisingly one-note and dissatisfying if taken on its own merits as a self-contained game. If you're willing to pony up the extra $20 to buy Conquest, or the $80 price tag of the Special Edition with both Conquest and Revelation, I highly recommend it, as the whole experience of all three is where the real value of the game is.