Fire Emblem Fates

Release Date: February 19, 2016

Genre: Tactical role-playing

Platform: Nintendo 3DS

Date Reviewed: August 8, 2016

Fire Emblem Fates is another great entry into the Fire Emblem series for the Nintendo 3DS. Ever since Awakening, Fire Emblem has been getting some good traction in North America which is fantastic. Each entry gets better than the last (best one is Sacred Stones in my opinion). Fire Emblem Fates does something a little different. There are three games to choose from in this version. Each one has their own stories, characters and even weapons. Conquest and Birthright are the two mains ones recommended to start with while Revelation is the third story which is obtained digitally at a reduced cost. Once you hit chapter 5 you have the option to choose which side you will help.

As you progress through each story line you will discover lies, truths, and shocking twists. Each story gets their own unique player hub where you can upgrade, and build vendors, prison, blacksmith, arena, etc... There is also a multiplayer option where you attack another players hub or defend your own. In Revelation you get the option of using both sides buildings and farms. Each story is different but in the end the main point of it all is to try and stop this war between the two clans.

Fire Emblem Fates also introduces a new mechanic which allows your to partner up with other units. When doing so you get a slight buff in your stats depending on your relatioship with that unit. It also increases your chances of surviving. Another similar mechanic is when you are standing beside other units they will also increase your stats during battle depending on your relationship with that unit. The better the relationship means a higher stat gain.

Conquest:

Conquest is the story of the mighty kingdom Nohr. In this version it is early discovered that you were captured as a baby. In this story you were born in Hoshido and was captured at a very young age and grew up in Nohr. Manipulated you believe your allies in Nohr are in fact your blood relatives. If you choose to defend Nohr (Conquest) you will be shunned by Hoshido. Overall the story for Conquest is fantastic and has some really cool twists and emotional ties with some of the characters. However, this was my least favorite version.
Conquest is the "classic" way of playing Fire Emblem. In Conquest there is no grinding, resources are limited and the difficulty is much higher than any other version. If you are seeking a challenge then choose this path.

Final Rating:
8.5/10

Birthright:

Birthright is the other option to choose once you in chapter 5. This focuses around the clan Hoshido. In Birthright it is again discovered that Hoshido was your birth home but instead of sticking with Nohr you decide to go with Hoshido. Hoshido is the easier option especially with people who are new to the series. Birthright allows grinding and the ability to get stronger so the tougher chapters won't be as tough. Each mode does have Lunatic mode which is always a challenge. Birthright just makes it more bearable.

Birthright is the "newer" way of playing Fire Emblem, similar to Sacred Stones in a way. I found the characters are much more likable in Birthright and the story is a bit better as well. However, this story was not my favorite.

Final Rating:
9.0/10

Revelation:

Revelation is my favorite story out of the three choices. Revelation is a combination of Conquest and Birthright. It allows you to grind if you need to but the difficulty overall is higher than Birthright. In Revelation on Chapter 5 you decide to not join either clan and form one of your own to stop the war. You later discover a place which no one can speak of and the story and history of this place. It's fantastic story but I recommend you play Birthright and Conquest before Revelation.

Revelation also gives you the option to use BOTH building styles from Conquest and Birthright, allowing you to further customize your player hub. With Revelation you gather units from both Nohr and Hoshido. So overall it makes it a much more interesting story and the difficulty is just right.

Final Rating:
9.5/10

Overall Rating:
9.0/10
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