First Fire Emblem

[SuperNova]

   Hey everyone!

   Name's Suna ( You must know me already ) but that's not the point.

   Anyway, about a year ago I bought a "new 3ds" with xenoblade and later on I also bought pokemon sun. Recently I played the " Fire Emblem awakening '' free demo and I really liked it, so I thought about start playing the games.

   My question is what should be my first game,

• Should I play a game on an emulator from the older ones?
• Should I buy a 3ds title like Awakening,  Fates or Echoes?
• Or my last choice is to wait to gather the money for a switch and purchase warriors or the new title?

   So which should be my first game out of all ( please tell me a specific game ).

 

Thanks, I really appreciate your help.

[Chase]

I personally think you should emulate FE7 for the Game Boy Advance if you are potentially trying to play a good amount of the franchise. It's very easy and translates nicely to other games. Awakening would be the best answer for a first FE on your 3DS - but they may be officially off of shelves and marked up.

 

As far as owning a 3DS title. I recommend Fates.

[5hift]

My first FE game was FE 8 which is reputed to be the easiest FE game in the entire franchise but I still really enjoyed it.

 

After getting a 3DS of my own, I got Awakening and so far I don't regret buying it.

 

So to answer your questions:

• Yes. Nothing wrong with getting an emulator to play the old games. Its good to see what the game started from. My friend pushed me to start with FE Genealogy of the Holy War but I went with FE 8. I dunno, maybe I'm just a casual pleb since he tells me Geneaolgy of the Holy war was one of the harder FE games. He showed me a couple levels of the game and HOLY SHIT THESE MAPS ARE GIGANTIC. They are easily 5-6 times the size of the average map in Awakening and Naga knows how many times the size of a FE Heroes map.
• Yes. If you like the series then go ahead and get those games. But see the warning at the end of this post.
• From the looks of it, Warriors is definitely not going to be your average FE game so don't rush into buying it. Also the Switch is expensive as fuck right now so I'd hold off on buying that thing entirely for the time being. 

Oh and fair warning before buying FE Awakening if that is in fact the one you want to get. DO NOT BUY FROM GAMESTOP.

 

For whatever reason, they're only selling USED copies for 50 bucks. The price of the newer games (Fates: Birthright and Conquest) are 40 bucks each. Just buy Awakening off the Eshop for 40 bucks and don't let GameStop fuck you for your money.

[Animefan666]

I'd start with FE 7 (simply called FE in the US) and Sacred Stones. Both for the GBA.

[Hect]

My first game was Awakening and I kinda hate to say it. Though, I'm thankful that it introduced me to the series way back then. (Still remember seeing my friend have Radiant Dawn in his bookshelf. Wonder if he still has it? Maybe I can snatc..--, buy it from him.) I'd recommend that you play either FE 7/8/9. I'd suggest playing FE 9 since I'm biased as shit, but if you look for a game that will introduce you to the series in all it's glory, go for FE 7. It's not hard, but also not easy.

 

Also, Warriors doesn't have to do much with normal FE titles from what I've seen. It seems more like a Hyrule Warrior-esque spin-off title. Don't think it's the right game to start into the series. I wouldn't recommend playing Awakening or Fates first, simply because you have to spend money on them, whereas you can just emulate the others. Just play them, see if you like the series, if you do, buy them. If you don't, don't buy them, go watch a playthrough instead.

 

Edited March 13, 2017 by Inactivity

[SuperNova]

What about Echoes I've heard it is a remake of the 2nd FE game would you buy it?

[Combat]

If you're going to emulate, start with Sacred Stones. That game is much easier than the first gameboy one. I'd personally recommend Awakening, since it give you more difficulty options than the older ones.

[5hift]

8 minutes ago, SuperNova said:

What about Echoes I've heard it is a remake of the 2nd FE game would you buy it?

I'd need to see more gameplay of it before I can make a decision. Hell I'd even wait until after its release to see if I should get it.

 

I'm strictly anti-pre-order nowadays after Destiny and Metal Gear Solid 5.

[Commander]

2 minutes ago, SuperNova said:

What about Echoes I've heard it is a remake of the 2nd FE game would you buy it?

 

Based on what I've read, it doesn't sound like a good starting FE game as it has weird mechanics (Fates I'd recommend first before trying that one out). Awakening, Fates Birthright, FE7/FE8 (the GBA games), and PoR (the GC one but LOL trying to find that) are all good starting points to get into the series. I actually think you might be able to find awakening still in some retailers as I went to Wal-mart and saw one. But other than Shadow Dragon, which can only be appreciated as a remake of a classic....but ugh, you can't really go wrong with picking up any Fire Emblem game to see how you like the series.

 

But if you want me to give you a run down of why I don't recommend starting with Gaiden: it's a game that's all about item management between two armies in which some of your units went into battle unarmed. There's also dungeon crawling which no other FE game has. I don't know how Echoes will handle it, but it's the black sheep of the series (only one other game also had monsters to boot). I also don't know how they'll handle Magic as in Gaiden, it cost hit points to use magic which no other game did.

[AuthorReborn]

1 hour ago, Commander said:

 

Based on what I've read, it doesn't sound like a good starting FE game as it has weird mechanics (Fates I'd recommend first before trying that one out). Awakening, Fates Birthright, FE7/FE8 (the GBA games), and PoR (the GC one but LOL trying to find that) are all good starting points to get into the series. I actually think you might be able to find awakening still in some retailers as I went to Wal-mart and saw one. But other than Shadow Dragon, which can only be appreciated as a remake of a classic....but ugh, you can't really go wrong with picking up any Fire Emblem game to see how you like the series.

 

But if you want me to give you a run down of why I don't recommend starting with Gaiden: it's a game that's all about item management between two armies in which some of your units went into battle unarmed. There's also dungeon crawling which no other FE game has. I don't know how Echoes will handle it, but it's the black sheep of the series (only one other game also had monsters to boot). I also don't know how they'll handle Magic as in Gaiden, it cost hit points to use magic which no other game did.

 

 

Yeah, Gaiden is a very different game from every other game in the series. Later games incorporate other elements from it, like split army management (FE10) and monster fighting (FE8, FE13-14 in some ways), but it definitely shouldn't be one of the first games you play simply because it will give you a very different impression of what the series is like. 

 

Personally, I played Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones (the eighth game in the series), also known as FE8) as my first game based on recommendations from folks here on Reborn as well. It is a very forgiving entry that lets you grind up your units if you need to be stronger to beat a specific chapter (and also provides a host of over-powered characters for you to use). If you are looking to just put your toes in the water to check how you fare, The Sacred Stones is a very solid option. Other good starting options are Fire Emblem: The Blazing Blade (the seventh overall game in the series, but the first released outside of Japan, where it was simply called "Fire Emblem") and Fire Emblem: Awakening (13th overall game, 6th outside of Japan). Blazing Blade is a straight-forward game which includes a tutorial mode that spans the first 10 Chapters of the game, so this is a helpful tool for jumping into the series. Awakening has an extraordinarily forgiving Casual Mode (which prevents the series' hallmark Permadeath feature from taking place), a built-in Guide feature, and several tutorial levels as well. It also includes opportunities for grinding your units into the most broken characters in the series. 

 

So to surmise my recommendations for your first game:

• Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones (FE8)
• Fire Emblem: Blazing Blade/Fire Emblem (FE7)
• Fire Emblem: Awakening (FE13)

[FairFamily]

Well my fire emblem story is kinda weird. My first fire emblem game was actually fire emblem on the gameboy advance (emulator) years ago but that didn't survive for more then 30 minutes maybe an hour at best. From what I remember it was too much toturial. So I shelved the game. So for new year I got fire emblem fates birthright. So after months of playing other things I decided to play the game and I must say I enjoyed it. So I can't say how it compared to the past games (except fire emblem but that was over a decade ago) but I can say that fire emblem fates: birthright is a very good entry point.

[Daniel Blackworth]

I'd also recommend the Fire Emblem GBA Games, specifically, Binding Blade, Blazing Sword, and Sacred Stones. They're quite good and they will allow you to become oriented with the game. I enjoyed those games, and when I played Fates Birthright, I immediately enjoyed it since I was already quite familiar with the game. I'm planning to buy Awakening soon.

[Sheep]

My first Fire Emblem game was FE9, Path of Radiance, but as good an entry point as that one is I don't think it's the best one. Personally I think the best Fire Emblem game to start on is the 7th one, it has a tutorial which is purposely designed to teach players that are new to the franchise how to play the Fire Emblem games. I remember playing it after getting comfortable with Fire Emblem the hard way, and thinking "wow this really would have been a great place to start".

 

I watched this video on the topic not too long ago and it does a pretty good job of breaking down some good starting points though. Maybe it'll help you out:

Spoiler

 

 

[Maelstrom]

I'd say start with Awakening, as you already have a foot in that door. It's definitely good for starting.

 

Then move on to Fates.

 

Then PoR/Radiant Dawn

 

Then maybe try some older games which are more an exercise in frustration than the amazing fun the above players would have you believe. I've played all the FE games that came out in the US.

There's a lot of mechanics and restraints that you'll have to monitor a lot more closely and just make a lot of micromanaging decisions. They see that as challenged accepted. I see it as an annoyance that severely slows down the gameplay and story. Not to mention the likely resets when rng plays its many jokes on you.

[SuperNova]

Thanks all of you, I will start with FE and then I'll think about it.

[Godot]

FE-> your choice of Sacred Stones or Awakening.

[SuperNova]

Well I started with FE 7 I'm in love with the game so far. So a question:

I'm saving up money for the switch but I really wanna play 3ds game so, should I choose awakening or fates. If fates which of the 3 games and what's the difference, I didn't quite understand this part. On birthrihts you can only choose Hoshido, on Conquest only Nohr and on revelations only Azura I think, or I have a choise between the 3?

[Commander]

Pick up Awakening since fates pretty much just builds off of Awakening and it's system. Fates has three paths the brutal conquest one with great maps and sometimes borderline insane difficulty. Birthright is enemy reinforcements galore with meh mapiping. It is not bad but it is worth the 20 to get the second path.

 

Revelations oh boy revelation. This is the worst game IS has ever created. Literally do not buy this path as it is bad. Grinding, bad map design, horrible unit placement, and a storyline a little bit better than conquests awful storyline. I still have not finished this path because it is just bleh. 

 

Awakening is really worth picking up as a lot of people got into the series because of it. Maps are mostly big open areas bit there are some diamonds in the rough in that games. Supports are amazing in that game though. Not Sacred Stones good, but still fun. The plot in this one imo starts out very solid then...kind of crumbles due to plot holes. Still enjoy this one partially due to nostalgia.

 

Oh when you buy one path, you can buy the second one for 20 bucks through Dlc which is better than all of the Fates dlc but memories of foam. Unlike Awakening and it's all or none dlc, Fates you shouldn't bother with except for the free and maybe the memories and anna.

[Chase]

Revelations starts you with only Azura and the server opposite gender of the Avatar - but ends you with every available unit in the entire game sans Scarlet. And you even get to use her a bit too.

 

The problem with Rev is that it's not balanced well at all. Only get it if you are planing to beat up some noobs via online matches and you min max your units, as Rev gives you all of them

 

---

 

That being said, I would consider availability at this point. Conquest is cheaper than Awakening due to being in most retail stores that sell games. If you find yourself in GameStop - think really hard about Awakening. Also, as Commander said, you can get Birthright much cheaper after buying Conquest.

 

Awakening has better plot, Conquest provides more of a challenge and is thus more fun in my opinion. 

[SuperNova]

2 hours ago, Wheat said:

That being said, I would consider availability at this point. Conquest is cheaper than Awakening due to being in most retail stores that sell games. If you find yourself in GameStop - think really hard about Awakening. Also, as Commander said, you can get Birthright much cheaper after buying Conquest.

Well a noob (me) has another question, you said that afterbuing conquest I get Birthright much cheaper but how?

[AuthorReborn]

2 hours ago, Wheat said:

Revelations starts you with only Azura and the server opposite gender of the Avatar - but ends you with every available unit in the entire game sans Scarlet. And you even get to use her a bit too.

. 

 

No one remembers Izana or Yukimura, RIP.

[Daniel Blackworth]

20 minutes ago, AuthorReborn said:

 

No one remembers Izana or Yukimura, RIP.

I remember them though. Izana's that weird monarch guy and Yukimura's the tactician guy from Hoshido, right? I didn't use either of them because I saw in the wiki that they were weak and it was also late when they were accessible.

[Chase]

Ah in Rev, Izana can't join for story reasons, and Yukimura can't by process of elimination when it comes to tending Castle Shirasagi. You can still Einherjar those units though!

 

When you have bought one route, you can purchase another route for about 10 bucks or so less from the main menu through "Explore Fates" or something. 

 

Doing this means you get both routes for roughly the same price as Awakening if buying it from GameStop.

 

 

[Shadow Tack]

start with awakening FE7 FE8 or shadow dragon, shadow dragon is a remake of FE1 but it was a fun experience.