Hmm...some Echoes questions.

[Mell]

So, I'm planning to buy Fire Emblem Echoes today and I heard it's pretty different from Awakening ( the only one I played). I saw some gameplay videos and stuff but I'd like to have some opinions. It's difference from Awakening is a drawback? Does the gameplay differs so much?

[Michelaar]

47 minutes ago, Mell said:

So, I'm planning to buy Fire Emblem Echoes today and I heard it's pretty different from Awakening ( the only one I played). I saw some gameplay videos and stuff but I'd like to have some opinions. It's difference from Awakening is a drawback? Does the gameplay differs so much?

It's different than pretty much all FE games. I'd just try to play it and see if you like it or not.

[VincentASM]

51 minutes ago, Mell said:

So, I'm planning to buy Fire Emblem Echoes today and I heard it's pretty different from Awakening ( the only one I played). I saw some gameplay videos and stuff but I'd like to have some opinions. It's difference from Awakening is a drawback? Does the gameplay differs so much?

It is indeed very different to Awakening--and most other Fire Emblem games. That's because it's based on Gaiden, the 2nd game that experimented with a lot of things.

From an objective viewpoint, the changes honestly lean more towards the bad. But you could also view it as an interesting history lesson. Or you may be intrigued enough by all the changes to ignore the flaws.

What makes Echoes so good is the presentation, from the full voice acting, the amazing character artwork, etc. Overall, I feel like the positives greatly outweigh the negatives. But you should be mentally prepared for the wacky and often drab gameplay.

If you're interested, I reviewed the Japanese version a while back. I don't think my opinions have changed much, except I can say the English dub is fantastic : )

[Ertrick36]

It is very different; in fact, apart from the core battle mechanics still being strategy, many would consider it a different genre.

I like it well enough, but its replayability is lacking (compared to Awakening's, anyway) and the mechanics leave much to be desired.  Even though a lot of veterans give Awakening the shaft, I think many of them would agree that Echoes' maps and gimmicks are worse.

If you want a game like Awakening, get Fates.  Birthright in particular is the most like Awakening, though Conquest is only really different in that it's a lot more difficult and doesn't allow for grinding unless you have DLC.  Sacred Stones might also be worth considering unless you really want marriage and children, which are only a feature in Awakening, Fates, and Genealogy of the Holy War (a Japan-only title).

If you want a different experience from Awakening, Echoes will most certainly give you that.  It's unlike any game in the series aside from of course the game it's based on, Fire Emblem Gaiden.

[Mell]

I did some research about Fates as well. I might have the opportunity to buy them both. I heard there is one version of Fates that comes with all other versions

[BrightBow]

Well, it's most certainly quite different. There is a far larger emphasis on terrain and the world map is heavily integrated into the gameplay. There are towns that can be visited and dungeons that can be explored and the enemy will get reinforcements that will actively hunt you down.

And the number of fundamental mechanical differences is enormous: Archers have 5 range, Mages learn spells by leveling up and cast them using their HP, there is no weapon durability, there is only one inventory slot, there are no shops... It's a long list and each of them most certainly worth individually analyzing in how they they contribute to the overall effectiveness of the gameplay. But let's just say that I think all of them make sense and work well.

And I also think these things don't really make the game a different experience fundamentally, they are just a different road to the same goal. I'm actually quite a fan of most of these mechanics myself. Especially the way the different classes handle. They feel so much more distinct from each other in this game then in any other entry. But of course they also mean that one's previous experiences with the series may not be all that helpful in getting the hang of the game.

Problem with the game is that it is still very much a remake of an NES game, as amazing as it may be by that standard. They made plenty of good changes but there are still a fair share of things that should have been touched upon. The most obvious is probably that the game will reuse a lot of the generic map environments, which I suppose made sense in the days of limited memory on the NES but looks really cheap now, and most certainly contrasts heavily with the game's otherwise high production value.

Edited May 28, 2018 by BrightBow

[Bowbow]

It's different compared to most games in the series but since you've only played Awakening before it's not that bad. It's a fun game with cool mechanics you won't find in other FE's. Plus the characters are amazing.

[Sock]

4 hours ago, Mell said:

It's difference from Awakening is a drawback? Does the gameplay differs so much?

Not a drawback in the slightest. Fire Emblem as a series likes to experiment with different things, so all the games are different from each other in some way. The fundamentals are the same. That said, some FE games are really similar to each other, and Echoes and Gaiden are really different from everything else. But being different doesn't mean it's "bad". I'd say Echoes is definitely Fire Emblem in its gameplay, unlike certain other grid-based turn-based strategy games.

Since you've only played Awakening (ie, one game), it shouldn't be as jarring as it is to someone who's played a lot of FE games.

I can't recommend Echoes highly enough. Do it, do it!

[Mell]

I bought Echoes and Birthright and I started to play Echoes. I'm loving it. The characters are amazing. I'm not very far but I'm finding the game quit difficult for me too handle, maybe I need to train more, I don't know. FE:A was really hard at beginning and I've never finish it past hard difficult, so I'm struggling a little with Echoes, but enjoying nevertheless.

[Totally Not Inigo]

That's good that your enjoying Echoes. Just be aware that you won't get the full story without at least watching the dlc and playing the memory prisms. Also, be aware that you only get three pitchforks to throw characters into another class than their starting one, unlike Awakening and Fates.

[Mell]

I finished the whole game and it was awesome. The VA was really good and once I got used to the gameplay was really smooth, not very hard like Awakening. Someday I'll write about the game I think. I feel sad because I have nothing to play now.

[VincentASM]

6 hours ago, Mell said:

I finished the whole game and it was awesome. The VA was really good and once I got used to the gameplay was really smooth, not very hard like Awakening. Someday I'll write about the game I think. I feel sad because I have nothing to play now.

Congrats! It's great to hear you enjoyed the game : )

Oh yeah, that's unavoidable, haha. But at least there's a new game (Three Houses) coming out next year. If you have a Switch.

Otherwise, I'm sure you could find something to play or replay if you looked hard enough ^^

My backlog is getting big and I still want to buy games.

[RexBolt]

7 hours ago, Mell said:

I finished the whole game and it was awesome. The VA was really good and once I got used to the gameplay was really smooth, not very hard like Awakening. Someday I'll write about the game I think. I feel sad because I have nothing to play now.

I know how it is with Awakening. I started it for the 1st time some time ago and it's super inconsistent. From a hard begning to easy-to-boring "middle" to another dificulty spike (i just started the Valm stuff), i'm getting so burned out of it that i can go a couple of days of not even playing. Totally different to my experience on finishing PoR at the start of the year (1st Fe ftw).

I just wish i hadn't got into FE by watching a full let's play of Echoes, so i have no drive to play it yet. 

Edited August 20, 2018 by RexBolt

[Mell]

I read some old FE games and I'm planning to play the GBA one. I bought the game boy advance yesterday and I'm looking for the sacred stones to buy it, but its hard to find it.