What is your unpopular Fire Emblem opinion?

[Morswo]

I think that Fire Emblem three houses is overrated.
The story is just okay , but in comparison to the one of FE4 is the latter superior. The characters are not as deep as they often are considered, look at Raphael, in some years are folks like him easy forgotten, this fate seems to have already met Ignatz. Considering the small roster, is this weak, when I look at Shadow Dragon, or Radiant Dawn, were we had way more characters and they still  had some solid persons, is this no improvement.
The difficulty is too low and there are not enough options for setting the difficulty in this game. The jump between hard and maddening is too huge, but even maddening isn't an interesting challenge, since it is just stat boosting and can be easy handled with dodge units, or in AM with wrath Dimitri. Compared to Conquest Lunatic, is maddening boring. Sadly we didn't got anything to solve this problem, the DLCs seems to be only poor and a waste of my money, the Ashen wolves are presumably another case of children of fates DLCs. So the chances to get a new difficulty, or maps like Apotheosis are low. The new gameplay feels just not really neat.
I don't think that the game is a bad one, but it is not perfect.
 

[Etrurian emperor]

51 minutes ago, Morswo said:

Considering the small roster, is this weak, when I look at Shadow Dragon, or Radiant Dawn, were we had way more characters and they still  had some solid persons, is this no improvement.

Did we? For Radiant Dawn they (mostly) handled a large cast very well but most Shadow Dragon characters were barely characters. Aside from Marth, Caeda, Hardin and Minerva just about every unit in Shadow Dragon was extremely bare bones. Even if we double the amount of solid persons in Shadow Dragon its number would still be dwarfed by the solid characters in Three Houses. 

I wouldn't say Three Houses isn't overrated to some extend but every new game has a honeymoon phase. I think that soon Three Houses will get criticized more. 

 

[Slumber]

The thing to note is that Radiant Dawn handled its returning characters well. As in, the characters from the last game, where the roster was smaller and each individual got more room to actually establish themselves.

The new characters are almost all very underdeveloped. Micaiah, Nailah, Pelleas and Skrimir are fine, but the latter two of those characters are built upon their relations to characters from Path of Radiance. Nolan and Volug(Who you won't even get any personality out of on a first playthrough) are passable. And those 6 only get anything because they're important or semi-important to the plot. But everyone else? Either a blank slate with almost no personality, or very one note. Good luck squeezing anything meaningful from the rest of the Dawn Brigade, or Kyra and Lyze.

Edited February 7, 2020 by Slumber

[Morswo]

21 minutes ago, Etrurian emperor said:

Did we? For Radiant Dawn they (mostly) handled a large cast very well but most Shadow Dragon characters were barely characters. Aside from Marth, Caeda, Hardin and Minerva just about every unit in Shadow Dragon was extremely bare bones. Even if we double the amount of solid persons in Shadow Dragon its number would still be dwarfed by the solid characters in Three Houses

Agreed, there weren't much good characters in shadow dragon (though I still miss old mages, like Wendell and Boah). 
In three houses are only 36 playable characters, I suspect. Compared to predecessors is this a fairly small cast, so they weren't that much better than the older games, of course the average quality in three houses not too bad.

[Flere210]

11 minutes ago, Slumber said:

The thing to note is that Radiant Dawn handled its returning characters well. As in, the characters from the last game, where the roster was smaller and each individual got more room to actually establish themselves.

Naesala being under a blood pact weakened the character a lot for me. I also feel like Ike is much more of a gary stu, because everyone can't shut up about how awesome he is,  and the only character that really got something meaningful out of RD is Elincia. Everyone else either don't devolop much or get worse. 

[Etrurian emperor]

42 minutes ago, Slumber said:

The thing to note is that Radiant Dawn handled its returning characters well.

They did mostly get handled well unless their names were Tormod and Muarim. Those two suddenly got kidnapped by aliens when their grand moment to free the Laguz had finally arrived. Tragic, really. 

[Slumber]

54 minutes ago, Morswo said:

Agreed, there weren't much good characters in shadow dragon (though I still miss old mages, like Wendell and Boah). 
In three houses are only 36 playable characters, I suspect. Compared to predecessors is this a fairly small cast, so they weren't that much better than the older games, of course the average quality in three houses not too bad.

Up until Radiant Dawn, ~40 characters was not out of the ordinary for Fire Emblem. If you were to break down the casts of Fire Emblem games by number and ask FE fans to pinpoint which of these games had the best original casts*, I can almost guarantee the games that hover around 40 would have the most favorable casts. Though this is what this thread is for, don't try to make the argument that 36 characters is an exceptionally small cast. It's only because of Radiant Dawn, New Mystery and Fates that 36 seems small.

*I actually spent around 20 minutes doing this, but Serenes Forest saw the post as an attack on the server and I couldn't fix it.

Edited February 7, 2020 by Slumber

[Interdimensional Observer]

7 minutes ago, Slumber said:

Up until Radiant Dawn, ~40 characters was not out of the ordinary for Fire Emblem.

If I counted right for every non-3H game...

Spoiler

Dark Dragon and the Blade of Light: 52 (51 per playthrough due to the Samson/Arran choice)

Gaiden: 32 (16 for Alm's team, 16 for Celica's team, but only 15 per playthrough for her due to the Sonia/Deen choice)

Mystery of the Emblem: Book 1- 47(46) and Book 2- 45.

Genealogy of the Holy War: 1st Generation- 24, 2nd Generation- 25 (24 per playthrough due to Iuchar/Iucharba; does not count substitutes)

Thracia 776: 52 (47 per playthrough due to the choices of Saias/Ced, Olwen/Ilios, and Miranda+Shannam+Conomor/Sleuf+Misha+Amalda)

Binding Blade: 54 (51 per playthrough with the Western Isles and Illia/Sacae splits, no Trial Map characters counted)

Blazing Blade: 43 (Hector Mode) 41 (Eliwood Mode) (41/39 characters per playthrough due to Wallace/Geitz and Karel/Harken; also I'm counting Ninian/Nils as one)

Sacred Stones: 33 (no Creature Campaign characters or Orson counted)

Path of Radiance: 47 (44 per playthrough due to Ena/Nasir and the Laguz Royals choice)

Radiant Dawn: 72 (not counting the Black Knight, but including the Second Playthrough only duo)

Shadow Dragon: 59 (only 51 at max per playthrough due to the blood price on Gaidens and the Nagi/Gotoh choice)

Heroes of Light and Shadow: 77 (one sex of MU, no BS characters, includes the final maidens)

Awakening: 49 ((36 without the kids) and includes one sex of Robin and Morgan and the Spotpass Paralogue characters)

Fates: 41 on Birthright, 40 on Conquest, 66 on Revelation excluding Scarlet (only one sex of Corrin and Kana counted, Anna is included)

Shadows of Valentia: 38 (Gaiden's 32 + Conrad & Faye, and the DLC Cipher quartet)

Tearring Saga: 62 (58 per playthrough due to the two Marlon choices and Rebecca/Letena)

Berwick Saga: 35

Between 32 and 77, thats FE's scope.

Edited February 7, 2020 by Interdimensional Observer

[Eltosian Kadath]

On 2/6/2020 at 10:21 AM, Icelerate said:

I'm currently on chapter 10 of Thracia 776 but I highly doubt it gets so much better to become a masterpiece. There are very few games I'd call masterpieces and so far none of the FE games I've played (4,6,7,8,9,10) strike me as such. What does Thracia do later on to become worthy of becoming a masterpiece IYO?

Its in three major things, first the way it used mechanics to reinforce the story, second its the way it uses the medium to explore interesting topic about morality, and third for the different and interesting tactical decisions encouraged by the game. If I find the time I might open up a topic expanding this in its own topic, as the moment I wrote this out I immediately flashed back to English classes as this naturally came out as the opening sentence of a solid essay.

 

1 hour ago, Slumber said:

The thing to note is that Radiant Dawn handled its returning characters well. As in, the characters from the last game, where the roster was smaller and each individual got more room to actually establish themselves.

Ike was handled very poorly, having his entire arc with the Black Knight retconned away and replaced with something bland. Undermining one of his strongest moments from Path or Radiance and replacing it with a nonsensical lack of curiosity or concern with the Black Knights mysterious survival (with this half assed comment that can be summarized as I will let the plot take care of it) and then when they do meet they tear down whatever meaning their final fight in Path of Radiance could have had leaving behind an incredibly flat the man who murdered my father before my very eyes is my final teacher (shifting it to some unearned positive relationship).

[Saint Rubenio]

1 hour ago, Slumber said:

don't try to make the argument that 36 characters is an exceptionally small cast.

Actually...

1 hour ago, Interdimensional Observer said:

If I counted right for every non-3H game...

  Hide contents

Dark Dragon and the Blade of Light: 52 (51 per playthrough due to the Samson/Arran choice)

Gaiden: 32 (16 for Alm's team, 16 for Celica's team, but only 15 per playthrough for her due to the Sonia/Deen choice)

Mystery of the Emblem: Book 1- 47(46) and Book 2- 45.

Genealogy of the Holy War: 1st Generation- 24, 2nd Generation- 25 (24 per playthrough due to Iuchar/Iucharba; does not count substitutes)

Thracia 776: 52 (47 per playthrough due to the choices of Saias/Ced, Olwen/Ilios, and Miranda+Shannam+Conomor/Sleuf+Misha+Amalda)

Binding Blade: 54 (51 per playthrough with the Western Isles and Illia/Sacae splits, no Trial Map characters counted)

Blazing Blade: 43 (Hector Mode) 41 (Eliwood Mode) (41/39 characters per playthrough due to Wallace/Geitz and Karel/Harken; also I'm counting Ninian/Nils as one)

Sacred Stones: 33 (no Creature Campaign characters or Orson counted)

Path of Radiance: 47 (44 per playthrough due to Ena/Nasir and the Laguz Royals choice)

Radiant Dawn: 72 (not counting the Black Knight, but including the Second Playthrough only duo)

Shadow Dragon: 59 (only 51 at max per playthrough due to the blood price on Gaidens and the Nagi/Gotoh choice)

Heroes of Light and Shadow: 77 (one sex of MU, no BS characters, includes the final maidens)

Awakening: 49 ((36 without the kids) and includes one sex of Robin and Morgan and the Spotpass Paralogue characters)

Fates: 41 on Birthright, 40 on Conquest, 66 on Revelation excluding Scarlet (only one sex of Corrin and Kana counted, Anna is included)

Shadows of Valentia: 38 (Gaiden's 32 + Conrad & Faye, and the DLC Cipher quartet)

Tearring Saga: 62 (58 per playthrough due to the two Marlon choices and Rebecca/Letena)

Berwick Saga: 35

Between 32 and 77, thats FE's scope.

Going by this list (excluding KagaSagas and the Eliwood Mode roster, since the two FE7 campaigns are basically the same except for a couple chapters and characters), the average size for an FE cast is exactly 47.68 characters (unless I screwed up the math).

Based on this number, and the fact that there are only two games with a smaller cast (Sacred Stones and OG Gaiden), Three Houses's 36 is an "exceptionally small" cast. Not outrageously small, perhaps, but definitely small.

 

Here's one opinion that people probably won't like: I like The Last Promise better than a handful of official FEs. I'm not feeling like being too negative tonight, so I'll only elaborate if somebody asks, but yeah. I'd sooner replay TLP than PoR, Three Houses, Echoes or FE7.

[AnonymousSpeed]

21 minutes ago, Eltosian Kadath said:

(shifting it to some unearned positive relationship).

This analysis was a good.

11 minutes ago, Saint Rubenio said:

Here's one opinion that people probably won't like: I like The Last Promise better than a handful of official FEs. I'm not feeling like being too negative tonight, so I'll only elaborate if somebody asks, but yeah. I'd sooner replay TLP than PoR, Three Houses, Echoes or FE7.

Elaborate like a university professor.

[Pengaius]

Optimal gameplay is the least fun, sub optimal play and RNG gambling make for a fun game. 

But moreso, I like that 2RN hitrate is not fully accurate. 

12 minutes ago, Saint Rubenio said:

I'd sooner replay TLP than PoR, Three Houses, Echoes or FE7.

Perhaps a TLPLP

 

[Slumber]

19 minutes ago, Saint Rubenio said:

Actually...

Going by this list (excluding KagaSagas and the Eliwood Mode roster, since the two FE7 campaigns are basically the same except for a couple chapters and characters), the average size for an FE cast is exactly 47.68 characters (unless I screwed up the math).

Based on this number, and the fact that there are only two games with a smaller cast (Sacred Stones and OG Gaiden), Three Houses's 36 is an "exceptionally small" cast. Not outrageously small, perhaps, but definitely small.

That average is thrown off by Fates, Radiant Dawn and Heroes of Light and Shadow, which have casts that are MASSIVE outliers. HoLaS is close to doubling the average.

Also, if you're going to count DLC characters, as were counting Fates Anna and the Cipher group in Echoes, then FETH will be at 40, which isn't very far from the overall average.

Edited February 7, 2020 by Slumber

[AnonymousSpeed]

9 minutes ago, Pengaius said:

Optimal gameplay is the least fun, sub optimal play and RNG gambling make for a fun game. 

The only thing better than a berserker? A devil axe berserker.

 

3 minutes ago, Slumber said:

Also, if you're going to count DLC characters, as were counting Fates Anna and the Cipher group in Echoes, then FETH will be at 40, which isn't very far from the overall average.

If we're counting scams, we might as well look at Heroes and its cast of whatever hundred something of units who aren't Saul it has.

Edited February 7, 2020 by AnonymousSpeed

[vanguard333]

5 hours ago, CH0D said:

Thank you of informing me of all of this, I was not aware of most of this information. 

You didn't know a lot of this stuff? A lot of the stuff I mentioned is pointed out in the story in both games. I want this out of the way that I genuinely am not saying this to be insulting in any way; only as a genuine question: how much were you paying attention when playing Path of Radiance and Radiant Dawn?

5 hours ago, CH0D said:

Maybe I'm hearing this incorrectly, but to me these things happen to Celica as well, so saying they aren't at least repeated traits between them is a bit of a stretch.

I hadn't yet gotten to the part where I compare Elincia and Celica; I was just trying to describe Elincia at that point. The comparison was to typical past FE princesses; at the time of their respective games, Celica and Elincia were atypical in different, but intersecting ways. 

5 hours ago, CH0D said:

The first part isn't true at all. you make the mistake of saying that makes her a good character. What you mean is that it makes her a good person. What makes a god character is much more subjective, but I think it comes down to three main things, preference, impression, and expectation. So while I agree she's a good person who has grown, that doesn't really qualify as an enjoyabe character in my eyes. Rather, your second sentence explains perfectly why I like Celica. She has flaws. And she is  able to overcome them, something I find much more enjoyable to read and think about because it's a much more realistic possibility. Also she sees two options, die, or die, but for something maybe, so I don't personally think her decision was horrible.

No; I mean that it makes her an interesting character. Don't get me wrong; it can sometimes be interesting to see a character cave under the pressure. But it is also interesting to see a character overcome their personal issues (or at least learn how to put them aside for the moment) and deal with what's in front of them. That is interesting to see, and seeing her buckle under the pressure, but also rise above it, is realistic and engaging. 

For Celica, I find that her growth comes way too late in the game and is almost glossed over. She doesn't learn her mistake until after she is fed to Duma, and afterward, her moment of growth is almost glossed over as part 5's all about Alm being the hero. Seriously, I even looked back at the script for part 5 to double-check; it's basically Celica saying "I'm sorry" to Alm, telling him that she was wrong and he was right, and then briefly trying to convince Jedah to back down. Duma doesn't even acknowledge Celica at all; referring only to Alm as the Hero of Valentia. 

5 hours ago, CH0D said:

I feel this just kind of lines up with what I said previously. Also, maybe I'm just not understanding, but if she doesn't want to rule, and doesn't think she can, then why does she? I get it, the whole daughter of the king thing, but it just seems irresponsible to put her on the throne fundamentally. Also, Celica is also seeking out Mila to save pretty much everybody, because no one can grow any crops, at all, so Alm is just a side objective for her. Celica starting right off the bat isn't a bad thing. Elincia joining later shows growth and fits her character kinda, but Celica being reckless and fighting immediatly fits her in her own way. Just like Alm she's reckless in her own goals, hers are driven more towards peace, however she's just as reckless. Which is why they're both necessary. Their recklessness is their connecting bond as characters. Alm charges into war, whereas Celica charges into her own individual conflicts. 

She's the last of the Crimean Royal Family (her uncle Renning lives, but that isn't revealed until just before the endgame of Radiant Dawn). By the time she does sit on the Crimean Throne, she has already grown over the course of Path of Radiance and shown leadership. 

The End Cinematic of Path of Radiance:

Quote

[Elincia is sitting on the throne, and Ike walks up to her]

Ike: What’s wrong.

Ike: Everyone’s waiting to see you.

Elincia: I’m nervous.

Elincia: I’ve spent my whole life in hiding.

Elincia: No one ever taught me how to rule a kingdom.

Elincia: I don’t think I’m ready to be their queen. I don’t think I’m ever really going to be ready.

Ike: What’s the matter with you?

Elincia: Ike, stop it! How can I–

Ike: Did anyone teach you how to hire mercenaries?

Elincia: No, but that’s not the same–

Ike: How to win back lost allies? How to win back your lost kingdom?

Elincia: But that’s… That’s different.

Ike: No, it’s not.

Ike: You’ve done such an amazing job.

Ike: And I think you always will.

Elincia: I see.

[Ike lets out his hand for Elincia]

Ike: All right, come on. We’ll do this together.

[Elincia grabs Ike’s hand]

Elincia: Thank you, my lord Ike. I am… I am so blessed to have met you.

[Ike and Elincia head for the white light, hand-in-hand]

Narrator: And so it was that, in the spring of the year 646, Elincia Ridell Crimea saw peace return to her homeland. In the years to follow, the story of Queen Elincia and her noble hero, Ike, spread across the land and inspired the songs of many a wandering troubadour.

 

I didn't say that Celica starting right away was a bad thing; I was trying to highlight that she isn't "Elincia but better". They are different characters who intersect in some ways but are ultimately different; one isn't a superior version of the other. I do think Elincia is a better-written than Celica, but I can also concede that part of that is because Path of Radiance is an overall better-written game than Shadows of Valentia. 

5 hours ago, CH0D said:

I feel at the end of the day it comes down to preference here. I don't like Elincia because of how successful she is against all of her odds, because some of them just shouldn't be surpassable. I actually would have prefered it if she sucked at ruling, but how she ends up being fine at it just doesn't really fit my tastes. On the other hand Celica messes up. A lot. And so does Alm. Though not as much, which I will agree with is an issue, however I think if you get Mathilda killed it vastly increases the games quality of story and makes a lot more sense. (Sorry Mathilda.)

Some of them are unsurpassable: Elincia, at the end of Part 2, is forced to choose between giving up the crown to Ludveck in exchange for the life of her foster-sister Lucia, or helplessly watch as Lucia gets hanged. Ultimately, after speaking with Ludveck and seeing just how twisted he is, she chooses that she won't hand over Crimea to him; knowing full well what this means. Lucia even supports this decision, stating, "People of Crimea… Behold a true queen! YOUR queen! Long live Queen Elincia!”

Lucia's life is saved by the Greil Mercenaries, who had been secretly hired by Bastian as a fail-save, but Elincia did not know that. Also, given how much Elincia has to wade through, I think she earns her successes. 

 

Alm's issues aren't that he messes up less than Celica: the issues are that he never messes up at all. Even something that should by all accounts lead to a mess-up magically doesn't. The game treats him as a perfect little boy who can do no wrong and is the hero everyone, especially Celica, needs. Every girl (except Mathilda) wants him, and every guy wants to be him. If that sounds familiar at all, it's because Alm is a Mary Sue. 

Anyway, thanks for the reply; I just thought I'd clarify some things. 

Edited February 7, 2020 by vanguard333

[Saint Rubenio]

1 minute ago, Slumber said:

That average is thrown off by Fates, Radiant Dawn and Heroes of Light and Shadow, which have casts that are MASSIVE outliers.

Also, if you're going to count DLC characters, as were counting Fates Anna and the Cipher group in Echoes, then FETH will be at 40, which isn't very far from the overall average.

Hmm, fair enough.

Still, personally speaking, my problem isn't as much the 40 characters, but the fact that you'll get like, 18 in any given playthrough? Also, no Jeigan, no Gotoh, no late prepromotes... Unless you bend over backwards to recruit and train everyone, ironmanning Three Houses is going to be tough.

Just now, Pengaius said:

Perhaps a TLPLP

No Berwick is more important

Maybe after Berwick

1 minute ago, AnonymousSpeed said:

Elaborate like a university professor.

Well, that didn't take long. Very well, I shall. I'll try to keep it short enough. I've noticed that I've a tendency to write five paragraphs on why I heavily dislike Three Houses whenever the game comes up. Let's see if I can exercise some restraint tonight. Spoiler alert: I couldn't.

PoR is so mindlessly easy that I couldn't stomach getting through it the first time, much less entertain the thought of replaying it. It starts decent enough, but before long it becomes an endless loop of "throw invincible juggernauts at enemies". There's nothing even remotely interesting to its gameplay. I later found out about Maniac mode, but... frankly, it seems more tedious than anything - and tedium is something PoR definitely does not need more of.

As for TLP, some of its ideas are flawed, and some of its maps are mediocre, but despite that, it's a game that offers a decent challenge and tries interesting things. I mean, dancer light mage lord. How awesome is that?

PoR's oh-so-good characters and story also failed to faze me. I won't argue that TLP's story is better, 'cause it isn't, but after seeing all the downright bonkers stuff in KagaSaga, PoR's characterization... wasn't that incredible, to be brutally honest.

Three Houses is horribly overrated. My biggest problem with it is that it does not seem to care about its strategic gameplay as much as its dating sim minigames. The maps are the most barebones since Gaiden (OG Gaiden, not just Echoes), with barely any side objectives (no villages, for instance), only two main objectives throughout the entire game (and a good chunk of the "kill commander" maps make the "put commander right in front of the army covered by only a thin wall" gaffe), no NPCs or enemies to recruit by solving a puzzle, plenty of bullshit moments that'd make even Kaga blush (looking at you, exploding hill in Gronder Field), half of the maps consisting of big open fields without interesting terrain or roadblocks... it's just all-around bad.

Also, the inmense amount of unit customization, while fun, makes most of the characters blend together, save for a few outliers. Also also, the game seems afraid to give the player units that they cannot train, resulting in no Jeigan, no Gotoh, almost no late prepromotes... which (as I mentioned above) makes ironmanning rather unfeasible. Also also also, all of the game's difficulties are shit. Hard is way too easy to break, and maddening requires that you break it - I discovered this the hard way, when my last (likely ever) 3H run ended in chapter 13, due to RNG screwed Claude and Lorenz, dead Hilda, and Mages Byleth and Ignatz. I was punished for getting RNG screwed and for playing the way I wanted. Not even Kaga, man. Also also also also, the game is hideous! This really isn't such a big flaw, but when your game is the ugliest AAA game on the Switch - heck, when you have to bring up budget shovelware for your game to even stand a chance visually, you know you've done something wrong.

For all of its mistakes, The Last Promise feels like a more cohesive, creative, "Fire Emblem"ish FE game than Three Houses. Considering a single 15-year-old made it in the prehistory of FE romhacking, that's quite commendable.

This is all my opinion, of course - hence why I'm posting this in this particular thread. I do not expect many to agree with me, seeing how 90% of the fanbase worships this game like it's the second coming of Christ. I'm sorry, I probably went too far there. I really get too incensed when I talk about this game... on to the next one, before I make an enemy of the entire fanbase!

Echoes is brought down by its piss-poor map design. TLP can have all the 72-turn conquest maps and Wyvern canyons it wants - it cannot beat stuff like Nuibaba's abode. I could handle the game until then, but that map killed every last bit of enjoyment I could've ever gotten out of it. Not that the rest is much better, with all the narrow hallways, the swamps, the copypasted open fields... Also, with a cast so tiny that they can all be deployed and trained all the way to the end, this game is the least replayable in the series. Every playthrough will look pretty much the same, which cannot be said about TLP.

FE7... okay, I'll admit, FE7 I haven't played in ages. It's the only FE I haven't gone back to in years, so I cannot trash talk it in good conscience. It just seems too... basic. Vanilla. Default. There's not much going on there, it's just the most average FE. TLP is more of a "either it's great or it's awful" kind of deal, and story aside, I feel that it benefits from that, for the most part.

I've a soft spot for FE8, but based entirely on the gameplay... yeah, turns out TLP triumphs it as well. Damn. Even I am taken aback by my own horrendous opinions!

 

Well, there you have it. FE5 is where I'd say I start liking official FEs more than TLP. Which is kinda sad. Not sure if for the franchise or for me, but it's sad.

If anybody has any questions or names to call me, we've still got five minutes before the end of the presentation. Hold nothing back - I guarantee you I call myself worse names than what you're thinking.

[Etrurian emperor]

18 minutes ago, vanguard333 said:

The game treats him as a perfect little boy who can do no wrong and is the hero everyone, especially Celica, needs. Every girl (except Mathilda) wants him, and every guy wants to be him. If that sounds familiar at all, it's because Alm is a Mary Sue. 

Alm does have Clive second guessing just about everything he does. Though Clive being rather malicious about it kinda reflects all the better on Alm. 

[vanguard333]

7 minutes ago, Etrurian emperor said:

Alm does have Clive second guessing just about everything he does. Though Clive being rather malicious about it kinda reflects all the better on Alm. 

Exactly. Clive is yet another person who puts Alm up on a pedestal and decides that Alm can do no wrong.

Even if you fail to save Mathilda, Clive is portrayed as in the wrong for criticizing Alm and second-guessing his decision to appoint Alm as leader of the Deliverance. Not only that, but a few words and he goes from critical of Alm to once again putting Alm back on the pedestal, taking back everything he said, and asking Alm for forgiveness. 

Edited February 7, 2020 by vanguard333

[AnonymousSpeed]

52 minutes ago, Saint Rubenio said:

If anybody has any questions or names to call me, we've still got five minutes before the end of the presentation. Hold nothing back - I guarantee you I call myself worse names than what you're thinking.

Professor, I must say that I was very interested by your lecture and I thank you for your time.

I actually don't disagree with you. Personal experience leads me to agree with many of your points. The only things it can't help me with are the Last Promise itself (which I might rectify one day) and Three Houses. I didn't get it and I tend to trust my gut when it tells me not to buy things, and it's always nice to feel like I made a good decision. Part of the fun of Fire Emblem is the units you get later in the game and I overall was a bit cautious of the "class" system introduced in Three Houses and its results.

I look forward to playing Berwick Saga at your recommendation, it seems like a most fascinating game.

[Deathcon]

1 hour ago, Saint Rubenio said:

Three Houses is horribly overrated. My biggest problem with it is that it does not seem to care about its strategic gameplay as much as its dating sim minigames. The maps are the most barebones since Gaiden (OG Gaiden, not just Echoes), with barely any side objectives

I suggest you play any of the paralogues.

[Alastor15243]

28 minutes ago, Deathcon said:

I suggest you play any of the paralogues.

Not... any of them. There are a few that would probably make him hate the game even more.

[Flere210]

53 minutes ago, Deathcon said:

I suggest you play any of the paralogues.

Are you reffering to Farghus walled city, Farghus walled city, or Farghus walled city?

[Interdimensional Observer]

2 hours ago, AnonymousSpeed said:

Part of the fun of Fire Emblem is the units you get later in the game and I overall was a bit cautious of the "class" system introduced in Three Houses and its results.

On the one hand, I do like solid late game prepromotes. On the other, I don't like units who join late.

Specifically, I'm souring on SoV-TRS styled "both sides played in one file" route splits. All my silly effort put into getting Lina to level 40, and she has... what "good" fights to truly show off her prowess? I had to finish Holmes 2 to get her, and Holmes 3 gets Warpskipped. Runan 3, first battle, but the next two fights don't have the feeling of "greatness" for me. And then the next two fights feel wrong for forcing her off her horse, and few characters make a difference in the very final fight. Similarly, Conrad, poor Conrad, to exist but never have any true opportunity to do well. If only you could be with Alm and Celica alike.

But! I do not feel this way towards RD, it's limiting the same, but not so embittering, it just isn't for me.

 

3 hours ago, Saint Rubenio said:

TRS is so mindlessly easy if you collect all the hidden goodies, some of which shouldn't be hidden at all- Aura Rain should've been obtained at the second reunion, and has dirt map design. It was stronger earlier, but fell off later, especially on Holmes's side, but Runan has the double C26 stinker and 24 wasn't exactly thrilling either. Kaga did two good desert chapters, but any faith earned here was lost entirely with Mermel Caves and the approach to the Fire Shrine. Granada should've felt awesome to liberate, but it did not, beyond the baitable boss and stopping Warp uses from being wasted, I felt Granada was terribly defended. This was no grand battle I was hoping for, and the two ships prior were mostly meh or bad. I was reminded of Chapter 14 and whatever Zachariah joined after, both were city battles done poorly. And Julius only has narrative funk and a unique bonus objective- get the Canaan Lance from an insane foe- to save it a little, but does not excuse the rest of the fight being easy. I am saddened that Kaga failed to make a single epic city battle, the only good one is the liberation of Welt. Runan's clash with the Battalion dude was good, but thats arguably the last "great" battle in terms of TRS's gameplay. Dismounting and unnecessary darkness impair most of whats left.

Corrected!😜

TRS has lost some luster for me on a second play. But most games do for me, Awakening, Fates, SoV, and 3H all experienced some loss of wonder and exoticism on the second runs. Not to say I dislike any of these, including TRS. Second plays can be chance to pick up on subtle, sublime flavors you missed the first time around, or to realize "I had mixed feelings on this the first time, but it's actually, sadly, not to my liking I can confirm now". Or, to say you like something generally, but wish it didn't leave that unpleasant aftertaste.

Edited February 8, 2020 by Interdimensional Observer

[Ottservia]

1 hour ago, Flere210 said:

Are you reffering to Farghus walled city, Farghus walled city, or Farghus walled city?

No no he's obviously referring to generic forest number 527. 

[Shanty Pete's 1st Mate]

7 hours ago, Interdimensional Observer said:

If I counted right for every non-3H game...

  Reveal hidden contents

Dark Dragon and the Blade of Light: 52 (51 per playthrough due to the Samson/Arran choice)

Gaiden: 32 (16 for Alm's team, 16 for Celica's team, but only 15 per playthrough for her due to the Sonia/Deen choice)

Mystery of the Emblem: Book 1- 47(46) and Book 2- 45.

Genealogy of the Holy War: 1st Generation- 24, 2nd Generation- 25 (24 per playthrough due to Iuchar/Iucharba; does not count substitutes)

Thracia 776: 52 (47 per playthrough due to the choices of Saias/Ced, Olwen/Ilios, and Miranda+Shannam+Conomor/Sleuf+Misha+Amalda)

Binding Blade: 54 (51 per playthrough with the Western Isles and Illia/Sacae splits, no Trial Map characters counted)

Blazing Blade: 43 (Hector Mode) 41 (Eliwood Mode) (41/39 characters per playthrough due to Wallace/Geitz and Karel/Harken; also I'm counting Ninian/Nils as one)

Sacred Stones: 33 (no Creature Campaign characters or Orson counted)

Path of Radiance: 47 (44 per playthrough due to Ena/Nasir and the Laguz Royals choice)

Radiant Dawn: 72 (not counting the Black Knight, but including the Second Playthrough only duo)

Shadow Dragon: 59 (only 51 at max per playthrough due to the blood price on Gaidens and the Nagi/Gotoh choice)

Heroes of Light and Shadow: 77 (one sex of MU, no BS characters, includes the final maidens)

Awakening: 49 ((36 without the kids) and includes one sex of Robin and Morgan and the Spotpass Paralogue characters)

Fates: 41 on Birthright, 40 on Conquest, 66 on Revelation excluding Scarlet (only one sex of Corrin and Kana counted, Anna is included)

Shadows of Valentia: 38 (Gaiden's 32 + Conrad & Faye, and the DLC Cipher quartet)

Tearring Saga: 62 (58 per playthrough due to the two Marlon choices and Rebecca/Letena)

Berwick Saga: 35

Between 32 and 77, thats FE's scope.

Great listing!

Honestly, it's insane to think that the first in the series - an NES/Famicom title - had over 50 named playable characters. Obviously they weren't super-distinct, most had no dialogue and several reused portraits (looking at you, Woodcutters and Hippo Knights). It's curious to imagine another road FE could've gone down, where later titles would approach and exceed 100 units per game, but without the level of characterization and distinction we've come to expect. As it stands, it's sort of been an up-down course, rather than a clear increasing/decreasing trend.

Personally, I'm fine with smaller-cast FE titles - even in Three Houses, I don't find myself using more than a third of the total cast in any given playthrough. Or in SoV, I loved how the characters would speak to Alm/Celica at certain locations.