What Fire Emblem game do you recommend the most to a newcomer?

[Shadow Mir]

45 minutes ago, Harvey said:

I'm not recommending Birthright because the game is way to easy to make a newcomer have doubts about the series in itself and just not get into FE in general. Atleast Awakening has weapon durability which adds a slight challenge to a newcomer.

Really now? Even though most of the Hoshidan cast dies if you so much as stare hard at them???

[Harvey]

16 minutes ago, Levant Mir Celestia said:

Really now? Even though most of the Hoshidan cast dies if you so much as stare hard at them???

Don't know where you're getting at this but yeah, screw Hoshido!

 

[Alastor15243]

2 hours ago, Levant Mir Celestia said:

Really now? Even though most of the Hoshidan cast dies if you so much as stare hard at them???

They’re more fragile than the Conquest characters to be sure, but only slightly and on average, and the lack of skills or significantly intelligent unit placement means it isn’t hard. Even if it is harder (and better) than Revelaton because it actually has enemy units keep up the pressure with regular advances on your position and reinforcements.

[Quintessence]

19 hours ago, Harvey said:

Those who are recommending Blazing Blade or Sacred Stones are not getting the issues particularly on how to get those games.

Emulators? Wii U VC?

[Harvey]

1 hour ago, Quintessence said:

Emulators? Wii U VC?

Really now? You're practically saying that emulation is an option to play the game? Even though its out on the Wii U VC? Damn pirate!

And like I said earlier, Wii U...where are you getting one at this point of time?

 

[Armagon]

9 hours ago, Harvey said:

Really now? You're practically saying that emulation is an option to play the game? Even though its out on the Wii U VC? Damn pirate!

And like I said earlier, Wii U...where are you getting one at this point of time?

 

And that's exactly why using emulators is a good choice here.

I use emulators for old games. Would i emulate new games? No. But old games? Yes. There's no shame in using emulators for old games but whatever.

Edited October 26, 2017 by Armagon

[Fabulously Olivier]

Path of Radiance if available. To me, it truly is the best the series has to offer. It has fairly well balanced difficulty, great characters, and the best story in the franchise.

Otherwise, Awakening is a good entry point. Aside from being one of the easiest entries, it's better to experience it without pre-conceived notions and then play the rest of the series, rather than vice versa. 

[Flee Fleet!]

3 hours ago, Armagon said:

Would i emulate new games? No. But old games? Yes. There's no shame in using emulators for old games but whatever.

Indeed.

 

Getting old games isn't that easy, I believe.

[KMT4ever]

I'd say FE7, aka Rekka No Ken. Otherwise, either FE8 (Sacred Stones) or FE13 (Awakening).

• FE7 is designed around teaching someone new to the series thanks to it being the first game released in the West. It contains most of the features that can be considered "standard" for the series as a whole. Pretty much everything in it has carried on in one form or another, while Awakening and Fates have a lot of unique features that might confuse you with their absence in previous games.
• It's difficulty is relatively low your first time through, but you can still elevate it enough in future playthroughs to remain challenging. Sacred Stones is, IMO, a bit too easy.
• There's no grinding (more or less), something I would actually recommend for your first FE game so you don't become dependent on it.

[Ertrick36]

21 hours ago, Levant Mir Celestia said:

Really now? Even though most of the Hoshidan cast dies if you so much as stare hard at them???

That's why I just use 'Boro, Angery Ninja, the fiery lady with an infernal voice (Hinoka), Scarlet Johansson, and Swolekura.  I don't think Hinoka's original localized voice was terrible, though.

I'll still say that I don't think BR is a bad place to start.  Neither is Sacred Stones.  Plenty of folks on the forum started with either of these games.  Of course my personal recommendation will still be Awakening over BR because it's more like the rest of the series, but if you're more inclined towards the latter then I don't think you're wrong.  If you're itching for a challenge in either game, you can always try self-imposed challenges.  If you don't know what you can do to make the game more challenging, folks on the forums can help you.

 

Not gonna talk about emulation because that verges into talk of piracy, and I'd rather not get into a discussion that could land me with a warn.  Though rest assured, folks aren't wrong about the GBA titles being difficult to play otherwise.

3 hours ago, KMT4ever said:

There's no grinding (more or less), something I would actually recommend for your first FE game so you don't become dependent on it.

I started off with Awakening, but I definitely wouldn't say I'm dependent on grinding.  In fact, grinding just makes the games boring for me, and I mostly prefer going through the game without such assistance.

In the end, everyone plays games differently.

 

@Log Man™ if you don't mind me asking, what's your history with strategy games, exactly?  Doesn't even have to be medieval/fantasy or turn-based; sci-fi RTS's can count, too.

I think that information could better serve our recommendations for you.

[Greencapps]

Awakening no question. Your friend obviously has a 3DS because they're looking at Conquest and Awakening is just easy to get into. It also has a hell of a lot more charm than Fates, and I'd argue FE7&8 too. 

FE7&8 are cheap on the Wii U but that depends if your friend has that flop of a console. Also I personally think they play better on the go and the console set up is a detriment to those two. Also FE7's translation is kinda janky.

I think the claim that Awakening is "too different" and makes it hard to jump into the other games is total crap. People aren't that stupid. They can adjust to older games and mechanics. Me and countless other Awakening fans that have gone back and played the older games are living examples.

After Awakening I recommend SoV and then the GBA titles. After that you're friend can go anywhere they want in the series. Though I'd recommend just skipping Fates all together.

[Quintessence]

20 hours ago, Harvey said:

Really now? You're practically saying that emulation is an option to play the game? Even though its out on the Wii U VC? Damn pirate!

And like I said earlier, Wii U...where are you getting one at this point of time?

 

Why not? It is a game almost 15 years old. It is on the Wii U VC but what if the player doesn't own the console? Would I advice him to spend hundreds of dollars to get a Wii U for a game not even designed for said console? No. If he has a Wii U then sure go ahead and get its VC version, otherwise emulate it.

[Icelerate]

On 10/24/2017 at 11:03 PM, Quintessence said:

This is why I don't recommend 3DS titles for beginners on the series, because they have so many variables and information that will be difficult for a player to handle. GBA versions are more beginner friendly because it reduces itself to a battle calculator, numbers and simpler stuff. This is why Blazing Sword does so well.

Awakening and Fates offer right from the start a lot of information in the form of skills, dual attacks, pair ups, tonics, a family of seals and on top of that Dragon Veins. These require the player to be aware of multiple factors at the same time and will typically slow down the play rhythm and make it less smooth.

What do you think about PoR? I think it's a worse choice because of biorhythm, laguz meters and skills which may make micromanaging each of these aspects a bit tricky in comparison to FE7 and FE8. 

[Quintessence]

Just now, Icelerate said:

What do you think about PoR? I think it's a worse choice because of biorhythm, laguz meters and skills which may make micromanaging each of these aspects a bit tricky in comparison to FE7 and FE8. 

PoR is a good choice but no the best imo. It is relatively easy and the player has access to a lot of good units early on and through the rest of the game. But as you said, it has quite a lot of features that might make the player be caught off guard and get a Game Over. The simpler the better.

[Thinks Their Own Way]

If your friend is interested in Conquest, then try Birthright first, the tutorials do a good job of explaining mechanics in short sentences. If for an older game then Sacred Stone because I find Blazing Sword/Blade's tutorial insultingly hand-holding. Start on the lower difficulty to get more familiar with the game (know what you are getting yourself into) before jumping to higher difficulties.

[Interdimensional Observer]

2 hours ago, Icelerate said:

What do you think about PoR? I think it's a worse choice because of biorhythm, laguz meters and skills which may make micromanaging each of these aspects a bit tricky in comparison to FE7 and FE8. 

PoR's Easy Mode is really easy with a lot of EXP, Normal isn't difficult either. Laguz only comprise a handful of units, Beorc are good and plentiful, so you need never touch a Laguz. Skills have few scrolls and their effects are more a bonus than anything. Biorhythm is +/-5 Hit/Evade outside of Boyd and Makalov.

[Harvey]

2 hours ago, Quintessence said:

Why not? It is a game almost 15 years old. It is on the Wii U VC but what if the player doesn't own the console? Would I advice him to spend hundreds of dollars to get a Wii U for a game not even designed for said console? No. If he has a Wii U then sure go ahead and get its VC version, otherwise emulate it.

The problem with this notion is that Nintendo just did a GBA virtual console system for the Wii U to get GBA games. As I already stated, getting a Wii U is downright ludicrous at this point but so is using an emulator to get the game at this point ALSO because of the fact that it is possible to get it legally.

I'm looking it at a spiritual side of things in that developers and publishers spent a lot of time into making the game and if they have made it available to the west, I always will support them because frankly, I am part of the gaming industry and somewhat of a game developer myself. I don't like the idea that simply emulating them and playing them with no cost is good unless you have already owned the copy of the game in which case you have already supported the devs by buying a copy from them.

However, when it comes to games that are region exclusive and will see no light of day to localize in the western market( I'm looking at you Mother 3), then yes your best bet is to use emulators for them because simply buying the original copy and modding it is more or less the same as using via emulator because neither of which will support the developers in specific regions unless if it comes to newer games in which case will likely be impossible to support.

Now you may rightfully argue that this is being hypocritical but think of it this way. Emulating a game that had no intention of being released in any other territories is less harmful than emulating a game that is already released in said territories. I don't feel bad of playing FE games that are Japan exclusive because those games are very slim to be ported to western territories and if at all it does happen, I will gladly support them by buying a copy and I did so by buying Echoes legit(even though I didn't emulate Gaiden).

If the time comes that IS releases Thracia, Holy War, New Mystery of the Emblem to western territories, I will happily buy the copies legit. 

So try to not encourage to emulate games that are already out there because it is doable to get them.

 

[Lau]

I'd say Awakening. It's what got me into the series, and I'm still here, right? Let your friend have a gander with the 3DS games, then wean them off them and direct them to the likes of Blazing Blade and Sacred Stones, followed by the other games. Alternatively, just recommend Heroes, it holds up quite well.

 

...If you want your friend to get a taste of the series' characters and such...Tokyo Mirage Sessions is the way to go, hahah! No seriously, everybody should play TMS, it's so good.

[Armagon]

7 hours ago, Harvey said:

As I already stated, getting a Wii U is downright ludicrous at this point but so is using an emulator to get the game at this point ALSO because of the fact that it is possible to get it legally.

But why the fuck anyone want to spend like $250+ for a dead console just to play a game that wasn't even meant for it that came out a decade earlier? It's so much easier to just emulate it. Game's more than a decade old anyway, Nintendo isn't losing any sales off of it if anyone decided to emulate it.

[Icelerate]

13 hours ago, Interdimensional Observer said:

PoR's Easy Mode is really easy with a lot of EXP, Normal isn't difficult either. Laguz only comprise a handful of units, Beorc are good and plentiful, so you need never touch a Laguz. Skills have few scrolls and their effects are more a bonus than anything. Biorhythm is +/-5 Hit/Evade outside of Boyd and Makalov.

In terms of easiness, PoR is definitely a good start, especially with the BEXP. The problem with Laguz meters is that the enemy also has laguz and fighting against them means you have to anticipate them suddenly transforming. While skills aren't that useful, making mistakes such as removing them or putting them on may frustrate a new player. Still, the randomness of biorhythm might annoy players who will probably prefer the simplicity of the GBA games. PoR also has equipable items which can be a pain because you actually have to equip them and if you forget to do so, the item is simply wasting space in your inventory. 

[Quintessence]

12 hours ago, Harvey said:

The problem with this notion is that Nintendo just did a GBA virtual console system for the Wii U to get GBA games. As I already stated, getting a Wii U is downright ludicrous at this point but so is using an emulator to get the game at this point ALSO because of the fact that it is possible to get it legally.

I'm looking it at a spiritual side of things in that developers and publishers spent a lot of time into making the game and if they have made it available to the west, I always will support them because frankly, I am part of the gaming industry and somewhat of a game developer myself. I don't like the idea that simply emulating them and playing them with no cost is good unless you have already owned the copy of the game in which case you have already supported the devs by buying a copy from them.

However, when it comes to games that are region exclusive and will see no light of day to localize in the western market( I'm looking at you Mother 3), then yes your best bet is to use emulators for them because simply buying the original copy and modding it is more or less the same as using via emulator because neither of which will support the developers in specific regions unless if it comes to newer games in which case will likely be impossible to support.

Now you may rightfully argue that this is being hypocritical but think of it this way. Emulating a game that had no intention of being released in any other territories is less harmful than emulating a game that is already released in said territories. I don't feel bad of playing FE games that are Japan exclusive because those games are very slim to be ported to western territories and if at all it does happen, I will gladly support them by buying a copy and I did so by buying Echoes legit(even though I didn't emulate Gaiden).

If the time comes that IS releases Thracia, Holy War, New Mystery of the Emblem to western territories, I will happily buy the copies legit. 

So try to not encourage to emulate games that are already out there because it is doable to get them.

 

So because it is doable to get them legally a customer should opt for a ludicrous, next to non viable method of acquiring a game?

Look, I totally support good practices in gaming, and encourage people to get them through normal means, but when said means meet not viable and impractical conditions for the customer, then I advice him/her to emulate because from a customer point of view it is not wise to get a dead and near obsolete console.

[Log Man™]

22 hours ago, Ertrick36 said:

 

@Log Man™ if you don't mind me asking, what's your history with strategy games, exactly?  Doesn't even have to be medieval/fantasy or turn-based; sci-fi RTS's can count, too.

I think that information could better serve our recommendations for you.

I started with the Tactics Ogre GBA game, which I didn't really enjoy because it was really slow-paced; it took at least ten minutes to finish my turn, which wouldn't be a problem if I was needing to put strategy to play, but I was just moving 3 units. Needless to say, that was a nightmare. I had that and Fire Emblem 7 on my phone emulator, and so I decided to give Fire Emblem 7 a shot. I ended up really enjoying it, and that's what got me into Fire Emblem. I have all the Fire Emblem games I have played listed on my profile if you want to have a list of it, but I haven't beaten any of them. That's all I've played, I'm afraid. I'm sorry that it doesn't give much depth that I've only played 1 other strategy-type franchise, and only one game from it, but I hope this helps at least a little.

[Ertrick36]

5 minutes ago, Log Man™ said:

I had that and Fire Emblem 7 on my phone emulator, and so I decided to give Fire Emblem 7 a shot. I ended up really enjoying it, and that's what got me into Fire Emblem. I have all the Fire Emblem games I have played listed on my profile if you want to have a list of it, but I haven't beaten any of them.

Okay, I see.  I wasn't aware that your profile listed your played games from the series.

You aren't so much a newcomer to the series.  At least I wouldn't consider you as such, even if you didn't beat most of them.  Though now I'm wondering if you're asking what we'd recommend for your friend or what we'd recommend for you.

For your friend, definitely discourage them from getting Conquest.  I knew someone who had only played Awakening, and they opted to buy Fates with a friend but do a sort of Pokemon style split purchase, where one of them bought Birthright and the other bought Conquest.  The person who bought Conquest absolutely hated it because it was too tough for her, while the one who bought Birthright was totally fine with it.  My recommendations for them are still Awakening or Birthright, but you know your friend's tastes better than anyone here.  Maybe FE7 would be right up their alley, just like it was for you.  That definitely isn't a bad place to start.

As for you?  I think just about any game in the series might be good for you, though I'll warn you about playing Thracia 776, Awakening, and Shadows of Valentia.  Thracia isn't bad as far as I know, but people say it's either as tough or tougher than Conquest, so if you have trouble with CQ, you might want to hold off on Thracia until you get better.  As for the other two, they can sometimes grind down to a slog depending on certain things.  Awakening can get very grind heavy if you let it (same with Revelation), and Celica's route in SoV is chock full of awful desert and swamp maps with archers that just slow things way down.  Maybe neither are as slow as Tactics Ogre (never played it myself), but they can still be pretty dang slow.

I'd also recommend that you maybe make it a goal to chip away at your backlog of FE games by focusing on beating the ones you already have.  Do that before moving onto any other FE's, and definitely don't play Revelation until you've beaten the other Fates paths (in case the in-game warning isn't reason enough to dissuade you; it certainly wasn't for me, and it half ruined the end of Conquest for me).  That is, unless there are any of those games you just wound up not liking.

[Renkindle]

I'd say Sacred Stones, that was the one I started out with myself, and it's nice to have grinding spots available.

[Ercdouken]

Either Blazing Sword, Sacred Stones, Path of Radiance, or Awakening.