Why is there so much hate for Awakening?

[Rewjeo]

+ Interesting, three-dimensional main characters.

um, wat

I guess maybe Future Past did good things for them, since I haven't played it, but from what I saw in the game they were the most godawful set of main characters in the series. I mean, even FE1 has Camus, who, the first time around, I refused to kill when I couldn't recruit him. Then Awakening came, and honestly I would have been more intrigued by the "main characters" if they were generic units with nifty weapons. At least then I would have the wonder of "who are they?" instead of the complete and utter apathy I have for them now.

Most of what Awakening has, at least on my part, is not hate. It's disappointment. As has been said, Awakening tried shoving everything in from other FEs without bothering to make them work. On top of that, all of the text in the game beyond "STR" and such can be ignored without hindering my enjoyment... which was only enough to get me to play through the game once. It's not a bad game, but, if you ask me, it is a bad Fire Emblem.

[XeKr]

Most of the best dialogue is in the DLCs (not just Future Past, either). I wasn't that impressed by any of the plot/supports (about par for FE) but nearly all the DLC convos were notably amusing/interesting to some extent. I found this cast to be by far the most heartwarming.

As many as stated, there exists love/hate for Awakening because there exist people who love/hate it. Opinions, etc. The hate is probably marginal compared to the overall player population and popular opinion.

As for why it 'seems' the hate is so widespread, it's probably at least partially because of how much it contrasts with the mainstream opinion, because criticism on a fansite is always awkward (the why-are-you-even-still-here bitterness), and because of a few loud/incessant posters in a few fan communities (particularly on gfaqs/SF). When it's mostly the same people (on both sides) who feel strongly about and post in these topics, the same points tend to come up repeatedly.

Edited October 22, 2013 by XeKr

[Thor Odinson]

The fact that feA needed the dlc for better quality character writing is not a point for it IMO. It shows that they're capable of writing well, but didn't do it for some reasons in the actual game when they could've. People shouldn't have to pay extra just to get some proper development.

I don't think it's as bad as some people make it out to be, though. Gameplay, unbalanced as is, is pretty fun and that's important for a game to be so I'm okay with that, but I think the story and characters--the writing in general, is very lacking.

And don't get me started on class designs.

Edited October 22, 2013 by Ezio Auditore da Firenze

[RJWalker]

I'm not going to pay for stuff that was developed alongside the main game with the clear intention of taking it out and selling it seperately. All of Awakening's DLC is, for all intents and purposes, Day One DLC because it's been developed alongside the main game and has been ready since Day One. THat's the worst kind of DLC.

[Cymbalina's Revenge]

The fact that feA needed the dlc for better quality character writing is not a point for it IMO. It shows that they're capable of writing well, but didn't do it for some reasons in the actual game when they could've. People shouldn't have to pay extra just to get some proper development.

I don't think it's as bad as some people make it out to be, though. Gameplay, unbalanced as is, is pretty fun and that's important for a game to be so I'm okay with that, but I think the story and characters--the writing in general, is very lacking.

And don't get me started on class designs.

This is pretty much my argument re: FE13. I had fun playing it. It looks beautiful. But I resent paying extra to get character development in a game that was anything but cheap. The plot is bad enough that it detracts from my enjoyment on replaying the thing and the First Gen characters in particular don't click with me. It's like they're trying to evoke all the emotional resonance of the First Gen characters from FE4 or the elder generation of Elibe characters without any of the actual hardships suffered by the Jugdral and Elibe characters[*]. It all feels like Diet Coke angst... and the "everyone lives!" Paralogues and super-happy consequence free ending don't help.

* FE13's kid characters at least actually dealt with a post-apocalyptic hellscape and have some kind of depth as a consequence.

And the class designs are... not my thing.

[Skynstein]

I think it's hilarious when you can finish Chapter 9 and instead of continuing on to Chapter 10, you can go dick around in skrimished and paralogues, go save Anna or something.

In FE8 which also had a World Map, you were forced to go straight to the next chapter when the situation called for it.

But here, since you can just do anything you want to inbetween Emmeryn's death and the 'esacpe' from the Plegians... Yeah, that completely break immersion.

Funny fact, you can beat Chapter 11 while leaving the paralogues alone, then the two-year gap happens and you come back to them. By then, Donny and his ma should've been killed by the ruffians, Victor and Vincent become rich exploring the merchants in northeast Ferox, and the villagers are killed and eaten by the Risen. The idea of paralogues was great, but poorly implemented because they aren't required to beat the story, so these weird discrepancies happen.

I think this game should've had, like, 50 chapters, then the storytelling would've been much better.

Edited October 23, 2013 by Malebolganone

[Florete]

Funny fact, you can beat Chapter 11 while leaving the paralogues alone, then the two-year gap happens and you come back to them. By then, Donny and his ma should've been killed by the ruffians, Victor and Vincent become rich exploring the merchants in northeast Ferox, and the villagers are killed and eaten by the Risen. The idea of paralogues was great, but poorly implemented because they aren't required to beat the story, so these weird discrepancies happen.

But how cool would it have been if the two year gap changes the Paralogues?

[PKL]

Yeah, I always found Paralogue 4 broke immersion...if there ever was any. The game feels like a joke.

[Skynstein]

But how cool would it have been if the two year gap changes the Paralogues?

Maybe they disappear from the map and you're screwed if you didn't do them? Like when you lose items forever if you let thieves run away with them in certain maps. That would be nice to see.

[Florete]

Maybe they disappear from the map and you're screwed if you didn't do them? Like when you lose items forever if you let thieves run away with them in certain maps. That would be nice to see.

Nah, that would be boring. I'm saying it would be cool if you could still do them, but what you do changes. Like, maybe Donnel's village was overrun since you weren't there to save it, and then, like, something happens (I don't have any ideas right now).

But I think the excuse is simply that the events don't "happen" until you play the map, no matter how much time passes. They're not connected to the main story, so it isn't that much of a suspension of disbelief for the game's sake.

[PKL]

It's still pretty much unforgivable that Paralogue 4 (which is far from moody) appears right after a character that you're supposed to care about dies.

Bolded: keyword there.

[Slyfox]

um, wat

I guess maybe Future Past did good things for them, since I haven't played it, but from what I saw in the game they were the most godawful set of main characters in the series. I mean, even FE1 has Camus, who, the first time around, I refused to kill when I couldn't recruit him. Then Awakening came, and honestly I would have been more intrigued by the "main characters" if they were generic units with nifty weapons. At least then I would have the wonder of "who are they?" instead of the complete and utter apathy I have for them now.

Some of the best games out there have a much worse cast than Awakening and yet people seem to love the characters. So I refuse to call the main cast in Awakening anything close to being bad.

However, you were talking about them being the worst main characters in the series, I can't argue with you on that as I haven't played the other games. If only Nintendo would step up their game (pun was not intended) with the eshop/virtual console... Then I would play the other Fire Emblem games.

[Loki Laufeyson]

Maybe they disappear from the map and you're screwed if you didn't do them? Like when you lose items forever if you let thieves run away with them in certain maps. That would be nice to see.

That would have been kinda ok, actually.

Nah, that would be boring. I'm saying it would be cool if you could still do them, but what you do changes. Like, maybe Donnel's village was overrun since you weren't there to save it, and then, like, something happens (I don't have any ideas right now).

Donnel comes out as a Risen? Or hes been hiding for two years and he ate his own mum! Ok maybe not that grim, but he was forced to eat his favorite pig named Maureen. And this crushes him and now hes all "I dont want to go Save The World. Whats the use of proving myself if everything is dead? Why didnt you show up earlier?" And his supports would change a bit for the most part. Hey that would be cool!!

[Thor Odinson]

I'm sure a condition where

hide paralogues between 9 and 10

and change some stuff around post timeskip
would not be hard to implement, speaking as a programmer

A complete new set of supports for donnel and donnel only is probably a lot for the writer to have to deal with, but if the text is there the condition shouldn't be hard ether

Edited October 23, 2013 by Ezio Auditore da Firenze

[Sunwoo]

Banzai

I see you

Folgore Black

[Skynstein]

Nah, that would be boring. I'm saying it would be cool if you could still do them, but what you do changes. Like, maybe Donnel's village was overrun since you weren't there to save it, and then, like, something happens (I don't have any ideas right now).

But I think the excuse is simply that the events don't "happen" until you play the map, no matter how much time passes. They're not connected to the main story, so it isn't that much of a suspension of disbelief for the game's sake.

Makes sense... That would be cool actually.

Also for your sake I'll try not to call the avatar "MU".

I dislike the paralogues sometimes because I'm invested in the story and then when they appear I feel forced to take a break and do them, because they sometimes have very useful stuff (like Rescue staff in Paralogue 1).

Some of the best games out there have a much worse cast than Awakening and yet people seem to love the characters. So I refuse to call the main cast in Awakening anything close to being bad.

However, you were talking about them being the worst main characters in the series, I can't argue with you on that as I haven't played the other games. If only Nintendo would step up their game (pun was not intended) with the eshop/virtual console... Then I would play the other Fire Emblem games.

I like most of the cast in Awakening. They all have redeeming moments. Even Tharja.

Edited October 23, 2013 by Malebolganone

[General Banzai]

Banzai

I see you

Folgore Black

oh shit you found me

do you just like never go on fire emblem related threads cuz i post in like

all of them

[Tamanoir]

This is pretty much my argument re: FE13. I had fun playing it. It looks beautiful. But I resent paying extra to get character development in a game that was anything but cheap. The plot is bad enough that it detracts from my enjoyment on replaying the thing and the First Gen characters in particular don't click with me. It's like they're trying to evoke all the emotional resonance of the First Gen characters from FE4 or the elder generation of Elibe characters without any of the actual hardships suffered by the Jugdral and Elibe characters

• . It all feels like Diet Coke angst... and the "everyone lives!" Paralogues and super-happy consequence free ending don't help.

  * FE13's kid characters at least actually dealt with a post-apocalyptic hellscape and have some kind of depth as a consequence.

  And the class designs are... not my thing.

Especially when FE7 did it better and for free.

FE7 is, in a way, he opposite of FE13 storywise.

FE13 looks cool and shiny the first time, but the more you play it, the more you realise its flaws.

FE7's plot seems to be the most basic story, full of every cliché of the genre (Includiing a Giant Space Flea out of nowhere as the FInal Boss).

But when you observe the different supports, you realize most characters are more interrestnig that they first seemed, and pretty complex individuals (Renault and Raven are pretty great examples of Character and World Building, extremely well done.) And there's also 19xx.

It's fun to see people praising FE8 and its story now. There was basically the same complaints about FE8 than about Fe13, just on a lesser level, because its popularity wasn't as big

>Awakening gets some little hate and people start arguing

>Shadow Dragon is hated by 80% of the community and no one cares

Shadow Dragon was first bashed for its artworks before it was even reeased, and then bashed even more once released.

Now, it's just completely forgotten, and the rare time people remember about it, it's with disdain.

It's on a whole different level

Edited October 24, 2013 by shyteddie

[General Banzai]

Shadow Dragon was first bashed for its artworks before it was even reeased, and then bashed even more once released.

i dont understand this

fesd has some of the best artwork in the series

second to like thracia or something

[dondon151]

shirow masamune's FE11 art doesn't exhibit the best anatomical proportions. i still actually really like most of it, though.

[General Banzai]

shirow masamune's FE11 art doesn't exhibit the best anatomical proportions. i still actually really like most of it, though.

anime in general tends to require a suspension of disbelief as far as proportions are concerned

hell, animation in general

[Refa]

anime in general tends to require a suspension of disbelief as far as proportions are concerned

hell, animation in general

are you saying girls don't always have c cup sizes and larger in real life??

[Irysa]

shirow masamune's FE11 art doesn't exhibit the best anatomical proportions. i still actually really like most of it, though.

I'm pretty sure they don't use him for the ingame designs though, I would have preffered that. The ingame art is like...GBA with a fakey shading to try to add depth that just makes it look really weird. I find it really unsettling especially on Marth's face.

[dondon151]

i'm just disappointed that the official art exists for like, 6 characters.

anime in general tends to require a suspension of disbelief as far as proportions are concerned

depending on where you look, anime does actually do body proportions fairly well. it's just the eyes that are generally way off.

[General Banzai]

i'm just disappointed that the official art exists for like, 6 characters.

depending on where you look, anime does actually do body proportions fairly well. it's just the eyes that are generally way off.

yeah well the eyes were what I was thinking of when I said that anyway

I mean, even look at Miranda in my avatar

jeepers creepers gurl whered you get them peepers