Just how Good is Awakening?

[shadowofchaos]

Awakening plays a lot with first impressions; that's why I've seen many (especially FE fans who were FE fans before it) who first praised it as the best in the series, but then changed their mind completely.

I can cite one vocal example on GameFAQs in that specific situation.

[Ownagepuffs]

I'm not sure what percentage of Awakening's fanbase, prior to playing the DLC, was familiar with every single character in it (especially Gaiden). However, I'd hazard a guess that their reaction to the other characters (most likely as a tease for the other games- that's what mine was) could just as easily expand to every character if they didn't know who any of them are. If you hadn't played any other FEs you wouldn't have a reference point for map design, and more mechanics isn't always a good thing (especially if you're a beginner and have no clue how any of them work).

Awakening even has the biggest job of a gateway game- drawing attention to itself- taken off its shoulders by SSB4. Sure, everybody knows Marth and Roy and Ike, but Avatar and Lucina are new, flashy and draw lots of attention to Awakening (which is probably why we're having this discussion in the first place).

For the most part the fanservice DLC maps were aimed more towards the Japanese but even then I'm sure the users on this site were familiar with a good deal of the characters since this is like the biggest Fire Emblem resource and all.

That's the difference between wanting a fun new game to play and wanting to play a Fire Emblem. Awakening lacks staple mechanics in the series, so for someone who wants to know exactly what Fire Emblem is about I wouldn't recommend FE13.

If someone asked "Is Awakening a good game to get for the 3DS? Is it worth the purchase? Does it have good replay value" I would absolutely recommend the game.

But if someone asked "I want to get into the Fire Emblem series, is Awakening a good start?" I couldn't recommend it. 7, 8, and Tellius all make for better "entry points" into the series. 11 is too bare bones and 12 never got localized. But alas, it's inevitable that Awakening is going to get a second wind with all the attention SSB4 is drawing to it.

I can cite one vocal example on GameFAQs in that specific situation.

Westbrick? He changed his score of Awakening from a high score to a 4/10 after like 12 playthroughs, right? Lol talk about diminishing returns.

His 4/10 review was all about how Awakening is amaaaazing at first but after more playthroughs the flaws simply become too glaring to ignore.

Edited July 21, 2014 by Ownagepuffs

[shadowofchaos]

Again, twelve playthroughs.

I don't know about you, but if it's as bad as he says, then why the HELL did he play it so much over and over again?

He had SOME kind of fun with it.

[Ownagepuffs]

Again, twelve playthroughs.

I don't know about you, but if it's as bad as he says, then why the HELL did he play it so much over and over again?

He had SOME kind of fun with it.

I know, that was pretty hilarious. If I played any of my favorite games of all time that much, I'd get sick of it too. 12 playthroughs of Chrono Trigger, 12 playthroughs of Valkyria Chronicles, 12 playthroughs of Final Fantasy 5, 12 playthroughs of the .Hack series... I couln't imagine it. I'd hate any of those games after the fifth playthough, nevermind the twelvth.

Awakening is the type of game that you start noticing the flaws after like the third playthrough if you are actually paying attention and not just trying out different pairings. Don't know where he mustered up the will for another 9. Oh well.

Edited July 21, 2014 by Ownagepuffs

[Irysa]

Dunno, I've played through Dark Souls like 15 times and I still love it. (well maybe half of those are specific zone leveled chars but who cares)

Plus it's pretty reasonable to list reasons why you think a game is bad even if you enjoy it. 12 might be a bit much for that though, but I definitely forced myself through games like Persona 3 and Tales of the Abyss (long ass games) despite deciding about 20 hours in I hated them, just because I had some insane curiosity about if it got better and what people saw in them. FE games are much easier to speed through than those kinds of RPGs once you have know how too.

Edited July 21, 2014 by Irysa

[shadowofchaos]

Dunno, I've played through Dark Souls like 15 times and I still love it. (well maybe half of those are specific zone leveled chars but who cares)

How much do you people think I've played Awakening? I still love it. It's preventing me from finishing Pokemon X. And a bunch of other games.

Let's hijack this thread for "How many times did Rey play Awakening?"

...the worst part is I still haven't completed the support log for FeMU.

Edited July 21, 2014 by shadowofchaos

[Ownagepuffs]

Dunno, I've played through Dark Souls like 15 times and I still love it. (well maybe half of those are specific zone leveled chars but who cares)

Plus it's pretty reasonable to list reasons why you think a game is bad even if you enjoy it. 12 might be a bit much for that though, but I definitely forced myself through games like Persona 3 and Tales of the Abyss (long ass games) despite deciding about 20 hours in I hated them, just because I had some insane curiosity about if it got better and what people saw in them. FE games are much easier to speed through than those kinds of RPGs once you have know how too.

You hate Persona 3 AND Tales of the Abyss? Are you me from a nega-dimension or something? Those are also some of my favorite games ever. Poured over 100 hours into each of 'em.

But yeah 12 is too much to decide the game is flawed. I'm not a fan of playing a game multiple times (I'm a victim of diminishing returns), so I guess that is where we differ. Sratch that, I played Awakening consecutive times but that was for trying out different pairings so I don't really count it. I can't think of a single game I've replayed consecutively. I like to savor my playthroughs. Picking up a game I haven't played in a long time is a different story though.

Awakening does have killer replay value, I can grant it that much. That is something I definitely make sure I get across to someone that wants to play the game. I've passed the 300 hour playtime mark on this game. The only other game I've ever done that for was Dissidia: Final Fantasy. That counts for something.

[Irysa]

You hate Persona 3 AND Tales of the Abyss? Are you me from a nega-dimension or something? Those are also some of my favorite games ever. Poured over 100 hours into each of 'em.

People like you are the reason I finished those two games because I couldn't comprehend why anyone liked them so much. Fortunately now I don't bother trying to get into arguments about why X game sucks waving around my complete playthrough as justification (I don't even need to do that part anymore :V), but the point is I can see where that dude was coming from.

(Actually I guess in P3's case that's different I guess, although it became a thing later on since I slowed down a lot compared to the rest of the internet. As an SMT fan pre release I was pretty hype, then played it and just had a constant stream of dissapointment, but finished it anyway. Played P4 for like 3 or 4 hours then dropped it because most of the same complaints)

[shadowofchaos]

but the point is I can see where that dude was coming from.

Yes that's true, but he *LOVED* the game and thought it was the most awesome thing ever when he played the Japanese version first.

[Irysa]

Weeeeellll, I can still sympathise with stuff like that happening. I loved Zeta Gundam when I was first watching it, but thinking about it and comparing it to the rest of the series (especially the original MSG), rewatching it and such, I ended up coming to really dislike it. I mean yeah that's an anime, but it's still totally possible to be blown away by something when you first experience it, yet because you enjoy it you think about/play it more to the point where you begin to start disliking it. And once you hit that point you end up trying to figure out exactly why you dislike it etc.

(that being said I guess its probably more likely the guy is a hipster but who cares, Devil's Advocate)

Edited July 21, 2014 by Irysa

[ClassyWolf]

Awakening is the type of game that you start noticing the flaws after like the third playthrough if you are actually paying attention and not just trying out different pairings. Don't know where he mustered up the will for another 9. Oh well.

...funny that I started noticing the problems on my first playtrough, but then again I had times where I stopped to think, and yeah, 12 playthoughs might be a bit much to then come back and change your mind, but then again I wonder how many times SoC has beaten the game?

And personaly I wounldn't consider that I played it to death since I have 3 playthroughs on it, one on hard, lunatic & lunatic+.

Plus it's pretty reasonable to list reasons why you think a game is bad even if you enjoy it. 12 might be a bit much for that though, but I definitely forced myself through games like Persona 3 and Tales of the Abyss (long ass games)

While I haven't played persona, your not that into the tales games Irysa? while I haven't played most of em I have poured at a minimum of a hundred hours into, still like em tho. But then again different people, different prefrences.

[Ownagepuffs]

People like you are the reason I finished those two games because I couldn't comprehend why anyone liked them so much. Fortunately now I don't bother trying to get into arguments about why X game sucks waving around my complete playthrough as justification (I don't even need to do that part anymore :V), but the point is I can see where that dude was coming from.

(Actually I guess in P3's case that's different I guess, although it became a thing later on since I slowed down a lot compared to the rest of the internet. As an SMT fan pre release I was pretty hype, then played it and just had a constant stream of dissapointment, but finished it anyway. Played P4 for like 3 or 4 hours then dropped it because most of the same complaints)

I was a ~2008 fan of Persona 3/4. Can't stand P4 now, Atlus milked it to death and beyond. But I'm curious as to why you dislike those games. That's not for this thread though.

Yes that's true, but he *LOVED* the game and thought it was the most awesome thing ever when he played the Japanese version first.

Yeah I think it is a bit counter intuituve to play a game you like until you hate then write a review as if all the things you liked about the game never existed in the first place, y'know?

[Czar_Yoshi]

Awakening plays a lot with first impressions; that's why I've seen many (especially FE fans who were FE fans before it) who first praised it as the best in the series, but then changed their mind completely.

I was specifically talking about getting people to buy it.

I know, that was pretty hilarious. If I played any of my favorite games of all time that much, I'd get sick of it too. 12 playthroughs of Chrono Trigger, 12 playthroughs of Valkyria Chronicles, 12 playthroughs of Final Fantasy 5, 12 playthroughs of the .Hack series... I couln't imagine it. I'd hate any of those games after the fifth playthough, nevermind the twelvth.

Idunno, I've played through Ocarina of Time probably ~100 times by now and still like it. Games with that much replay value are rare, but they do exist.

[Loki Laufeyson]

Is Walhart really necessary??

He should have been. The wasted potential of that particular antagonist fucks me off to no end.

[spoiler=Walhart Should Have Been FE Stannis Baratheon]

Walhart's actual goal was to wipe the Grimleal from the face of the continent. We come to find out that this is not an entirely ignoble cause. Grimleal have infiltrated Walhart's posse (Excellus) in order to leak info back to Validar. This is not a bad premise. What was bad is that Walhart is a fucking moron and has very little redeemable qualities instead of displaying the kinds of concerns a guy in his position should display. Had this been any other FE game, you would see a totally different character in Walhart.

One that expresses regret for what he is doing in the name of what he believes to be justice. One that expresses concern over achieving his goals. One who shows mercy to those who trusts. One who judges based on the morals he believes in, thus creating a conflict between his goal and our protagonists. He should have been recruitable after the chapter you finally defeat him in. Why? Because it would have been good storytelling to have Walhart and Chrom meet at last and realize that they have the same goal in mind. To stop Grima/Grimleal ultimately and restore the continent to a former glory.

We didnt get any of that. We got a cartoonish lobster who wants to CONQUER ZA WARUDO! And its fucking disappointing. I wanted FE Stannis. I got a literal lobster.

Thats the kind of stuff that makes me mad about Awakening's story. And dont even get me started on Virion's wasted potential....

But lemme tell ya, putting Galeforce on as many guys as possible and blazing through DLC maps and seeing my guys get all awesome is just way too much fun. I like seeing them in different classes too. Lunatic is pretty fun with Casual Mode to be honest, and i had a good time with that. So yeah, this a game thats all gameplay and content. If i were to write a review of it, i would still give it a pretty high score because of how goddamn fun it is.

[Buttocksinator]

I have put almost 700 hours into the game at this point, i'd say that's definitely worth the admission.

[RJWalker]

I only have two complete playthroughs and a whole bunch (and I do mean a whole bunch) of them that never got past Chapter 14 which is when I usually start pairing characters and shit.

[Emerald Ink]

(EI's boyfriend here)

Am I the only one who actually likes Walhart and the Valm arc? I mean, I recognize that it has very little connection with the rest of the story, but I still enjoyed playing through it. The Mila Tree and Fort Steiger are actually pretty decent levels.

But on the topic of Walhart, it helped when I considered him to be a crimson Doctor Doom. Booming voice, iron-fist ruling, more intelligent than his outfit implies, imperious tyrannical despot, etc. And who doesn't love Doctor Doom? Okay, don't answer that one.

I'm going to say that I was first introduced to Fire Emblem in the 4th grade when a friend got it. I'm guessing it was Blazing Sword but for the life of me I have never figured out which chapter I saw him playing. It wasn't until 9th grade that I finally got to play the series, starting with Sacred Stones. Honestly, SS kinda ruined Blazing Sword for me the first time through. The characters were better, I loved the overworld map, and the Tower was great for getting supports and levels on characters like Amelia and Ewan. I eventually warmed up to Blazing Sword and began to see the flaws in how Sacred Stones was designed, but I find both games to be vey good. Their differences make them stand apart from each other and give a more unique performance. Awakening is very much in the same vein. Yes, it lacks some things that veterans of the series are used to, but it also took the effort to include a number of new things. Awakening, at least to me, feels just as much like Fire Emblem as those first two games I played (sadly, I never got to play the Tellius series). Yes, Awakening has some stumbles in the story and I do wish that mission objectives and battle design were more varied (I remember Cog of Destiny, Battle Before Dawn, Last Hope, and Revolt at Carcino with fondness), but I'd still highly recommend the game for the experience that it does provide.

Let me put it into note form. Please note that I have played the game on all difficulties but Lunatic+. I have finished three full runthroughs, and have lurked here for more hours than I care to admit. Overall play time is 261 hours and 8 minutes.

Pros:

• Awakening is a unique Fire Emblem experience with new mechanics that make gameplay enjoyable and fresh.
• The characters, while tropey, are very memorable and I'd be surprised if none of them left a positive impression. There are literal hours worth of optional conversations that let you become more attached to this ragtag band of heroes.
• The art direction for armor is a little... odd, but the rest of the game looks very good and the 3D is surprisingly effective on some maps. Also, I still love all the cutscenes because of how few there are and how epic most of them are in scope.
• The game offers the best DLC setup I've seen in a long time and I found every single one of them worth purchasing. And I've gotten my money's worth on more than a few several times over.
• The game offers tons of replay value in the form of different Avatar options, support options, team makeup, reclassing, and to continue to challenge yourself through raised difficulty or self-induced challenges (I went through most of Lunatic with only the House of Ylisse).
• Even after you've beaten then game you may still find hours of enjoyment in battling old characters through spotpass or battling your friends on streetpass, or just messing around on the overworld and wrapping up paralogues. My second file has about 75 hours on it alone.
• Making your Avatar is awesome and I love it.
• For the first time in, I think, EVER you can finally max out your units and class them however you want. And that is wonderful.

Cons

• As stated, I miss the maps where you were forced to withstand a seige of units or had to hold out for a number of turns, or where the direction you were moving across the map varied due to other circumstances. Let's take Revolt at Carcino. You start on the same side of the map as the boss, but if you want to get the recruitable units you need to charge down through the canyon and held defend them from the waves coming up from the south before turning back north to defeat Pablo. I can't think of a single Awakening map that is set up like this.
• For every favorite character there is a despised one. For every Legault there is a Serra. You may find yourself outright ignoring some of the characters because you find them annoying. Thankfully, the cast is plenty large so this relatively minor.
• The story does stumble every now and then and sometimes you have to question the wisdom of the characters. It didn't bother me but it seems to be something that bugged a lot of people. I will say though that the game does give off the impression of being a love letter to the series as a whole at times and that may be the explanation for some of the odder moments.
• Some characters are really flat and forgettable. Shame. The bosses are pretty much generic doomsday villains at first glance but YMMV on how bad that is. Not everyone can be Shakespearean.
• The game is HILARIOUSLY easy to break. Galefore, armsthrift, Nostferatu, etc. No one is forcing you to use these options, but if you do the game becomes so much easier.
• Speaking of, with the exception of the latter two difficulties I'd rank the game around Sacred Stones in difficulty. On the lowest difficulty you can almost literally walk over everyone.
• Because of the new mechanics introduced and the differing art styles it could be difficult for new players to go back to older games in the series. The stories are debatably better (and that's a serious debate I will not partake in), but the game plays differently due to lack of pair ups and lower stats. Also, most games in the series are pretty linear.

Overall, the biggest shortcoming for the game IMO is the lack of map variety in both design and objective. Hopefully this is remedied in the next iteration of the series.

So, those are my thoughts on the game. I had a blast playing it, I still have a blast playing it, and I'll probably play it again sometime in the future. If what I've said is appealing, go for it. I personally think it is special enough to warrant at least a playthrough.

12 might be excessive though.

Edited July 22, 2014 by Emerald Ink

[CrimeanRoyalKnight]

I don't see how being linear in FE is a problem, but, to each his own, I guess.