Multiple endings for the Paths.

[Alazen]

According to the translation of the latest trailer, the endings will depend on the choices you make. Going from this, it's not just the choice of which kingdom Kamui goes to that affects what ending you get.

Assuming that's the case, based on what we know of If's Paths, how you do see the multiple endings? After thinking about it, I came up with some scenarios:

Nohr

1. Overthrow Garon and make peace with Hoshido.

2. Side with Garon and crush the coup along with Hoshido.

3. Overthrow Garon but continue the war against Hoshido

Hoshido

1. Fight alongside the other Hoshido royals and defeat the enemy Easterners along with Nohr

2. Help the enemy Easterners take over Hoshido and defeat Nohr.

3. Defend the other Hoshido royals and try to end the war peacefully.

I also considered the game having the characters who still show up in the narrative if they reach 0HP change their epilogues depending on if they were defeated in battle. Or how many enemy units they killed. Like in Der Langrisser.

What do any of you say?

Edited June 11, 2015 by Alazen

[Thane]

Sadly, I think they were just referring to which route you'll initially take, meaning that both routes seem to be about ending the war but in different ways. While the story, characters and everything else will differ between the versions, I believe it'll be a linear game.

[blah the Prussian]

The optimist in me wants to say that this is true, but the pessimist in me says that Thane is right. The pessimist in me is stronger.

[Eveangaline]

Would explain 3 save slots per route

[DRTJR]

JRPGs aren't know for their divergent stories, although if true it would explain the choice marketing angle as well as the expanded number of save slots if this is true, which I hope it is in my boots. Since this seems almost too good to be true alow me to put on my skepticals

[VincentASM]

I haven't had time to check SoC's translation yet, but he emphasised that his translations (and Japanese-to-English translations in general) can be vague because of the lack of context.

As such, I wouldn't read too much into it.

TBH, I think it's just referring to each campaign diverging towards a different ending each, but obviously multiple endings would be amazing : D

[NekoKnight]

I doubt we'll get multiple endings per route but one can dream, right? Each route split (within the route) would be at least a few extra maps, so I can't see them putting in that much effort to change the ending.

[ShadowKnight394]

I could see last minute ending changes that don't really effect the overall story.

However, if they do endings like what you suggested, I'd like them to be unlocked by sparing and killing certain enemy units. For example, the bad ending could be if you kill more or less all of the units. The best ending, however, could be if you spared everyone other than those that you know will come back to kill you immediately.

[Jester Capri]

For Nohr, one of the most likely scenarios is Destroy Hoshido and then overthrow Garon.

But really, it seems like both Mikoto and Garon will die if you reach a certain "late" ending regardless of which path you take. I'm not so sure, though...

Edited June 11, 2015 by Jester Capri

[MCProductions]

Well, to be fair, FE1, FE3, and FE6 all had multiple endings that changed based off player actions.

FE1 had a bad ending if Caeda was dead by the end of the game.

FE3 had you hunt down those God forsake orbs to get the good ending.

FE6 had you access all the Gaidens and avoid using the legendary weapons to get the good ending.

Awakening technically counts, but its endings are roughly the same result, so I don't care.

[Mysterique Sign]

Probably whether or not you kill your siblings from the other side

[B.Leu]

JRPGs aren't know for their good stories period. :p

But Alazen have some good ideas, and I think it would be pretty cool, but I doubt it like I blah said, the pessimist in me says that Thane is right.

Pretty badass sentences btw. 'The pessimist in me is stronger.'.

Edited June 11, 2015 by B.Leu

[BluCommander]

It wouldn't surprise me if there were multiple endings per route. I'm on my phone at the moment so I can't check, but the translated trailer said something to the extent of "EACH path has multiple endings"

Nintendo of America's emphasis on choices in this game also seems to suggest this. I don't think they would put this big of an emphasis on choice if there were only one (although it is a big one) choice, but we will know for certain soon enough I suppose.

When I get to a computer I will edit in a link to the part of the trailer I am referring to.

Edit: So it says, "Each of those stories will approach different endings, depending on your choices" which suggests to me that there are multiple endings per side.
https://youtu.be/_1yQFYHGf7Q?t=2m18s

Edited June 11, 2015 by BluCommander

[Kyza]

Well Awakening featured several choices throughout the game which changed some dialogue but for the most part were inconsequential, the only choice that really mattered was at the end of the game but even then it didn't change a whole lot. I would like for there to be more meaningful choices in this game or at least maybe some unlockable secret scenarios like 'chapter x' type stuff or stuff like the whole Black Knight flashback and Sephiran's true identity in Radiant Dawn but who knows what they'll decide to do. Everything is still pretty vague

[DualMix]

Well Awakening featured several choices throughout the game which changed some dialogue but for the most part were inconsequential, the only choice that really mattered was at the end of the game but even then it didn't change a whole lot. I would like for there to be more meaningful choices in this game or at least maybe some unlockable secret scenarios like 'chapter x' type stuff or stuff like the whole Black Knight flashback and Sephiran's true identity in Radiant Dawn but who knows what they'll decide to do. Everything is still pretty vague

With all the emphasis on how choices matter and the supposed multiple endings that depend on them, I wouldn't worry about choices this time. I mean if they talk about this much, then I'm sure that choices have improved from Awakening.

[Sentinel07]

I get the feeling that, as some said, the endings might depend on how many major characters you're able to spare. I've seen quite a few other games do something like that.

[BluCommander]

I checked the video again, and it says "Each of those stories will approach different endings, depending on your choices" which seems like there multiple endings per side.

I get the feeling that, as some said, the endings might depend on how many major characters you're able to spare. I've seen quite a few other games do something like that.

This has been done in past fire emblem games as well so it really wouldn't surprise me if this was the case.

Edited June 11, 2015 by BluCommander

[Mad_Scientist]

I noticed that part of the trailer too, it was one of the things that stood out the most to me. But like Vincent mentioned, Shadow said to take that translation of his with a grain of salt.

That said, assuming for the moment it's accurate, it can be fun to speculate on what we'll get. I don't think we'll get anything like the extreme differences proposed in the initial post, as that would require substantially different levels and branching paths. Rather, I think we'll get an expansion of what has happened in past FE games.

For example, in Radiant Dawn's second playthrough, you could choose to spare Pelleas or not, and this had an effect on the ending. In addition, fulfilling certain requirements resulted in additional scenes involving the Black Knight and even an extra epilogue scene.

In Blazing Sword, whether or not Eliwood and Ninian had an A support drastically changed the ending.

In Sword of Seals, you had to do specific things in order to even access the true final chapter (which of course affected the ending) and had to win the chapter in a certain way in order to get the best ending.

In Holy War, who was dead or alive at the end had some notable affects on the ending.

I think we'll get something like the above, but with greater variety and a focus on specific hard choices the avatar will have to make (as opposed to simply keep everyone alive, meet requirements to unlock the best ending, etc). I don't think this will result in any drastic changes to the maps you play, aside from maybe affecting some side quests (and perhaps the very end). You'll basically play the same missions, but the situation in them (including who is in your party) may be slightly different, and by the end game there will be some variety in how everything will turn out.

[Reset]

I noticed that part of the trailer too, it was one of the things that stood out the most to me. But like Vincent mentioned, Shadow said to take that translation of his with a grain of salt.

That said, assuming for the moment it's accurate, it can be fun to speculate on what we'll get. I don't think we'll get anything like the extreme differences proposed in the initial post, as that would require substantially different levels and branching paths. Rather, I think we'll get an expansion of what has happened in past FE games.

For example, in Radiant Dawn's second playthrough, you could choose to spare Pelleas or not, and this had an effect on the ending. In addition, fulfilling certain requirements resulted in additional scenes involving the Black Knight and even an extra epilogue scene.

In Blazing Sword, whether or not Eliwood and Ninian had an A support drastically changed the ending.

In Sword of Seals, you had to do specific things in order to even access the true final chapter (which of course affected the ending) and had to win the chapter in a certain way in order to get the best ending.

In Holy War, who was dead or alive at the end had some notable affects on the ending.

I think we'll get something like the above, but with greater variety and a focus on specific hard choices the avatar will have to make (as opposed to simply keep everyone alive, meet requirements to unlock the best ending, etc). I don't think this will result in any drastic changes to the maps you play, aside from maybe affecting some side quests (and perhaps the very end). You'll basically play the same missions, but the situation in them (including who is in your party) may be slightly different, and by the end game there will be some variety in how everything will turn out.

How did these endings play out in terms of ease of access? I knew about the Radiant Dawn ending and epilogue, but not everyone is willing to play the entire game twice. If the next game does have multiple endings, I hope they are able to be accomplished without a guide telling you to do something no one in their right mind would do.

[kelror13]

I suppose we will find out once the game is out, it is possible also that depending on the characters with whom Kamui has strong supports that extra chapters or scenes could be unlocked in the game, but maybe I'm just overthinking things.

[Mad_Scientist]

How did these endings play out in terms of ease of access? I knew about the Radiant Dawn ending and epilogue, but not everyone is willing to play the entire game twice. If the next game does have multiple endings, I hope they are able to be accomplished without a guide telling you to do something no one in their right mind would do.

I haven't played Sword of Seals myself, but among the others they were all easier to deal with than Radiant Dawn. Blazing Sword you just had to get a single A support by a certain point in the game, and you had a fair amount of time, while Holy War was simply based on which characters lived (and it wasn't too hard for them all to survive, though saving on character was a little tricky.) None of them required second playthroughs or the type of stuff Radiant Dawn did with the Black Knight.

Presumably Fire Emblem IF would make it easier than Radiant Dawn, since the focus of the game is on choices, so it would make sense to present those choices to the player in a clear manner on their first playthrough.

[Eveangaline]

I just hope the choices aren't "two villages to visit here if you happen to visit the village on the right first you'll get different characters and slightly different story later for no adequately explained reason"

Already gotta replay binding blade over and over because of the 5 support limit now I gotta replay each route like 5 times for their exclusive characters supports.

[BlueL]

Probably whether or not you kill your siblings from the other side

This is what I think. How many of the siblings you keep alive probably has a minor affect on the endings. Maybe how many gaiden chapters you complete as well.

But i can' imagine us having a variety of different endings, sadly.

[PenguinPrincess]

How can this game be linear when the very first announcement direct stated that this game is all about YOUR CHOICE affecting the story's outcome?

Surely this can't mean picking between 3 "routes" due to the act of choosing which "story" to play right?

[Ryo]

Surely this can't mean picking between 3 "routes" due to the act of choosing which "story" to play right?

Why not? That is how I think most people are interpreting it at this point. Picking which route/game is a choice, which does affect the story's outcome.