semolinaro Posted March 9, 2016 Share Posted March 9, 2016 This has probably been discussed before, but out of curiosity I went on to Amazon Japan to see the reviews for Fates, specifically Conquest. There's over 700 reviews for the title, and they are overwhelmingly negative. Have a look. http://www.amazon.co.jp/product-reviews/B00VFT4UH4/ref=cm_cr_dp_see_all_btm?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1&sortBy=recent From what I could understand, it seemed that players were mad about the lackluster writing and how it took away the purpose of the gameplay (willy-nilly plot as one person called it lol) and the fact that it felt like a money grab since both versions felt purposely incomplete to get people to buy Revelations. One reviewer compared it to paying full price for only a portion of a meal, and then to get all components of the meal, you must pay even more money (again, only from what I could understand). Valid complaints, was just surprised to see Japanese players were much more negative and vocal than Western players. On Amazon America, Conquest received a four-star rating while Birthright received four and a half. Though the negative complaints were still of a similar nature to the Japanese ones, there were far fewer of them in total. Intelligent Systems, I hope you're watching. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Karnage Posted March 9, 2016 Share Posted March 9, 2016 and I thought we were harsh at least everyone agrees that the music is the best part Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skornvorax Posted March 9, 2016 Share Posted March 9, 2016 you know.... I felt like the nostalgic part of the Fire Emblem Fanbase in America/Europe was annoying.... something tells me that the Japanese part is worse... and that they arent used to stuff like that, so I dont know how the Japanese gaming market is compared to the American one.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Draxal Posted March 9, 2016 Share Posted March 9, 2016 FWIW, Amazon.jp reviews are rather infamous for their negativity, always take them with a grain of salt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
semolinaro Posted March 9, 2016 Author Share Posted March 9, 2016 FWIW, Amazon.jp reviews are rather infamous for their negativity, always take them with a grain of salt. Oh really? I didn't know that they were known for being negative. However, in this case, I do agree with a lot of the things they are saying. Maybe it's not worthy of one star all the way down the board but a majority of the complaints are valid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fire Emblem Fan Posted March 9, 2016 Share Posted March 9, 2016 Splitting the game into three parts is a complaint I've had since the beginning, I agree it's like buying just the bread of a sandwich and having to pay extra for the rest...I'm glad the Japanese customers seem to think the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZodiacSoldier Posted March 9, 2016 Share Posted March 9, 2016 If you go to US Amazon, the Special Edition of Fates have like 1 or 2 stars. And none of them are reviews for the game, but about how it was impossible to get. Honestly they need to lock the reviews to Verified Purchases only or something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Book Bro Posted March 9, 2016 Share Posted March 9, 2016 They seem to be all over the place, not just negative, but it's definitely clear the general consensus is there was room for improvement. IS are open to fan feedback so I hope they really learn from this and the next game is even better. Personally, I agree with the complaints about the game being split into three. It was an interesting idea but they should've gone all the way and had each game be a completely separate experience, instead of each path having parts of one story. I would much prefer a Gaiden/Sacred Stones type split in the future. That would also lead to a tighter plot, I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shuuda Posted March 9, 2016 Share Posted March 9, 2016 However, in this case, I do agree with a lot of the things they are saying. Maybe it's not worthy of one star all the way down the board but a majority of the complaints are valid. "These reviews validate my opinion, so I assume they're reliable". How transparent of you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
semolinaro Posted March 9, 2016 Author Share Posted March 9, 2016 They seem to be all over the place, not just negative, but it's definitely clear the general consensus is there was room for improvement. IS are open to fan feedback so I hope they really learn from this and the next game is even better. Personally, I agree with the complaints about the game being split into three. It was an interesting idea but they should've gone all the way and had each game be a completely separate experience, instead of each path having parts of one story. I would much prefer a Gaiden/Sacred Stones type split in the future. That would also lead to a tighter plot, I think. Yes I agree, I really feel that the split was the downfall of the plot and that's a shame because the plots had the potential to be full, fleshed out stories, but they were purposely designed to be limited so we'd all buy Revelation. And I'm mad at myself that I'm gonna be one of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sentacotus Posted March 9, 2016 Share Posted March 9, 2016 (edited) If you go to US Amazon, the Special Edition of Fates have like 1 or 2 stars. And none of them are reviews for the game, but about how it was impossible to get. Honestly they need to lock the reviews to Verified Purchases only or something. Alot of times thats also what people do to discourage people from buying from scalpers. Especially on ebay where if you give a seller a bad review it can impact who's willing to buy from them. Not knowing a lick of Japanese I wonder if part of it is because of how different it is mechanically from Awakening with the whole no grinding, limited resources classic fire emblem gameplay. Especially when you consider that Birthrights is better received. I mean come on is the plot really that much worse than say Awakening? (For the record I actually enjoyed Awakening's plot for the most part) Edited March 9, 2016 by LordTaco42 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joshcja Posted March 9, 2016 Share Posted March 9, 2016 (edited) I'm actually fond of the split. It's pretty much impossible to actually please the FE fanbase with any one game. As for its reception... didn't fates just sell out in japan like it did...everywhere else? Edited March 9, 2016 by joshcja Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
semolinaro Posted March 9, 2016 Author Share Posted March 9, 2016 Alot of times thats also what people do to discourage people from buying from scalpers. Especially on ebay if you give a seller a bad review. Not knowing a lick of Japanese I wonder if part of it is because of how different it is mechanically from Awakening with the whole no grinding, limited resources classic fire emblem gameplay. Especially when you consider that Birthrights is better received. I mean come on is the plot really that much worse than say Awakening? (For the record I actually enjoyed Awakening's plot for the most part) I think the plot (just in my opinion) is far worse than Awakening. I enjoyed Awakening's plot a lot and I don't understand why there's so much hate for it. Yeah it had some uninteresting arcs and a few plot holes but the narrative worked and the writing respected the characters, whereas Fates (particularly Conquest) did not. It abused its main cast by making them make dumb choices just so the plot would move somewhere, even though they were solid and charming characters in their supports. It also lacked even the simplest of worldbuilding and depth to make fans go and buy Revelations. Fates' writing feels super inexperienced and, in my opinion, inferior to Awakening's strong cast, solid worldbuilding and well-told story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Karnage Posted March 9, 2016 Share Posted March 9, 2016 I think the plot (just in my opinion) is far worse than Awakening. I enjoyed Awakening's plot a lot and I don't understand why there's so much hate for it. Yeah it had some uninteresting arcs and a few plot holes but the narrative worked and the writing respected the characters, whereas Fates (particularly Conquest) did not. It abused its main cast by making them make dumb choices just so the plot would move somewhere, even though they were solid and charming characters in their supports. It also lacked even the simplest of worldbuilding and depth to make fans go and buy Revelations. Fates' writing feels super inexperienced and, in my opinion, inferior to Awakening's strong cast, solid worldbuilding and well-told story. imo Awakening had a very boring plot and a very obvious ending not to mention there was that huge plot hole in CH 23 https://youtu.be/SNYzWYmIHPY?t=22m15s seriously, Valvadar dies in the cutscene and is perfectly fine in the next with no explanation Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Book Bro Posted March 9, 2016 Share Posted March 9, 2016 Going off a fairly quick first playthrough of FE14, I can't say the plot is worse than Awakening. It has major flaws but at least it was more ambitious. The villains are garbage in both games, but the protagonists are more likeable in Fates to me, and the concept is more interesting even if it doesn't fully deliver. And the world building isn't perfect in Fates but it's still better than in Awakening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FluffyWarlock Posted March 9, 2016 Share Posted March 9, 2016 Calling it: Birthright will be the most favored version on Amazon Japan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miatt Posted March 9, 2016 Share Posted March 9, 2016 The sales of a game depend on the previous game in fact. This means if FE14 have sold well, it was because a lot of people loved FE13. And don't forget the fans who pick the 3 versions(Birthright, Conquest, SE) only for the collection. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reject Posted March 9, 2016 Share Posted March 9, 2016 I'm not really sure where the future of Fire Emblem is gonna go from here. Fates sold the most of any FE game, despite having overwhelmingly negative reviews and a TON of controversy surrounding the direction the game was going from all sides. I loved the gameplay of Conquest, and don't even get me started on how much I love the soundtrack, but I honestly don't know if I'll keep supporting the series if they keep fucking up as badly as they are with everything else. I'm just really happy I downgraded my 3DS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dtmahanen101 Posted March 9, 2016 Share Posted March 9, 2016 Hey. Stop hating on Awakening so much, guys. I liked it. Sure its story is generic as balls, especially for an FE game, but I could let it go because of the characters. But back on topic, even though giving the game one star reviews is a little overkill, I do feel like the game suffered because of the split into 3 games. Going back into Awakening for a bit, yeah its story wasn't anything new (and not the best, tbh), at least it was relatively simple for an RPG. Path of Radiance had a great story, and once again, it was relatively simple. Fates, by contrast, felt very bloated with the three separate storylines, not to mention that it was definitely hampered by the inclusion of children for inexplicable reasons. I hope that even though Fates is selling extremely well, IS takes the time to look at user feedback and take it into account when making their next game. Trim down the fat of the storyline, don't include features for no reason just because the previous game was the best-selling one in the series to that point...and keep the gameplay good. The gameplay in Fates is really good. Best in the series. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shadowofchaos Posted March 9, 2016 Share Posted March 9, 2016 (edited) I feel like I'm one of the few that enjoyed the split in this thread. I remember FE10 being long... but something inside me said "but not long enough". This game just exceeded that with the 3 paths. "Have as much game as you want." I feel like people are obsessed with "getting the complete game" when they compare their experience to others that they are "forced" to buy all of it for the "complete experience". It's yourself to blame. Each path is a complete experience. But OF COURSE they're gonna tease you to try to get you to buy the other paths. But you're not forced to buy anything. Edited March 9, 2016 by shadowofchaos Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sentacotus Posted March 9, 2016 Share Posted March 9, 2016 I hope that even though Fates is selling extremely well, IS takes the time to look at user feedback and take it into account when making their next game. Trim down the fat of the storyline, don't include features for no reason just because the previous game was the best-selling one in the series to that point...and keep the gameplay good. The gameplay in Fates is really good. Best in the series. I think they do to an extent. I mean they refined the pair-up mechanic alot. All in all it is far more balanced and enjoyable in FE14. The fact that enemies use it against you too is a big improvement. Plus I think the whole My Castle thing expands on the Barracks idea way better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BANRYU Posted March 9, 2016 Share Posted March 9, 2016 @ OP to be honest most of those complaints are the things that I was the most worried about. While everyone was bitching about boycotting the game because of localization and censoring, I was in my own little corner with like 2 other people who were all 'Uhhh does no one else feel like this is a huge cashgrab because of the split versions that completely trivializes the whole point of the choice?' ...I mean, I saw it for that back when it was announced that it was going to be split versions. For what it's worth, I found each version to be solid enough in terms of gameplay to be satisfied-ish with the price, since I kinda didn't expect much from the story and was more concerned with gameplay personally... It's good to know they have some common buyer's sense over in Japan though at least. ~____~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joshcja Posted March 9, 2016 Share Posted March 9, 2016 (edited) I feel like I'm one of the few that enjoyed the split in this thread. I remember FE10 being long... but something inside me said "but not long enough". This game just exceeded that with the 3 paths. "Have as much game as you want." I feel like people are obsessed with "getting the complete game" when they compare their experience to others that they are "forced" to buy all of it for the "complete experience". It's yourself to blame. Each path is a complete experience. But OF COURSE they're gonna tease you to try to get you to buy the other paths. But you're not forced to buy anything. Pretty much this, all 3 games are 100% complete in their own right and are aimed at very different sections of the fandom. Edited March 9, 2016 by joshcja Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MCProductions Posted March 9, 2016 Share Posted March 9, 2016 (edited) Pretty much this, all 3 games are 100% complete in their own right and are aimed at very different sections of the fandom. Truth, I feel the problem is that Nintendo failed to advertise that properly I'm surprised to suddenly hear about this negative reception tho, the lowest score Fates got to my knowledge was Gamespot's infamous 7/10 towards Conquest for being "too hard". Also, Taco, IS DOES listen to FE fans, that's why they went out of their way to hire the new writer for Fates, for all the "good" it did. Edited March 9, 2016 by MCProductions Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delfino Posted March 9, 2016 Share Posted March 9, 2016 I feel like I'm one of the few that enjoyed the split in this thread. I remember FE10 being long... but something inside me said "but not long enough". This game just exceeded that with the 3 paths. "Have as much game as you want." I feel like people are obsessed with "getting the complete game" when they compare their experience to others that they are "forced" to buy all of it for the "complete experience". It's yourself to blame. Each path is a complete experience. But OF COURSE they're gonna tease you to try to get you to buy the other paths. But you're not forced to buy anything. THIS. This so much. Each version is a complete game packed with content with enough meat to warrant the price tag. I don't really mean to insult anyone, but sometimes it just really feels like some people are merely butthurt that they aren't getting more for less. You're still getting $40 worth of content. They even allow you to get the other version, which is in itself a complete game, for half the price. I think people are putting way too much emphasis on the story. Yes, it's a part of the package, and it could have been and should have been handled better. But does a bad story in a game with otherwise phenomenal gameplay really warrant a 1-star review? It just seems ridiculous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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