Unique gamplay and enjoyable story that really hit the spot!
The game was designed for the Gamecube, so while the graphics are good for this system they are not PS3 or Xbox 360 caliber. With a cartoon sense of style the game does get the job done well, and the artwork featured is beautifully realized. The cut scenes are also well done, but I found that I didn’t enjoy a majority of the voice work.
The controls are simple and can be compared to games like Gladius and Final Fantasy Tactics. Move your characters like they were on a chess board, attack and raise character stats in the old school RPG fashion. Where this game really shines is in it’s character advancement that becomes interesting when different skills are introduced as well as every characters ability to be promoted to more advanced classes.
The story in Fire Emblem is a breath of fresh air after the continual bombardment of childish or just plain uninteresting storylines that are mainstay in today’s RPG market. I found the story enjoyable and came away very satisfied and ready for the next Fire Emblem game.
My only complaint about the entire game is that I wish there had been a little more customization as far as characters were concerned. I thought the characters presented were fine, and most were even enjoyable; but I would still rather create my own. The game is very linear which is no problem for me, but if you are looking for a do it yourself experience then look elsewhere.
Overall the game really was, as I said, a breath of fresh air. I came away having felt like I’d just played a good RPG like I used to feel when I was a kid playing Final Fantasy.
-Seth