In this iteration, Fire Emblem looks just like the last, but the good thing this is, it's good!
This second game on the Game Boy Advance is a great game with new characters and some new units but most of it looks the same. The game is a turn based strategy game involving dozens of different units, all with their strengths, weaknesses, weapons and spells.
The story of the game is unbelievably great because it tells a tale of betrayal and the two main characters are thrust in. You only get to play as the sister until about halfway through and this is where the brother is introduced. Each one has their own strengths and areas you could focus and it's entirely up to you how you upgrade characters.
One thing I didn't like was the fact some of the more interesting classes are very rare. Each character you can get into your army is a unique character with a back story and in fact, if they die, can alter your story. It is unfortunate you can not recruit some no name characters that are slightly weaker than the named ones and build an army of units you prefer. Some characters like others and can influence them to join your cause while some dislike each other that the sight of them can cause a battle.
Being turned base, the game suffers from a slow pace but for turn-based junkies, this shouldn't be a problem. Characters have bonuses or detractions against certain units so the game allows you to hypothetically see what the odds are of hitting a guy or the damage you will do. This allows you to choose more precisely of what you want to do before railroading yourself into an untenable situation.
The animations look great inside battle. Each character has a distinct attack. On the map, the characters don't like so great but it is easy to see who is what so that isn't too much of an issue.
Sounds in the game are appropriate and are not redundantly used while the music can get repetitive but is overall very moody and fits the tone. When there is a change in the story, you can feel it first through the music.
What is really great about the game is the story. It is told from the pictures of the characters and text. Though it isn't flashy, it is definitely effective and gets the point across.
The game has a lot of play value and will probably take you a few attempts to keep everyone alive and get the best ending. The save feature in the game is an auto save every turn preventing you from abusing the game. This is good for a challenge but bad if you want an easy way to win.
Overall, the game is great. The visuals, though not superb, are quite adequate for the venue but what really shines is how effective the story draws you in. You want to win because it's so enthralling and because of that, this game is a keeper.