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Available on: 3DS

Fire Emblem: Awakening review

The best 3DS RPG to date

Words: on January 30, 2013
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38 comments

  • LOZ4EVAH - March 8, 2013 9:03 p.m.

    This game is gooood. . .23 hours in so far and I'm loving it. Let some characters die cuz I didn't like them haha. That's the beauty of it. . . but Chrom married Sully. Something I didn't like. Lol.

  • Fryhole - March 6, 2013 6:34 p.m.

    What a wonderful game this really is.

  • Redeater - January 31, 2013 12:12 p.m.

    Great. I wasn't interested in this at all until I played the demo. Now this review comes out telling me I have to get this. I'm still god only knows where in Xenogears! Between work, my social life and other hobbies....I'm going to have to learn to game in my sleep.

  • Redeater - January 31, 2013 12:48 p.m.

    Make that Xenoblade.

  • Squirrel - January 31, 2013 9:16 a.m.

    This game is garnering some stellar reviews. I must say after playing the demo I'm definitely picking up Awakening. I've never been the biggest Fire Emblem fan, but the new option to turn off perma-death is a immediate incentive for me to jump back in. Noe I have to decide, do I want a boxed copy or should I just download from the eShop so i can always have Fire Emblem with me??

  • winner2 - January 30, 2013 8:06 p.m.

    EVERYTHING is an RPG now, face it peeps. We are playing as things that are not ourselves, hence RPG. Literalism! It pained me to type that. I'm not sure if I trust myself on that one.

  • n00b - January 30, 2013 4:31 p.m.

    Oh, well, um... guess we got a problem then. So, lemme introduce myself. Name's Resetti. Mr. Resetti. On behalf of the family, I'd like to show youse... I mean show YOU, uh... Uh, show you... Aw, forget it! How's a mole supposed to remember this garbage? HUH? Let's cut to the chase. Ever hear of Animal Crossing? Yeah? Well that's where I'm from. I'm the guy who stops cheaters from cheatin'. The no-resettin' policy enforcer, ya follow? You break the rules, you gotta deal with the mole in charge here. I'm like the... how you say... conscience of Animal Crossing. And, uh, I ain't one to toot my own horn or nothin', but I'm a big deal. I'm the most popular-- What's that? You ain't got time for this? You wanna know what it is I'm doin' here? You ain't heard a word I said, that it? You got potatoes in your ears, punk? HUH? This is Super Smash somethin' or other, ain't it? Yeah? Then quit complainin'. I'm SUPPOSED to be here. I'm the star of the show, twerp! Huh? What's that? I'm in the way? Ya can't see the screen? KEEP CRYIN', PUNK! I got a little news fer ya! It don't matter if you're resettin' anything, OK? I'm gonna be poppin' up now an' again, an' you better be ready for your daily dose of mole! It ain't like this is all earthworms and mudbaths for me, pal. I'm just followin' orders. We clear? SCRAM!

  • MetroidPrimeRib - January 30, 2013 3 p.m.

    Fire Emblem isn't an RPG how could you get this wrong And why would you mark difficulty as a negative in Fire Emblem, that's one of the best things about it

  • Squirrel - January 31, 2013 9:20 a.m.

    Fire Emblem is categorized as a strategy RPG. Unlike other turn-based strategy games, you actually play as the characters that are taking part in the storyline and can level them up at your discretion. The added ability to foster relationships between your chracters makes this entry even more RPGish.

  • MetroidPrimeRib - January 31, 2013 1:08 p.m.

    Just because it has minor RPG elements doesn't make it an RPG

  • Redeater - January 31, 2013 2:44 p.m.

    People who argue over labels should be shot in the face. What is GTA? Third person shooter? Racer? FPS? Action adventure? RPG? Bowling simulator?

  • MetroidPrimeRib - January 31, 2013 6:03 p.m.

    Sandbox.

  • Redeater - February 1, 2013 12:29 a.m.

    Yeah...you do realize how often that particular term is thrown around right?

  • MetroidPrimeRib - February 1, 2013 12:45 p.m.

    To sandbox games?

  • slimjim441 - January 30, 2013 1:27 p.m.

    Intense difficulty? Not a problem. Cheesy, forced humor? Too be expected; it's still a JRPG at heart. Somewhat on the shorter side? A little disappointing, but at the same time, quite welcome. I love how long Radant Dawn's story is (around 50+ hours), but it makes replaying the game to try out different characters and build different relationships kind of a pain. And yes, I did only read the 'You'll love...' and 'You'll hate...' sections along with the big words. I'm too excited to dig into this article right now and I know I'll love it anyway. There hasn't been a FE title that I didn't love. Well, Sacred Stones was notably less than the rest, but I still beat it like 4 times.

  • BladedFalcon - January 30, 2013 3:51 p.m.

    The reviewer didn't seem to take into account the absurd amount of upcoming SpotPass and DLC support coming for the game, both in the form of extra characters and extra chapters and sidequests when it comes to the overall length of the game. Of course, I realize that being additional content, free or otherwise, probably shouldn't qualify in the review of the overall game, but I still feel it should be pointed out. At least in Japan, there seems to be a whooping total of 120 extra characters you could potentially recruit from other games, and all of them free, same with some sidequests. So that probably will extend the lifetime for a wee bit more?

  • shawksta - January 30, 2013 5:06 p.m.

    Huh, I forgot the game had DLC. Its good news when an already satisfying game is getting even more satisfying DLC, even better that its free, instead of feeling stripped.

  • BladedFalcon - January 30, 2013 6:30 p.m.

    Not ALL of it is free though, only the spot pass stuff, there's also gonna be paid DLC for extra chapters and characters.

  • shawksta - January 30, 2013 9:53 p.m.

    I heard something like "The first two weeks" or something is Free, either way, as long as it doesnt feel stripped or worse, On-Disk

  • slimjim441 - January 30, 2013 10:53 p.m.

    120 extra characters on top of the original cast? FML, dude. There'll be a lot of commingling to do. I also forgot about all that DLC, too. As long as they fit in the story fine or don't have stupid specifications like Shadow Dragon's gaiden chapters. It took me like two years to accept that it was okay for people to die for the greater good of opening more levels.

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Excellent
YOU'LL LOVE
  • Strategy mixing relationships with tactics
  • Clever Street Pass options
  • Large number of sidequests and other content
YOU'LL HATE
  • Occasionally grating attempts at humor
  • Dying a lot in the later levels
  • Somewhat brief compared to other Fire Emblems
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More Info

Release date: US
Feb 04 2013 (3DS)
UK
Apr 19 2013 (3DS)
Available Platforms: 3DS
Genre: Role Playing
Published by: Nintendo
Franchise: Fire Emblem
ESRB Rating:
Teen: Alcohol Reference, Fantasy Violence, Mild Suggestive Themes, Mild Language
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