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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

  • GoldenEagle1476 - January 30, 2013 12:38 p.m.

    Defnitely looking forward to this, it's been far too long since I've played a Fire Emblem. Or any other turn based strategy game, for that matter.

  • BladedFalcon - January 30, 2013 9:44 a.m.

    How many times- IT'S A TURN BASED STRATEGY GAME NOT AN RPG Nitpicking aside, I already knew I was getting this game, but it's always encouraging to see that the reviews back up what I already knew was going to be an amazing experience. Also, complaining about dying a lot in a FE game is like complaining that there's a lot of jumping on enemies in a core Super Mario game.

  • BladedFalcon - January 30, 2013 9:51 a.m.

    ...What the hell. This has to be the third time in the last week in which I make a post with clearly separated paragraphs, and when posted, everything is shown clustered together. What's going on? ._.

  • shawksta - January 30, 2013 10:01 a.m.

    Whoever reviewed this (Kathryn Bailey), and anyone in general can mistake this as an RPG considering the exp system, and character enhancements, especially when partnered. Besides, almost everybody and their mom is calling almost everything an RPG because of simple reasons even though their not. I also, and probably everybody else is having the paragraph problem, itll eventually get fixed.

  • J-Fid - January 30, 2013 10:06 a.m.

    Glad to see it's not only me experiencing this. I already yelled at GR in the PokeRadar article, so hopefully it gets fixed soon.

  • samsneeze - January 30, 2013 10:53 a.m.

    People have different definitions of what an RPG is. It's honestly not that big of a deal.

  • slimjim441 - January 30, 2013 1:23 p.m.

    I feel like I should start trolling, but I won't disgrace such an article with that foulness.

  • Froyton - January 30, 2013 1:41 p.m.

    Genres can definitely be tricky. Castlevania SotN is called an "Action RPG" by some people even though I feel it is definitely NOT an RPG. With Fire Emblem, however, I personally think it falls under the "Tactical RPG" sub-genre just because it does have several (i.e. not just one or two) RPG elements in it. But then someone could call me out and say "but SotN has several - not just one or two - RPG elements too" and we would reach an impasse.... I dunno. Fire Emblem feels like a type of RPG to me but I can understand why others would say it isn't.

  • Hollander_Cooper - January 30, 2013 2:59 p.m.

    So, wait, Final Fantasy X, which is turn-based and no one moves, is an RPG, and Final Fantasy XIII is an RPG even though you run around tapping X to do stuff, but a game with a grid isn't? You level up, you equip items, it's turn based--this is an RPG. An SRPG, sure, but still an RPG.

  • BladedFalcon - January 30, 2013 3:45 p.m.

    I will agree that the RPG genre itself is becoming harder and harder to define as more games adopt RPG elements to other genres and gameplay styles. (As I believe you yourself pointed it out in an article.) The strategy genre, however, at least to me, tends to have very defined gameplay and feel to them in general, be it RTS or TBS. Story or narrative is seldom the big focus, and there is virtually no real exploration of a world. You have battlefields, and at most a map in which you select stages. Battles are the main focus of the experience and these tend to be pretty damn long, and last way, WAY longer than any RPG battle real time or otherwise usually lasts. Sure, you level up, you equips items. But does that automatically makes it an RPG? If so, then you might as well call Far Cry 3 an RPG as well, and not a shooter or a sandbox game >_> That, and look at the strap-line of the review, does it even say it's an SPRG?

  • GamesRadarSophiaTong - January 30, 2013 3:54 p.m.

    The spacing issue is being looked into, we should have a fix soon.

  • BladedFalcon - January 30, 2013 4:06 p.m.

    Thank you, that's good to know ^^

  • zelta38 - January 31, 2013 5:34 a.m.

    Have you ever heard the term tactical RPG? As applied to Bahamut Lagoon on SNES and Final Fantasy Tactics (across PSX, PSP, GBA). Fire Emblem falls squarely in the tactical RPG category, it's a turn-based strategy game built on a grid that has full RPG mechanics per unit. So yes, it is an RPG.

  • F4G1TR0N - January 30, 2013 9:17 a.m.

    Would you say the comedy is cheesy or just plain crige worthy? I love cheesiness haha. Preordered along with the special edition 3ds

  • BladedFalcon - January 30, 2013 10:11 a.m.

    From what I gathered on the review, it honestly feels more like the reviewer itself didn't like that particular kind of humor, and not that it's inherently atrocious or unfunny. My guess it's that it's a probably very anime-type kind of humor, so that might help you know what to expect, i suppose. Since I personally actually enjoy that style of humor, I don't really find it to be a problem at all.

  • F4G1TR0N - January 30, 2013 10:53 a.m.

    Thanks man, and yes i love anime humor as well

  • GRHenry - January 30, 2013 11:15 a.m.

    The humor is the broad kind you see in a lot anime. Not super clever, but cute

  • shawksta - January 30, 2013 9:08 a.m.

    NICE Nothing really bad in the negattives but tidbits, so awesome it did this well!

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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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