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Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia


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Really enjoying this game so far. I'll admit, my expectations weren't very high for this game considering it's a remake of a game nobody's really played but it won be over pretty fast.

 

 

If we're still on the topic of the first couple villagers for sure Gray should promote to mercenary. The mercenary speed base helps him take advantage of his above average attack base right away and his speed growth isn't too awful either so you'll immediately have a guy who can double just about everybody and keep it that way throughout the game. With the Lightning Sword he can pretty much take out any non-magical unit in one fight early on.

 

I've heard Faye isn't bad as a pegasus knight, but she makes a much tougher and better cleric overall than Silque. And honestly it doesn't help to have more than one healer around. What really sets Faye apart from Silque is PHYSIC, which Silque can't learn for some reason. Her crap movement becomes a non-issue with Physic especially if she can get some nice attack growths, which she will. I usually like to have Faye spam Psysic and so I'll have Silque following her around to top off her HP so Faye can keep using Physic. Faye is also literally the only unit in the game who can "dance" to make units move again, once again boosting her overall utility.

 

I'm not too sure about Kliff and Tobin. I just decided to make them both cavaliers and so far in my playthrough neither one is any better than the other, it's like they both have Lowen syndrome. I'm kinda regretting passing up mage Tobin and archer Kliff especially since I'm not too fond of Python. I dunno man, despite the buffs to archer classes I still don't really feel they're too useful if every bow is gonna slow them down so hard.

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Nah just use them when you get them. It's not worth saving them for later when you can help improve a character's viability now. For the first one on Alm's route I'd probably only ever use the speed ones on Kliff, Tobin, or Faye. Maaaaaybe Alm if he's getting RNG screwed somehow though that's unlikely. It's tempting to help boost Lukas but he's pretty useless after part 1. On Celica's route I boosted both attack and speed for Mae and and used the last attack one on Celica and it's helped them snowball beautifully in part 2. Boey is always gonna be useless so no point in boosting him. Later on in the game you can play around with making your best units better, but I totally recommend at least one defense boost for Clair so she can tear shit up once she gets access to the Ridersbane in part 3.

Edited by Swedish Brick
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One thing I love about this game is that all of your units get to talk to you in cutscenes instead of just the "plot-important" ones. Like, if this were Path of Radiance, I guarantee that you'd never see anyone talk to Ike except Titania, Soren, and Mist.

 

This is especially impressive when you remember that these characters originally had no dialog at all after their initial recruitment.

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1 hour ago, Tyranogre said:

One thing I love about this game is that all of your units get to talk to you in cutscenes instead of just the "plot-important" ones. Like, if this were Path of Radiance, I guarantee that you'd never see anyone talk to Ike except Titania, Soren, and Mist.

 

This is especially impressive when you remember that these characters originally had no dialog at all after their initial recruitment.

What are you talking about? Almost all of the supporting cast in path of radiance show up in the Info tab in the base. Some several times. 

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So I haven't had a lot of time to sit down and play this for long stretches, but as of now I've finished the first act and I've started the second, so I feel I'm in a position to offer my thoughts on the game. In short, I love it. It's a huge step up from Fates in my book. 

 

I never played Gaiden. As far as the untranslated Fire Emblems went, it was pretty low on my list, and I'm glad for it, since I have no idea what to expect.

 

I'm of the seemingly unpopular opinion that Fire Emblem stories are pretty rad, and what I've been able to glimpse so far appears to be pretty standard stuff so far, but I feel I must echo (heh heh) what some folks have said in this thread and say that I'm blown away by the localization and voice acting. I've never had a problem with the presentation in Awakening and Fates, but this is head and shoulders above even that. The subtleties of character emotion elevate the Gaiden cast to a level of depth modern FE's anime tropes have failed to encapsulate. I also appreciate the return to support conversations happening on the battlefield. I've always felt this approach allows the characters to unfold more naturally, rather than having them all involve training at the base (looking at you, Fates). I haven't met one character so far that I feel like benching. 

 

I'm still getting used to the weird nuances of Gaiden, like the item system and having to learn skills and advantages that were innate in every other FE game I played. But strangely, I don't feel put off by it. At the risk of sounding like a Ninendo Life review, it feels simultaneously fresh and familiar, and I find myself actually enjoying the process of relearning core mechanics and exploring the new rules and limitations and how they fit into my strategies. Huh. Innat wild? 

 

The soundtrack definitely shines as a high point, too. I've colloquially absorbed a few of the more famous Gaiden anthems, like The Fearless Naked Blade and With Mila's Divine Protection, but the new arrangements are simply stunning. I'm listening to Ark of Dawn on repeat right now and I can't stop.  

 

Anyway, I could probably write more, but it's late and I'm tired. :P 

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The Fearless Naked Blade sounds like an old translation of the battle theme's Japanese title. Just so you know, it's officially The Dauntless Blade according to the English Sound Selection CD and in-game Sound Test!

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I just learned something really cool:

 

If you have Alm leave Kliff and Faye behind at the start of the game, you can recruit them into Celica's party once she reaches Ram Village in Act 2. This renders Alm's party two people short, but it gives Celica two extra Villagers.

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