Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light Reviews
As someone who has finished and loved the GBA, 3DS, and Switch iterations, I can't wholeheartedly recommend the Famicom/NES version of the first Fire Emblem game. The DS remake, however different from the original, would be a much better way to slake your tactics thirst. Unless you're prepared for a slow and meandering, albeit decent for the time, 10-15 hours, get your Fire Emblem fix somewhere else.
Although it earns points for its significance for the Fire Emblem series and the Strategy genre as a whole, this game is archaic and barely playable by today’s gaming standards.
If you are a fan of the series, it is worth giving him a chance to learn the beautiful story and see how this wonderful IP started.
Review in Greek | Read full review
Despite some problems that could already be noticed in the original release, what plays in favor of the release of Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light on the Nintendo Switch is its loyalty to the original title. Besides that, it is interesting to note how the game is, until today, a profound influence on the TRPG genre. On the other hand, loyalty is also a problem. Don't get me wrong, the first Fire Emblem continues to have many features that will leave some fans of the series well satisfied, but, by today's standards, it is dated — its sword of light no longer shines as it did 30 years ago and many will question whether it is worth seeking it to defeat the dark dragon.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light presents in a classic way how the famous hero Marth grows from a little prince to a shining hero. But the path is long and arduous, and not only for him. When playing this spin-off of the series, you have to be aware that you'll have to do without certain features. No battle prediction or fade-in movement radius. But instead, a certain thrill kept coming up for me during the game, which I miss in modern games. But if you get into the gameplay, you'll experience a captivating story. An absolute must for veterans of the series, but newcomers should perhaps go for a newer part with more beginner-friendly features.
Review in German | Read full review
If you want to check out where everything started, this is a decent trip down memory lane.
This is definitely not a game for newcomers, but die-hard fans of the Fire Emblem series may find enjoyment, along with gaming historians who simply want to experience a time piece of how the whole tactical RPG franchise started.
Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light provides a look back at the humble beginnings of this SRPG series that continues to find new fans to this day. It shows its age in systems and visuals, but the added options to speed up the experience and save anywhere makes it accessible for non-seasoned retro gamers. This is a game that I’m glad made it to this generation, at least to preserve its official western release.
As a more complex genre that also relies on narrative, the improvements to Fire Emblem titles are multiplicative. Things like UI elements, a more streamlined inventory system, customizable skills, support conversations, and even the Weapon Triangle are all absent. Turning back the clock strips away not just iconic gameplay ideas, but gradually gathered quality of life improvements. This leaves a bare framework in their place. This is Fire Emblem through and through, make no mistake. It’s just the absolute minimum of what a Fire Emblem should be.