Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia Reviews
Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia launched on 3DS here in America back on May 19th. The latest entry into the Fire Emblem Series is actually a full remake / re-imagining (whatever you prefer to call it) of Fire Emblem Gaiden. Gaiden was released back in 1992 on the Famicom (Japanese NES) and the game was only available in Japan until 2009 when the game was released on the Wii Virtual console albeit still only in Japan.
Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia brings a lesser known chapter in the franchise's history to the forefront. Its compelling gameplay, top notch presentation, and captivating cast of characters make it one of the best entries in the 27-year-old franchise.
A decent Fire Emblem game with a good story but overall not as good as the other 3DS Fire Emblem games.
After looking to their past, Intelligent System has made a daring strike forward. The result is a resounding strategy experience, with Shadows of Valentia not only delivering a sensational remake but one of the greatest tales that the Fire Emblem series has ever told.
Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia suffers from an identity crisis in almost everything it does. For example, one early dialogue exchange sees an enemy drop a surprisingly crude word apropos of nothing, and then the game subsequently wastes ~25 hours holding your hand through a comically absurd story driven entirely by the brain damaged stupidity of both lead characters. Fire Emblem Gaiden’s story has been fleshed out to a certain degree for this remake, but only the inconsequential bits seem to have received this treatment, leaving the lore at roughly the same level as the original. The end result is that the bare-bones prophecies and plot developments force relatively complex characters to act in incredibly simple-minded ways at times, flitting between being legitimate leading characters and idiots so infuriatingly dull and shortsighted that it’s a wonder they can remember to breathe.
Combat is interesting and challenging to a point, character interactions are charming, and dungeons do help break up the monotony, but it isn’t fulfilling overall. FE: SOV is nothing special, but it is a perfectly serviceable title good enough to act as a gateway into the rest of the Fire Emblem series.
The final Fire Emblem on 3DS is both different and familiar at the same time. Shadows of Valentia perfectly caps off the series' 3DS run with a thrilling adventure that pushes all the right buttons for a remake.
Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia might be a complete remake of the Famicom’s Fire Emblem Gaiden released in 1992 but to western fans this is a completely new chapter in the Fire Emblem series that cannot be missed.
The simple graphics and story take you on a nostalgia trip but the fight with Fire Emblem Echoes was harder and longer than excepted. You really have to bring some frustration resistance to go through the long dungeons with the poorly made AI but the game still offers much for Fire Emblem Veterans as also for beginners.
Review in German | Read full review
'Fire Emblem Echoes' combines a wonderful blend of modern and legacy gameplay in a package that successfully introduces the world to a title that never made its way to the West. With a well-written plot and brilliant characterization, Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia is a remake of the highest caliber, with welcome additions that still manage to stay in tune with the original.