Fire Emblem: Fates

[Skyblade]

Trying to figure out which version to get. I like the challenge of Conquest, but I read you can't do side missions in that game so you really need to make sure you level your characters properly.

Not exactly.

You can do as many sidequests as you can unlock. Seriously, go nuts. Recruit all the side characters, whatever. They're fine.

However, you cannot do any of the random battles. Further, while DLC missions can be repeated indefinitely, you will gain zero experience from the DLC missions, with the sole exception of the "Boo Camp" DLC, which is a map designed specifically for EXP acquisition (similar to EXPonential Growth from Awakening). Other rewards, such as weapons or items, are dished out normally from DLC missions, but you will get no experience. "Boo Camp" (when it releases) is thus the only way to indefinitely grind for character Exp in Conquest.

Ok, I get it now. The paralogues and other side missions are still there but the random encounters aren't. I loved the battle system in Awakening so much that I often did those encounters whenever they popped up on the map. And it was fun to build up the relationships, etc. Does this essentially mean Conquest has less content for those who like to keep battling?

Without DLC, yes (although the first DLC map, "Before Awakening" is free). With DLC, any mission will allow you to build up relationships, and gather items (you get a free weapon each time you beat Before Awakening, for example. It's not very good, but it's there).

On the other hand, the Conquest missions tend to be longer and have a lot more enemies, so you can still get some good experience out of them.

[Rin Heartilly]

I'm so envious of you guys I've been waiting for this game for ageeeesss.....but alas I live in Australia, at least I can share the pain of my EU brethren.

But seriously I love awakening, beat apothesis on lunatic+, played the heck out of it. Can't wait for fates >.<

[maybee]

I'm so envious of you guys I've been waiting for this game for ageeeesss.....but alas I live in Australia, at least I can share the pain of my EU brethren.

Aussie should get the game a day or two after Euro.

Yes ! Euro/ Oceania no ! FE sadness hug

[Skyblade]

I've currently been plugging away at Birthright for eleven and a half hours of game time (not counting resets).

Still at Chapter 9.

I just really like grinding in Fire Emblem games. It's soothing.

[Del Murder]

I just really like grinding in Fire Emblem games. It's soothing.

Me too. It's zen in a way. Which is why I'll probably go for Birthright. Could always download Conquest later.

[Hollycat]

I really want a copy of Birthright but right now I just cant afford it. I adored awakening.

[Vyk]

Yeah, it's probably not going to go down in price, even a year or so from now

We gave our Awakening to my girlfriend's sister so she could have an awesome portable game to play, and this has renewed my interest in trying to finally beat that game, but it's still $40. After all this time, and after a sequel, it's still full price. Which is fine, but the Fates games are like a $60 run if you just get one physical copy, the DLC of the other, and then revelations. And there's already a $18 map pack, so I guess at the moment it's an $80 experience, for one go

My girlfriend and I both got physical copies though so we wouldn't interrupt each other's fun. We'd both need to get Revelations separate. If we both got everything it'd be like $200 xD While I get the point, I really really hate this Pokémon style splitting up of the game

[ShunNakamura]

Well I got me the special edition and the Revelations storyline choice looks to appeal to me most. However, I am going through it B/C/R. Which seems to have been a good choice because quite clearly my fire emblem muscles got weak. Ended up having to switch down to hard/casual for the children's side chapters. I just couldn't save Shiro and keep everyone alive at the same time. Seems the children's chapters think I am underleveled for the story point I am in. The enemies in those chapters all have about 5 levels on my party :/.

Anyways since the change to Javelin/Hand Axe/etc I have found that I never use them. Obviously something had to be done to offset the lack of durability, but ugghh. Maybe I just have too many 2 and 1-2 range users. Basically I only use them when I want to soften something up for xp reasons(I.E. feeding to a lower leveled unit). The no critical hit feature can be useful for that. Afterall, I do tend to keep some of them in my inventories just in case(not that I have used them more than once or twice* for non softening reasons in 23 chapters, but some of my folks don't lack for inventory space so why I figure why not give them a javelin even if they never use it). Brass weapons also have no crit, but I am not as likely to have them in my inventories late game.

*Both times I can recall were to hit an enemy I couldn't hit otherwise after my unit designated to kill it missed 1 of their 90+% chance to hit. I mostly wanted to make sure the enemy didn't end run and attack someone squishy.

[maybee]

Europeans might get a release announcement today at Nintendo Direct ! Here's hoping Euro/ Aus squad !

[sinuosity]

This comes out in a couple of weeks for my fellow Australian/Euro fam?

No idea which one I'll get. Kinda tempted to just import a US N3DS XL as I only have an old OG 3ds which is awful to hold lol. Region lock is the most annoying thing ever. Europe letting in millions of refugees but companies can still region lock hardware. OUTRAGE

[Del Murder]

I went with Birthright with the intention of downloading Conquest later. So far I'm finding Birthright to be pretty easy even on Hard mode so I think the order I chose makes sense since I hear Conquest is harder. If you plan to play both, you may be bored with Birthright if you get Conquest first.

Difficulty aside, I'm really liking this game. Removing the durability from weapons was such a welcome change. I like that they added some downsides to the higher attack weapons which adds to strategy as to which weapon you choose. Also I like that adjacent units always do an attack unless you are paired. Removes some of the uncertainty from Awakening's system. I don't like that paired units are not as good as Awakening, but I guess they were too overpowered in that game.

I went with Casual mode (which may be why it is so easy, since I can freely sacrifice a unit or two in order to plow ahead), which I know is Fire Emblem blasphemy, but I did Classic all through Awakening and it led to several resets when one of my favorite characters dies. I don't have the time to go through that again and I don't regret it. More fun this way.

[Vermachtnis]

I just got Birthright. I heard it was the easier of the two and this being my first Fire Emblem, that sounded like a good idea. I wasn't sure what I was doing when making my character, I made her Lucky and excitable. I assumed it was stat growth and luck is almost always a good stat. I'm not sure what Excitable does, I picked it cause it sounded fun. And I went with the Oni Savage class for pretty much the same reason. And Onis are cool.