Topic: Favorite Fire Emblem Game?

Fire Emblem is a series I've always wanted to get into, but have never had the time. Now that Nintendo is virtually putting itself on hold for 10 months, I may finally be able to do it.

Not to sidetrack too much, but it looks like Fire Emblem 7 (or just "Fire Emblem" in North America) and Fire Emblem Awakening are popular choices. Which of those would you folks recommend as a first Fire Emblem game?

@VelvetElvis: Awakening is an okay starting point. I personally abhor the game as I'm one of those people, but Casual Mode is good if you're worried about permadeath. Sacred Stones is another good starting point for the older games. It's shorter, not too difficult, and allows for grinding if needed. It also features a lot of the mechanics present in Fire Emblem games up to 10 (maybe 12) that were removed from Awakening. I can't say anything on FE7, to be honest, but I know it has many of the same mechanics. If you're looking to play the older games, Sacred Stones is a good introductory game. If you're highly concerned about permadeath, go Awakening. Sacred Stones is still a good bridge between Awakening and older titles.

@VelvetElvis: I suggest either Fates Birthright (it's essentially Awakening but better), or FE7's Blazing Sword. 7 has a tutorial mode you can't seriously lose. It's easy and good for preparing before you get into the real game.

@VelvetElvis: If you get too fond on grinding (Sacred Stones, Awakening, Birthright), you might find it harder to get into the older chapter-based style. I'd say go for 7 if you plan to really get into the series as a whole, since the first third of the game (10 chapters) is a pretty great tutorial. Besides, it's one of the greatest GBA games out there, I'd say it's a must-play.

Thanks @Marce2240, @KO-Cub, and @SomeBitTripFan (fist bump to the BIT.TRIP series). I'm thinking FE7 is likely my best best — I want to do perma-death to get the whole experience, and that one is the cheapest and most easily accessible. Seems like a good start to move on to Awakening after. I think Fates looks fantastic, but I'd like to dip into the others first.

Anyway, sorry for the slight derail. Interested to see others' favorite Emblems.

@VelvitElvis What you asked is fine. Every time I'm introduced to a new game, I want to share the same experience with others. I hope you like FE7 and FE as a whole!

@VelvitElvis What you asked is fine. Every time I'm introduced to a new game, I want to share the same experience with others. I hope you like FE7 and FE as a whole!

As for my favorite Fire Emblem game, out of Sacred Stones, Path of Radiance, Radiant Dawn, and Awakening, my favorite is Radiant Dawn. The abundance of large, well designed maps and options in that game are excellent.

@VelvetElvis: Enjoy it. It's one hell of a game, I still replay it on my Micro from time to time.

@SomeBitTripFan The consensus here seems to be that Path of Radiance is the overall favorite with Awakening in a somewhat distant second.

Personally I LOVE radiant dawn as it is my first FE game 😍

@Luna_110 Actually, Ryoma says the contrary. In one of the missions there's an interaction with Silas where he's telling him how everyone in Nohr needs to fight for everything, even food. Ryoma says that he wasn't aware of Nohr's harsh way of living, and that after the war something should be done since food is abundant in Hoshido and that it's not fair that they even waste it while people in Nohr are starving.

Peronally, I loved the gameplay in the Fates games and I didn't find the story as terrible as others, so you could say it's my favourite entry, specially Coquest. I actually thought Birthright's plot inferior to Conquest, since certain tragic events just seem to happen for the sake of it, like Flora's death who just seem to think that setting herself on magical fire pays for being forced to betray Corrin and her sister and that somehow her slow death won't haunt him or Felicia. In both paths she betrays them yet somehow she chooses to do that on this one for the sake of having repercusions as heavy as the ones in Conquest. Same with Xander and Elise. I mean I understood and expected Xander to carry on with the fight until that spot, but after her little sister's sacrifice her desire to keep on fighting the Avatar instead of his father makes no sense, regardless of his position as heir to the throne. Ryoma's motivations (specially after thinking that you killed her sister) make more sense and so does his sacrifice since the Avatar was about to be considered a traitor.

It's a shame, because King Garon was handled as the typical cartoon villain when he could have been so much more. The tragedy of her wives dying ( specially the second one since just as that lady in Birthright mentions, he thought he wouldn't love another woman again) and somehow involving Hoshido (bandits or I don't know) could have been a better motivation than the classic " he's not himself anymore, a demon took control!". It would even make sense to isolate Corrin as he did since he was resent to the boy and he would be planning to use him for his revenge (and preventing getting attached to him too), not being aware of the strong connection he's doing with his sons and daughters. A past hero falling from grace after suffering a lot of pain and clouded by his desire for revenge despite not being actually evil.

Anyway, I still love the game in terms of gameplay and consider Conquest's plot passable. I still need to play Revelations and the DLC though.