If you’re playing the brutal Classic Mode where units permanently die, you will be using this mechanic a lot. This mechanic starts with only three uses, but by the end, I had ten to use in every battle. It can only be done during your turn and only when the main party member is alive (if they die, it’s an instant game over), but it can be used to rewind all the way back to the beginning. However, leveling up can only be achieved by actual battle experience.Īnother key feature is the ability to turn back time during a battle. After each battle, bonus experience is doled out to all participants, ensuring lesser used fighters will at least get something. The core combat of Fire Emblem games has always been fantastic and that’s no different here. Regardless of the arena, using your wits to overcome your opponent never gets old, and Shadows of Valentia supplies that in spades. And when there is an exploitable strategic element, the range of magic and bows come into play as well as the enemy’s clear willingness to use anything and everything against you. The levels have a much stronger focus on survival and overcoming the odds because you can’t always rely on choke points. The maps themselves might feel a bit bland to some, as a lot of them are fields with trees and mountains spread around, but I don’t mind. Instead of sending a couple of swordsmen to overwhelm a group of doomed axe-users, the battles felt more like two armies actually fighting for their lives. It might initially seem like a big step back strategically, but I found the changes to actually make the battles more interesting. Defense is for physical attacks, while resistance is for magic. Instead, it’s all focused on the defense and resistance attributes. You won’t need to worry about sending a sword-user to take out a spear-wielder or anything like that. The series’ weapon triangle is noticeably absent. However, the most noticeable regression is within the battles themselves. Shadows of Valentia almost becomes a dance, with you moving you party around in a wave to shield a healer, or to wipe out a boss. Additional knowledge of magic, bow, and melee attack ranges is the other very important factor in unit placement. You can freely see where enemies can move and attack and need to use this to plan not only the next turn, but to be ready for the one after that as well. This is where the chess-like nature of positioning units comes in. Each character can only move about the grid once per turn and all attacks prevent further action, regardless of movement. Before each fight, you can arrange your fighters and customize equipment before setting everything into motion. The bulk of the gameplay exists on large square grids. Alm and Celica each have their own parties and you can (for the most part) play out their scenarios in any order. As characters, they’re interesting in their own ways, but the supporting cast helps add to their backstories and to also turn what would have otherwise been pawns on a board into real people. The game knows you know this, and makes it more about how the characters themselves deal with this new information and their new roles in the world. The story gets the job done, but don’t expect anything more than some light backstabbing.īehind the war plotline are two protagonists, Alm and Celica, who may not be who they initially seem. Shadows of Valentia remains pretty lighthearted and cheerful despite the grave stakes, and that makes everything feel inevitable rather than hard fought. There are many characters who do make an impact, particularly those involved in the political intrigue that could only be born of two countries at war. But that’s not to say the main plat isn’t good. This means story moments actively ignore 70% of the characters you’ve grown to love. However, the story loses some impact because you can choose if you want to recruit most party members. Getting to know your fellow squadmates, it helped add depth to the world. A solid entry that adds a few elements into the Fire Emblem mix, but may take some steps back for newer fans.Īll the relationship shenanigans of recent years are gone and the more ‘old school’ in-battle support conversations are one of the few ways to relate with your party members. It is also a remake of the second entry that never made its way out of Japan. Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia is the latest in Nintendo’s long running turn-based strategy series.
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