FIRE EMBLEM FATES: BIRTHRIGHT ON NINTENDO 3DS

Fire Emblem Fates: Birthright is a worthy successor to the series’ lineage, and one that instills the tried and true  formula with enough new ideas to engage old fans and bring in new ones. Splitting the game into three different versions doesn’t hold anything back from the experience either, as Nintendo and Intelligent Systems have still provided a full-fledged 30+ hour experience.

Fates is split into two major releases, Birthright and Conquest, with a third DLC campaign, Revelation, releasing later. Birthright doesn’t feel limited by this fact though, as it has its own storyline, characters, options and distinctive style. It never feels like anything is missing, with the exception of an ending that hints at an unseen force possibly being at play behind the story.  It’s small and not in your face, but the culmination ultimately feels like it’s pushing you to play the other versions.

The first six chapters of Fates introduces you to the world and characters of the two opposing sides of Hoshido and Nohr. The peace loving Hoshido are reminiscent of feudal Japan, while the Nohrians are harsh people with a more European design. Hoshido could be seen as the traditional “good guys” defending from invasion, and there are a few aspects of the story that can be seen as the white and black, good vs. evil comparison. Even considering this though, Birthright brings up a bit of ambiguity and grey area in terms of morality.

At the beginning of the game you create your own avatar named Corrin by default. Your character has the strange ability to transform into a dragon. While this character is of your design, he or she still has a strong personality and interacts with others like any character would.

Once you reach the “Branch of Fate” in chapter six, Birthright has you following the Hoshido side, fighting off the forces of Nohr. This version of Fates tells a sweeping story of light prevailing over darkness, and the avatar learning about the family and land that was lost to them since the player is actually a Hoshidan royal stolen away by Nohr at a young age.

Birthright has some surprisingly heartfelt moments, with a dash of tragedy mixed in. There’s a few twists and turns to the story, and fighting against the siblings and potential allies your character spent their life with can be heartbreaking at times. On the other side of the coin, your Hoshidan siblings are overjoyed to have their sibling back, and there’s a lot to learn about the society and history of the proud nation. Support conversations return with some of the best character development of the game, providing tidbits of story and personality for characters.

In addition to over 25 main story chapters, a host of paralogues can be unlocked from marriages and each one has you helping a child of one of your characters. A confusing story mechanic is put in place to make these children playable, as they’re put in places called “Deeprealms” to protect them from the war their parents are fighting. Time in the Deeprealms advances much faster than the world of Fates, causing children to grow and approach their parent’s ages quickly. A little suspension of belief is necessary to swallow this, but the child characters are generally as fleshed out as any other.

Anyone familiar with a Fire Emblem game will feel right at home with Birthright’s gameplay. Battles are seen from a top down isometric view, with players and enemies taking turns moving units. The traditional weapon triangle of previous games returns as well, although it’s been updated a bit.

Swords and tomes beat axes and bows, axes and bows beat lances and shuriken, and so on. Fates also has a welcome change by completely doing away with weapon durability, as weapons won’t break and can be used indiscriminately now. By this same token, weapons influence a character’s stats much more heavily meaning careful planning on which weapon to use is important.

The support features from Awakening return. Characters that are placed next to each other in battle will support one another when attacking or defending. They boost each other’s stats, can add an extra attack, or defend the other from damage. Units can also be paired combining the two essentially into one, giving a huge boost to defense. Only the primary character in the pair will attack, but it’s a good way to fortify your defenses. Of course enemies can employ these strategies as well.

As characters fight together in battle they’ll build a bond leading to higher ranks in their relationship if they are compatible. These ranks go from C up to A+ and S, and the higher the level the bigger boosts characters will receive as well as unlock a support conversation. These systems can alter the way you play battles as your strategies evolve to make sure certain characters are next to each other and building relationships.

Birthright also works to be accessible to new players. Three different difficulty settings of Classic, Casual, and Phoenix allow adjustment to your preferences. Classic matches more original Fire Emblem gameplay with units being lost forever if they perish in battle. Casual and Phoenix will allow characters to return at the end of the chapter and the end of the enemies next turn respectively. You can also take on an endless stream of challenge maps, if you’re wanting to boost characters levels or relationships. This means the harder parts of the version can be overtaken with a bit of training.

“My Castle” is a new feature in Fates that has you building a home base and interacting with characters in various ways. Between battles you’re transported to your very own castle where you can buy weapons, bond with characters, and collect resources. By completing chapters you gain DV points that are used to construct buildings ranging from an armory, to a colosseum, to a restaurant, and more.

You can also use a crystal ball to go online and interact or battle with other players, as well as tap any Fire Emblem amiibo, who will give you items and eventually join your army. There’s a wealth of options available at your castle, and you can even invite allies to your private quarters to bond with them. Eventually, if you marry someone, they’ll stay in your private quarters as well, with even more bonding opportunities. Ultimately, the castle options become a bit rinse and repeat but still provide a nice break between chapters.

Also new to Fates are the Invasion chapters that pit a small group of your army against a much larger invading force. Buildings in your castle will provide different stat boosts or effects to you units, and you have to plan carefully to make it out unscathed. There are only a few invasion chapters in the game, but they’re definitely a nice change of pace and some of the most challenging tactical gameplay scenarios.

Fate’s presentation is better than the series has ever been before, and everything flows together impeccably well. Hoshido has a distinctly different design from Nohr, and the feudal Japan aesthetic seeps into every bit of Birthright. Weapon designs are different as Hoshido uses Naginatas instead of spears and katanas instead of swords for example. Character designs and buildings match the aesthetic, and a general theme of honor and loyalty is woven into the tale this version tells.

A gorgeous soundtrack featuring traditional Japanese instruments helps to nail Birthright’s Japanese theme on all fronts. Music is dynamic in battle, shifting in pitch and intensity as you go from moving units to watching battle animations. Combat animation is the same, as when a fight starts the camera has a sleek zoom in and out feature that makes transitions swift and continuous. Chapters have their own music, each using the technique to increase intensity and really adding to the sense of scale.

With every iteration Fire Emblem seems to add on just enough to make it feel fresh, and Fates certainly has a host of new features. Birthright may be the best place to start out of the two versions, as it’s easily accessible to anyone regardless of their experience with the series. Some story beats may be a bit cliche, but Birthright still has a captivating tale about family, love, and duty. By the same token, the gameplay and presentation is tighter than its ever been. Fans of the series should be pleased with everything on offer, and Birthright is a perfect jumping on point if you haven’t started the Fire Emblem series.

Score: 4.5/5