GAME BOY GAME REVIEW
Fire EmblemPolish your lance and mount Pegasus, it's time for action |
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We live in a time of opportunism. Take commuting on the tube, for example. You need only leave your seat for the time it takes to offer it to an elderly lady and some poaching ratbag, a third of her age, will have nabbed it. It's a similar situation with a nation. If you happen to be the rightful heir to the throne you've left for, say, a few years, you're more than likely to discover you'll have to fight to get it back.
This is the situation Rikea finds herself in as she returns home in Fire Emblem, and along the way she faces constant danger from which she must be protected. This is obviously where you come in. Relying on all of your strategic nous, you must command armies against a variety of adversaries, using both the unique capabilities of the various units - which range from mages to Pegasus knights - at your disposal, as well as the characteristics of the hostile landscape you find yourself traversing to your advantage.
Combat is typical strategy fare with each side taking it in turn to position themselves and/or attack. The system revolves around three types of weapon or magic, each with different strengths and weaknesses over the other, and although simple, it forms the basis for deeply complex and involving tactical play.
Further intensifying the experience is the superb narrative, displaying a level of characterisation rarely encountered in games. The fantasy setting may not have a universal appeal but the game's considerable challenge is engrossing to the point of winning over even the most fervent sceptic. You could say it's an opportunity most gamers can't afford to miss.
Fire Emblem |
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Epic, yet accessible, character-driven strategy masterpiece.
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