Tag: Fire Emblem

‘Fire Emblem: Three Houses’ Makes Death Mean Something

by Josh Jackson

Warning: Minor Three Houses spoilers! Turn away if you want to go into this three month old game blind.

It can’t be said enough. Fire Emblem: Three Houses is one of the best games of 2019, if not the year’s finest. It serves as a true evolution of the franchise, adding a slew of social mechanics such as a calendar system, more ways to interact with the supporting cast and more side activities than you’ll care to take part in. This is on top of the game improving on the battle mechanics set forth by the fantastic Shadows of Valentia while presenting three different story paths that offer drastically different outcomes. But while the decision to make the main character a professor at a military academy seemed like a risky one on paper, this is where the soul of the game shines through. Because the opponents you fight aren’t just your run of the mill bad guys; they’re your students.

Despite the game forcing you to choose a house fairly early, which determines the student body you’ll teach as well as the story paths available to you, taking advantage of the social mechanics allow you to get to know and even recruit most of the kids from the other houses. Even if you don’t end up luring them to your class, getting to know them opens up a series of scenes where you can have heart-to-hearts, giving you the chance to learn about their motivations. On occasion, students from other houses may even assist you on missions, appearing with advanced classes that show their growth as soldiers. Even though Byleth, your self-insert main character, doesn’t have a direct hand in teaching them, it’s still rewarding to see them grow alongside your own students, who you’ve likely developed a strong attachment to at this point. This is only furthered by anonymously acting as a counselor to help them through their insecurities, having lunch with them at the dining hall, hosting or attending seminars with them or standing side by side during school festivals. While school life is dangerous as you take on thieves and bandits every month, these days feel like bliss as you learn from your kids as much as you teach.

Sadly, in typical Fire Emblem fashion, a catastrophic event at about the halfway point of the story shatters the foundation of the school, plummeting the region into a war that pits the titular three houses against each other for the right to rule over their shared land of Fodlan. While the academy sections still exist, the tone is drastically different. What used to be classroom lessons have become war room meetings, devising strategies meant to develop the skills needed to crush their enemies. What used to be mock battles have become fights to the death, as each of your wide eyed kids have now grown into battle hardened fighters who you’ve trained to prepare for days like this. Then the time comes to hit the battlefield, and as your opponents arrive…

They’re your former students from the other houses. They’re the professors you once stood on the same faculty with. In one path in particular, they’re the students from the house you once took under your wing. They’re no longer nameless, faceless bad guys that you won’t think twice about killing for the greater good. And when it comes time to clash on the battlefield, it’s absolutely gutting.

During my Golden Deer playthrough, I did my absolute best to avoid former students, wanting to avoid killing the people my Byleth shared so many memories with. War doesn’t afford that luxury, because while it is possible to complete main objectives without killing students in some cases, more often than not, the students would attack us before we could avoid them. Slaying these kids one by one as their leaders mourn their deaths alongside the player gives these fights the gravity that is usually lacking in even the most pivotal Fire Emblem moments. It brings no pleasure to win these fights, with the victory music upon leveling up almost feels like it’s mocking you as if killing those close to you is worthy of praise. Even the students at your side will lament on the horrors of having to oppose those they once called friends, often leading to some heartbreaking moments. For example, Dorthea, a Black Eagles student that I had recruited to the Golden Deer, shared this bit of dialogue after her former classmate, Ferdinand, was killed in the previous battle.

In fact, Dorthea might be the best example of the effect the war has on the player. This happy-go-lucky girl who’s biggest concerns are being able to sing and finding a suitor turns into a defeated, melancholy young woman who is being crushed under the weight of her sadness. This is the drawback of only being able to recruit some students, since you’ll inevitably be faced with pitting classmates against each other. This naturally leads to many more scenes like Dorthea’s, showing your students coping with death in their own way. With so many different combinations, it creates scenarios that feel unique to your individual story, making it common to see players sharing agonizing experiences that others never saw. Moments like these that brought a sense of dread to the story that I couldn’t look away from, which is why the game has stuck with me long after finishing it

There are ways to avoid this fate to an extent. Recruiting students to your house before the war breaks out keeps them with you, removing opportunities to kill them in the future. However, due to the nature of the recruitment system, it’s impossible to save everyone you want during a single run. If you have a strong enough relationship with students you never recruited, you might be able to speak to them on the battlefield and have Byleth convince them to defect without unnecessary bloodshed, but the characters that this is possible with are few and far between. Even then, there are some that are too closely tied to the conflict to convince, making their deaths necessary to advance towards victory. Others never appear during the war to begin with, implying that they had died long before having the chance to reunite. It sucks.

Oddly enough though, this is what drove me to keep playing after my initial Golden Deer run was complete. I led Calude and his band of misfits to the Fodlan throne, but I didn’t want them to be the only ones who got a happy ending. Despite sinking close to 70 hours into the game for a single run, I gladly set out on my next 70 to see what directions Byleth’s leadership would take Dimitri and the Blue Lions, the house that was unceremoniously dispatched my first time around. Only this time, I can carry over my relationships from before, allowing me to save my Golden Deer kids long before they’re ever in danger. It’s this attachment that makes Fire Emblem: Three Houses so powerful. Enemies are former friends and you have the power to ensure that they can find a happy ending when any other game in the series would make you see them as battlefield fodder. Even Fates, a game with a similar premise where your enemies are characters close to you, didn’t allow much interaction with the opposition once you choose the side of the war you’ll stand on. Not only does Three Houses allow this, it sets it up for the first 35 hours of the game, making the last 35 hours so much richer as a result.

What aspects of Fire Emblem: Three Houses stood out to you? Were there any characters that you refused to kill, or that sunk your heart when it was time to fight them? Or do you just want to discuss the game as a whole? Let us know in the comments!

E3 2019: Class Is In Session In ‘Fire Emblem: Three Houses’

by Josh Jackson

The next installment in the Fire Emblem franchise is right around the corner with Three Houses, the first mainline console game in the series since Wii’s Radiant Dawn in 2007, (or 2016’s excellent Tokyo Mirage Sessions if we’re including spin-offs). Ahead of its July 26 release, the strategy RPG’s Switch debut was heavily detailed during Nintendo’s E3 Treehouse presentation, showing off its school setting and the ways we’re able to interact with the students both both on and off the battlefield.
As Byleth, a professor at a military academy that enrolls students from three different kingdoms, players will take the unique role of mentor to their military units. Seemly expanding heavily on the social aspect of the game, each student can develop in a variety of ways depending on how you teach them. For example students will be inherently skilled at certain class types, such as magic, sword or axe wielding. However, if you feel like your current army is lacking coverage in a particular area, you can encourage your class to take up studying a new combat type. With enough lessons and a final examination, characters can eventually take up entirely new class types, replacing the Master Seal item that upgraded character classes in the past.
Beyond combat functions, getting to know your students has strong implications for both the present and the future of your time at the academy. Through optional conversations, figuring out the senders of confidential questions through a feedback box and addressing student concerns, their motivation in battle will increase alongside their trust in you. This is important going past graduation since as expected, the three kingdoms will eventually go to war following a five year time skip. As an attempt to avoid awkward and inappropriate classroom romance, it’s after the time skip that your character can romance their past students, which is still kind of creepy. Even creepier is that your relationship as student and teacher helps plant the seeds for future options, but this can be completely platonic. In fact, if you have students you were particularly fond of that are part of a house that you’re fighting, having enough influence with them can lead to them changing sides to fight at your side. This also goes for your faculty, since you can get to know other teachers and learn skills yourself from experts in areas you’re weak in.
If it wasn’t clear already, Three Houses will still be a turn based combat RPG at its core. The battlefield has also seen a variety of changes, both visually and through combat. When two units clash, the camera zooms in on the same location that they’re standing on, creating a seamless transition between the overhead grid and the combat animations. This also leads to more detailed environments during combat as opposed to the background changing to a generic field like in past games.
Speaking of past games, the combat borrows many mechanics from 2017’s 3DS remake, Fire Emblem: Shadow of Valentia. Like in Alm and Celica’s adventure, each unit will have special abilities that are tied to their weapon and class. Rather than drain HP, a controversial choice to say the least, weapon durability returns. This leads to weapons weakening when used, especially after using special attacks.
While Classic Mode returns, which brings back he permanent death mechanic that the series is known for, the turn wheel mechanic, now known as the Divine Pulse, returns. This allows you to rewind bad moves for a limited amount of times during a battle. This way, if an enemy gets a lucky critical hit that kills your favorite student at the end of an hour long battle, you can back up a few turns instead of losing the character permanently, (or soft resetting if we’re being honest). Or you can skip this problem altogether and turn off perma-death. Whatever.
Fire Emblem: Three Houses is looking like an almost overwhelmingly large game, making it the first time we’re looking forward to summer school! With so many characters to meet and teach, three story paths and multiple ways to tackle challenges, the series’ Switch debut is likely to impress.

The Definitive Newcomer List For ‘Super Smash Bros.’ For Switch

by Josh Jackson

With the recent announcement of Super Smash Bros. for the Switch, debates have broken out all across the Internet over which characters should be added to the next iteration of Nintendo’s acclaimed brawler. Legendary figures from gaming’s past and present will be meeting for the fifth time, meaning that only the most influential characters will be able to move the needle this time. By building off of the success of past games, we were inclined to throw our hat in the ring, compiling the definitive list of newcomers that can take the game to new heights.

Lyn

As a game severely lacking in anime sword wielders, Lyn is a great place to start. As the most popular female in the series based on the Fire Emblem Heroes character poll, there’s no reason why the wanderer of the plains shouldn’t be upgraded from her two time assist trophy status. As we know, the many fantastic sword users that fill the Smash Bros roster are a huge part of its success. Such a legendary fighting game can only be improved with the ability to control Fire Emblem’s top tier waifu.

Tharja

I’ll give you two reasons why Tharja should be in Smash Bros. Namely her powerful spells and her sadistic personality. But while the dark mage has plenty of obvious assets to make her a valuable fighter on the battlefield, the seductive Awakening mage will always be welcomed on the roster as far as I’m concerned.

Marth (Mystery of the Emblem)

The last time Marth was introduced in Smash Bros, we got what would become a multi-million selling franchise shared with the West after Japan tried to horde this gem for itself. Knowing that, the game can only become more successful if we debut another Marth, right? Which is why the more powerful, more seasoned, and just as androgynous prince from his second game, Mystery of the Emblem, should be included. Who knows, maybe this will lead to people remembering that Codename: S.T.E.A.M. exists or something.

Masked Marth

If there was one thing that made the Wii U version of Smash Bros. great, it was all the Fire Emblem characters and all the clones. Masked Marth combines both to create the first ever clone of a clone. Lucina is bae after all, so why not improve on the amount of Lucina in the game by having her pretend to be Marth for a two-in-one spot on the roster? Talk about efficiency!

Bride Lucina

If there is one thing that Lucina fans would rather do than play Smash Bros. as her, it would be marry her. By making Bride Lucina her own character, players will get to do both. Smash players could only be so lucky, since Fire Emblem Warriors could only witness their beautiful, blushing bride by forking over real money to buy the game’s season pass. Watch both game and body pillow sales soar as Bride Lucina begins to dominate tournaments because of the player’s sheer desire to protect their fictional girlfriend.

Brave Lucina

A small minority of the Smash Bros. fanbase feels like there might be a few too many clones in the game. As an attempt to cater to these players, Lucina can usher in a brand new wave of lance users as her brave form from Fire Emblem Heroes mixes up the sword trend, as exciting as it is. Imagine the reach, the power, and the presence that a perfect soldier such as Lucina in new armor can bring.

Celica

Fire Emblem Warriors had it right when they took the priestess from Fire Emblem Echoes and stripped her of her magic in favor of turning her into a Marth clone. As we’ve established, cloning Marth repeatedly is a formula for success. But what sets Celica apart from the Marth’s and Lucina’s is that she’s so much more adorable that I can’t see Smash continuing as a series without her. As the superior Marth, we might even see some of her magic return. Then again, Robin doesn’t have a clone yet, so that could be another interesting take on Mila’s favorite follower.

Tiki

Nintendo has always prided itself on being a platform for both children and adults. When Fire Emblem debuted in 1990, it took Nintendo’s appreciation for children to uncharted territory when Japan fell in love with Tiki, the centuries old dragon in a 10 year old’s body. After hopping that legal loophole, the next logical leap is an appearance in Smash, which is lacking in both dragon and underage representation. But if little girls aren’t your thing, there’s always…

Adult Tiki

Strictly for the high and mighty players who can’t appreciate the young ones, adult Tiki can’t be solely contained to Awakening. She can do everything Tiki can do, except she does it taller and curvier with a deeper voice. It worked for Link and Young Link, right?

Anna

Aside from Marth, Anna is the most prominent character across the Fire Emblem franchise, appearing in more games than any other warrior. So what if the large majority of those appearances were as an unplayable merchant? The bottom line is that she has a history of selling DLC, helping Nintendo make a lot of money. Her hard work should be rewarded with a Smash Bros appearance, even if we might have to make up how she fights as we go. Will it be with an axe? A dagger? A bow? Does it matter? All I know is that she’s a consistent presence in one of Nintendo’s largest cash cows.

Rowan and Liana

The overwhelmingly charismatic leads of Fire Emblem Warriors can’t be contained to just one game. They hit all of the checkmarks that come with being a playable Smash character, including fighting with giant swords that transform into beams and essentially being gender swaps of each other to artificially add more female characters. But most importantly, for all the people complaining that there are too many sword users in the game, they bring variety to the table by using a sword AND shield. Joining the ranks of legendary warriors like Link, it’s only a matter of time before the twins overtake the Hero of Time as the most iconic shield users in gaming history.

The Hoshido and Nohr Royals

Fire Emblem Warriors proved that if you’re going to add one Royal from the Fates series, you have to add all of them. A larger roster is always better when it comes to fighting games, so imagine our joy when we open up the main menu and are greeted by the pinnacle of Nintendo greatness with characters like Ryoma, Xander, Takumi and Camilla on our screens. If we’re lucky, maybe we’ll get the retainers as DLC! Oh, and speaking of Camilla…

Easter Camilla

One Camilla is pretty great, but Easter Camilla is too good to pass up. This mage offshoot of the wyvern rider is a perfect representation of Heroes, mostly because of her incredibly popular costume. But aside from that, we’re left with… not much else! But if people were willing to dump hundreds of dollars for the chance to randomly pull her on their phones, it will surely result in more game sales for the Switch, right?

Dragon Corrin

As one of the most universally loved characters in Smash Bros history, Corrin was a representation of the best parts of both games. Corrin could be both male and female, had a charge beam, had wings, and of course, a sword. But while normal Corrin could only transform into a dragon during certain moves, this form deserves more love. Let’s just go all the way and have Dragon Corrin as its own character! I can’t think of a dragon that deserves the honor more, especially not Ridley.

The Summoner

After making it to the end of this list, it’s clear that there’s a severe lack of Fire Emblem representation in Smash Bros. with a mere six characters. Even with the previous 14 characters, we’re just scratching the surface of what Nintendo’s greatest franchise has to offer. That’s where the summoner comes in.

Essentially “you” in Fire Emblem Heroes, the summoner’s only power is to summon other Fire Emblem characters. Are you worried about your favorite character not making the cut? Well worry no more, because now you’ll be able to flood the screen with a random assortment of soldiers at your disposal. Now if Nintendo can find a way to make each summon cost real money just like in the mobile game, then we’d be able to fund future Smash Bros. games for years to come.

Well, that’s it! Our definitive, objective list of the character’s we’re hoping to see in Smash Bros. for Switch. Were any of your favorites missing that you want to add, such as Chrom, Eliwood or Micaiah? Let us know in the comments and help make the best game even better.

Geekscape Games Podcast: Level 132 – Drowning In Nothing

by Courtney Dossett

Join Courtney, Josh, and Shane as they discuss the last week in video games!

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Why ‘Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows Of Valentia’ Eclipses Its Predecessors

by Josh Jackson

Fire Emblem Gaiden was seen as the black sheep of the Fire Emblem series. Released on the NES exclusively in Japan, Gaiden followed the examples of other early Nintendo sequels like Zelda II, Super Mario Bros. 2 and Metroid II: Return of Samus by being so drastically different from its predecessor that it became generally shunned by those who played it. By adding towns, extra battles within dungeons, two protagonists with two different armies, and the ability to level grind rather than needing to strategically fight story battles evenly amongst your troops, many felt like Gaiden lost its edge with these new inclusions. But in a post Awakening world where making the series more accessible has led the once fledgling franchise to become one of Nintendo’s most profitable series’ someone at Intelligent Systems thought it was a good idea to bring Gaiden back in the form of Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia, a full remake for the 3DS. While it does lose some of the charm that made Awakening and Fates international hits, the once controversial changes add so much to the game that I’m comfortable in saying that Alm and Celica’s adventure overtakes its predecessors to become the best Fire Emblem game on Nintendo’s handheld.

Celica, my heart.

Rather than focus on one protagonist, Echoes splits the story amongst its two leads, Alm and Celica. These childhood friends become separated by mysterious circumstances, growing up in separate parts of the land as Alm continues his training as a swordsman and Celica grows to become a powerful priestess. However, fate calls for them to be reunited when an evil empire attempts to take over Valentia, forcing Alm to take up arms and defend the kingdom as Celica investigates the apparent disappearance of the goddess Mila. But as their paths intersect, the pair may not stay on the same side of the conflict.

From the opening moments teasing a shocking death as soon as you hit the start button, Echoes sucked me in immediately with its connection between its two main characters to the point of making me tear up within the first ten seconds. Staying true to its original format, the game removed the dating simulation aspects found in the other 3DS entries and replaced them with defined relationships between the cast. This might be disappointing for those who enjoyed putting their own relationships together, but the result is a much more focused set of interactions between most of the characters. Fighting alongside certain teammates will give you brief interactions between them, giving you a bit more insight into what their motivations are. Most character exposition however, is found when exploring towns, which acts as a type of investigation mode found in games like Phoenix Wright. Aside from discovering side missions from the townsfolk or usable items to help you on your journey, speaking to party members gives them deeper backstories than the somewhat trope ridden characters in Fates or Awakening. Unfortunately, this also means that the interactions are much fewer, since only characters relevant to each other’s stories can speak with each other, rather than everyone having the potential to explore their relationship. Even then, the dialogue on the battlefield can often be short to the point of being useless. It’s not perfect, but in the end, the result is tighter, more meaningful storytelling.

Alm charges into battle as the game shows off its new art style.

Despite these changes, the core game play is generally the same, but with some bold tweeks that change how battles need to be approached. The game still uses a grid based turn based strategy format, where certain types of units have strengths and weaknesses to others in a type of  feudal rock-paper-scissors. Except the weapons triangle has been done away with, performing like a more traditional RPG where stats are king. Weapons and spell books don’t break anymore, and instead have an unlimited amount of uses. Sticking with the same weapon type over time will unlock more skills, allowing you to use Arts on command at the cost of some HP. Most games in the series make these special abilities random as you battle, but allowing us to use them at will was balanced out by making them much weaker than what we’ve come to expect from our armies’ strongest attacks. I found them to be less beneficial than just using regular attacks in most cases, essentially rendering them useless.

The biggest change in combat however, has to be how mages are handled. Rather than losing their spells over time, casting spells now costs HP, making an already fragile character type even more susceptible to being killed on the battlefield after a bad move. Thankfully, they come off as much more powerful than normal in most cases, which makes using them a high risk, high reward type of unit. But if this isn’t your style, Alm’s side of the army allows you to customize your first few units any way you want. You’ll just want to be careful and avoid creating weaknesses in your composition, since these choices will follow you through the rest of the game.

Once you have your armies in order, you’ll have numerous opportunities to put them to the test. Lengthy story battles, optional battles on the map, and full 3D dungeons for you to explore each give you opportunities to raise the strength of your soldiers. Dungeons in particular add a few unique mechanics, allowing you to attack enemies on the field in real time, destroy objects for hidden silver, (which never gets old), and a fatigue system where fighting multiple battles without leaving leads to your characters to slowly dip in strength. These areas were the highlight of Echoes’, giving us something new to do in between the constant battles. Hidden items, well springs that let you raise particular stats, and side quests that lead to some powerful gear make you want to explore every inch of these dungeons, giving you the opportunity to get stronger while you’re at it.

Celica summoning her flame to explore is one of my favorite animations.

Which is why story battles can have severe spikes in difficulty, which is one of the game’s most glaring faults. I’ve said it before in other games, but there’s little more frustrating than being able to steamroll one army, then get completely destroyed by the next one. Echoes can be especially bad at this, where at times, a single boss unit can wipe out your whole team right after they mopped the floor with his cronies. Using the ability to level grind as a type of crutch makes moments like these a chore to get through, especially when you’re anxious to see the next page in the story turn as opposed to fighting pointless battles for a few hours before you can advance. Not to mention that the dreaded random stat boosts return with a vengeance, meaning your characters can be rewarded for that hard work with next to no benefit. In a series that already has issues with having little to do outside of constant battles, forcing the need to grind only makes the problem all the more apparent.

Luckily, Mila’s Turnwheel, a new item that allows you to rewind time when you screw up a turn, can be a literal godsend during these overwhelming moments. What will surely be the new big controversy among the portion of the fanbase who thought that adding a casual mode that eliminated the game’s trademark permanent death mechanic hurt the franchise, the Turnwheel allows you to rewind time so you can redo multiple turns. Giving you step by step reminders of what happened during each move, the game makes it really easy to find where your error was and make a different move, whether or not it was one turn ago, or ten turns ago. You can only use it a limited number of times per battle, keeping it from being completely overpowered, but if you ask me, this can only be an improvement for the series going forward. Making it all the way to the end of a battle only to miss an attack or have the opponent hit a critical at the last second, eliminating an hour plus of progress, was one of the most frustrating parts of playing Fire Emblem, so allowing us to rewind single turns instead of having to start all over is a huge plus. Besides, if you don’t like it, you don’t have to use it. It’s a win-win!

Mila’s Turnwheel has saved me more than I care to admit.

Controversies aside, Echoes‘ biggest flaw is its map design, which often consists of big, open fields during the first half of the game. As a problem that Awakening had while Fates was much more consistent when it came to decent maps, it’s disappointing to see such flat areas that end up coming down to which army makes the first stupid mistake. This becomes less of a problem late game, with some incredibly taxing layouts that can take an hour plus to complete. Yet, once you’re able to start taking down fortified castles full of snipers, armored knights and summoners, then work your way up to the castle’s boss without any losses on your side, it’s an amazingly rewarding experience. It just takes about 10-15 of the game’s 40 hours to get to that point.

You’ll have to sift through some plain maps before getting to more interesting ones like these.

Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia still comes off as an experimental mixed bag of ideas, many of which remain bold choices in the face of popular entries like Awakening. Not everyone will like the removal of marriages, children, the weapons triangle or the more detailed interactions among the entire cast. But what we gain in the process is a more focused story, better developed characters in most cases, a variety of side quests and extra areas that aren’t usually found in the series, and full 3D dungeons that break up the monotony of constant fighting. It isn’t without its flaws, namely its insistence on level grinding and some poor map design in the early game, but overall, Echoes brings enough common sense ideas to the table that make it the best entry on the 3DS. If the upcoming Switch entry can keep a Mila’s Turnwheel-esque mechanic to let us redo turns, bring back more detailed dungeons to fight our way thorough, and figure out a way to have the openness of the relationship system without constraining the story, and Fire Emblem fans will have plenty to look forward to in 2018. Until then though, Shadows of Valentia is an engaging substitute. It’s safe to say that Alm and Celica’s adventure has risen out of its black sheep status to stand tall as one of the series’ finest.

tl;dr

+ A much more focused, engaging story.

+ The inclusion of dungeons provides a much needed break from combat, with secret items and areas to discover.

+ Mila’s Turnwheel keeps unlucky moves from being a demoralizing mess.

+ Victory is as rewarding as always.

– The early game is full of flat, boring maps.

– Side character interaction has been severely dumbed down.

– Difficulty spikes seemingly come out of nowhere.

– The changed combat systems are more trouble than they’re worth.

Final Score: 4/5

E3 2017: Nintendo’s Booth Was Amiibo Heaven! Take A Look At 2017’s Offerings

by Josh Jackson

When it comes to Nintendo products, you know we’re all still hopelessly addicted to amiibo, the interactive figurines that have cornered entire sections of our homes. Like a pusher in the center of New Donk City trying to set us up with our next fix, the company had all of their new toys to life characters on display ahead of their 2017 releases.

This hodgepodge of plastic run the gaming gamut. From Bayonetta to Final Fantasy‘s Cloud, the just announced Tiki and Chrom from Fire Emblem, Samus and a Metroid, the four Champions from Breath of the Wild, and Bowser in a pimp suit, it’s hard not to see how there’s something for everyone when it comes to yanking those $15 out of your pocket. And those Link’s. So many Link’s…

Check out our gallery below and check them out for yourselves! I’m hoping that we get even more surprises as the year pushes forward, (namely those Monster Hunter Stories and BoxBoy amiibo that are currently exclusive to Japan). Which ones are you looking forward to the most? Do you already have your pre-orders down? And how are you going to explain bringing a dozen more toys in the house to your roommate/parents/significant other!? Share your strategies with us below so we don’t lose all of our relationships.

Geekscape Games Podcast: Level 103 – ‘Mario’s Is Missing: Plan B Edition’

by GeekscapeStaff

Join Carlos, Courtney, Josh and Shane as they discuss the last week in video games!

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This Week:

Carlos’s opinion on the Nintendo Switch.

Fire Emblem Direct.

Fire Emblem: Heroes coming to iOS and Android.

Marvel VS Capcom 3 Ultimate is coming to PC and Xbox.

Mission Objective:

“What is your biggest CONCERN with the Nintendo Switch”

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A New ‘Fire Emblem’ Game Is Switch Bound!

by Josh Jackson

To the surprise of many, Nintendo is all in on Fire Emblem, with four games releasing within about a year’s time! Rounding out the release schedule is Fire Emblem for the Switch, which will mark the franchise’s first home console appearance since 2011’s Radiant Dawn on the Wii.

All that we know is that the game is scheduled for a 2018 release and will be exclusive to Nintendo’s upcoming console / handheld hybrid, which sounds perfect for the type of game play we associate with the series. That leaves plenty of room to speculate, such as whether or not it will continue the story of Ike or Micaiah like the previous console games, or if it will be its own story. We won’t be disappointed to see either return, but recent trends make me think it will be a standalone story.

Could their return be around the corner?

But what say you? What do you hope to see in what will be the first non-handheld release in seven years? Comment below with your ideas, and check out the rest of our coverage on Fire Emblem Heroes, Fire Emblem Echoes, the new amiibo and Fire Emblem Warriors!

‘Fire Emblem Heroes’ For Android & IOS! Here’s Everything You Need To Know.

by The_acz

Earlier today Nintendo held a special Fire Emblem themed Nintendo Direct for fans eager to know more about the series future in the next year. Nintendo delivered on a lot of announcements, but one of the more interesting ones was the announcement of Fire Emblem Heroes for mobile.

While they didn’t give too much detail into the story, the game will feature an all new original story for both fans and newcomers. Gameplay seems to remain the same, but on a smaller level and some things have been tweaked and changed. One example is that allies who fall in battle will now be resurrected after that encounter is finished. 

As per usual mobile game, you’ll also be able to summon other Fire Emblem characters via orbs you can obtain both in game and through the traditional micro transactions. It is a bit different though, as you will be able to choose what kind of class hero you’d like to summon, the character however is still random.

Fire Emblem Heroes will be launching on Android in 2 weeks on February 2nd with IOS to follow later. You can pre-register the game right now on Google Play if you’d like to. Also available is a special Fire Emblem Heroes: Choose Your Legends Event. This event allows fans to select their favorite character from the FE series, and once done, the top results will appear in the game as part of a special outfit event. You can vote right here!, and if you log into My Nintendo while participating, you’ll be rewarded with 200 platinum points! Tell us what you think of the game in the comments below!

 

PSA: ‘Fire Emblem’ Nintendo Direct Today At 2 PM Pacific

by Natalie Kipper

Come 2 PM Pacific/ 5 PM Eastern, all Fire Emblem fans should tune in to today’s Nintendo Direct, focusing on the classic game series. The presentation will be available at Nintendo’s site as well as Twitch.

I suspect some portion of the video will be dedicated to the newly announced Nintendo Switch game, Fire Emblem Warriors, but who can say for sure?

What do you hope will be revealed on today’s Nintendo Direct?

‘Fire Emblem: Fates’ Female Corrin Now Available As figma, Nendoroid

by Natalie Kipper

That Corrin amiibo Nintendo promised to make is still M.I.A. but thankfully, Good Smile Company is filling the void with both a figma and Nendoroid of the female version of Fire Emblem: Fates‘ hero.

figma Corrin (Female) looks graceful and is able to be posed in many positions , thanks to joints and flexible plastic in different parts. The heroine comes with two facial expressions, a calm, smiling one and a yelling one for battle scenes. She is also equipped with her trusty sword, Yato, as well as the Dragonstone. As with all figma, Corrin is packaged with an articulated stand to help support her in her various poses.

figma Corrin (Female) ships in August 2017 but is available to pre-order now at the price of ¥6,296.

If you decide to pre-order her from the Good Smile Company online shop, a bonus accessory, the Omega Yato sword, will be included as a bonus.

For those of you who prefer your warriors on the diminutive side, Good Smile Company has also created the Nendoroid Corrin (Female). The Nendoroid is also posable and comes with a variety of accessories. Unlike the figma, the Nendoroid gets both the Nohr and Hoshido versions of the Yato sword. Also included is a Dragonstone. The accessory that stands out most in my opinion are the head and arm parts that allow Corrin to perform her “Dragon Fang Shot” attack (seen in the last image). Additional facial expressions include a gentle smile and brave, combat-ready face.

Like the figma, the Nendoroid ships in August 2017 and is available to pre-order now. The price is moderately lower at ¥4,815 but there is no additional bonus for purchasing the figure at the Good Smile Smile online shop.

Which of these figures do you like best?

Geekscape Editorial: ‘Miitomo’ 2.0 Update, Why It Failed & What Future Nintendo Mobile Games Can Learn

by The_acz

Remember Miitomo? For about a month in March, Nintendo’s very first mobile game swept IOS and Android devices by storm. Then it just died, but why?

The biggest reason was mostly due to the fact that the game was very basic and nothing more than a glorified question simulator. Sure it was fun the first couple of times to answer some question, hear your opponents answers, and even make your Mii curse up a storm, but eventually the novelty wore off and the game failed to really incentivize players to keep the app on their devices. Now with a little over 10,000,00 downloads, Nintendo is now adding a “big” update to the game in order to win people back. Is it worth talking about, or should you just hit ignore? Let’s find out.Miitomo_forsite

At the core of Miitomo’s new update, there are 5 new features that are being  stressed. The first is the ability to now send private messages to your friends, and honestly, there is nothing interesting about this at all. It’s very underwhelming, and your better off just actually PM’ing your friend on Facebook Messenger or Discord if you want to talk to them. miitomo-update-1

Feature number 2 adds the feature to finally customize your own room. This feature even gives you the ability to hang custom posters in your room whether it be a Miifoto or any picture from off the internet. While this feature may sound miles better than the previous one, it still ends up being incredibly disappointing. Customization is limited to only wallpaper and flooring, and right now posters are only limited to one as so far there aren’t any means to unlock more. While there are some cool themed walls and floors you can get (Metroid Zero Mission, Super Mario Bros., Zelda Breath of the Wild.), those are the only ones worth while as the other walls and floors just seem very bland and boring. miitomo-update-2Feature 3 introduces a new location called Style Central. Here you can upload your current outfit for all to see online. You can even buy the outfits that other people are wearing if you like them (sometimes). While quite charming at first, immediately becomes a boring novelty. Sure at first it’s fun to see characters dressed up like Steven Universe, and Gravity Falls, but after about a minute of exploring, you’ll quickly grow tired of the endless supply of Undertale and Steven Universe Characters ( I mean I love Steven Universe, but come on guys there’s just too much there).

Oh, and about being able to buy other outfits. I said sometimes, because there will be times when you can’t buy a certain item due to it only being available in Miitomo Drop. So you either have to spend Coins/Money on multiple tries, or worse, wait for that event to go back into the minigame. Another interesting idea, but poorly executed.miitomo-update-3

Feature 4 introduces Answer Central, which is just as boring as it sounds. All you do here is look at randomly chosen answers from other peoples randomly chosen questions. There honestly nothing to talk about here. You’re just looking at random peoples answers. It’s even more boring when half of the answers are just blindly praising Nintendo for for making the app. You can get an interesting answer, but they are few and far between.miitomo-update-4

The 5th and final “feature” to the game comes in the form of Mii sidekicks. With this, you can now make multiple Mii’s which can now be used to send private messages, be sent to Style Central, and even get their own room to customize. This is by far the most useless addition to the game since you’ve already been able to add more Mii’s to your game by importing QR codes. It feels like an afterthought. It’s as if they really wanted to boast 5 new features but couldn’t think of a good 5th one.miitomo-update-5

In the end, Miitomo fell victim to the fate of all mobile games. Hollow content with no incentive to continue playing, but it didn’t have to be this way. I believe that if they try hard enough, Nintendo could rule the mobile market with an iron fist. Now, with Super Mario Run just around the corner, here’s what their future mobile games can do to make sure they’re a success!smr

1: Make sure all features are fully fleshed out

I know I know. This sounds super weird and obvious, but hear me out. Miitomo’s biggest problem in my opinion is that the game has some really interesting ideas to it, but all the features feel unfinished. Room customization is cool, but only being able to change the walls and floor is pretty boring. Why can’t I choose what furniture appears in my place, and how come I can’t put a poster just in the middle of a wall? Nintendo, if you’re planning on having the mobile version of Animal Crossing just be some watered down version of Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer where all you do is move furniture and collectible figures, I implore you to not do that. No one wants to play that.animal-crossing-mobile

2. Use a variety of I.P’s, not just the current popular ones.

Nintendo has always had this bad habit of over exposing their I.P’s once they become popular. We saw this with both Animal Crossing and Fire Emblem. AC suffered the worst a very bare bones decorating sim that was Happy Home Designer, and an abysmally depressing microtransaction slog that was Amiibo Festival. After so much exposure in such a small amount of time, people begin to grow bored of the same I.P’s, which is why so many people were attracted to Splatoon a breath of fresh air. Maybe instead of using Fire Emblem, you could use Advanced Wars. Instead of Animal Crossing, try using the Donkey Kong Country characters! There are so many other characters you own that could breathe new life on mobile. Doodle Jump esque Ice Climbers game anyone?ice-climbers

3. Go paid, not Free to Play

Another suggestion that sounds insane, I know. While yes, a free app will initially attract more people to a game, the game will struggle with keeping those same people if they can’t get people to pay for in app purchases. While it seems like Super Mario Run will be a paid title, I think the smartest thing to do is keep future titles that way also. I know it was announced a couple of months ago that Animal Crossing and Fire Emblem which were originally scheduled to be paid games, ended up making the jump to F2P. I say switch back to the one time payment. If you can create a fire emblem experience on phones that’s just as good as the 3DS, and you’re not charging people $5 every time you want a fallen ally revived, word of mouth and positive buzz can sell the game alone! fire_emblem_awakening_gameplay

Yes, Nintendo may be struggling a bit in the mobile space right now, but I believe that by following this advice laid out for them, that they could truly rule over their own mobile empire. Only time will what happens, but here’s hoping for the best for the company I love.

Geekscape Games Reviews ‘Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE’

by Josh Jackson

In 2013, Atlus and Nintendo announced a collaboration that we had no idea we wanted so bad up until that point. Promising a crossover between the legendary Shin Megami Tensei series and the comparably popular Fire Emblem turn based strategy games from Intelligent Systems, fans of JRPGs around the world were abuzz over what possibilities such a partnership could deliver. What kind of game would it be? How would the two drastically different tones come together in one game? In what way will the game play be consolidated to make fans of both series’ happy? Those questions came and went… And we had no answer for nearly two years, with the project getting pushed to the wayside.

When Atlus was finally ready to show off the game in action, what we got was something resembling neither property. Replacing the dark, desolate world of SMT and Fire Emblem‘s feudal Japan setting with a bright, bouncy version of modern day Tokyo, with a plot line revolving around Japan’s idol obsession. Similarly to the infamous GameCube reveal of The Legend of Zelda, only to seemingly bait and switch the realistic looking tech demo with the toon shaded Wind Waker, many who were looking forward to the potential crossover felt cheated in a way. On the surface, it’s the opposite of what was expected, so it’s no surprise that the game was met with a certain level of negativity. But after playing the game, I can say with certainty that what we ended up with was something better, because rather than plugging two series’ into each other and being tied down to the conventions of both, Atlus was faced with the challenge of creating something that resembles both while creating something brand new. Something better. The final result is Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE, a role playing game that masterfully blends old school RPG conventions with some exciting new game mechanics, an unforgettable cast of characters, and some nostalgia fueled call backs that proves that a little creativity can go a long way.

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We may not have asked for an RPG about idols and singing, but I’m sure glad we got one.

Placing us in modern day Tokyo five years after a mass disappearance led an entire concert hall full of people to seemingly vanish, we follow Aoi Itsuki, your run of the mill high school boy. Tokyo is holding a massive open audition to choose the next big idol, and after finding his way inside, he bumps into his childhood friend, Tsubasa Oribe. As the younger sister of the lead singer who performed during the disappearance, she hopes to become part of the music industry so she can find out the truth about what happened during the incident, (even if she is clumsy and dense.) It isn’t long before this audition turns out to be a ruse orchestrated by a group of monsters called Mirages, who feed off of the creative energy of humans. After lucking into running into two friendly Mirages, Chrom and Caeda, they lend the teens their power, giving them the ability to fight off this new threat. Now classified as Mirage Masters, the pair are recruited Maiko Shimazaki, the head of Fortuna Entertainment who was a former model herself. Serving as both a talent agency and a defense force against the Mirages, Itsuki finds himself trying to find a way to fit in with all these wildly different talents with no talent of his own, while trying to save the world from the growing Mirage threat. You know, typical Japanese high school stuff.

On the surface, the game plays very closely to your standard Shin Megami Tensei spin off. Once battle starts and your team takes the stage, (literally, since combat takes place on a concert stage with an arena of monsters cheering you on), the bright and bubbly aesthetic hides some punishing combat. The core mechanics involve your party taking advantage of enemy weaknesses, which will put those taking the damage at a huge disadvantage. In TMS, it takes the typical elements like electricity, fire, force, light and dark, and throws in the weapon triangle from Nintendo’s series, throwing swords, axes, bows and lances into play. Once an enemy is struck with their weakness, unlocking skills through leveling up triggers a Session, where your non-active party members will jump in and create a chain of attacks for huge damage. If done right, your whole team can attack in a single move! As your party grows and your ability list becomes longer, you’ll be rewarded with free money, items and a potential chance to wipe out the enemy party during a single turn at no cost to the extra participants. Keep in mind though, that your party has their own weaknesses too depending on their pre-set class, such as Itsuki’s familiar Lord class, and Tsubasa’s Pegasus Knight for example. If an enemy hits your weakness and a Session starts, chances are you’re getting one hit killed. Thankfully for us, you can swap party members in and out mid battle to adjust for weaknesses with the exception of Itsuki. Even if he is a damage dealing monster late in the game, the early chapters can be frustrating when he keeps getting KO’d and can’t do damage.

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Itsuki constantly finds himself in trouble early on, regardless of how great his Lord form is.

Itsuki aside, that’s the brilliance of the game play, because while playing smart is always going to be the key to victory in an RPG, you’ll really need to prioritize your moves here. Each character and enemy’s turn order can be seen at the top, so planning ahead during tough battles can make or break your run. Leveling up to higher levels will eventually max out the amount of active skills, passive skills and Session skills you can hold. When you create a new weapon with its own set of abilities, it’s often more advantageous to equip a weaker weapon so you can unlock better abilities. The choice can be nerve-wracking when you’re asked if you have to choose between being immune to sleep or raising your attack for example, which is why making your whole team balanced plays such a big role.

Each attack skill has a set amount of EP to use special attacks, with an SP bar that the party shares. By spending SP, each character can unleash a tide turning special attack, with effects such as starting a guaranteed Session, removing enemy resistances and reflections for the turn, or healing your party. Tying back to the musical theme, unlocking songs for your team of performers during the story gives them a chance to randomly use an Ad-Lib Performance if the right attack is used. Here, the standard attack will be replaced with a short cutscene, mirroring their performance outside of battle while delivering a powerful version of your chosen ability. Even dozens of hours in, the unpredictability of combat constantly keeps it exciting. Even when you think you have the mechanics down, each chapter typically introduces a new challenge to take on, and a new mechanic to add that bit of depth as you proceed. Once all the cards are on the table, pulling off those massive Sessions is insanely rewarding, (even if there is no way to skip or fast forward extra long Sessions).

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Sessions, Duo Arts and Ad-Libs are the bread and butter of a great offense.

Unfortunately for my sentimental self, sometimes I would go against my strategic interests in combat, because I would stubbornly stick to certain characters that I was attached to. Thanks to how incredibly well characterized the cast is, I couldn’t help but fall in love with the entirety of the party, with one glaring exception. Much like the Persona series that this game has been so often compared to, the strongest aspects of the narrative are not the main conflict, but the party members that you interact with. As your team becomes stronger and you advance through the game, you’ll be able to take on Side Stories, which give you more background on your Fortuna co-workers. While not nearly as depressing and rife with conflict compared to what you’d find in Atlus’ other friend simulator, completing missions and tasks will help them come to terms with their own insecurities while making them better performers in the process. Plus, you’ll often unlock Duo Arts upon completion, skills that will randomly be offered mid-Session where two party members act out a scene while extending the Session, delivering huge damage, healing the party, or inflicting status ailments in the process.

What makes them stand out so much is that much like the game play, or even the initial reveal of the game itself, it gives you an expectation, then either flips it on its head, or immediately gives you a reason why they’re the way they are. Touma for example, comes off as the typical “bro” character who always has your back. He’s desperate to star in a super hero show after many failed auditions because of his troubled childhood, and is extra loyal because of it. Eleonora on the other hand, seems like a snooty brat who is overcompensating for the fact that her TV show is doing poor ratings by coming off with an air of arrogance and an obsession with Hollywood. Yet, she’s always kind and sincere, never letting her perceived ego make her think that she’s above her colleagues. When we almost immediately learn about the her trouble coming to terms with how she’s viewed as a bi-racial actor in Japan, this light touch on xenophobia and the awkwardness of feeling like an outsider makes her instantly sympathetic. And she’s not the only one… Despite not being playable, Tiki serves the very important function of being able to unlock new abilities with the Performa and items you find for your cast, creating new weapons for your Mirages, or performing late game class changes. As the team’s “vocaloid”, her existence as a non-physical entity gets played up to incredible heights, making her one of the saddest characters in a game this year. Even Itsuki, who serves as the bland player insert, is far from the typical silent protagonist, with his own charm with how oblivious he is to all that is going on around him. Barry, the resident American who is obsessed with Japan on the other hand, is the exception, and gets worse as his story goes on. Going from drill sergeant trainer to creepy and obsessed was unfortunate, and the final result is flat out strange. And unlike the rest of the game, not in a good way.

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Oh, Ellie. You’ve shot me with Cupid’s arrow.

To be frank, the core story is a bit of an afterthought. After the first chapter is completed, the main plot line gets pushed aside until the third act in favor of some often hilarious character development. Each stage in the middle is like those Nephrite episodes of Sailor Moon where someone extra talented is possessed by a monster, lures in unsuspecting citizens who want to work with them, and drains their energy, (or Performa in this case), while building their own to feed their master. But throughout these chapters, we learn that these challenges are the catalysts to fast track Tsubasa’s growth as a performer, taking her from every aspect of what life as an idol is like. Despite Itsuki being the player’s character, this is very much Tsubasa’s story, displaying her evolution from a clumsy, insecure and ditzy kid, to a national superstar. Away from Ms. Oribe however, one of the more compelling mysteries is how characters like Chrom, Tharja, Virion and Tiki came to be in this timeline, and what their purpose is in modern day Tokyo. Once that question is finally answered at the end of the game, I couldn’t help but get chills, and I’m not even the biggest Fire Emblem fan! If you have any attachment to the series and can accept how silly the concept is, these moments really can’t be missed.

If there’s a pattern to any of this, it’s that from concept to completion, Atlus has taken a game and balked at expectations at every turn. The final result is what might be the best game of the year so far, with a 50 hour plus story, and plenty of extra content when the New Game + rolls around. When the curtain fell and my time was Fortuna Entertainment had come to an end, I felt empty, like I didn’t want it to be over. I haven’t felt that way about a game in a very long time. It’s hard to say if it was because of the rewarding combat that blends classic mechanics with a modern flair, the incredible cast of characters, the stylish interpretation of Tokyo and its many locales, (which would suffer some minor slowdown when the population is high), the concerts rendered with the gorgeous Fire Emblem cutscene style, how well the music plays into everything that takes place on screen, or how cleverly the two franchises that inspired this game were brought together to create something so special while being so original, but one thing is for sure. If you love RPGs, if you love J-Pop, if you love Fire Emblem and especially if you love something that turns genre conventions on its head, do yourself a favor. Pick up Tokyo Mirage Sessions. There’s really no better way to say it.

tl;dr

+ A beautiful interpretation of modern day Tokyo, with a unique style that makes everything from dungeons to character designs pop from the screen.

+ An unforgettable cast that baits you with their on the surface tropes, then hits you hard with their depth and motivations.

+ Challenging, yet rewarding combat. Knowing when to make the right moves, (and avoid the wrong ones), will get you through with little to no level grinding.

+ The music! Everything from the remixes to the original songs and the music videos will stick with you long after the game is over.

+ So much to do! From the requests, side stories, and a New Game +, you’ll be playing this for a long time.

– Sessions can’t be fast forwarded, making it repetitive to sit through them every battle.

– Being unable to switch Itsuki out of battle can handcuff your choices in battles where he’s ineffective.

– Barry’s side story gets borderline creepy.

– Minor slowdown during crowded battles and in the streets of Shibuya.

Final Score: 4.75/5

 

Add Nendoroid Elise of ‘Fire Emblem Fates’ To Your Army Of Figures

by Natalie Kipper

As fans of Fire Emblem Fates, we couldn’t be more thrilled with the latest pre-order from Good Smile Company’s Nendoroid series of figures: Elise! Fans will remember her as the youngest of the four royal siblings of Nohr.

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Elise’s starting class in Fates was Troubadour, so it stands to reason that she would come with a Heal Staff and “healing effects” accessory. Look at her! She looks like a freaking magical girl!

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And no troubadour is complete without their horse! Elise is packaged with a special equine wearing gear to match its rider. The horse’s front legs are also posable.

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Elise is a princess of many moods and as such comes with three different facial expressions to swap out as you please: a standard expression, a smiling expression (seen in the header), and an upset expression. I adore her “upset” face. The sculptor did an amazing job with the puffed-out cheeks and pursed lips.

You can pre-order Nendoroid Elise now for ￥5,370 before tax. She is available at the official Good Smile Company online store. Nendoroid Elise is scheduled to ship in January 2017.

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Nendoroid Corrin (Female) is also planned! This concept art is the only information on the figure we have at this time.

[source: Kahotan’s Blog]

E3 2016: Watch the Insane Trailer to ‘Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE’!

by J.C. Marquez

What happens when Nintendo and Atlus join forces to create an RPG game based on elements from Shin Megami Tensai and Fire Emblem? You get Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE–a game jam-packed with style, color, music, and so much anime-styled nonsense which makes this writer absolutely giddy with joy. Those expecting a story akin to that found in Fire Emblem: Birthright or Fire Emblem: Conquest should be prepared for something completely different. Emphasis on the word ‘different’.

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Alright, here’s the premise: an inter-dimensional evil has invaded modern-day Tokyo. Because of this threat, the city is overrun with monsters and–wait for it–a ‘barrage of music’. That’s right, folks. Somewhere in the depths of space-time, there’s a dimension where Nickleback reigns supreme and is out to destroy our way of life. The only way to avert certain doom rests on the proverbial shoulders of a gang of fluorescent hair-colored teens who, based on their style and rhythm, can summon the aid and powers of certain Fire Emblem characters.

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If you’ve played any game from Atlus, this kind of plot is absolutely normal. When one has played Disgaea, Persona, Code Princess, or any games from Atlus for that matter, the premise to Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE sounds pretty on point, and if any developer can create a game around that premise, no one could do it better than the folks at Atlus.

An Atlus/Nintendo RPG filled with music, turn-based combat, weapon crafting, dungeons, and over-the-top cinematics? We know; we can’t wait to play it either. Fans won’t have to wait long at all for Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE launches on Wii U next week on Friday, June 24!

Will you be picking this up? Are you a fan of Atlus? What is their best game of all time? Lets us know in the comments and we will discuss your responses on the next episode of the Geekscape Games Podcast!

Geekscape Games Reviews ‘Fire Emblem Fates’ – FINAL UPDATE

by Matt Rodriguez

The newest Fire Emblem games are here! This trifecta of video game titles aims to tell the stories of two opposing potential realities in a war, with a third downloadable title being the bridge that brings them together!

Do they live up to their predecessors? We would like to introduce the first in a trilogy of reviews for the games, starting with Birthright, leading to Conquest, and finally reveling in Revelation. Unlike the different versions of Pokemon games, which have mild changes to the story and roster between versions, these games have completely different stories and rosters, even though the stories happen in the same world–this is the first review of its kind that I have done, so I hope you enjoy all of the juicy details I managed to squeeze out of the games!

Fire Emblem Fates: Birthright

This review is based on an 86 hour playthrough of Birthright alone. I have completed many story missions, “earned” many children, and even have downloaded all available DLC to date. Please keep these details in mind as you read along.

The first thing that any fan of the Fire Emblem franchise would say is that they are driven by stories and relationships. The story for Birthright builds on the concepts of family and forgiveness, and it’s good, and just good as far as the average video game story goes. Also, some of the characters are too plain and uninteresting in my opinion. Before the characters are detailed, you are introduced to the kingdoms of Hoshido and Nohr, who have a disdain for each other due to experiences in the past, but a troubling incident happens to put the two nations at war. After this incident, the main character, Corrin, is forced to choose a side between the two nations, and the side that is chosen is dependent on the game that you own. For the purpose of Birthright, that side happens to be Hoshido, the land of the Sun, a promising land with a strong economy and prosperity.

As it happens, Corrin was a denizen of Nohr, having been orphaned at a young age. However, it is discovered that his real family is the Hoshido nobles—during his childhood, his father was the king, and after the king’s defeat, the royals of Nohr found him and raised them on his own. Throughout the game, Corrin gets to build a relationship with his true family, and even finds some golden nuggets about his childhood that he never knew. It is endearing to see many of the Hoshido family getting to know their brother for the first time, and Corrin continues to grow into a strong leader, and symbol of strength for the whole family, as well as the land of Hoshido.

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Speaking directly to the characters’ personalities, I didn’t find most of them overly interesting. Perhaps that’s because at the start of the game, the Nohr characters have more… explosive personalities by contrast. The three ninjas are the exact stereotype of what ninjas should be (silent, simple, quick), and the siblings all either have a superiority or inferiority complex, which gets old pretty quick. There are a handful of characters whose support conversations kept me entertained, such as Setsuna, a clumsy girl who can’t cook and always gets caught in traps, and Azama, a playful monk that trolls the characters continually. However, it may still be a matter of personal preference. In either case, the voice acting is phenomenal in this game for all characters. There are usually ten pre-recorded (or so) lines per character, but these never get old. They are recycled in a fashion that continually makes them entertaining, such as Ryoma exclaiming “YOU HAVE BREATHED YOUR LAST!!!!” when slicing food in the kitchen.

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When characters fight side by side in the game, their relationship builds. If you build the relationship between two characters of opposite genders, they can achieve S rank, which causes a child will be born—this is a mechanic that started in Fire Emblem Awakening and has returned. According to the storyline, these children are deported to a place called the deeprealms where they can grow and be as far away from the war as possible—in these deeprealms, time moves very slowly so the children mature quickly. Even being visited as little as a week or two later in fictional game time, they can mature by several years. Compared to Awakening’s explanation of children–who time travelled to the past, this seems very silly—but children are awesome, and I’ll take any bizarre reason to have the feature back again. Unlike Awakening, each child is born to the father, not the mother. These children can also forge relationships, but only with each other, their parents, and Corrin. Since these relationships are so selective, you may find yourself keeping them close to each other, which can affect the way you approach many of your battles. I’ll also note as an afterthought, it gets pretty fun keeping a mental list of waifus and husbandos that you would like to see together!

The gameplay will be familiar to current fans, but for those that are new, it is essentially a strategy RPG. The most notable games to compare it to are Advance Wars and Final Fantasy Tactics. Both the player and enemy takes turns advancing each of their units and attacking, until the other army is wiped out, or other deciding winning/losing factor is achieved. Most times you will complete the chapter by defeating the boss unit. When two units fight each other, there is a beautifully rendered cutscene that appears, and you can change the camera angles to see more of the action. There are some slight gameplay improvements to make the game more friendly to newbies, such as color coding the weapons based on the weapon wheel (blue, red, green). Also, weapons from previous Fire Emblem games, such as shurikens, make a return. The game keeps a simple interface to show you the predicted outcome of a match, but you can use the touchscreen to drill into the details if absolutely necessary.

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Birthright is considered the easiest of the three games, however, there are three difficulty levels, and three challenge levels. The difficulty can be chosen as Normal, Hard, or Lunatic, and the challenges are Classic, Casual, and Phoenix. While the difficulty levels are self explanatory, the challenge levels are what truly define Fire Emblem as a franchise. The first level, Classic, enforced a perma-death rule to any character that falls in battle. This was originally the only available option for the series, and the mode that most die hard fans choose. I’ve been told by friends that even though perma-death is enforced, there are still key characters that cannot die and will continue on with you in the story, regardless. I have chosen not to pick this challenge because critical hits are part of the game–I can only imagine my frustration levels branching over 9000 if one of my characters die due to any critical chance under 5%. The challenge level I DID pick, however, is Casual mode. Only being available in recent games, Casual mode removes the perma-death rule. This has been enjoyable and provides the right amount of challenge; I do not feel compelled to reset the the game because of character deaths, as I’m sure I would in Classic mode. The newly introduced challenge mode is Phoenix, perma-death is turned off, and characters return to the field after defeat after a set number of turns after falling in battle.

Character progression is deep, allowing you to “evolve” your classes as well as re-class at any level after 10. I played the game in a very simple manner, only reclassing when I’ve hit maximum levels (20+) for current classes, but there are all kinds of material in the Internet detailing the best progressions and builds, as well as the best S rank partners for the children, who can inherit skills from their parents. There are also ways to pass along skills through multiplayer by allowing your castle to be captured easily, thus having your unlocked skills obtainable by other players. Also, characters change their garb according to their current class, in addition to any other accessories you purchase to improve the look of your character (or make them look sillier).

The music in the game varies from serious, silly, to plain outright BEWITCHING. I felt that every single song used in the game matched the circumstances perfectly–it is woven so artistically that you can’t help but feel sad, feel excited, and feel worried exactly when the game wants you to. I was a plain whirlwind of emotions when playing this game. The main theme of the game both haunts and guides you at every turn, culminating to the final battle variant that puts you on edge.

The story has its share of twists, turns, and mysteries. However, I would say that it could still be better. While there are certain game decisions that earn you new characters, and keeps characters alive, most of the story is straightforward, with even the occasional plot hole, although that may be on purpose. When I finish Conquest in a later review, I may return to the story section of the review to put the pieces together.
The multiplayer components can be useful, but are very involved. One component is a full-on battle with a local or online opponent. I’ve only had the opportunity to try this once, but got wiped out completely because my opponent was much further in the game than I was. I believe there are settings to even the playing field a bit, so it’s definitely worth a look. There is also the option to visit another player’s customized castle to earn various materials such as food and ore. When you first build your castle, you can only farm one kind of food and ore so this becomes a very valuable function. You can also invade other friends’ castles and fight AI representations of their team, and even capture their units. According to sources on the Internet, there are ways to abuse this function so you can get great skills easily for your own characters.

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Amiibo are used in a very limited capacity in this game. While the first scan allows you the character to show up in your castle and give you a free accessory, a second scan allows you to fight them on a different map, and when you win, you can use them in battle! One disappointing thing is that it seems to be limited to the first few Fire Emblem figures, as when I tried to scan Roy, the game said it was incompatible.
There are several DLC maps available, but the most useful ones I found were “Ghostly Gold” and “Boo Camp”. Both of these maps allow you to earn lots of gold and EXP, respectively. For a while, I felt a sense of cheapening the game by using these maps, but quickly came back to them because the in-game impromptu battles gives nowhere as many rewards–it simply saves you a lot of time grinding for a difficult chapter. There is other DLC that runs you through side stories, but a couple of them gives you nothing but artwork, which is a terrible reward, in my opinion. As of the time of this review, the second wave of DLC has not been released, so I may cover that in my Conquest review.

All in all, Fire Emblem Fates: Birthright was an awesome experience, giving you lots of things to do and tons of content. The story can use some improvement, but the battles are so involved that it’s very easy to lose track of time! I would definitely recommend it to any fan of Strategy RPGs.

tl;dr
Pros
Accessible battle system
Great soundtrack
Depth in character builds/strategy
Sense of attachment to characters
Great voice acting

Cons
DLC necessary in order to save time
Some characters’ personalities can be too plain/expected
Mostly straightforward storyline

Final Score: 4/5

Fire Emblem Fates: Conquest

I have completed Fire Emblem: Conquest (play time 77:16), and what a doozy of a ride that was!  There were definitely more secret plot points revealed, as well as a more likable cast of characters (although that may just be personal preference).  The mechanics aren’t majorly changed, but there are some subtle differences as well as a twist.

On the mechanics, scrolls and shurikens are replaced by tomes and daggers on similar characters. As far as I can tell, this is purely cosmetic–they might as well be the same. Also, you are not able to earn EXP in this game unless you’re playing a story mission, paralogue, or the “Boo Camp” DLC. This can be equal parts frustrating and interesting, at times. Put simply, I don’t understand why the ability to earn EXP couldn’t be an option just like perma-death and difficulty are. This makes the game artificially harder, although I’m the kind of person who prefers to grind if it means making the game easier (due to a limited schedule). I very often used Boo Camp to grind for levels, but even so, I found myself failing many story missions two or three times–I could only the imagine the horrors one would go through on a non-boo-camp/lunatic/perma-death run. For all of you masochists that enjoy legendary difficulty/consequence heavy gameplay, this game is for you!

The characters of the game are somewhat more cartoony than Birthright’s.  For me, this makes the game more enjoyable, and the characters more memorable—although as mentioned above, it might be preference.  Playing a male main, I would definitely say the women/waifus of this game are of a much higher caliber, and from what I’ve seen, most of the internet seems to agree with me.  The women follow many of the tropes included in female anime characters, including, but not limited to, a yandere, a tsundere, a lolicon, etc.

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The story of Conquest is a much complex one, as you play as a character looking to redeem their kingdom from previous and present atrocities.  This can feel much more rewarding because it isn’t a simple good vs. bad story.  It also tells major plot points about the looming conspiracy at large, and goes into more detail than Birthright.  However, there are still some plot holes (which I won’t spoil), and I believe that was designed to encourage folks to purchase the “third version” DLC, Revelation.  The ending feels a lot more emotional because of the result of the choices that the main characters are forced to take, and I won’t forget it any time soon.

[SPOILERS AHEAD]

The contrast between the games are stark, with the most obvious being light or dark.  Even the main weapon’s name differs between games, but one other interesting difference is that Birthright kills off two female characters, while Conquest kills off two male characters.  Also, the campaign is set in reverse.  The ending point of Birthright is the starting point of Conquest, and vice verse.  Also some of the character conversations differ based on the version of the game that you’re playing, such as with Azura. [/SPOILERS]

I am giving it a slightly higher score than Birthright because the story keeps you much more engaged.  Other than that, it has inherited the major strengths of Birthright because they were based on the same system/engine.

Final Score: 4.5/5

Fire Emblem Fates: Revelation

My playthrough of Revelation, and thus my full experience of Fire Emblem Fates, is complete!

It doesn’t make much sense reviewing this DLC without spoilers, so read with EXTREME caution!

[SPOILERS AHEAD]

This DLC makes it obvious time and time again that it’s the fabric that bridges the two stories.  The DLC puts a greater focus on a hidden third kingdom called “Valla”, and it’s role in the grand scheme of the two warring nations.  A few mysteries are put to rest, such as the invisible soldiers, the origin of Azura, as well as the origins of her song.  In terms of collateral damage, or deaths, the story kills off a few characters which are neutral, which is fine because they are characters that cannot develop children anyway.  However, there are other dimensions of said characters that aren’t explored, which you would only know if you played the previous two games–for example, Elise’s true identity in Nohr isn’t detailed nor referenced.

The difficulty is set between Birthright and Conquest, but only because it maintains the overall difficulty of Conquest, but you can gain experience from all battles like with Birthright.  Considering I had been using the “Boo Camp” map for both games, this was negligible to me, and at times I actually found Revelation more difficult than Conquest.

Save for the characters who die, you get access to the FULL ROSTER of both Hoshido and Nohr–this is great for forming new strategies, as well as unlocking other funny conversations.  However, I also found myself mixing it up a lot, so I wound up with less children than when I played the previous two games.  I simply enjoy using so many different characters that it took more effort to get the characters to form relationships.  It’s also interesting to note that in previous games each character could always form relationships with every other character (save for two or three), but in Revelation, when forming relationships across the boundaries of Hoshido and Nohr, some characters are picky on who they form relationships with, although the ability to have relations with all the kinsfolk of their own nation is retained.

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When building your base, you have access to all of the facilities from both games, although some can be redundant, such as the shops.  However this can work in your favor because you have a higher chance of either shop having a sale on an item you want.  It’s also easier to farm ore and food for accessories and upgrades.

The final boss is absolutely bananas, having more forms than any of the previous games.  It simply is not for the faint at heart.  I found myself grinding too much at the end of the game just to squeak by.  However, the ending is absolutely worth it, and you will not regret it.

[/SPOILERS]

In comparison to the other games, there’s more grinding involved, and characters are less explored (except for the main ones), but on the flip side, you get to see them interact with the other nation and have access to all of them, leaving this DLC package with more content than either of the two games.

Final Score: 4.5/5

Fire Emblem Fates Special Edition

I managed to purchase the Fire Emblem Fates Special Edition and love it! For the first time, the most awesome thing about the special edition is not in its additional swag, but rather the game cartridge itself! This cartridge of Fire Emblem Fates includes ALL THREE GAMES! This saved me a lot of space on my 3DS memory, as even if you purchased the regular versions, you would be required to download the third game, Revelations, and their secondary game if you do desired (unless you actually wanted to own both game cartridges at a higher price). The art book, however, is wonderfully detailed with character and overworked artwork, and the 3DS pouch is nifty, but there’s no denying that having all three games on a single cartridge is the coolest part.

Upcoming ‘Animal Crossing’ & ‘Fire Emblem’ Mobile Games To Be Free To Play.

by The_acz

A couple of weeks go we reported that Nintendo had announced that Animal Crossing and Fire Emblem would be making their way to mobile devices this fall.

When originally announced last year, Nintendo said that the only Free to Play mobile game would be Miitomo and that the rest would be fully priced apps. Well, it seems like they changed their minds. During an interview with The Wall Street Journal, DeNA executive Isao Moriyasu  confirmed that the 2 upcoming mobile titles would be free. The change isn’t completely unjustified, as Miitomo was able to reach the 10 million download mark within a little less than 2 months of being out. The app was also estimated as raking in about $280,000 per week. Are you looking forward to these apps now that they’re free, or do you think the in app purchases could ruin the experience for you now? Tell us in the comments below!

Nintendo Investors Meeting: ‘Animal Crossing’ & ‘Fire Emblem’ Are Coming To Mobile!

by The_acz

Late last night, Nintendo held their fiscal earnings announcement, and revealed a lot of details that may be a bit disappointing short term, but there were certainly some positive things that stood out.

Along with revealing the NX launch window, Nintendo has announced that the next 2 mobile titles that are planned for launch will be based on Animal Crossing and Fire Emblem, but perhaps not exactly how you’d expect them to be.

Animal Crossing has been explained in terms of sounding more like a companion app you can use with the console iterations, while Fire Emblem looks to maintain its strategy roots, albeit making it a bit more accessible to newcomers.

Both have been announced to be more in line with a traditional Nintendo game than Miitomo (on an unrelated note, what’s up with that level 20 cap?), and both games are set to launch this Fall.

When in Fall? That’s yet to be determined? Are you excited for this next round of mobile games? What franchise do you want to see get the mobile treatment *cough DONKEY KONG cough*. Tell us your ideas in the comments!

First Beats: Check Out The New Trailer For ‘Tokyo Mirage Sessions: #FE’!

by The_acz

While there hasn’t been much info on it, Nintendo & Atlus’s upcoming crossover game Tokyo Mirage Sessions: #FE is almost ready for it’s U.S debut! To help promote the game, Nintendo just release a new trailer for the highly anticipated crossover titled First Beats. Check out the trailer below and tell us what you think about it! On top of this, they also announced a special edition for the game awhile back that comes with an art book, soundtrack, and a whole bunch of other great things. If you’re interested in the special edition, you can grab it on Gamestop’s website for about $80. Tokyo Mirage Sessions will be released on June 24th 2016.

Geekscape Games Podcast: Level 66 – ‘It’s Anti-Bullying Day So Let’s Just Leave Shane Alone All Week!’

by GeekscapeStaff

Join Derek, Josh and Shane as they discuss the last week in video games!

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This Week:

Fallout 4 survival mode leaked.

New Uncharted trailer uses Ubisoft assets.

Pokemon Day incoming, so is a Nintendo Direct.

20 Year old Mortal Kombat cheat code found.

DICE MGS5 award.

Postal Redux announced.

Fire Emblem Fates has a huge US launch.

Anti-Video Game politician arrested for gun smuggling.

Neptune.

Splatoon.

Gravity Rush.

Fire Emblem Fates.

The Walking Dead: Michonne.

The Division Beta.

Street Fighter V.

Mission Objective:

Do you ever spend money on Free to Play titles? Which ones? And why or why not?

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An ‘XL’ Announcement For Fire Emblem Fates — And DLC Details!

by Matt Rodriguez

Fire Emblem Fates is one of the major Nintendo titles being launched early this year on February 19, and some new details just have been announced!

The options for purchasing the game are plentiful: there are two main games–Fire Emblem Fates: Birthright and Fire Emblem Fates: Conquest.  These can both be purchased individually at retail for $39.99 each.  When the player has reached chapter 6, the game will give the players the option to purchase the other game for $19.99.  According to a recent announcement by Nintendo, the third story (called Fire Emblem Fates: Revelation) will be available at a purchase price of $19.99 for all players that own either Birthright or Conquest, on March 10.  A special edition was also previously announced, that will have all three games on a single game cart, an artbook, as well as a Nintendo 3DS XL pouch, for $79.99.

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In other breaking news, a special New Nintendo 3DS XL will be available to purchase on the same day of the game’s launch!  Set at a MSRP of $199.99, this Nintendo 3DS XL sports beautiful art inspired on the game on both the top and bottom of the clamshell design.  However, we regrettably report that the game will not be included with the system, and must be purchased separately (NOOOOOOO!!!!).

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The Fire Emblem franchise is a turn based strategy game focused on medieval warfare, with the prime elements being strategy and companionship.  The previous entry, Fire Emblem: Awakening brought substantial attention to the franchise in the West, and was one of the best selling titles.  We are excited that they are bringing even more Fire Emblem games here, and even other products such as the special New Nintendo 3DS XL!

Are YOU excited about the newly announced DLC details, the New Nintendo 3DS XL, or both!  Will you be purchasing these games?  Please let us know in the comments!

Source: BUSINESS WIRE

Geekscape Games Podcast: Level 58 – ‘Another Week And Still No Black Ops III Review’

by GeekscapeStaff

Join Derek, Josh, Juan and Shane as they discuss the last week in video games!

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This Week:

Smash Direct

Bayonetta added to Smash Bros. Lineup.

Corrin from upcoming Fire Emblem game added.

Kojima has officially formed a new studio, and is working with Sony Computer Entertainment.

Dead Or Alive Xtreme 3 Controversy.

Danganronpa 3 is coming… as an anime.

The Climb is going to be scary as hell.

Smash Bros. Cloud impressions.

Among the Sleep.

Shane plays COD co-op.

Fallout 4.

Valve fixed the rifles in CSGO.

Listener Mission Objective:

What is your most anticipated game of 2016?

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‘Super Smash Bros.’ Direct Reveals New Characters, Costumes, and More!

by Natalie Kipper

Today marked the final Super Smash Bros.-dedicated Nintendo Direct and, boy, was it a doozy. Not only did it go into further detail about Final Fantasy VII‘s Cloud Strife‘s upcoming inclusion, it also announced the overall top pick for the Fighter’s Ballot poll along with another combatant. So without further ado, here are the new fighter’s joining the roster:

Bayonetta (of the Bayonetta series)

Bayonetta

Coming up as the top pick in Europe and amongst the top five in North America, Bayonetta was the winner of the Fighter’s Ballot. The Umbra Witch’s fighting style will focus on stringing together combos of various attacks. Her move “Witch Time” slows down the movement of any opponents nearby. Bayonetta’s signature stage, The Umbra Clock Tower, features moving platforms and and an alternate version of the stage. Bayonetta and her exclusive stage are scheduled to launch in February 2016. The download can be purchased for the Wii U or 3DS for $5.99 or both systems for $6.99.

Corrin (of Fire Emblem Fates)

Corrin

If you are asking the question, “Who the heck is Corrin?,” odds are that you haven’t been following the development of Fire Emblem Fates. This fighter (you can select the gender, just like Wii Fit Trainer and Villager) has the ability to transform into a dragon and pull off powerful attacks including ones that pin your opponents. Corrin looks to be available to download in February 2016, on individual platforms for $4.99 each or together for $5.99.

Cloud Strife (of Final Fantasy VII)

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We were briefly acquainted with Cloud in the previous Nintendo Direct, but today we were able to look more deeply at the mechanics of his fighting style as well as see what makes Midgar, his exclusive stage, special. As we saw before, Cloud will have two costumes available, his original SOLDIER uniform along with his outfit from Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children. And just like in FFVII, our hero will have his “Limit Break” ability, which can be activated once the limit meter is full. The meter fills as Cloud takes and gives damage as well as when he performs his Down Special Attack. Let’s talk about the Midgar battle stage. Throughout the stage, summon material will appear, allowing players to wreak arena-wide damage from which only the summoner is protected. Expect cameos from summon spirits like Ifrit, Ramuh, and Shiva. Cloud’s DLC will be available later today, costing either $5.99 for individual consoles or $6.99 for both the Wii U and 3DS.

If you thought that was it, you are wrong. Dead wrong, in fact! There were a host of new Mii Fighter costumes revealed too. From top to bottom, they are: Ashley, Geno (yes, Geno from Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars is in Smash (sort of)!), Chocobo Hat, Bionic Armor (available for both genders), Takamaru, Tails, Knuckles, and Gil. The Geno and Chocobo Hat costumes will launch with the Cloud DLC while the others will be released in February 2016.

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Dec_MiiFighterCostume_artwork_Chocobo-Hat Bionic-Armor Takamaru Tails Knuckles Gil

But wait, there’s more! Like all Smash Bros. characters, Bayonetta, Cloud, and Corrin will be getting Amiibo. Our wallets weep.

What is your favorite part of the news? Post in the comments!

Geekscape Games Podcast: Level 35 – ‘We Are Suspending Production Of Geekscape Games To Address Technical Issues And To Satisfy Our Quality Standards… JUST KIDDING’

by Shane O'Hare

Join Josh, Derek and Juan as they discuss the last week in video games!

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This Week

Batman: Arkham Knight PC issues and halt of sales.

Halo 5 Preorder DLC can be earned in game.

Destiny: The Taken King $80 DLC bundle debacle.

Dying Light gives DLC for drinking water.

Humble Bundle Borderlands Edition.

Same Sex marriage coming to Fire Emblem

Sony comes out and admits to funding the majority of Shenmue 3.

Fallout Shelter.

Her Story.

Kirby’s Canvas Curse

Batman Arkham Knight

Federation Force

Earth Defense Force

Corpse Party

Lost Dimensions

Danganronpa Another Episode

Amnesia

HDN Rebirth 3

This Week’s Listener Mission Objective

With 2015 over halfway through, what has been your favourite game so far this year?

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[RUMOR] Former Smash Bro, Roy, And Ryu From ‘Street Fighter’ Are The Next DLC Characters For ‘Super Smash Bros’!

by Josh Jackson

Aww, you were just a day away from keeping it a surprise, Nintendo.

If two allegedly leaked YouTube videos are to be believed, then it looks like Fire Emblem‘s Roy is making his grand return alongside Ryu, the face of the Street Fighter series. The two reels show what appears to be their arcade mode ending sequences, showing off small glimpses of what they have in store for their opponents once their release date comes.

From what we can tell, Roy still has similarities to Marth, the character his move set was cloned from in Melee. Still, a closer look at his animations, (namely his Up-B attack,) seem to have some slight differences compared to his past attacks. Is there a chance that Roy will be more of his own character, especially when Lucina already fills the role of a Math clone?

Ryu on the other hand, looks like he’s bringing something completely new to the Smash Bros arena. Coming equipped with his focus attacks, hadoukens, shoryukens and hurricane kicks, (feel free to spell out the Japanese name, because I’m not doing it,) most telling is the legendary fighter’s apparent ability to perform legitimate combos, something which isn’t normally possible outside of high level play. Will this change the way players approach the game? I can’t wait to find out!

Alongside these leaks, further rumors suggest new trophies for the Inkling and Ryu’s best friend, Ken, a new Dreamland 64 stage, Ryu’s iconic Street Fighter II Dojo stage, and Mii Fighter costumes, including Zero from Mega Man X, Mega Man .EXE, Akira and Jacky from Virtua Fighter, Animal Crossing‘s Isabelle and Heihachi from Tekken. At this point, we’re almost guaranteed to get the official word from Nintendo during E3 week, but it seems like the cat’s out of the bag.

While not terribly surprising for those who knew that sound files for Roy and Ryu were part of the Mewtwo update, it’s still surreal to see the biggest fighting game icon make an appearance in Nintendo’s all star brawler as the first, true original character as part of Smash’s DLC line up. Roy is a little more expected, since I felt his inclusion was an inevitability once DLC was announced, but I’m hoping more unique characters see their returns soon, (especially Wolf, Snake and Ice Climbers, although the last two probably aren’t possible.) Speaking of Snake, if copyright is an issue, can we at least slap his move set on the Mach Rider guy or something?

What’s your reaction to the news, and who would you like to see next?

‘Shin Megami Tensei X Fire Emblem’ Is Real, And Looks Nothing Like We Expected! Check Out Its First Trailer!

by Josh Jackson

In 2013, Nintendo revealed that famed RPG developer, Atlus, and Intelligent Systems of Fire Emblem fame were co-developing a crossover title between their two biggest franchises. Appropriately named Shin Megami Tensei X Fire Emblem, not a word has been spoken of it since its initial teaser. Both teams have started and finished other projects, and gamers like myself were worried that this team up would become an unreleased tease of what could have been.

Thankfully, the latest Nintendo Direct has changed all that.

Revealing its first full trailer for the title, Shin Megami Tensei X Fire Emblem looks drastically different from what most of us were expecting. From this initial footage, rather than getting a team up between characters from the two franchises, it seems as if we have a Persona inspired world where a group of high schoolers fight monsters as knights with demons by their side in a separate dimension.

While the cutscenes displayed drew obvious inspiration from the 3DS FE games, and the demons are instantly familiar to SMT veterans, the footage so far looks nothing like either game, but an original game that draws visual and thematic inspiration from the two series. While far from what we think of when the word “crossover” is used, I’m open to the idea of creating something brand new out of their most recognizable parts. Besides, as long as Atlus is involved, I’m sure there will be a fair share of hidden cameos to discover.

What do you think of the updated trailer? Were you surprised, or disappointed by what was shown? Comment below to start the discussion, and keep checking back as more details come forth.

Shin Megami Tensei X Fire Emblem is set for a 2015 release in Japan exclusively for Wii U, with a Western release scheduled for 2016.

Geekscape Games Reviews: ‘Code Name S.T.E.A.M.’

by Derek Kraneveldt

Code Name: S.T.E.A.M. first revealed its unique third-person, turn-based strategy, alternate history, comic book style (whoah) all the way back at E3 in 2014, and today you can finally get your hands on it. It’s going to sell a lot of copies based on the fact that it’s Intelligent Systems first strategy game since 2012’s acclaimed Fire Emblem: Awakening, and as a brand-new IP, the game definitely stands out as a quality release, albeit with a few major annoyances.

The game is all about Abraham Lincoln (yep, that Abe Lincoln), who brings together heroes from classic literature and American folklore to fend off an alien invasion. The S.T.E.A.M. in the title seemingly has many meanings, but it actually stands for Strike Team Eliminating the Alien Menace. Steam is also the technology that our heroes will use to defeat the aliens; steam boilers strapped to their backs give them super-human abilities. All of the weapons are steam-powered, of course, and all of the characters and the world itself have a decidedly steampunk styling. Yep, that’s a lot of steam.

The first thing that you’re likely to notice about the title (aside from, yep, all of the steam) is its gorgeous comic-book art style. The game actually opens with a kid (who owns a damned Marth Amiibo, which is sitting on his desk taunting you) diving into a Code Name S.T.E.A.M. comic book, and from time to time you’ll actually see cutscenes flipping between panels, sound effects will pop up the relevant onomatopoeia, you’ll see comic style voice bubbles all over the place, and of course the game’s cel shading makes it look as though the characters are popping right off of a wonderful 3D page (for the most part). From each cutscene, to running around the game’s many, many maps, presentation in Code Name S.T.E.A.M. is stellar.

3DS_CodenameSTEAM_scrn04_E3

Now, those wonderful visuals would be nothing without great sound to go with it, and Code Name S.T.E.A.M. delivers here too. Sound effects are high quality and varied, and the game’s commendable score is definitely headphone worthy. The game also features more voice acting than I’ve ever heard in a 3DS game, and it’s well acted on all counts, and with the limited storage space of the 3DS cartridges, I really have no idea how Intelligent Systems could possibly have fit it all in there, but I’m really, really glad that they did. Seriously, the audio is an absolute treat.

With the game’s outstanding presentation, and the history of Intelligent Systems, Code Name S.T.E.A.M. must kill in the gameplay department as well, right? At first glance, it looks like a third-person shooter, and rather than simply selecting which square you want your characters to move to as in most strategy titles, you can actually move your characters around in real time. Basically, each unit has a certain number of ‘steam’ that they can spend each turn. Moving, attacking, activating special abilities, etc. all use different amounts of steam, but certain actions, moving included, aren’t finalized until you shoot or activate an enemies Overwatch attack. This allows you to really play around with different strategies and visualize multiple vantage points before deciding on what to do each turn, and it’s a welcome and intuitive addition to traditional strategy mechanics. Throughout the game, you’ll unlock different team members, abilities, and equipment, which let you really customize your team, and thus have vastly different experiences.

The Overwatch ability is another mechanic that keeps Code Name S.T.E.A.M. feeling fresh. Both players (well, most characters) and many enemies have access to the ability, and its existence makes you really think about every action you could possibly take. Basically, if you end your turn with a certain level of steam left over, your character can automatically attack an enemy should an enemy come into range. It’s risky, of course, as that steam can always be utilized during your turn, and there’s no guarantee that saving it will lead to an attack, but when utilized correctly, Overwatch can be the difference between winning a map, and having to go back to the previous checkpoint. Enemies may also take advantage of Overwatch, which can leads to one of the biggest issues and strangest oversights in Code Name: S.T.E.A.M.

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Aside from some lacklustre multiplayer, which is worth mentioning about as much as it’s worth playing, there are two big, glaring issues with the game. The first is one that I didn’t know could even be an problem in a strategy title: the lack of an overhead view. Your only viewpoints are those of your character’s, which amount to a tight third-person view that can make it impossible to see beyond obstacles. This means that you’re often moving blindly around obstacles and activating more enemy Overwatch attacks than I can even count. As I mentioned above, you can typically keep moving, figuring out the most efficient turn before locking it in, but being noticed by an enemy or activating their Overwatch makes your actions up to that point permanent. With no overhead view, and no map whatsoever, you’re getting hit, and you’re getting hit often, because you simply can’t see your enemies. It can happen pretty constantly, leading to a lot of replayed levels, and a lot of swearing at your 3DS.

Next up. In a game like this, your team is typically outnumbered. In most strategy titles that I’ve played, when it’s an enemy’s turn, you’ll see those turns played out at high speed. In Code Name S.T.E.A.M. you… stare at your characters while what amounts to a ‘loading’ bar fills across your screen. What. The. Heck. Sure, you can move the camera around your character, but why the heck would I want to do that? Unless you’re near an enemy and can actually see them moving (or you’re getting attacked), the enemy turns essentially amount to a loading screen to get to your next turn. Did I mention that this takes forever? This is an Intelligent Systems game, and a Nintendo published title, and in all my years of gaming, I can’t recall ever seeing such a polished game with a mechanic like this. It’s definitely not a means to pad out a short experience, as Code Name S.T.E.A.M. offers hours upon hours of gameplay, but I definitely find myself playing the title less knowing that more than half of the experience will be me waiting for my next turn.

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Code Name S.T.E.A.M. is jammed pack with awesome content (including Fire Emblem Amiibo functionality that I wasn’t willing to open my NIB Amiibo for), and features some of the best presentation I’ve seen in a 3DS title. From its voice acting, to its gorgeous cel shaded art style and beyond, the game is a treat for the senses. Unfortunately, a few major questionable design choices ground Code Name S.T.E.A.M. as just a ‘very good’ 3DS title, instead of another gem from Intelligent Systems and Nintendo.

Code Name S.T.E.A.M. scores a steam-powered 3.5/5.

tl;dr:

+Top-notch presentation.

+Unique mechanics make the turn-based gameplay feel fresh.

+A ton of varied content.

-No overhead view means you’re staring at your characters through enemy turns.

-Enemy turns happen in real time. Meaning that you’re kept waiting… and waiting for your next turn.

Nintendo Direct Recap: 1/14/15

by Josh Jackson

I’m not going to start with too much fluff, because the first Nintendo Direct of the new year speaks for itself. Mixing some great announcements and huge surprises with some painfully stupid reveals, Nintendo was all over my emotional spectrum. Read below for the highlights of this morning’s presentation, and keep an eye out for more details on the following announcements throughout the day.

-New Title in The Fire Emblem Series. No details yet.

– Puzzle and Dragon Z/Super Mario Bros Edition double pack coming in May. Combines puzzle and RPG elements.

– Pokemon Shuffle? Pretty much just like Trozei. Will be free. Now limited to the number of moves you can make. Each Pokemon has a level and ability, can level up and mega evolve. Can only play for a certain amount of time, which can be extended with items through street pass, game play, and microtransactions. Dated for February

– Some Wii games will be playable with game pad and classic control pro if they supported the classic controller. Can download. Mario Galaxy 2 now! Punch Out Coming Jan 22, Metroid for Jan 29th on the eShop.

– Kirby and the Rainbow Curse: February 20th with Kirby Amiibo support.

– Wave 4 Amiibo: Robin, Lucina, Pac-Man, Ness, Charizard, and Wario coming in Spring.

– Super Mario Bros. branded Amiibo coming March 20th. Will be compatible with Mario Party 10. As if we didn’t already have a surplus of Mario Amiibo.

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– Mario Party will work with 9 Amiibo. Rosalina is playable in addition to the regular cast. Special bundles will include new Mario amiibo. Must erase smash data to use Smash amiibo, (Donkey Kong, Rosalina, Wario,) in Mario Party? Well that’s dumb.

– Captain Toad will add hidden Toad with Toad amiibo. Update coming March 20th.

– Splatoon gains central hub. In game money can be spent on helmets, clothes, shoes and weapons to customize your character. 3 weapons at a time. Including special, sub and main weapons. Stats can be altered based on clothing. “Inklings.” Coming in May.

– Tingle coming to Hyrule Warriors. Fights with baloons, rupees, and a kiss of death. Young Link gets Fierce Diety mask. Coming Feb 5th, includes adventure pack and three new costumes.

– Xenoblade Chronicles X gets a new trailer with breathtaking environments. Coming 2015

– Mario vs Donkey Kong Tipping Stars. Coming to Wii U and 3DS. Allows you to tip players who make stages you like with stars that you unlock by doing well in stages. Cross Buy if you buy Wii U version. Available March 5th.

– From creators of Tekken, a free to download, 4 player treasure hunting game coming exclusively to Nintendo. Tentatively titled “Project Treasure”

– Elliot Quest is an 8 bit side scrolling platformer. Releasing in February

– Blek is a puzzle game using our imaginations. Coming in February.

– Citizens of Earth, an RPG staring the Vice President of Earth. Coming January.

– Gunman Clive 2 adds 4 playable characters. Coming January.

– Moon Chronicles episodes 2, 3, and 4. coming in January. Can be bought in episodes, or a full season. That’s surprising, the original was an underrated gem.

– Sega 3D Classics from January-March. Starting with Afterburner, Fantasy Zone, Outrun, Fantasy Zone 2 and Thunder Blade.

– Etrian Mystery Dungeon coming soon. Can create your own party and explore dungeons.

– Story of Seasons, a life/farming sim. Coming March 2015 to eShop.

– Fossil Fighters Frontier. Can team up online, battle, and hunt for fossils together. Arena area can be used to battle. Coming March 20th.

– New 3DS incoming. Amiibo support, improved web and download speed, faster processing power. Face Tracking 3D. C Stick. Can be used with Circle Pad Pro compatible games. Smash Bros 3DS will be the first Amiibo compatible game. Extended battery. Automatically adjusts lighting based on battery. Uses micro SD cards. Comes with 4 GB card. Will be able to transfer data. Info coming soon. No standard new 3DS side? Will not include an A/C adapter? That has to be the dumbest thing I’ve heard in a long while. And I guess we’re not good enough for the small console with the interchangable face plates. Coming February 13th.

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– Codename: Steam will use Fire Emblem amiibo to add characters to your team. They cannot be revived, like in Fire Emblem, and need to be re-loaded after the stage is completed. Marth can heal and wield his Falchion, Ike uses power and long range moves along with Aether. Lucina and Robin were not explained. More Marth’s coming. March 13th.

– Ace Combat uses C-Stick and shoulder buttons. Amiibo unlocks skins for planes. Launching Feb 13th.

– Xenoblade Chronicles allows you to view 3D models. Monster Games of Donkey Kong Country Returns 3DS porting the game. Coming in April and exclusive to New 3DS.

– 6 player local and online 3rd person shooter. Includes online and single player campaign. Titled Ironfall Invasion and developed by a small team at V.D. Dev. Uses C-Stick or touch screen for aiming. Coming Soon

– Monster Hunter 4 getting New 3DS Bundle!!!! Coming February 13th exclusively Gamestop! Can team up with up to 4 people in single player campaign. Exclusive demo coming soon, will include all 14 weapon classes, multiplayer local and online and an in depth tutorial. Monster Hunter 4 puzzle swap puzzle coming soon.

– Majoras Mask gets full 3D rotatable camera. Will receive Majoras Mask pin if you pre order Project STEAM at Pick-Up from GameStop. Coming February 13th.

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– Majoras Mask New 3DS is launching as well!!! I went from not wanting it to wanting two within 15 minutes. To paraphrase the wise words of Rebecca Black, which one shall I take!?

So… the relief I felt from being able to save money post holidays as all but disappeared considering nearly everything shown was announced between now and May. Which New 3DS will you pre-order today? Which games will you pick up? Where are you planning to sell your body to afford all of this, and can I join you? My body will have to be ready.

Nintendo: “The Best Days of the Nintendo 3DS Are Still To Come.”

by J.C. Marquez

While last year may have been a bit of a struggle for the Wii U, the same can’t be said for the Nintendo 3DS which set several milestones in 2013. The handheld, combined with the Nintendo 2DS, has gone on to sell over 11.5 million units in the United States alone. Additionally, over 16 million pieces of software for the portable systems, both digital and packaged retail, were sold last year. Nintendo also goes on to boast about the 3DS having some the highest rated games last year, highlighting seven titles which received Metacritic scores of 85 and above–two of those, The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds and Fire Emblem: Awakening, earning scores of 91 and 92 respectively.

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Scott Moffitt, Nintendo of America’s executive vice president of Sales & Marketing, said “Nintendo 3DS is a powerhouse with games and experiences that appeal to all kinds of players.” With a ridiculously strong library of games, there seems to be something for every type of gamer–have it be casual or hardcore. At the end of 2013, Nintendo sold 45% more 3DS games than they did in 2012, with Pokémon X & Y leading the way with over 3 million copies sold in North America.

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“We’re not slowing down in 2014”, Moffitt continues. “With more games featuring fan-favorite franchises on the way, the best days of the Nintendo 3DS are still to come. ” With Bravely Default Flying Fairy (Feb. 7) and Yoshi’s New Island (March 14) starting the year off for the Nintendo 3DS, the once ‘doomed’ handheld looks to continue its dominance.bravely-default-flying-fairy-3ds-frSource: Nintendo Press Release (January 10, 2014)

Postgame Analysis of Tonight’s Nintendo Presser aka Where’s My Zelda 3DS?

by Jonathan

Nintendo is a sensitive company, some say the heart of the video game industry. That’s pretty apparent when you factor in that they obviously scheduled their North American Nintendo Direct press conference for midnight EST tonight to steer clear of all those hardcore Nintendo fans who were also watching Game 5 of the NBA Finals… RIGHT?!? Well, that one didn’t go into overtime… or even into a Game 6. Regardless, I’m STILL going to provide a little “postgame” as I address the positives and negatives of Nintendo’s presser.

If you want to watch the entire Nintendo Direct press conference for yourself, here it is:

– Let’s start with the “Who Gives a Damn?”

The new Nintendo 3DS XL will be released on August 19th for $199.99

It comes with a new 4.88 inch top screen (up from 3.5 inches) and a bottom screen of 4.18 inches (from the original 3). Let me tell you why I don’t care.

Because if you’re the kind of Nintendo nerd like me who watches an online streaming press conference… you already own a 3DS and you have for a year (or at least since the “games” came out in November). On top of that, the idea of a bigger 3DS really defeats the point of a portable system. I look at the kids playing their Nintendo DS XLs at our local meet-ups (yeah, I go to 3DS meet-ups… fuck you) and they look like they’re playing Angry Birds on an iPad. I don’t want a bigger 3DS. I’m not 90 years old. A 3DS XL is the equivalent of those enormous remote controls they sell to old people at Bed Bath and Beyond. No. Gracias.

The biggest missed opportunity here is that they didn’t take the time to add a second analog pad (ie. what the hardcore Nintendo gamers wanted). Whoops!

Namco Bandai is teaming with Project Sora for a new Smash Bros. game

This game will be for the 3DS and WiiU. And you’ll probably get to beat the crap out of PacMan. I’ll say it right now. I don’t like the Smash Bros. games. I could care less. I’m sorry. But I’m not a 16 year old Asian kid playing in a sweaty tournament in the basement of a Motel 6 out off the 60 freeway. If you kids want to watch a bunch of button mashing ridiculousness while yelling at each other about how close that last save was (umm… there are a LOT of saves in these games) then knock yourself out. No. Actually knock yourself out… with a human fist. Then you’d actually feel something for once.

Let’s be clear: Fighting games are for gamers who were too afraid to play contact sports. First Person Shooters are for gamers who at one time tried contact sports but were embarrassingly awful at them.

The New Super Mario Bros. 2 3DS game available August 19th will have paid DLC

Nintendo drew a line on DLC… but it looks like that line is starting to bend towards breaking. The new Fire Emblem game will supposedly have some DLC as well. Not cool, Nintendo. New Super Mario Bros. 2 is already looking like a thinner version of the original with the Golden Shower Coin Grab Mode a not that fun attempt to add Street Pass features to the game. That WILL get old fast. Please prove me wrong and make this game as substantial as the original DS title. But something about the sound of “future DLC” and “day and date downloadable and retail title” have me worried.

And no DLC on games like Mario Kart!?! I know. You’re sick of me bitching on Geekscape about wanting downloadable tracks for Mario Kart. It HAS to happen one day. It HAS to.

New Pokemon Stuff

Sorry, Pokemon fans. I got to this part of the press conference, my wife entered the room and realized what I was watching and I felt like a complete loser. I turned it off because I couldn’t care less about the Pokemons. I know that at one time I had TWO Mewtwos and was the elite trainer on my block (and easily the oldest) but that was 13 years ago. That ship has sailed for me and you’d already cost me any chance of having sex tonight. I had to bail.

By the way. Huge surprise. There’ll be new Pokemon stuff.

– Okay. So what was The Good?!?

Animal Crossing 3DS is coming and it will have Streetpass

Great. A bunch of strangers can visit my town and threaten to chop down all my trees via Streetpass. I’m cool with it. There’ll also be tarot card readings. I knew that this game (especially Tom Nook) was evil and Satanic but now it’s starting to all come to light. I skipped City Folk on the Wii but sign me up for this one. You had me at Streetpass. And Satanism.

Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance has a demo NOW on the eShop

I still want to call this game Kingdom Hearts: Egg Drop Soup. In any event, it’s coming and it’s coming soon. You can wet your appetites already. Say what I will about Nintendo and their eShop but these demos have been great and they’ve been treating them in a fantastic way. Keep them coming.

Professor Layton is finally coming to your 3DS

Professor Layton and the Mask of Miracle was a Japanese 3DS launch title. So why haven’t we seen it in the States yet? Has localization really taken this long? Whatever the puzzle may be, I’m glad it’s finally solved. We’ll be seeing this game in November (news to which my wife responded with “Merry Christmas!”). I’m already giving thanks.

New Titles Coming to the 3DS Virtual Console

The big ones are that Legend of Zelda is coming July 5th for Non-Ambassadors (jerks… I’ve been playing it for months!) and that Super Mario Land will have a price drop to $2.99 through the end of June. Also, new games will be arriving once a week this summer, including Kid Icarus: Of Myths, Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3, Sonic Blast and Sonic Labyrinth (which 5 people played).

– Now for The Inexcusable…

STILL NO WORD ON A 3DS SPECIFIC ZELDA TITLE! COME ON!!!!

WTF. It didn’t happen at E3. It didn’t happen tonight (which we could have guessed). But this is something that Nintendo has been hinting at for months. We loved the 3DS port of Ocarina of Time (it’s easily the best version of the game) but that’s a game that’s 13 years old now. I know that it wasn’t a Nintendo 64 launch title and we had to wait a while for that too but does the 3DS have that kind of time? Do portables have the same lifespans as consoles? This is something that has to have a 2013 release date on it or it runs the risk of becoming yesterday’s news (especially if the WiiU sports a console Zelda title).

Skyward Sword was a complete fetch quest of a game. It’s really one of the worst of the series and I’d only list it as playable for it’s motion controls, final dungeon and final fight scene. A 3DS port of Majora’s Mask would only stop the bleeding for a month or two. A new interpretation of Link to the Past would be interesting. But really, what any Zelda and 3DS fan wants is a true 3DS designed Zelda game. And not something like Spirit Tracks or the other DS title. Those were fun but got buried in their own backtracking (although using the Wind Waker art direction was great). Give us something that uses the system properly, 3DS, Streetpass, camera and all. We’re waiting, Nintendo. Make it happen. The clock on this system started ticking when you announced the 3DS XL.