A strong, turn-based combat system is at the core of every Fire Emblem title, and much thought has gone into mechanics and in-game balance.
From selecting the most suitable units to kitting them out with the most suitable weapons, items, skills and spells; positioning them to best effect on the map, deployment and maintaining optimum formation throughout the mission… it’s a tactician’s dream and there are pages and pages of game stats to prove it! Of course, there are factors to consider on the rocky road to victory, such as terrain - higher ground provides an advantage; weapon or spell type - the innovative ‘paper-scissors-rock’ format of previous Fire Emblem titles also applies here; the support system – another unit with whom each character can pair up to boost stats; plus the sobering fact that death during combat is permanent (Fire Emblem’s long standing no-rez policy), and if your commander dies there’s nothing for it but to start the mission over… and over, until you get it right.
As in previous Fire Emblem titles, weapons and items have a limited life and can only be used a certain number of times before they are destroyed. Once this happens you will have to find, buy or forge another. Fortunately you acquire a base early on in the piece, which gives you access to a shop, armoury, forge and library, as well as character management and development facilities plus screeds of information and statistics.
In-game graphics are decent enough, although moving your units like chess pieces on the battle grid takes a visual back seat to the crisply rendered cel-shaded graphics of combat animation and FMV interludes. There’s little in the way of voice-overs, with most character interaction being text-based, but what we did hear was pretty good, although hardly memorable.
The musical score provides a beautiful accompaniment to gameplay, and never once strays into the realm of ‘in-yer-face annoying’, as so many do.
Despite the restrictions of a linear plot and challenge of a sometimes frustrating difficulty level, Fire Emblem’s first foray into Wii territory is an extremely positive one, delivering many hours of compelling, quality gaming from a reputable franchise with high standards… and it shows. We loved it, and if you’re a number crunching, turn-based RPG fan, you will too.
