Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia - Review Report
19/05/2017
Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia is out today on Nintendo 3DS and an entire squad of the world’s games journalists have each taken their turn to cast praise on the latest game in the strategy RPG series!
A UNIQUE & REFRESHING FIRE EMBLEM
Though this marks the fourth Fire Emblem release on Nintendo 3DS, after Fire Emblem Awakening, Fire Emblem Fates: Birthright and Fire Emblem Fates: Conquest, the series is showing no signs of fatigue! In Eurogamer’s Recommended review, Martin Robinson calls the game “remarkably refreshing” thanks to its use of traversable 3D dungeons and town exploration, features which make it completely unique among its Nintendo 3DS stablemates.
Likewise, EGM notes in their review that, as a remake of the 1992 Famicom release, Fire Emblem Gaiden, Alm and Celica’s adventure is widely considered to be the “Zelda II of Fire Emblem”. Much like that game, Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia boasts many ideas not found before or since in its series. Even 25 years later, critics agree that this is a unique Fire Emblem game. Nintendo Life calls the remake “delightfully different from its predecessors” while GameSpot calls it “both distinct and refreshing.”
To learn more about what makes Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia stand out from other Fire Emblem games on Nintendo 3DS, check out the overview trailer...
A PERFECT ENTRY POINT TO THE SERIES
If you’ve never played a Fire Emblem game before or recently discovered the series through Fire Emblem Heroes on mobile then Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia is a great way to get into the series. In their 9/10 review, GodisaGeek calls it “a good starting point for people new to Fire Emblem” while TheSixthAxis adds that Mila’s Turnwheel – a new device that allows players to rewind their actions a limited number of times per battle - is “a welcome addition to the series.” For anyone who has ever wanted to try Fire Emblem’s Classic Mode, in which fallen allies are permanently removed from play, Mila’s Turnwheel offers a great way to give it a go for the first time and learn from their mistakes.
THE BEST STORY
Finally, critics have praised the story of Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia, which intertwines the tales of Alm and Celica; two childhood friends who take very different paths through the same conflict. In a series full of epic, character-fueled drama, TheSixthAxis calls Shadows of Valentia “the best told story the series has ever seen”.
Overall, the consensus appears to be that Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia is an extremely worthy addition to both its series and the collection of great RPGs available on Nintendo 3DS. At the time of writing it is the second best reviewed Nintendo 3DS game of the year on Metacritic, after fellow RPG DRAGON QUEST VIII: Journey of the Cursed King and has garnered a long list of recommendations on its overall quality including the following 9/10 reviews:
“A phenomenal Fire Emblem”
“A fantastic remake”
“An experience not to be missed”
“Demands your time”
Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia is out now on Nintendo 3DS. Alm and Celica amiibo are also available, either as part of the Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia Limited Edition or sold separately.
