Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia Reviews
Overall, while I don't feel at all qualified to really place this game above or below others in the series, I feel confident that it's an interesting title for series veterans who never got to play Gaiden and newcomers alike. With a blend of old school and also lacking many of the modern nuances of today's games, it gives players a straight-forward, yet stout challenge.
The simple graphics and story take you on a nostalgia trip but the fight with Fire Emblem Echoes was harder and longer than excepted. You really have to bring some frustration resistance to go through the long dungeons with the poorly made AI but the game still offers much for Fire Emblem Veterans as also for beginners.
Review in German | Read full review
Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia might be a complete remake of the Famicom’s Fire Emblem Gaiden released in 1992 but to western fans this is a completely new chapter in the Fire Emblem series that cannot be missed.
Fire Emble Echoes is the perfect fit for long-time fans, who will appreciate the second Famicom title of the series, never previoulsy released in the West. At the same time, newcomers won't find a better game to start one of the greatest turn-based tactical series.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia is a remake that helps bringing the series back to its roots and it works very well at that. Thanks to successful gameplay innovations, captivating plot and cast and a magnificent audiovisual component, this is certainly a game that will be very appreciated by a wide amount of fans. It doesn't fully live up to its potential but Shadows of Valentia acts as a promising new direction for the Fire Emblem series.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
My one wish to Nintendo is that they either keep the Echoes sub-series going or consider applying some of these changes to new Fire Emblem games; they're really that good, and what's been concocted here truly deserves to be more than a series one-off. The charming, reliquian nature of the nature of the game may not appeal to everyone, but if you like Fire Emblem, strategy, and can appreciate gaming history, then there's absolutely zero reason not to pick this up.
Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia manages the remarkable trick of remaking one of the oldest entries in the series, and making it feel fresh. The major differences from the other 3DS games may take some getting used to, but long time fans will relish the return of some purity to the tactical action, while this is easily the best-told story the series has ever seen.
It's hard to say if the changes made in Echoes will be for everyone, especially fans that may have started with the more recent entries. Even so, it's refreshing to have a Fire Emblem game that feels so different, even though it's actually a remake of a 25 year old game. The spirit and backbone of Fire Emblem is still present, and it's an experience that only gets better the more you play.
This is decidedly a very classic feeling Fire Emblem, with enough freshness to captivate even veterans of the franchise and comes with a welcome accessibility that makes it the easiest for newcomers to get into. This entry goes to show that there's room within the franchise to make different looking Fire Emblem entries that still feel true to the series but which also dare to not only tread new ground, but to do so in a great way. It's a well rounded package that is well balanced to please the majority of its audience, like the entire trilogy of Fire Emblem Fates before it, but while keeping it all confined to just one game with the complete epic story being accessible just from buying this one piece of software instead of it being spread out, and that's something to be thankful for. Overall, Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia, while feeling like an older entry, might very well be moving the series forward in certain aspects that could potentially return in future outings.
A game which is both old and new. And that's why it works so good even after all this years.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia is an enjoyable game despite a few changes to the gameplay. While some strategic elements were eliminated, the game still maintains a lot of what made the series enjoyable in the past, plus throws in some new elements such as the third-person dungeon exploring. If you don't mind the strategy being dumbed down a bit, Fire Emblem Echoes is still a great game worth checking out for fans and first-timers alike.
Intelligent Systems has done an excellent job of bringing a classic title forward into the modern age.
Built around a captivating story told from two sides, the usage of a world map together with the classic style battle system makes Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia yet another must play game for the franchise.
Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia really surprised me. What I thought would be a simple spin-off game ended up being arguably the best Fire Emblem game I've played.
On the one hand Shadow of Valentia takes us back in time, paying homage to the golden age of JRPG, on the other hand the new gameplay features give a more modern feel to it. Shadow of Valentia is an atypical Fire Emblem that differentiates itself from the franchise in order to give a fresh approach to the genre.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Provides the challenge hardcore players seek, but the experience comes with its fair share of frustrations
Fire Emblem Echoes doesn't make a strong first impression, but keeps entangling the player fight after fight, for each hard-earned victory. It also brings to the table many ideas from the original title, and a slew of fresh air in a series that has seen four games in the last four years.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Fire Emblem Gaiden had explored different approaches, which appear even bolder through this remake on 3DS thanks to an absolutely epic staging, a more developed narrative and many modern gameplay adjustments, while staying true to the original Famicom version. Despite some relics from the past and a less strategic philosophy, Echoes : Shadows of Valentia proves that these pragmatic concepts are still relevant today, indeed for the future of the franchise.
Review in French | Read full review