Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia Reviews
Fire Emblem: Echoes - Shadows of Valentia seeks to bring a Japanese exclusive title to international audiences. It does a great job of that, but it might not be for everyone...
While the Nintendo Switch is getting a lot of attention, Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia is a great reminder that the 3DS can still deliver great games. This is the first must-own 3DS title of 2017.
Fire Emblem Gaiden was the most atypical chapter in the series, containing elements which were later abandoned in the future iterations of the franchise. Thanks to its renewed graphics and some features that make its gameplay less cumbersome and inflexible, Shadows of Valentia could be considered the sum of what Fire Emblem saga has proposed so far.
Review in Italian | Read full review
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Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia, by no means a flawless entry in the nearly three decade-old franchise, may well be the closest the series has gotten to somehow finding a happy medium between past legacy and contemporary appeal.
It took me a little under 30 hours to complete the main game. The game was a complete saga. I bring this up because Nintendo has an aggressive DLC schedule planned for this latest Fire Emblem edition that may push the boundaries of decency. A season pass costs $5 more than the actual game. There are even two dungeons that are tied to the Alm and Celica Amiibos. This is another $25 if you want all the content for Echoes. All said that’s $110. But rest assured that when you spend your $40 you are buying a complete experience. Not a skeleton that will be fleshed out by nickel and diming you.
While it won't be for everyone, Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia is a fun remake that showcases the history of the series with a brand new look. Seasoned fans of the games will find themselves slightly out of it with missing mechanics, but as the game's difficulty has been toned down since the original, it will appeal to more players. A fitting last instalment for the 3DS, the game is worth a look for those craving tactical RPG battles, or for long-running fans wanting to see the evolution of the series.
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
Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia provides the best of both worlds by serving up classic tactical gameplay in a modern, more visually pleasing presentation. Some fans might decry the absence of the Weapon Triangle and romance options. All in all, however, Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia does a commendable job in re-imagining an old game for today's times. It's a great example of a remake done right.
Despite its strategic depth and craft, you can't help but feel that Fire Emblem has had its run on 3DS. This isn't a criticism per se, and it's more remarkable now than ever that the handheld console with a low-rent screen and barely any processing power is still able to churn out such deep and engrossing experiences. Intelligent Systems is likely looking to Nintendo Switch for its next big strategic adventure – but for now, Shadows of Valentia is great enough to warrant dusting off your indestructible little pocket toy for one last hurrah.
Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia isn't just an old game with a new coat of paint that brings everything from cinematics through to voice acting into a more modern age of gaming. It's also a prime example of how the fundamentals of a classic game can still resonate today with newer audiences. Good game design stands the test of time, something that Shadows of Valentia has plenty of.
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
It is a welcome step back from the previous 3DS Fire Emblem games as it focuses on a tighter narrative while providing us with a glimpse towards the future as Shadows of Valentia ventures into new territory with its explorable areas and fresh gameplay mechanics.
Despite having many of the series' staple complexities stripped away, Shadows of Valentia proves a thoroughly enjoyable adventure. Those who found the Fire Emblem series too intimidating due to its difficulty and overwhelming depth need look no further for their accessible entry point to the franchise.
Despite never reaching North America in its original debut 25 years ago, Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia makes for a fun, albeit simpler, adventure on Nintendo 3DS.
Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia is a nice way of playing Fire Emblem Gaiden but it fails to achieve the quality of the latest games of the franchise.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Far from the quick-and-dirty update it might have been, Shadows of Valentia is no Awakening, but an enlightening and worthwhile history lesson.
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.
Fire Emblem Echoes changes enough to make you play the game differently while retaining most of the key aspects of what makes the series so great. The characters and story all connect well, the presentation is top notch and most importantly, the game is still very fun to play. While Awakening and Fates feel like more fleshed out experiences, Echoes bucks Gaiden's legacy of being the black sheep of the series by not only providing the solid Fire Emblem experience that has resonated with me for so long, but also providing a new, interesting way to play the game.