Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia released to the masses yesterday and with it came another Fire Emblem game to jump into. Fire Emblem is a popular tactical JRPG that can be overwhelming to newcomers in the series. The game is pretty tough until you get the hang of it and it can still be tough even when you do know what you’re doing. Here are some tips to help make the game a little easier for you.
Decide Whether Permadeath Is Meant For You
Purists will tell you that permadeath is the only way to play Fire Emblem. Permadeath means that once your characters die on the battlefield, they are gone for good. This will make every move matter and make you really think in advance about your moves. For casual players, that may not sound appealing so there is an option for them as well. In Casual Mode, your units will just “retreat” when they are defeated so you don’t have to permanently say goodbye to them.
The game has become a little easier with this installment with the introduction of Mila’s Turnwheel, which gives players the option to rewind their actions and potentially undoing a tragic mistake.
There Is No Weapon Triangle
In some Fire Emblem titles, there was a system called the Weapon Triangle which operated as a rock-paper-scissors game of sorts which would give certain weapons advantages over others but they would be more susceptible to damage elsewhere. Since Shadows of Valentia is remake of an older title, this system is not implemented in this title. Instead, the combat is based on your character’s stats. This is something to be aware of if you were fan of the Weapon Triangle system.
Check Your Surroundings
The battlefield is where you’ll be spending most of your in-game time so it’s important to know how it works. If you press the X button while on the map, it will show you all the areas the enemy can attack you from. If you’re in the area, the enemy can hurt you and if you’re not, you’re safe. Make sure you don’t end up moving someone who can’t defend themselves properly, like a healer, into a spot where they can be picked off by the enemy easily.
Terrain is also something to be aware of. If you put your units in a forest, you will get a defense bonus which can prove to be the difference between life or permadeath (or retreat) for your units. The effects of the terrain you’re in can be found in the upper left-hand corner of your screen.
Make Sure You Properly Manage Your Inventory
The inventory system in Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia is pretty straightforward. All you have to do is click on inventory in the menu and then select the unit that you want to edit. This will pull up a list of items in the convoy, which you can categorize using the left and right d-pad buttons. Pressing L or R will change the character. You will be picking up all sorts of items from the battlefield and shops so it’s important to get the best gear you can on your units. You will probably need to have your units carry a couple of potions with them, just in case the healer is too far away.
Don’t Forget About All Your Characters
Leveling up all members of my party evenly was one of my problems in the Pokemon games before they introduced the full party EXP Share. Make sure you take your Fire Emblem heroes and level them evenly. It is a good thing to have some level 30 beast but what good will that do when that unit is backed up by solely level 10 units? You want to make sure you have a couple of powerhouse units that can hold their own. It’s not realistic to expect one unit to dominate the battlefield.
