Character personalities, anyone?

[RoyLover]

I don't know about you guys, but one of the main reason why I LOVE the Fire Emblem games is because they present personalities (no one-character are like the other) into even the most minor soldier you have with you.  I think this is mainly due to supports, however.  As we all know (or will now,) Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon does NOT have supports and, much less, something Radiant Dawn did to give other minor characters a little shine (base conversations, additional "screen time," etcetera.)  For someone like me who thrives on adoration and inspections on the minor characters and their personalities, it is sad that quite a number of characters are given no "screen time" unless you kill them. (I'm suggesting their death quote.)

Well, to make my point short, will the game be ruined for you?  I would still enjoy this game since I'm sure the story should still be quite astounding.  However, it's quite a turn-down for me since I won't get to see how other characters are and how they interact with another character. D: (Maybe I'm just weird.) Maybe I'm just expecting too much out of a remake. (Yes, I hope to see a new Fire Emblem world in the next installation to this series.)

[Ocelot the Viper]

I don't know about you guys, but one of the main reason why I LOVE the Fire Emblem games is because they present personalities (no one-character are like the other) into even the most minor soldier you have with you.  I think this is mainly due to supports, however.  As we all know (or will now,) Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon does NOT have supports and, much less, something Radiant Dawn did to give other minor characters a little shine (base conversations, additional "screen time," etcetera.)  For someone like me who thrives on adoration and inspections on the minor characters and their personalities, it is sad that quite a number of characters are given no "screen time" unless you kill them. (I'm suggesting their death quote.)

Well, to make my point short, will the game be ruined for you?  I would still enjoy this game since I'm sure the story should still be quite astounding.  However, it's quite a turn-down for me since I won't get to see how other characters are and how they interact with another character. D: (Maybe I'm just weird.) Maybe I'm just expecting too much out of a remake. (Yes, I hope to see a new Fire Emblem world in the next installation to this series.)

Hopefully you know the personalities in this one are so horrible its makes people cry. LOL
Well for FE 1 anyway, who knows what they did with the script this time around. Also, the personalities die being translated into English and such, its best read in Japanese. Are these the reasons why you're disappointed? As for me, no not really, I've been waiting so long for a Marth game it doesn't matter to me that much anymore....

[RoyLover]

I know a good amount and portion about Marth's game and his story...so of course it would be disappointing to me.  For a remake, one would expect to get MORE out of it, not the exact same. (Much less, I heard it's only Book I. DX How sad!  Not even the whole tale!)

[Ocelot the Viper]

I know a good amount and portion about Marth's game and his story...so of course it would be disappointing to me.  For a remake, one would expect to get MORE out of it, not the exact same. (Much less, I heard it's only Book I. DX How sad!  Not even the whole tale!)

That's what I thought, anything for money with Nintendo....Book 2 would have been a perfect idea. Technically, we get less, even Marth had a different sprite when holding the Fire Emblem, this time around, its the same through the whole thing.  I'm looking forward to class swap though...

[RoyLover]

I've actually played around with it...and it's strange how my Abel was a stronger swordmaster than my Navarre (or my Navarre just really bummed me out this time.)  But, then again, that's a different topic...that will probably be brought up later.

Well, it did say something along the lines of additional scripts, dialogue, and whatnot to better enhance the story and remake of this game.  I'm sure once it's out in English, we'd probably see that, at least. (I only understand so much of Fire Emblem in Japanese, really.)  I just think, compared to the other Fire Emblem games released into Western shores, this one is even worse than Fire Emblem: Sacred Stones. But, yes, I think this game is to recruit more fans or gain budget out of it being Marth than to please the already-made fans.  I'd still buy the game simply because I want to support Fire Emblem. D: After all, I believe Radiant Dawn was too hardcore for the to-be fans of Fire Emblem.  Therefore, I guess this is a nice solution to "tone things down" a bit.

[hyde]

I would be dissappointed too, because this will be the first time I'll play this game in English. Although I know the general story of Marth's game, I haven't got a clue on details or on the characters, their relations and their personalities. It'd really be a shame if we wouldn't get to know anything about the latter.

[Superbus]

There's really no personality TO show. Very few characters are given face time; Marth, Sheeda, Nina, the characters in the tutorial, Minerva until she's recruited, Gato near the end, etc. Other than that, the majority of the massive amount of people in this game get four lines: recruitment, talking to Marth in that same chapter, death, and ending. It's disappointing; supports would have made the characters a lot more fleshed out. After that, we only know very basic things; Kashim needs money, Navarre is a mercenary who won't kill women, Ricardo's a retard, etc. Hell, Maji, Bashi and Barts don't even get that much!

That's the #1 ding I have against this game other than the online shop malarkey; too many of the characters are utterly disposable. It's not even like you can use Marcus because he's interesting as a character; who the fuck gives two shits about Ulf, or any of the 903821302183201 Social Knights?

[RoyLover]

It's not even like you can use Marcus because he's interesting as a character; who the fuck gives two shits about Ulf, or any of the 903821302183201 Social Knights?

My exact thoughts!  What kept me favoring weaker units over stronger or more useful units WAS because of character personalities!  But now...it actually makes a lot of sense to use only the strong units and benching the rest of the crappy units. .___. The delight of resetting the game if ONE character died...lost its point.  I think, in this game, I will have "character-diversions" in which a useless character diverts the attention of a few enemies...and dies in the process of doing so.  Seriously.  I am considering that technique now. >___>

[Superbus]

My exact thoughts!  What kept me favoring weaker units over stronger or more useful units WAS because of character personalities!  But now...it actually makes a lot of sense to use only the strong units and benching the rest of the crappy units. .___. The delight of resetting the game if ONE character died...lost its point.  I think, in this game, I will have "character-diversions" in which a useless character diverts the attention of a few enemies...and dies in the process of doing so.  Seriously.  I am considering that technique now. >___>

Already beat you too it, kiddo; in my last game, I sacrificed Ulf to weaken some horsemen coming in before recruiting Minerva. All of Hardain's people are virtually useless as it stands - yes, Ulf's got good growths, but by the time he starts getting decent experience for his kills, he's too weak to be useful, and you have to essentially whore him in the Arena - not easy - or take kills away from good characters - and have no characterization outside of their ending. I used Ulf as a shield.

And I lost a lot of people last game that I didn't give a shit about. Raddy? Bashi (who I lost in my current game)? Fuck 'em! The only time I reset was if I lost someone critical to my game, like Sheeda, Maric, Linda, a healer, etc; just yesterday, I reset when I lost Abel, but I even had to think about that, because there's 1239210832109 Social Knights that can replace him. Only a few charactes, in my eyes - the two underleveled mages, Rena, Est, Sheeda for the ending - are truly irreplaceable, unlike in, say, Rekka no Ken, where you could justify using Renault for a storyline purpose.

[SlippyToasterTrooper_UK]

Also don't forget that if you want to visit most the gaiden chapters and experiance new dialogue and even more characters your party much total 15 or less (I'm not sure if you can get much less since the game gives you generic units so no matter what you'll always be able to deploy the maximum amount of units of any given map).

[hyde]

Though on the plus side, it's now easier to make the sacrifices for the Gaiden chapters! 

Of course, all you gain by that is another bland character.

But seriously, it's dissappointing. I just started playing FE3 Book 1 and was shocked after reading Navarre's recruitment conversation. It was like this:

Navarre: WTF? I don't hurt women.
Sheeda: Why you do this? Join us! If not, kill me.
Navarre: Well OK I guess, since I don't hurt women.

And then he joins. I mean, honestly >_>

[Superbus]

The thing is, I killed Gordon - after sacrificing Jeigan - to get Norn to start with.

For what? She got ONE LINE of diaglogue - which translated more or less to "Yeah! You're safe!", or something like that - and then bravo, I'm stuck with an archer that's even MORE useless than Gordon (himself a mediocre unit in a weak class)! The thought that I have to sacrifice my units in order to see all of the chapters, to get inferior replacements, is something I'm going to be touching upon once I get a chance to finish this blasted review.

[Charliecane]

I was pretty disappointed to hear that there was a support system but no conversations. Marth's games are my favorite in the series, but the lack of character development was a little irksome. It was understandable way back when, but here IS had a chance to turn rocks into diamonds and they blew it.

But on the bright side, I can at least use my imagination and envision the characters as I please.

[Swordsalmon]

All of Hardain's people are virtually useless as it stands - yes, Ulf's got good growths, but by the time he starts getting decent experience for his kills, he's too weak to be useful, and you have to essentially whore him in the Arena - not easy - or take kills away from good characters - and have no characterization outside of their ending. I used Ulf as a shield.

Wolf and Zagarro are the best Heroes for most the game due to their hax growths and the way EXP is calculated. They level quickly and become epic in only a few chapters. Biraku is a better Paladin because he actually doubles, and Roshe is a decent Dragon Knight or Swordmaster due to his Strength and Skill.

I've played FEDS thrice, and the lack of personality and importance for minor character really isn't that big of a downside. Now I can ship RoshexKatua without canon getting in the way. <3

[Neofox]

That's the #1 ding I have against this game other than the online shop malarkey; too many of the characters are utterly disposable. It's not even like you can use Marcus because he's interesting as a character; who the fuck gives two shits about Ulf, or any of the 903821302183201 Social Knights?

Ignoring the shop "malarkey" (which I already spoke about in another topic), I think that's why they decided to create Gaiden chapters that require 15 people or less alive on your team... They characters are relatively disposable and you won't be hurting too much to lose them for the sake of the Gaidens. I garuntee nobody would like unlocking the FE7 Gaiden chapters if they had requirements like that, but with such little personality you're not going to feel too bad about the losses they took to unlock.

[hyde]

Ignoring the shop "malarkey" (which I already spoke about in another topic), I think that's why they decided to create Gaiden chapters that require 15 people or less alive on your team... They characters are relatively disposable and you won't be hurting too much to lose them for the sake of the Gaidens. I garuntee nobody would like unlocking the FE7 Gaiden chapters if they had requirements like that, but with such little personality you're not going to feel too bad about the losses they took to unlock.

I'd much, much rather have good personalities with no Gaidens than these bland characters that you might as well kill off. Wasn't one of the selling points of Fire Emblem the fact that you lost your characters for ever and that you'd do everything to prevent it, because you'd have "bonded" with them?

Whether or not Ulf, Machis, Zaggaro, Riff, Daros or Samson die, I don't give a rat's ass about.

[FE3_Player]

Everyone.

FEDS is about the gameplay, and that is where it shines the most.  It's sad that there are no support conversations, but FEDS is just too good of a game for it to ruin it.

The only reason there are so many disposable characters is because FE1 anticipated people screwing up instead of realizing that people reset often, and since is a remake, they kept all of those characters in.  Notice how in a lot of American FE games there is a tighter budget on certain types of characters than in FE1, due to there being no more need for a dozen Social Knights.

There's still incentive to keep everyone alive: because it can be a challenge to do so, so you can feel more accomplished. Gaiden Chapters are really there to forgive mistakes players make, namely new players.

Also note that FE1 was not designed to have Gaiden Chapters.  This mechanic was tacked on without changing any of the chapter design, while taking advantage of an obvious flaw in FE1 where there are too many fodder units.

And Wolf/Ulf and Zagaro are broken.  What are you talking about, useless, Superbus?  Change Zagaro into a General or Hero and watch him become ridiculous.  Hardin is also an excellent unit, and actually relevant to the storyline too.  Hardin is going to be the only character using a Silver Lance after you ditch Jeigan, making him a valuable unit on hard modes, and he's a statistically capable unit as well.

Roshe and Villuck...  Roshe can make an okay archer if trained as one, but I can't see a use for Villuck at all.  It's Zagaro, Wolf, and Hardin himself that are excellent units.

[hyde]

For me it's not just support conversations, it's about the background information of characters. You can say "FEDS is about the gameplay", but as far as I know, all Fire Emblems are about the gameplay. That doesn't mean the story/character development would have to be neglected. I mean, you can have both.

Besides, it's a remake. It's easily forgivable for FE1, considering it's from 1991, but in 2008 we have different standards. It wouldn't be too much of a hassle to implement more development.

[FE3_Player]

Well, they didn't.  Our teachings of what should be the standard won't change that.  What matters is that we enjoy FEDS for what it is, because it's such a great game.

So like you play FE4 for the story, you should play FEDS mostly for gameplay, because FEDS is one of the better games in gameplay design, as well as having Hard 5 mode.

[hyde]

Well, they didn't.  Our teachings of what should be the standard won't change that.  What matters is that we enjoy FEDS for what it is, because it's such a great game.

I never said I won't enjoy the game. Fuck, it's Fire Emblem, I'll love every second of it, but that doesn't mean we can't discuss how dissappointed we are by the absence of a certain game element.