Best Fire Emblem Games According To Metacritic

Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia is the perfect definition of a love letter to the game it is based on. Director Kenta Nakanishi played Gaiden many times and cherished the memories of his father playing with him before he would eventually pass away. It was clear from Shadows of Valentia‘s presentation that plenty of heart and soul was put into it. Ranging from beautiful visuals, breathtaking music, and fleshed-out characters, Nakanishi’s father would be proud of his son for remaking a cherished game.

While the faithful map design of Shadows of Valentia can sometimes work against the game, featuring a somewhat lackluster map design compared to other releases in the series, this entry did introduce the revolutionary Mila’s Turnwheel. This allows players to redo turns, potentially fixing mistakes without requiring an entire chapter to be replayed.

Remaking what is also somewhat of a remake was a farfetched idea, but Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon managed to land well on Metacritic. The West was finally introduced to Marth, and while it is not dialogue-heavy and only rudimentary, at best, Shadow Dragon features many difficulties and encourages replayability.

RELATED: Fire Emblem: Best Units In The Entire Series

The graphics are dated and not the best for the Nintendo DS, but for a traditional Fire Emblem experience, Shadow Dragon is a must-try if someone can get their hands on a used copy. While Shadow Dragon was the first entry in the series to omit a support system since the release of the Japan-exclusive Thracia 776, the game broke new ground by offering fully realized multiplayer for the first time in the series, greatly expanding on what was previously possible in Fire Emblem: The Blazing Blade.

Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones is a spiritual successor to Fire Emblem Gaiden, featuring two branching paths and giving players access to grind at free will. Considered by many players to be one of the most accessible games in the series, the eighth entry is very welcoming and gives a different kind of gameplay. The Sacred Stones is very popular for speed and LTC runs and has even been the base for many Fire Emblem ROM hacks. It was first launched for the Game Boy Advance and was ported to 3DS and Wii U.

While many other entries in the series are connected to at least one other Fire Emblem game in some capacity, The Sacred Stones is a standalone experience set in an alternate timeline. In addition to featuring two distinct routes that provide the game with an additional layer of replayability, The Sacred Stones has a branching promotion system that was later revisited in several entries, such as Awakening and Fates.

Ike remains one of the most popular characters in the entire series. Path of Radiance offers a strong story, enjoyable gameplay, and an excellent array of characters. It is also beginner-friendly and appealing to hardcore players (for the Japanese version).

Unfortunately, Path of Radiance is rare and sold at high prices from places like Amazon and eBay. But for what this game has to offer, it brings an unforgettable journey for the growing mercenary. Thanks to the forgiving difficulty and memorable story, it is an excellent choice for newcomers to the series and Fire Emblem veterans.

Fire Emblem Fates is the fourteenth entry in the franchise and was the first to offer a split release. Each version has a unique story and focuses on a different gameplay style, so although released under the same banner, players would need to play all the titles to get the complete experience.

RELATED: RPGs With The Best Romances, Ranked

Birthright was one of the initial two versions available at launch, where the protagonist is aligned with the Kingdom of Hoshido. Birthright‘s gameplay is similar to that of Awakening in that players will find it easier to gain both gold and experience points, making it a better choice for those still new to the genre.

On Fire Emblem Fates‘ release, the other version available was Conquest, where the protagonist is aligned with the kingdom of Nohr. The gameplay in Conquest is less rewarding for the player than Birthright, making it more difficult for those unfamiliar with the franchise. As well as fewer rewards for each map completed, there are additional objectives to take on, and sometimes the maps have a limited number of turns.

Fans perceive Conquest as the more old-school experience, which is likely why it scored slightly higher than its counterpart. While the difficulty of Conquest may be offputting for some, the game is regarded for having some of the most rewarding map designs in the franchise, making it a must-play for those well-experienced with Fire Emblem.

Revelation is the third version of Fire Emblem Fates, though it was not available at launch but was released later as DLC. It can not be bought as a standalone entry, as players require a copy of either Conquest or Birthright to play Revelation. Revelation sees the protagonist decide not to align with either of the kingdoms in the game. It mixes the two previous versions in terms of gameplay with rewards and experience of Birthright.

Due to sporting a massive roster of characters from both Conquest and Birthright, this iteration of Fates is a solid choice for those wanting to prioritize the support system. Unfortunately, the core gameplay and story are among the most polarizing entries in the series.

Fire Emblem Fates is somewhat of a controversial title. With mechanics similar to Pokemon-Amie being removed from international releases, being able to marry brothers and sisters, and having a story so ridiculous that memes came to life, the gameplay makes Fates incredible.

RELATED: Turn-Based Tactics Games That Are Perfect For Newcomers To The Genre

The Fire Emblem Fates: Special Edition offered all three titles in one edition and was well-received by fans. Conquest is the perfect classic experience with a fantastic map design. Birthright fits those still new to the franchise, and Revelation does a mix of both while giving everyone a happy ending – the less said about that route, the better.

Fully known as Fire Emblem: The Blazing Blade, the seventh entry was introduced to Western audiences after the attention brought to the franchise by Marth and Roy, including in Super Smash Bros. Melee. Out of the Game Boy Advance titles, this is considered the best of the three.

Lyn Mode can be annoying if someone is familiar with how the game works, but it introduces what kind of characters Fire Emblem brings and how they’ve grown attached to them. To this day, it remains one of the best titles to start if anyone wants to get into Fire Emblem.

With one of the best tutorials in the series, the game’s Hector-focused story and various difficulty options make this entry a solid choice for those looking to experience Fire Emblem for the first time. “Hector Hard Mode” also makes this game worthwhile for those looking to challenge themselves.

Fire Emblem: Three Houses set up expectations and delivered them nearly perfectly. With a morally gray story, fascinating characters, and moreish gameplay, the 16th entry outsold its predecessors by a long mile. People to this day are still dissecting the characters’ motives, making excellent cosplay and fan art, and the voice actors became heavily involved by displaying their gratitude to voice the characters. Despite the delayed dates, Three Houses is one title many gamers will remember for a while.

Distinct for immediately setting players on one of several routes based on which house they choose to teach at the beginning of the game, Three Houses is the most customizable entry in the series. Due to a dynamic and flexible class system that allows players to train each of their units exactly how they want, teaching them various skills and having them qualify for the game’s diverse classes, players can design their ideal army and form their unique strategies.

Known as the entry that saved the franchise, Fire Emblem: Awakening made a return to Western audiences for the Nintendo 3DS, and the timing for both that and thriving sales in Japan was all it needed to continue the franchise to this day. Awakening might not be the top-selling Fire Emblem game, but its legacy is something to admire for saving a franchise from ending. The game had a lot of love put into it despite some imperfections.

Set in the distant future of Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon, Awakening features many fan-favorite mechanics from previous entries in the series, such as the branching class system of Sacred Stones. Additionally, the game redefines the support system, causing characters married through the system to have children that are each recruitable units in their own right, in a design reminiscent of Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War‘s second generation.

MORE: Best Games That Allow You To Create A Family Dynasty