A look back at: Fire Emblem Gaiden

 

I'm actually bedazzling myself with regards to my own commitments. I go through each thing I do, whether ROM hack or actual game play. Plodding along, once I notice I'm really close to finishing one thing, I sure as hell will rush through it at that point. Fire Emblem Gaiden is, in layman's terms, actually a much shorter Fire Emblem game than it's predecessor. No 25 chapters, just 5, but they are spread out alongside mechanics like "choose your location" world map, regular four-direction navigation in some places, and short locations for battlefields. The big selling point was crafting two different protagonists with their own separate parties, and they don't really meet up with one another until the very end. You still got the permadeath mechanics, and the headaches of grinding to gain promotions, plus new ones, but with some breathers in between.

The game at least tells you when you can truly class change after the required level-up. The Villager class in particular is outstanding due to it being versatile enough to be promoted to a number of classes, and most regular classes like Cavalier, Mercenary, and Archer can be promoted several times. But of course, the grinding to get to it is the big draw. At least here, you don't have as linear a structure as the chapter-based format of the previous game, you can enter a cave/shrine and battle monsters with characters until they get where they need. And you don't need to worry about finite usage of items anymore, each person has just one item to equip to increase stats and just a regular weapon more or less. Except mages, they have the incredibly dubious decision of having their own HEALTH be used for spells! This sucks, especially since enemies always want to go after them if they can't go after the main hero sometimes, and them being weak, and getting WEAKER FROM THEIR OWN SPELLS means they are the easiest characters to die in this game.

My guide that I used to get through Fire Emblem Gaiden wanted me to grind, grind, grind. Worst part about this was that it was necessary. Especially once you get to Chapter 3 and beyond, you want to enter those caves with the goddess statues for promotion, fight those monsters repeatedly, and then promote, and maybe grind some more. You come into a later enemy encounter unprepared, you'll certainly lose. My guide wanted to ensure that you had to reach Level 20 before promoting, since the stat gains are almost as important as the promotions if not more, and yes, there were characters that benefited way more than others. Clair and Python in Alm's team once fully upgraded were amazing, just like Alm himself, and the three Pegasus sisters that Celica recruits are the best characters for her to use. Speaking of, while this is a Gaiden game completely different from Marth's adventure, it's interesting to note the three Pegasus sisters from that game were the only previous characters to return here. All just to become a part of this game too.

Oh, and let's not even go to the point of accuracy. Let's just not. It's so often that misses occur, that you really just want to hope to be able to hit twice, if at all. Especially mages. Man these games can be rough.