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[isamu]

Both of these games sound great but I have a question....

I have never played a strategy rpg game before, just regular rpgs. That being the case, can I still get into these games? Can a regular rpg'er enjoy these startegy games as much as regular rpgs?

 

[Dyne]

Both of these games sound great but I have a question....

I have never played a strategy rpg game before, just regular rpgs. That being the case, can I still get into these games? Can a regular rpg'er enjoy these startegy games as much as regular rpgs?

Coming from the same kind of background as you a few years ago..

Fire Emblem, yes. Advance Wars, not really.

 

[En-ou]

Both of these games sound great but I have a question....

I have never played a strategy rpg game before, just regular rpgs. That being the case, can I still get into these games? Can a regular rpg'er enjoy these startegy games as much as regular rpgs?

i have never played turn based games before nor strategy games before. everyone should play these games if they havent. they're two of the most addictive games to have come out this generation.

 

[Diomedeskun]

I love Advance Wars, especially part 2, but Fire Emblem is one of the greatest games I have ever played. Go play Fire Emblem.

 

[BobbyRobby]

Both of these games sound great but I have a question....

I have never played a strategy rpg game before, just regular rpgs. That being the case, can I still get into these games? Can a regular rpg'er enjoy these startegy games as much as regular rpgs?

I'd say definitely, though moreso Fire Emblem.

I'd also strongly suggest Final Fantasy Tactics, the game that started my love affair with the genre.

 

[isamu]

I'd say definitely, though moreso Fire Emblem.

I'd also strongly suggest Final Fantasy Tactics, the game that started my love affair with the genre.

Funny, I was STRONGLY advised not to play FFTA, sell the game and get either Mario and Luigi or FE. I went with M&L btw

 

[Mama Smurf]

Well that's FFTA, not FFT.

Basically it comes down to this: you can't go wrong. What a great problem to have.

 

[Forgotten Ancient]

I found the hard campaign mode in AW2 to be quite challenging.

I'm still trying to get an "S" in all of the battle map levels, but a few are really tough to pull off.

I haven't played FE yet, but I honestly think I'd prefer it more due to it's theme. I'm not one for military-themed games, but AW2 is amazing anyways.

 

[Musashi Wins!]

Advance Wars 2 without a doubt. Though Fire Emblem is good, I played it after the board hype and felt that it suffered a little in comparison. It's since become such a board favorite that it's almost not worth critiquing. It's still a good game for the system though.

Intelligent Systems are easily the most talented group in Nintendo these days, that's for sure.

 

[neonglow]

You should just buy AW2 right now since it's $10 at Best Buy. Here is the link.

 

[Johnny Konami]

My vote's for AW2. I played both AW games to completion (hard campaign and bonus maps too) but I found FE frustrating because I was too compulsive about losing units. FE seems to be harder to calculate and there is more of a random damage factor (beyond knowing the weapon triad) so I stopped somewhere in the middle. I may go back to it someday, though, it's a cool looking game, and appealing for sure, you just have to be able to deal with permanent death of your characters a bit better than I did You can always reload your save game and try again, as I often did, but that makes the games progress drag on. It's not a hard game, just not for compulsive types...

AW2 is a great game, with faceless units who have no investment beyond the current map. They don't have XP and you can always conjure up more at a factory. Much easier to send to thier deaths, wouldn't you agree?

Oh yeah. My advice regarding FFTA - stay the hell away. Once you play it long enough you realize there really is no strategy about it (other than "hit that guy in the back") and that all the classes really don't differ enough to make it interesting. I felt like the unit types were negligble for the most part.

 

[Shaheed79]

What some might find interesting our first Fire Emblem game in the west is actually nowhere near the pinnacle of the series which would either be FE3 or FE4. In fact I wouldn't put it in the top 3 FE games but its still one of the best games this generation but thats just how good the series is.

Anybody else here played and completed FE3 or 4? I haven't completed them but I've played enough of them to know how superior they are to almost every SRPG out there except maybe FFT. Whichever way you go be sure to at least try out the other game for AT LEAST 10 levels just to know what your missing.

 

[BobbyRobby]

Funny, I was STRONGLY advised not to play FFTA, sell the game and get either Mario and Luigi or FE. I went with M&L btw

That was good advice. FFTA isn't terrible, but its nothing special.

Like Mama Smurf said I was referring to the PS1 game.

 

[Forgotten Ancient]

My vote's for AW2. I played both AW games to completion (hard campaign and bonus maps too) but I found FE frustrating because I was too compulsive about losing units. FE seems to be harder to calculate and there is more of a random damage factor (beyond knowing the weapon triad) so I stopped somewhere in the middle. I may go back to it someday, though, it's a cool looking game, and appealing for sure, you just have to be able to deal with permanent death of your characters a bit better than I did You can always reload your save game and try again, as I often did, but that makes the games progress drag on. It's not a hard game, just not for compulsive types...

Fuck. Thank you!

I'm the kind of guy that would constantly save in Warcraft 2 if I so much as lost a single unit. I really have a hard time finishing a map in AW2 if my opponent kills a few of my units or steals one of my buildings. To permanantly lose a character in FE would be torture.

 

[Shaheed79]

Fuck. Thank you!

I'm the kind of guy that would constantly save in Warcraft 2 if I so much as lost a single unit. I really have a hard time finishing a map in AW2 if my opponent kills a few of my units or steals one of my buildings. To permanantly lose a character in FE would be torture.

Thats one of the things I love about FE though. You can determine the difficulty of the game in the way you play which varies more than most people think. You can play a little recklessly and risk losing some weaker units before they level up enough to matter or you can try to retain every chess piece you collect in the whole game which would be a little harder. Lets say you play a tough level and your right at the end and you got some very nice level ups that you really wouldn't want to lose and one of your 2nd tier units suddenly gets killed by the boss. Do you start over and risk loosing those great stats just to save that unit or do you except the loss in order to retain the experience? I've come across this dilemna many times playing FE and it always seems to enhance the experience.

Also who you choose to fight with greatly depicts the difficulty of the game. You very well could choose to concentrate of 8 or 9 units and constantly send them out to get stronger and kick butt but risk having a lot of weak 2nd tier units. Or you can spread the levels around to try to keep everyone on an equal strength which is what I prefer. This is much harder to do for obvious reasons. This usually applies to most SRPG's but for some reason it seems much more crucial and even fleshed out in the FE series.

 

[Johnny Konami]

Thats one of the things I love about FE though. You can determine the difficulty of the game in the way you play which varies more than most people think. You can play a little recklessly and risk losing some weaker units before they level up enough to matter or you can try to retain every chess piece you collect in the whole game which would be a little harder. Lets say you play a tough level and your right at the end and you got some very nice level ups that you really wouldn't want to lose and one of your 2nd tier units suddenly gets killed by the boss. Do you start over and risk loosing those great stats just to save that unit or do you except the loss in order to retain the experience? I've come across this dilemna many times playing FE and it always seems to enhance the experience.

Also who you choose to fight with greatly depicts the difficulty of the game. You very well could choose to concentrate of 8 or 9 units and constantly send them out to get stronger and kick butt but risk having a lot of weak 2nd tier units. Or you can spread the levels around to try to keep everyone on an equal strength which is what I prefer. This is much harder to do for obvious reasons. This usually applies to most SRPG's but for some reason it seems much more crucial and even fleshed out in the FE series.

I think this is the appeal for most FE fans. It's definitely the fundamental difference in devising strategies between AW and FE.

We oughta sum up this thread saying both games are worth getting. We even have a link to AW2 for 10 clams, can't beat that, right? Good chance you can afford both.

 

[Pellham]

wow I never thought i'd see an AW vs FE thread.

I should note, that as someone who's played every Wars and Fire Emblem game, AW2 is actually the best Wars game, and FE (the one released in the US) is the weakest FE game to date (including being compared to the famicom games). So a comparison of the two games is quite interesting.

 

[Shaheed79]

wow I never thought i'd see an AW vs FE thread.

I should note, that as someone who's played every Wars and Fire Emblem game, AW2 is actually the best Wars game, and FE (the one released in the US) is the weakest FE game to date (including being compared to the famicom games). So a comparison of the two games is quite interesting.

I was gonna say almost the exact same thing like the Best of the AW series against an average FE game and FE still almost comes out on top. I didn't wanna call this FE the WORST in the series because of flaming but it almost pretty much is. But thats just how great the FE franchise is though so no need to worry. The only SRPG series that comes close to it imo is Ogre Battle.

 

[GaimeGuy]

Here's my advice:

Get both.

There, problem solved.

 

[Parallax Scroll]

I haven't played AW2 yet, but I absolutely love both AW and FE. The funny thing is, Final Fantasy Tactics and Disgaea were never really my thing. Intelligent Systems' games have really nailed it for me in some way that those other games have not.

 

[GermanOfficer]

Fire Emblem is more addiciting.

Simply get both of them and if you can't afford to buy them at once get Fire Emblem at first.

 

[Prospero]

They're both excellent, but I prefer Advance Wars 2. Fire Emblem I've started twice, and had to put it down both times because real life intervened (it really does seem to demand all of your free time).

AW2's multiplayer rocks the house--deep, deep strategy, and newbies can pick it up in about ten minutes.

As for difficulty--FE might be considered harder than AW2 because of the need to preserve units, but anyone who says that AW2 is an easy game isn't being honest. FFTA is easy; Tactics Ogre: Knight of Lodis is easy. AW2 is not easy--maybe easier for you if you've played the hell out of AW1, but not otherwise.

 

[jarrod]

AW2 is infinitely more replayable. And infinitely more fun. Easy.

 

[Saki]

Both

 

[bionic77]

As much as I loved Advance Wars 1 and 2 I have to go with Fire Emblem. Simply the best game I have played this generation.

 

[iapetus]

Fire Emblem is more addiciting.

Your inability to use the word 'addictive' makes your opinion null and void. A winner is AW2.

 

[JoshuaJSlone]

Both of these games sound great but I have a question....

I have never played a strategy rpg game before, just regular rpgs. That being the case, can I still get into these games? Can a regular rpg'er enjoy these startegy games as much as regular rpgs?

I don't think there's really much of a comparison, so I don't think being into RPGs would imply you'd enjoy the strategy games or vice-versa. Battling is very different, story progression is very different... really what's shared between FE and a regular RPG is that you have a team of characters who improve and can be equipped with various items, and an attempt at a story.

Something like Final Fantasy Tactics (regular or Advance) is more of a hybrid. There you have control of your movement at least on a map, have more optional tasks you can end up doing, random battles, and greater modification of each character through a job system.

Put on a continuum, it'd go something like
RPG - - Final Fantasy Tactics - - Fire Emblem - - Advance Wars

 

[Overseer]

I vote both, but if you absolutely need to pick one go with AW2.

 

[jarrod]

Put on a continuum, it'd go something like
RPG - - Final Fantasy Tactics - - Fire Emblem - - Advance Wars

I'd argue it's actually closer to...

RPG - - Final Fantasy Tactics - - - Fire Emblem - Advance Wars

 

[GermanOfficer]

Your inability to use the word 'addictive' makes your opinion null and void. A winner is AW2.

You got me there....

Of course I meant addictive

 

[Littleberu]

Okay, I'm in the same dilemma that I was 1 year ago.

Advance Wars 2 + Astro Boy for 38$ CAD

OR

Fire Emblem 1 for 20$ CAD.

I... I just don't know.

 

[Ash Housewares]

buy them all

 

[Littleberu]

buy them all

Oh I'd do it. I would do it If I hadn't lost my job.

Edit : I have a DS too. Should I just wait for AW Dual Strike?

 

[Beezy]

Oh I'd do it. I would do it If I hadn't lost my job.

Edit : I have a DS too. Should I just wait for AW Dual Strike?

As long as you end up playing all the GBA FE and Aw games at some point, it doesn't matter. Both series are great.

 

[Metal Messiah]

Fire Emblem

 

[Memles]

Wal-Mart bargain bin? I picked up Astro Boy and Fire Emblem myself, and enjoy both, especially Fire Emblem. It's a really fun little title, and has a lot of replay value. I think it is definitely my favourite of the three titles (I own all three now). AW2 is really good, but I find that the personal connection and "Permadeath" strategy involved in Fire Emblem puts it over the top.

But, I'd personally choose AW2 and Fire Emblem.

 

[Mode]

For some reason, I prefer Advance Wars to Fire Emblem. I think Fire Emblem's medieval speak ruined the game for me. I'll have to try Sacred Stones eventually and see if my opinion of FE changes.

 

[Joeholley]

I prefered FE over AW2. AW2 was too similar to AW for me, didn't really feel like many changes from the previous game in the little time I gave it. FE has been pretty gripping and has kept my attention over several weeks.

 

[Shao]

What about Fire Emblem SS?

Better/harder/easier than any of the others?

I've only played AW1 and I found some of it incredibly hard (still haven't completed final mission in advanced campaign - how anyone can call it easy is beyond me). AW2 and both FE's are harder than AW1?

 

[GaimeGuy]

Shit I didn't realise you were the same guy who posted this topic back in december.

Wtf? you still haven't gotten either AW2 or FE? What the hell is wrong with you?

 

[Littleberu]

Shit I didn't realise you were the same guy who posted this topic back in december.

Wtf? you still haven't gotten either AW2 or FE? What the hell is wrong with you?

Well I just got myself a DS. Last year I wanted a GBA.

 

[Madame M]

What annoys me about Fire Emblem is the feeling of "You'll miss something if you don't use a guide"

Adavnce Wars 2 doesn't have that.

Fire Emblem is still better though.

Plus Dual Strike will probably shit all over Black Hole Rising (especially when Dual Strike, while a bad name, is a lot less annoying than Black Hole Rising)

It shouldn't be called Advance Wars though... ugh

 

[Ranger X]

I just bought Fire Emblem 2 a couple of weeks ago and it's so good. I'm kind of addicted now, i found a factory sealed copy of Fire Emblem yesterday and i bought it.
I suggest you take Fire Emblem then Advance Wars DS later.

 

[Mejilan]

I'm in the FE > AW camp, but I have a strong bias, seeing that I love RPGs so much.

 

[Pellham]

wait, so you were faced with AW vs FE 6 months ago, and even today you still haven't made your mind up???
jesus. I wonder how many games you bought in that 6 month period.

 

[LakeEarth]

Canadians, Fire Emblem is $25 at Futureshop. I was tempted to pick it up, but I always get bored of SRPG's before I get very far.

 

[bionic77]

I can't believe Nintendo made us wait this fucking long for Fire Emblem. That is almost a Sega like level of incompetance.

"These Americans won't like the GREATEST GAME OF ALL TIME, instead of porting Fire Emblem lets make Mario Party 15!"

 

[Madame M]

This is FE7. FE6 never came to America because Nintendo sucks

 

[Pellham]

This is FE7. FE1-FE6 never came to America because Nintendo sucks

fixed

 

[bionic77]

This is FE7. FE6 never came to America because Nintendo sucks

I know, that was my point! We missed out on 6 Fire Emblem games and got fucking Mario Party!

Why was I denied so much gaming pleasure for so long? What other gaming marvels have never made it stateside?