Fire Emblem Fates: Conquest - Nintendo 3DS

I still can't believe how much effort, time, and mental fortitude I have invested in this game. No matter how many attempts at a certain chapter I make, the frustration of having a single valuable unit defeated in combat (never to return again, in my case) is always overturned by the enthusiasm built by the intensely engaging gameplay, diverse maps, beautiful artwork, and unique class system that Fire Emblem Fates: Conquest offers.Being a fan of the series since the first US release on the GBA back in 2003, there have been a multitude of different iterations built on the same solid backbone of addicting strategy RPG goodness. The only US release I haven't had the pleasure of completing in it's entirety is Radiant Dawn for the Nintendo Wii (due to the fact that it is nearly impossible to come by for under $80-100 without copious amounts of secondhand shop searching across the states). Other than that, every release has been an extremely satisfying experience; although some seem to be more well-constructed than others, my investment in this IP is among the top of my video game franchise favorites. I'll probably be saying a lot of things that many of the entertainment journalism greats have already been saying, so I'll both cut to the chase and try to offer up a less immediate opinion from someone who has put over 60 hours into the main quest.If you are into strategy games, and you are looking for a challenge, this is definitely for you. If you would like more of a relaxing and less cranial experience, pick up this game's partner first (Fire Emblem Fates: Birthright). Birthright is much more similar to Fates' predecessor, Fire Emblem Awakening, and although I have not come nearly as far in that title, it seems to have a much more traditional story arc as well. I enjoy Conquest for it's brutal difficulty (although I am playing Normal Classic mode for my first play-through) and similarities to earlier games in the series (I find Conquest to be most like Path of Radiance and the first Game Boy Advance title). No matter what, you need to pick up all three games in this release to truly enjoy all of the extras and maps, as these are truly three separate games with one story. The initial confusion regarding which version to pick up first and how to get the other two has thankfully subsided for the most part, but if you are curious, I bought Conquest as a hard copy, purchase Birthright through the 3DS eShop application for half price, and will purchase Revelation once I have completed the first two (which might take me a while). There is a ridiculously bountiful amount of quality content in these games that easily justifies the price point for anyone looking to get into the series...even Conquest can be turned down in difficulty to suit any player.The storyline for these games is nothing to write home about...but it serves it's purpose very well, and it engrossing enough to warrant at least some emotional investment in the characters. Tropes from previous games in the series return in full force to the roster here, and the lines for each character portray personality very accurately in most cases, albeit with plenty of silly moments (which I like a lot). Speaking of which, the culture of Japan shines through in these few games more than it has in any other, which is a more than welcome addition to the fold, adding plenty of quirkiness to some of the mini-games presented in the "My Castle" segment between chapters. I still can't figure out whether the Hot Springs is actually valuable for in-game health or just an opportunity to spurn some awkward moments between characters (yet, I still go to find out whether something new or different will happen). Like I said, there are so many nooks and crannies to this game that previous entries hadn't explored yet, and I hope that they take it up yet another notch in the next installment.Combat has gotten even more complex, as the "Pair Up" function has actually been given even more value by initiating "Defense Stance", which allows for a pair of enemy units (yes that is possible now) to be prevented from attacking twice. That's just one of the additions to the addictive formula of Fire Emblem, and most of these additions don't detract or degradate from the experience.All in all, it's totally worth your time if you need something to eat your days away on the 3DS...it sure has done a number on me.

Came quickly, great difficulty for either hardcore or casual gamers, one of TWO of the best Fire Emblem games ever made! Love it~

This game is a bit of a moneygrab for FE fans as it is extremely similar to the previous game (and even has many characters with identical or very similar traits to FE:Awakening characters- although there are legitimate reasons for some of them that I won't discuss due to spoilers)This game is brutal in terms of difficulty, in keeping with the franchise. However, difficulty options are available, ranging from the most extreme (lunatic/lunatic+ which are very difficult, and almost impossible if you don't grind with DLC) to ludicrously easy (For people who just want to enjoy the story, which is very good). On the easiest setting, it is literally impossible to lose most missions as any defeated characters are revived on the very next turn. The hardest settings will have you resetting the game every time someone is defeated. A restart mission button would be really nice instead of having to soft reset (Press L+R+Start if you dont know) the game.All in all this game is tons of fun and I'm totally addicted, but the one thing that eats me is how expensive the game is overall. One of the most expensive Nintendo games ever when you buy everything (~$40 for the game, $20 to download the content for whichever version you didn't purchase, $20 for the third and final version, $20 for the first pack of DLC, and $8 for the second- That's over $100 for the full experience)For whatever reason, not compatible with the Roy amiibo, even though Roy cameo'd in the previous game. All other Fire Emblem amiibo work and can be used to eventually bring the corresponding character into your party.

I always wanted to play the Fire Emblem Fates Conquest; since I played the Birthright path I thought I'd play the Conquest path.