Summary
Simply put, there isn’t a series out there that plays quite likeFire Emblem. While tactical strategy games have been around for a while, with titles likeFinal Fantasy Tacticsand theValkyria Chroniclesseries following a similar basic gameplay formula,Fire Emblemhas always stood out for its unique mechanics, features, and systems that help to set it apart and that have been replicated in the majority of its entries.
Despite most of the games in the series offering a fresh new story and set of characters, it’s still a franchise with a very long and rich history, which has carried forward a handful of trends to ensure that each of the entries still feels vaguely connected to one another, giving players a sense of familiarity when diving back into the world. When booting up a newFire Emblemgame, these are thetraditions that fans can expectto come across each and every time.
8Anna
Every Anna May Look Different, But They’re All Shopkeepers Who Love Bartering With Customers
In a similar vein to Cid from theFinal Fantasyfranchise,Anna is a recurring characterwho always manages to show up in one way or another. While she first appeared inShadow Dragonas a random villager, Anna would be brought back as an entirely different character for each entry, sometimes appearing as a seasoned combatant, like inFire Emblem Awakening, or a young and naive kid, such as inEngage.
While they may all look different, many of the Annas have one shared trait: greediness. They are all completely obsessed with money and treasure, which usually leads them to becoming a merchant. That said, Anna has also been a playable unit in a few of the games, where she is able to put her quick and nimble combat style to good use.
7The Fire Emblem
A Mystical Item That Shows Up In Every Game In A New Form
The Fire Emblem, despite being a precious item in each and every game, has taken on a few very different forms. InSacred Stones, for example, it assumes the appearance of the Stone of Grado, while inThree Houses, it is represented as the Crest of Flames andeven becomes a mighty swordin theFatesgames. Though its overall relevance to the story can vary between games, it always makes an appearance and is guaranteed to be of at least some importance.
While the title of this iconic series can seem a little baffling at first, the pieces all fall together once players come across the Fire Emblem in their first game, which always makes for a memorable moment during that first playthrough.
6Grid-Based Maps
Using A Grid-Based Maps Allows Players To Set Out A Strategy Before Making Their Move
In order for the turn-based open-area gameplay ofFire Emblemto work, it uses maps that are split up into squares like one giant grid so that players can measure how far they can move and whether they’re in range of an arrow being shot in their back. Not only are these gridsuseful for conducting strategy, but they also make it easy to move around quickly so that battles can move at a steady pace.
During the late stages of a battle, when units are on their last legs and things begin looking dire, a single square on the map can mean the difference between life or death, depending on how much space is put between them and the enemy. While this grid-based map design scheme has been replicated in other games, it wasFire Emblemthat first ushered it into the mainstream and has carried it forward for every mainline entry since the very first.
5Marriage System
The Marriage System Has Been Improved And Altered Over The Course Of The Series
It wasFire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy Warthat firstintroduced a marriage systemwhere players could form bonds between units who would then go on to fall in love later down the road, though this popular mechanic has since returned in almost every game that followed it. The way two units can develop a relationship differs between the games, but most of the time, it involves keeping them close together in combat and allowing them to execute dual attacks if the game allows for it.
While it was possible to also have kids in the fourth game, this system would be greatly improved inAwakening, where players could create a second-generation army of soldiers by hitching their units up to pass down skills and abilities to their children, who would grow up to become combatants and help out in intense battles. It has since become a core component of the series, which has been featured in the majority of entries. It’s a system that many players look forward to being a part of.
4Emphasis On War
War Is Always At The Center Of A Fire Emblem Story, Feeding Into The Narrative’s Themes And Characters' Personal Arcs
Fire Emblemhas alwayshoned in on themes of warand all the complex aspects and factors that feed into it. How seriously a game will focus in on these aspects, though, can depend on the entry. WhileSacred Stonestakes a darker approach to its narrative and emphasizes the impact unexpected conflicts can have on local populations,Engagetakes a slightly more surface-level view that suits the more vibrant tone of the game.
Setting up an intense war between kingdoms or nations ramps up the intensity of the combat tremendously, making players feel as if they truly do have a lot weighing on their shoulders when in the midst of combat. Many of the games will also use war to bolster the character arcs of the units, seeing how they develop and mature after being thrust into such nightmarish conflicts.
3Weapon Triangle
A Gameplay System That Rewards Players For Making Proper Preparations Before A Fight
Outside ofFire Emblem: Three Houses, every game sinceGenealogy of the Holy Warhas included a unique weapon triangle system that gives each of the three weapon types a strength and weakness. Knowing when to attack an enemy with a sword, axe, or lance can be the key to achieving victory during an intense battle and also encourages players to mix up the weapons they equip to each of their units before entering the battleground.
Some games such asEngagehave incorporated other weapon types, which also create a separate triangle that ensures that every weapon has a specific use and vulnerability, adding a lot of depth to the core battle system and an extra layer of strategy to immerse players into the experience.
2Permanent Deaths
The Fear Of Losing A Beloved Character For Good Makes Every Battle Feel Intense
The mechanic of permanent deathshad become such a staple in the series that there was actually a fair amount of criticism when it was announced to only be optional inAwakening. The reasoning for this is because of how integral this mechanic is to the core gameplay, since it adds a lot of tension when players know that a single slip up could very easily lead to a character being gone for good.
It’s also a mechanic that gets players emotionally invested in the battles, especially later on once they have built up an attachment to the cast. Despite it being more optional in the recent titles, the permanent death system is still considered to be a core aspect of the games, making the battles (even those that are seemingly unimportant to the story) feel a lot more unpredictable and intense.
1Dragons
Whether They’re Friendly Or Evil, These Mythical Beasts Always Show Up In One Form Or Another
Whiledragons are mystical creaturesthat have become synonymous with the fantasy genre, it’s always a guarantee that they will pop up in one form or another for each newFire Emblementry. Very often, these monsters will appear after a character transforms into one, meaning that they can sometimes be friendly, such as with Tiki, but they have also been major antagonists in a many of the games, includingShadow DragonandEngage.
No matter what side they appear on, though, dragons in theFire Emblemseries are always shown to be immensely powerful beings capable of destroying not just entire villages but even whole nations with their otherworldy strength. Ever since the first game in the series, aptly titledFire Emblem: Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light, these monsters have always played crucial roles in their respective stories.
