Like in previous Fire Emblems, you have to juggle a number of combat variables, including learning to defeat the type of weapons enemies use with its rock-paper-scissors style counter, observing what their stats and buffs are, making note of whether they’re paired up (a new feature that lets enemies attack and defend just as effectively as allied troops) and taking into account how close they are. That doesn’t mean combat is a walk in the park, however. Since different classes offer different types of support, it’s fun to mix and match pairs to get the most effective results: I liked to keep Sakura, my lower-level healer, near Scarlet, my stronger Wyvern Lord, so the former could benefit from the latter’s Rally Defense skill, which generates four points of extra defense. This is extra important because, as with all Fire Emblem games, as allies fight side by side, their support rank goes up and their assists improve whenever they’re near each other. This clever mechanic lets you pair up allies on the battlefield to temporarily buff their stats, dual-attack the enemy, or parry their offense.
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Birthright also reintroduces the awesome Pair Up and Dual Systems from Awakening, now under the names Attack Stance and Guard Stance. Both are locations where you’ll have to make smart moves in order to control before the enemy does. Additionally, helpful villagers living in houses dotting the map will offer you useful items when you visit them. Royals can also create a wellspring of health that will cure party members standing directly under the healing tiles. “It's a good idea to start on a lower difficulty level, because there’s a lot going on on these tactical maps For instance, there’s a clever new feature called Dragon Veins that can help you get a leg up in combat: when a member of a royal house stands on one of these special map tiles, they can turn what was once a safe, benign space on the battlefield into harmful terrain, like a spikey bamboo trap that depletes enemy health. As a prince or princess of Nohr, you’re forced to take up arms against your own family in order to win peace and stop your father’s evil ambitions. There, the army is desperately trying to hold back the advancement of the neighboring kingdom of Nohr, whose blood-thirsty king Garon will not stop until his enemies are crushed under his boot. Combine that with robust customization and a gut-wrenching story, and you have something that achieves greatness.įamily TiesBirthright’s heart-rending, 30-hour story takes place in the peaceful nation of Hoshido, which looks like something straight out of ancient Japan thanks to its beautiful, blossom-swept pagodas and lush bamboo forests. It’s a clever turn-based tactical RPG that constantly rewards you for smart decisions, and every move, every piece of equipment, and every relationship you foster serves a purpose. It’s these jump-for-joy, shake-with-relief moments that make Birthright such a fantastic experience, and its more welcoming difficulty (relative to its also-excellent, veteran-focused counterpart, Fire Emblem Fates: Conquest – reviewed here) makes it a great entry point for the series.