This game is probably one of the best FE experiences overall, but it’s also a rough one. If you are easily annoyed by low hit rates, siege, or occasional ambush spawns, this game will seem purely frustrating. The earlygame takes forever, some of the units are quite bad, and certain maps will completely destroy unprepared players.
However, beneath that is one of the most unique and most consistently cool fire emblem experiences, and there is a damn good reason why it has its fans. For all of its very obvious issues, the Western Isles arc is phenomenal, the final couple of maps are truly a spectacle, and certain other maps are great too (The Frozen River, The Princess of Bern, and even Arcadia past the first playthrough.)
For all the waffling about FE6’s horrible units, Barth, Sophia, and Wendy are the only units to truly fall to the depths of unusability. Everyone else is more than usable if you enjoy them, doubly so on Normal Mode. That’s 3 units in a 50+ unit cast. High promotion gains, manh deployment slots, and an emphasis on short-term utility lead to an environment where you’re encouraged to experiment. Also, the supports are surprisingly good for fleshing this cast out. Characters like Karel, Dayan, and Yoder feel wise and traveled, and you get to see them talk about their own regrets and lived experiences as a way of teaching younger characters.
Of course, the game is extremely rocky. This is mostly seen in hit rates and a few questionable design decisions. Still, if you’re willing to cope, there is a great game here.
However, beneath that is one of the most unique and most consistently cool fire emblem experiences, and there is a damn good reason why it has its fans. For all of its very obvious issues, the Western Isles arc is phenomenal, the final couple of maps are truly a spectacle, and certain other maps are great too (The Frozen River, The Princess of Bern, and even Arcadia past the first playthrough.)
For all the waffling about FE6’s horrible units, Barth, Sophia, and Wendy are the only units to truly fall to the depths of unusability. Everyone else is more than usable if you enjoy them, doubly so on Normal Mode. That’s 3 units in a 50+ unit cast. High promotion gains, manh deployment slots, and an emphasis on short-term utility lead to an environment where you’re encouraged to experiment. Also, the supports are surprisingly good for fleshing this cast out. Characters like Karel, Dayan, and Yoder feel wise and traveled, and you get to see them talk about their own regrets and lived experiences as a way of teaching younger characters.
Of course, the game is extremely rocky. This is mostly seen in hit rates and a few questionable design decisions. Still, if you’re willing to cope, there is a great game here.