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An Entertaining and Engrossing RPG

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 16 / 16
Date: May 28, 2005
Author: Amazon User

If you've played the first Fire Emblem, then you already know that this is a must have. But it doesn't matter if you're new, because the stories are unrelated.

The story is good, but a little cliched. There once was an evil monster who terrorized the world, but then he was sealed up by the Sacred Stone. Fast forward to the present. There are six kingdoms, five of which keep the Sacred Stones. The country of Renais has shared a friendly relationship with the Grado empire, until one day Grado invades. The prince and princess of Renais, Ephraim and Eirika, go looking for help from other nations, and eventually find out that the Grado emporer is trying to destroy the Sacred Stones and release the evil of old upon the world. So of course, they have to stop him.

Now on to the gameplay. It's excellent. It's pretty much the same as the first Fire Emblem. You direct your units on the field, but you have to be careful of the enemy's range. The weapon and magic triangles return, which, if you're not familiar with it, is like a game of rock-paper-scissors. You can upgrade your characters' classes when they get to a high enough level, as in the last game, but now you can choose between classes. For example, a myridian can become a swordmaster or an assassin. Also, if your characters are too weak, there are optional battles with monsters, and places where you defeat monsters floor by floor.

Graphics are good overall. The field animations are average, but the battle scenes are nice and fluid. All the characters look beautiful. No pretty cutscene stills this time around, though.

And the characters are wonderful. This is my favorite thing about Fire Emblem. Each unit is an individual with his own face and personality. Then you have supports. When you put two compatible units together for a while, they can have a support conversation. Through this you learn a little more about the characters, but it also improves their stats when they are near each other on the field. Even more interesting, if you have a high enough support between a male and female character, they'll probably get married in the end. There is, however, a down side to the characters' individuality. It makes it so you don't want to lose any of them, so every time someone dies, you have to start the chapter over. Unless you just want to beat the game and aren't concerned about the characters.

Let's see, what else? Oh yeah, sound is great. The music is good, and appropriate for whatever the situation is. And the sound effects are nice, especially the one for a successful hit. THWACK!

The replay value is good. Ephraim and Eirika split up during the game, and you'll need to play both scenarios to get the full story. Plus if you're like me, you will want every single support conversation for the archive, which takes a very long time.

Nice extras. There's a sound room, and after you beat the game you can view the support conversations you've unlocked. There are also multiplayer options.

Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones is one of my favorite games. It is excellent, and although it is somewhat easier than the last game, it's still hard. A must for RPG fans, but be ready for a challenge.

Wow

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 6
Date: May 29, 2005
Author: Amazon User

This game had pretty big shoes to fill from the first fire emblem for gba but it certainly filled them. I really liked the choice for promoting units and the extra battles for level ups.

As a game, Sacred Stones is average. as a sequal, its a joke

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 2 / 17
Date: June 01, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Basically, what we have here is the same game.
Seriously. Intelli Sys recycled like 60% of the content from FE1(7 in jpn)? The only "new" things here are what you'd already expect in a sequel anyway: a new plot and new character designs.

Why would anyone pay full price to play exactly the same game all over again? It boggles the mind. On the pc we have what are called "expansion packs". This "sequel" does nothing new what the previous game hasn't already done. And the previous one, which I've reviewed, wasn't that impressive either.

In short, go ahead and buy this if you liked the first one and want more of the same. If the previous Fire Emblem didn't do much for you however, don't expect anything different.

Better Sequel to a Great Game

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 52 / 53
Date: June 02, 2005
Author: Amazon User

It is a time of peace, suddenly, your country of Renais is attacked by your ally, Grado. They are after the Sacred Stone, but why would they want the very thing that sealed the Demon King away centuries ago?

Welcome back to the realm of Fire Emblem. This installment had nothing to do with the other game (which is a little disappointing) but it still is as good as the first. So, what's new this time around, well first off, there's a difficulty selection available from the start (you had to unlock it in the first). There's beginner, which explains the game and has a tutorial, normal, for those of us who played through the first one and know much of the controls, and difficult, for those who want a challenge.

I got to say that I'm glad that they've added this feature so we don't have to listen to the idiotic tutorial (its good to look at it if your a beginner, but its still annoying). Anyway, the core of this game is essentially the same with some added features.

These added features include that of choosing what you want your character to turn into. For example, in the first game, thieves could only become an assassin. However, in this game you have a choice of an assassin, which is a killing machine (if you have the Killing Edge equipped), or become a Rougue, which is a thief who doesn't need lockpicks to open doors and chests. This adds a lot to the game too.

The other neat feature is the ability to walk on the world map and choose where you want to go. This system, I would compare it to that of FF Tactics Advance because you can run into monsters who are also new to the series.

There's also a Tower of Valni that is like an endurance round. You can leave whenever you want to, and its not required that you go there.

The storyline this time around is predictable but still can be classified as good. I mean I figured from the start what was going to happen, and most of your predictions will come true.

My favorite thing about this game are the main characters, Eirika and Ephraim. They are twins but seem to be complete opposites. Eirika is the peace loving princess who hates war, and Ephraim is the one who runs off trying to find pride in fighting.

So, should you pick up this game? Yes, if you liked the first one, but wanted more or if you haven't played the first. No, if you are tired of the gameplay from the first game because all you are going to get is the recycled form of the original.

PROS
- Good game with good stratergy ideas
- You have the choice to choose if you want the tutorial
- The added walk on the map feature is very useful
- The ability to choose what your unit will become

CONS
- The story is way too predictable
- A lot of this game is recycled from the old game (can be good or bad)

Better than the first

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 5 / 6
Date: June 07, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Fire Emblem was one of the best games on the gba. Final Fantasy Tactics advance was another one. What this game does is take elements from both of them and combines them into one of the best handheld games ever. The first fire emblem was an extremely challenging game. This one is too, but now you can roam the map and join in skirmishis as in ffta. The character upgrade choices also make it superior to the first game.

not bad, nintendo, youve don it again

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 6 / 6
Date: June 10, 2005
Author: Amazon User

this is sweet. but, it's complicated. and frustrating. because if youre like me, you'll wanna get every single character that you can get in the stinkin game and that takes skill and strategy. plus,(this is a spoiler) u can get extra secret characters like the swordmaster ismaire (the queen of white dunes) or Valter the wyvern knight or even Hayden, the Sage King (but he comes as a ranger i'm confused because of that). get this game cuz u can now have a better team thats spread out for better combos. like this: 1 hit-kill army: myrmidons, swordmasters, and assassins. gogogo! but, if you're planning to upgrade your pegasus knights, don't do it before u get syrene, the falco knight. cuz if u hav three guys surroundin an enemy, and they are all flyin pegasuses, u can do a rare and hard attack to pull off. BEHOLD, THE PEGASUS TRIANGLE ATTACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! NOW GO BUY IT BUY IT BUYIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A great game, one of my favorites!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: June 11, 2005
Author: Amazon User

This game is great! Most people may not find it as important to play this game like i did. I have been playing this game for 37 hours and 43 minutes so far! This game is amazing, how it takes final fantasy tactics and some things from the old fire emblem game, and puts them together to make this great game. The graphics may make some people put it back down, but I kind of like them. It has a great story line, and tons of characters that you can unlock or recruit. Also one thing they added was the freedom to choose between two classes that you can upgrade your character to. One other thing is that you can get extremely weak characters like Ross, Amelia, and Ewan, and make them one of your strongest characters. This is a great game, and I would recomend it to anyone!

great

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 2
Date: June 17, 2005
Author: Amazon User

This game is good,and the gameplay is interesting.When you had to choose
between Ephraim and Eirika,I chose Ephraim cause he is more strong.I liked
the game because you could control dragon riders and other classes never
before seen or used.The graphics are the same but oh well.I like alot that
its not like fire emblem that when a character ran out of weapons he or she
dissapeared,in this one when he or she rans out of weapons you only have to
buy weapons and dont worry about him or her dissapearing.The thing I kinda
dont like is that sometimes you encounter enemies that turned out to be
friends and you didnt knew it and that you dont know which character turns
he or she a good ally and sometimes you kill them before turning them to
your side and that well...is kinda bad.On the other side this is a good game
and you should go for it.Rent it if you think you'll pass it in one
day,which you wont,or buy it.

A Brilliant Strategy

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 7 / 7
Date: June 18, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Once again I'm thrusted into a land ravaged by the chaos of war. Political alliances are swept aside, friendships are sundered, and the almost historic stage is set for an epic drama. Virtually every Role Playing Game ever concieved begins somewhat along these lines, but with the exception of the Final Fantasy franchise, few can consistently deliver. In its second stateside release, The Fire Emblem franchise firmly claims its spot alongside Squarenix's flagship as the definitive example of greatness within its genre, and the series developer, Intelligent Systems, stands as a creative team of fully realized and consistently tested genius.

The basic gameplay of the series remains untouched in this sequel, so the brilliant rock/paper/scissors dynamic of the weapons triangle returns as well as the loved/hated finality of death within the game. As with any truly great sequel, the only changes within the game are for the better. With a new, explorable map system, character development and customization becomes blissfully deep. Also added is the option to choose character classes when leveling-up, strengthening the bond between the player and the army that he commands. These seemingly minor tweeks and tons more replay value to an already long and challenging game. Well done, indeed.

The storyline in Fire Emblem is among the best that I've ever experienced within a game, and the incredibly talented localization team delivers a truly faultless translation. The various twists and turns are never overly dramatic and the surprising moments managed to get me genuinely emotionaly involved. I personally attribute this to the permanence of death in the game.

The sweeping soundtrack is the perfect compliment to the Olympic struggles that you will have to endure, with certain pieces being both memorable and surprisingly beautiful. Quite an accomplishment for the Game Boy hardware. Entirely noteworthy.

In the end the game is as close to Strategy/Rpg perfection as your likely to get, and ranks with Resident Evil 4 as pillars of gaming in 2005. I can't wait for the Gamecube version.

More of the same

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 28 / 46
Date: June 20, 2005
Author: Amazon User

I really enjoyed the original Fire Emblem for the GBA so when i heard about the release of The Sacred Stones it went to the top of my must have list for Gameboy games.

Though i really found the first one to be innovative and strategically challenging The Sacred Stones really didn't impress me much. From alot of the reviews i read i expected more innovation and improvement - what i got were a couple pointless new character classes and that's pretty much it - it's pretty much a rehash of the last Fire Emblem with a less interesting plotline.

Despite being a little dissapointed that some of the minor problems weren't fixed such as the often annoying ability of enemy's to get that lucky critical attack to kill off your best character. (Nothing is more frustrating then surrounding an isolated enemy boss only to have him take you out with a lucky critical hit counter attack and to have to replay the entire mission) The Sacred Stones is still, like it's predicessor, a solid and deep strategy rpg.

My advice is to play the first GBA Fire Emblem first, and to only pick up the sacred stones if you exhausted it and are looking for more of the same - there are so many new tactical rpgs coming out that look to blow this one out of the water such as Atlus' Riviera, also for the GBA.

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