Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones

Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones (ファイアーエムブレム 聖魔の光石 Faiā Emuburemu: Seima no Kōseki) is a Japanese tactical role-playing game for the Game Boy Advance developed by Intelligent Systems and published by Nintendo. It is the eighth game in the Fire Emblem series, the third and final game in the series to be released for the Game Boy Advance and the second game in the series to be released outside Japan.

The game builds on the game mechanics used in the previous two Game Boy Advance Fire Emblem titles; Fire Emblem: Fūin no Tsurugi and Fire Emblem: Rekka no Ken; but takes place on a different world. Set on the continent of Magvel, the plot focuses on royal twins Princess Eirika and Prince Ephraim as they investigate why a longtime ally has chosen to invade their nation's borders and the sudden appearance of monsters all over Magvel.

Though it received positive reviews, The Sacred Stones was criticized for making only superficial improvements over the previous game. Reviews also stated that the new "World Map" feature made the game too easy. Despite these comments, the game received an average rating of 85 per cent on ''Game Rankings and has sold over 300,000 copies in Japan

Gameplay
Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones introduces several new concepts and revives some old ones used in previous Fire Emblem games. The most notable change is the map system, which allows the player to have more control of how much experience the team gets and thus how they level-up. Despite this, it is similar to Fire Emblem:Rekka no Ken and Fire Emblem: Fūin no Tsurugi in terms of actual gameplay.

Combat
The Sacred Stones retains the basic gameplay fundamentals seen in Fire Emblem: Rekka no Ken; such mechanics like the weapon and magic triangles are identical to the previous game.< The main battles in the story and the storyline associated with each battle are divided as chapters; the game has twenty-one chapters in the main story and only one side chapter&mdash;an optional battle during the main course of the game. There are also six chapters in each of Eirika and Ephraim's route, all of which are different in each route. There are twenty-eight chapters in total during the main course of the game.

A notable difference that separates The Sacred Stones from the previous Game Boy Advance Fire Emblem titles is the use of a navigable world map, a mechanic first used in Fire Emblem Gaiden. Rather than limit the ability to train units and buy items to story battles, the ability to traverse the world map allows players more freedom in choosing how to play the game. It is possible to purchase weapons and items by visiting shops at points scattered across Magvel. Basic iron weapons and low-level tomes can also be purchased at an inflated cost from the armory in the supply caravan before battle, and units can pull items from the supply caravan during battle when standing adjacent to the main character (i.e. Eirika or Ephraim). It is also possible to enter "Skirmish" battles against monsters unrelated to the story.

The Sacred Stones, like Fire Emblem Gaiden, features monsters, all of which appear only as enemies. They are divided into traditional monster types, like zombies and gargoyles. The monsters can be battled in some chapters in the main game, as well as in side-battles on the map.

Units
The Sacred Stones also introduces a branching class-change system. Like the previous Game Boy Advance titles, units must use specific items to change class. Unlike previous titles the player is now given a choice in what type of advanced class a character can become, for example, Wyvern Riders may become either Wyvern Lords or Wyvern Knights. The only units that do not get to choose between classes are the two Lords, Eirika and Ephraim, who each change into their own unique class.

Trainee classes were introduced in The Sacred Stones, which precede some of the previously basic classes. These include Journeyman, Recruits and Pupils. Characters that are in a trainee class gain more experience than usual, and when they reach Level 10, they stop gaining experience and can class-change at the beginning of the next battle without the aid of an item. As with other classes, players can choose one of two basic classes to class-change into. After certain criteria are met, the trainee classes have a third class-change option, which is a slightly stronger version of the original trainee class.

The skill system was first introduced in Fire Emblem: Seisen no Keifu, and made a return in The Sacred Stones In The Sacred Stones, some unit classes have a unique skill that gives it an advantage in battle. For example, the Bishop's "Slayer" skill triples a weapon's might when fighting monsters. Unlike in Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance, there is no capacity gauge, and the skills are not assigned by the player. The skills cannot be removed from the unit.

Alternative modes
The Sacred Stones features a multiplayer Link Arena structured identically to that found in the previous game In addition, there is an unlockable "Creature Campaign." Players can enter the Tower of Valni or Lagdou Ruins and progress through them by fighting battles against monsters.There are three available difficulty settings&mdash;easy, normal and hard. The easy version acts as a tutorial, and is aimed at newcomers to the series.

Supports
There are thirty-three units in The Sacred Stones that can engage in support conversations. The support system works as exactly the same as in Fire Emblem's support system, in both the advantages that they offer and the way they can be obtained; as in Fire Emblem, a "support viewer" is available in which all attained support conversations can be re-read. Support conversations can be attained in the optional skirmish battles and extra battles in the Creature Campaign.

Setting
The Sacred Stones takes place on the continent of Magvel. It is home to six nation-states of diverse leadership:


 * Renais: The kingdom of Renais is ruled by Fado. It is the home of the twin lords Ephraim and Eirika.
 * Frelia: The kingdom of Frelia is ruled by Hayden, the venerable Sage King and the father of the pegasus knight Tana and the sniper Innes. Frelia is also home to pegasi which are trained for military purposes.
 * Jehanna: The kingdom of Jehanna is ruled by Ismaire, the Queen of the White Dunes. Her son is Joshua, the myrmidon.
 * Rausten: The theocracy of Rausten is ruled by Mansel, the Divine Emperor. His heir is his niece L'Arachel, the troubadour
 * Grado: The Grado Empire is ruled by Vigarde, the Silent Emperor. His son, the necromancer Lyon, is a good friend of Ephraim and Eirika, who are appalled and confused by Grado's sudden betrayal. Grado is the largest country of Magvel and its eponymous founder, Grado, was the leader of the heroes who stood against the Demon King.
 * Carcino: The mercantile republic of Carcino is governed by a council of elders, and, unlike the other nations of Magvel, is more of a democratic-republic than a monarchy or theocracy.

Story
"In an age long past... evil flooded over the land. Creatures awash in the dark tide ran wild, pushing mankind to the brink of annihilation. In its despair, mankind appealed to the heavens, and from a blinding light came hope. The Sacred Stones. These five glorious treasures held the power to dispel evil. The hero Grado and his warriors used the Sacred Stones to combat evil's darkness. They defeated the Demon King and sealed his soul away within the stones. With the darkness imprisoned, peace returned to Magvel. But this peace would not last..."

In the Year of the Stone 803, the Grado Empire, a long-standing ally of Renais, launched a surprise attack on Renais, ordered by Emperor Vigarde. Renais is unable to mount resistance against such a swift and forceful attack. Prince Ephraim of Renais is nowhere to be found as Grado sweeps through territory after territory. King Fado of Renais orders his trusted general, Seth, to take his daughter Princess Eirika to safety in neighboring Frelia while he stays behind in order to discover the motives behind Grado's sudden attack.

King Hayden of Frelia helps Eirika and suggests that she remain until Prince Ephraim returns, however she is determined to find him and goes to Grado. Aided by several of Hayden's retainers, Eirika travels towards Grado where her brother was last seen. Passing through Renais once again, they see first-hand the devastation caused by the war. Even more troubling is the appearance of foul undead creatures throughout the world. In the village of Serafew, Eirika encounters a former Grado cleric called Natasha. She tells Eirika of Emperor Vigarde's plan to destroy the Sacred Stones that safeguard the land from evil.

Meanwhile, Prince Ephraim has been causing havoc in Grado territory. As part of his guerrilla campaign to disrupt Grado's military efficiency, he decides to capture the strategic Fort Renvall. However, after a brilliant tactical victory, he is forced to flee by Grado's army.

After recovering Eirika's bracelet from a mysterious man, Seth reveals its true importance; along with Ephraim's bracelet, they open the secret door to Renais's Sacred Stone. Eirika presses on to Fort Renvall, hot on Ephraim's trail. Inside, she finds Orson, one of Ephraim's guards who offers to lead her to Ephraim's prison cell. However, Orson turns out to be a traitor and traps Eirika inside the fort. During the battle, Ephraim arrives and with their combined strength, they seize the fort.

After their reunion, they return to Frelia to plan their next move. They wonder what happened to the peace-loving Prince Lyon of Grado who would surely disapprove of his father's war.

Eirika's Quest
Eirika and Ephraim decide to enlist the help of the other nations in combating the global threat posed by Grado's aggressive campaign to destroy the Sacred Stones. To save time, they decide that Eirika will sail to warn Rausten of the war, Prince Innes of Frelia will go to warn Jehanna and Ephraim will attack Castle Grado directly.

At the port, no ship will sail because of a ghost ship that terrorizes the seas (dealt with on Ephraim's route). She has no choice but to take the overland route to Rausten, which goes through the Republic of Carcino, the only country in Magvel with no ties to a sacred stone. There, Eirika finds Prince Innes and his group under attack by Carcino armies lead by Councilman Pablo, who has allied with Grado. After triumphing against the mercenary army, they discover Councilman Klimt, the man who Pablo was hunting and trying to assasinate with his mercenaries. Klimt tells her that Pablo was the one who decided to side with Grado, and that not all of Carcino was against Renais.

United with Innes, they continue their march towards Jehanna. During a run-in with some Monsters along the way, they are joined by a zealous monster-hunter called L'Arachel and her cheerful bodyguard Dozla. To avoid more conflict, they take a mountainous route through the secluded village of Caer Pelyn, lead by a young mage called Ewan. In a mountain valley on their journey to Jehanna, they are confronted by Glen, the Sunstone general of the Grado empire. Eirika convinces him to let her proceed, and a few short moments after she leaves, Valter shows up and assasinates Glen.

Once the army makes it to Caer Pelyn, they are attacked by yet again, more myriads of monsters. Ewan's mentor Saleh offers to guide them to Jehanna. At the mid-point from Caer Pelyn to Jehanna, the group passes through Hamill canyon. Meanwhile, Valter has returned to the Grado capital and shown Glen's brother Cormag the corpse of the formar general. Valter, being the treacherous man that he is, tells Cormag that Eirika was the cause of Glen's death. Outraged, Cormag flies to Hamill canyon, where Eirika was last reported to reside. The two forces meet, and Cormag if set straight by Eirika and swears revenge on Valter.

When they finally arrive in the desert country, they find Jehanna Palace under siege from Grado. After a long and tiring battle, Eirika discovers the Queen Ismaire of Jehanna, mortally wounded by the axe of Grado's Tiger eye General Caellach. Even worse, Jehanna's Sacred Stone has been destroyed. With her dying breath, Queen Ismaire calls to her child, Joshua, a young myrmidon whom Eirika met in Serafew and unknowingly, the prince. While these events took place, enemy soldiers had set fire to the palace.

Barely escaping with their lives, Eirika finds herself trapped between the forces of two of Grado's generals: Caellach and Valter. In the middle of a desperate escape, Ephraim rushes to her aid with reinforcements. The joined quest begins.

Ephraim's Quest
After splitting up with his sister, Ephraim ventures to Grado. During this journey, he finds Grado forces commonplace, with mercenary groups attempting to catch him. First, in Fort Rigwald, Ephraim finds Tana, the princess of Frelia, and frees her from her kidnappers. Next, he recruits Duessel, the obsidian general in Grado's army and the man responsible for Ephraim's weapon training, who is dubious of the intentions of Emperor Vigarde. Duessel mentions a "Dark Stone" to Ephraim, a substance that Lyon extraced from the Grado sacred stone. The group suspects that the occult powers of the dark stone are the cause of Emperor Vigarde's change in personality.

During the same battle in which Duessel switches allegiances, Duessel encounters Cormag, a Wyvern Rider whose brother, Glen, has been murdered (see Eirika's story). Duessel convinced him to join Ephraim.

Ephraim takes a sea route to Grado, but is hindered by a ghost ship said to be sinking any ships it encounters. After he arrives in Grado, he is attacked by Grado forces combined with monsters sent by the blood beryl general Riev. Shortly after, in the Z'albul marsh, Ephraim defeats General Selena Fluorspar, receiving a dragonstone stolen from his friend Myrrh. Ephraim arrives in Grado Keep and annhiliates Emperor Vigarde, who bizzarely cannot speak. Following the battle with Ephraim, Vigarde's body crumbles to dust.

Lyon appears to Ephraim, and tells Ephraim that they are now enemies and that it was him that started the war. Ephraim learns the secret of the Dark Stone (also known as the Fire Emblem) from Knoll, a researcher of ancient magic and assistant to Lyon before he discovered the Dark Stone. Ephraim then learns of his sister being ambushed by Caellach and Valter at Jehanna Hall. He rushes to meet her, still burdened by the knowledge that his former best-friend was the cause of the country feud. He eventually reaches his destination and the two siblings are rejoined.

Joined Quest (15- Epilogue)
Ephraim meets up with Eirika in the desert, and they defeat Caellach and Valter. When Ephraim and Eirika reunite their forces, they find Renais in a state of chaos, and must defeat the person assigned to guard Renais, the traitor Orson. They are disgusted by the creature in Orson's sleeping chambers, which oddly resembles Orson's wife. Orson's wife's actions resemble that of Emperor Vigarde's, and they kill her and discover that it was created by the same dark sorcery as the Emperor. After securing their homeland, Ephraim and Eirika receive Renais' legendary weapons Sieglinde and Siegmund, and their Sacred Stone, they decide to head to Rausten to secure the last remaining stone. As they continue, they are supposed to meet up with Frelian reinforcements, but all are killed by Grado remnants apart from Syrene, their commander, who then joins Ephraim and Eirika's army. The twins meet Lyon, who has radically changed from the friend they once knew. He retreats into the mountains, and the twins give chase. This leads them into a trap, intending to defeat them with Gorgons and their hatching eggs that dot the mountains. However, the army is victorious over the sulphur fumes, demons, intense heat and molten magma, and one of the twins goes to confront Lyon.

When following Ephraim's quest, Ephraim approaches Lyon, who freezes Ephraim, takes the Sacred Stone, and crushes it. Ephraim argues with him and asks whatever happened to him. Lyon says that the possessed form is a drama and that everything he had done had been under his own free will, but the Demon King controls him as he says that.

Along Eirika's journey, Lyon is completely possessed by the Demon King, and manipulates Eirika into giving him the Sacred Stone with her feelings for the old Lyon, whose soul was almost completely gone, then he then crushes the stone like a walnut. Lyon says that he will be in Darkling Woods, and teleports away.

Eirika and Ephraim take time to rest at Rausten Court and to obtain Rausten's Sacred Stone, the only surviving one. Rausten Court is invaded by the last Grado General, Riev, who seeks revenge for his exile years before. After repelling the attack, the army give chase to Darkling Woods to stop Lyon from performing a ceremony which he has tricked the last remaining piece of the real Lyon into believing will stop a natural disaster from occurring in Grado in the future. However, the ceremony only leads to the full resurrection of the mastermind behind all of these events... Formortiis, the Demon King. Formortiis will then try to wipe out the army. However, Erika and Ephiram are able to defeat Formortiis due to the help of their friends and the five countries sacred twin tomes. Formortiis will dissapitate, captured in the remaining sacred stone of Rausten.

Reception
Reviewers have praised the level of attention that the game gives to the storyline and each individual unit, but have commented on the frustation that can be caused by some gameplay features inherent to the series, such as the fact that character death is permanent.<ref name="Link Arena" The game has also been criticized for not improving upon gameplay mechanics as much as expected from a sequel As well as lack of innovation in gameplay, reviewers have also noted that the presentation has not changed much from Fire Emblem. Overall, reviewers acknowledge that the game has the same solid gameplay and replay value that was present in Fire Emblem:Rekka no Ken, despite the lack of originality.