Fire Emblem Fates

Fire Emblem Fates (ファイアーエムブレムif Faia Emuburemu Ifu Fire Emblem if in Japan), is a Japanese tactical role-playing game for the Nintendo 3DS, developed by Intelligent Systems, and published by Nintendo. It is the fourteenth game in the Fire Emblem series. It was released on June 25, 2015 in Japan, and was released on February 19, 2016 in America. It is set to release on May 20, 2016 in Europe. Furthermore, Fire Emblem Fates is a first title in the franchise that will be officially released in South Korea. The game is rated C (CERO) in Japan, T (ESRB) in America, and 12 (PEGI) in Europe.

This title features the first title split, in which two different versions of the game exist, each one with a unique story. Fire Emblem Fates: Birthright (ファイアーエムブレムif 白夜王国 Fire Emblem if Byakuya Oukoku Fire Emblem if: White Night Kingdom) follows the story of the Avatar, joining the Kingdom of Hoshido and Fire Emblem Fates Conquest (ファイアーエムブレムif 暗夜王国, Fire Emblem if Anya Oukoku Fire Emblem if: Dark Night Kingdom) which follows the story of the Avatar, joining the Kingdom of Nohr instead. A limited edition version was released in Japan and America, containing both story-lines plus a third story-line titled Fire Emblem Fates Revelation (ファイアーエムブレムif インビジブル・キングダム Fire Emblem if Invisible Kingdom), also released as DLC and involves the player aligning with neither kingdom. It has been released concurrent with the other versions. A special themed Nintendo 3DS has been released with the game.

Release
Fire Emblem Fates was first revealed in the January 2015 Nintendo Direct worldwide and was released in Japan on June 25th, 2015. It was released in North America on the 19th of February 2016 and will be released in Europe on 20th May of 2016. It is developed by the same team that created the previous title; Fire Emblem: Awakening and Yūsuke Kozaki designed the characters of the game as well. Manga writer Shin Kibayashi has joined the writing team. According to Satoru Iwata during the Nintendo Direct, the player will have to make numerous choices during the game that will affect the overall story. Unlike past games where choices had little effect on the story, these will be larger choices, and the player will face greater challenges.

In the April 2015 Nintendo Direct it was revealed that the game will revolve around two kingdoms about to enter a great war with each other: the peace-loving country of Hoshido and the glory-seeking country of Nohr. The player will have to choose a country to represent, changing the story overall and will affect the difficulty, which is predetermined by the version of the game bought. There are two versions of the game, each one following a specific story line. Birthright follows the Hoshido storyline which is designed to be friendly for all players, returning or new. Conquest follows the Nohr storyline which is designed to be much more challenging. There will be a digital copy of the game which allows the player to determine which version they wish to experience. At the end of Chapter 6, the player will have to choose their faction, permanently locking their digital copy into that storyline for all files on the game there and after. DLC will be available for all versions of Fates in which the storyline not chosen will be playable on that copy of the game. A third storyline option was also released as DLC sometime after release which revolves around the player choosing neither side. A special edition of the game containing all three paths is available, also after launch of the original two.

Japanese video game website 4Gamer posted an interview with the Fates development team on April 28th, 2015. The interview covered a few more details regarding the storyline. The Hoshido route is designed to be more like Awakening, allowing players to train units outside of battle. The Nohr route will be more challenging with less funds and experience on top of more diverse victory tactics compared to Awakening. Players can also adjust the difficulty of the Nohr route if it becomes too difficult. All versions of the game will be the same about 1/6th of the way through, up to Chapter 6, but the rest of the game for all three versions will be different. The idea of choice in the game was inspired from Fire Emblem: Ankoku Ryū to Hikari no Tsurugi and its remake Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon where the player was given the choice between recruiting Samson or Arran, but not both. A third route was also created to give the players an option of not vilifying one side. For downloaded copies, after the player has purchased the game, once they start Chapter 6, they will be given the choice to choose a side, which will automatically download that side onto the player's system. This will permanently lock them onto this route unless the other storyline is purchased. Details about the third storyline were slightly discussed, revealing that the difficulty of the third route is between the Hoshido and Nohr routes. All characters will appear on all routes, though the story route chosen will bring out different characteristics and personalities from them.

In the E3 2015 Digital Event, Fire Emblem Fates's official localized name was revealed. GameInformer, in June 2015, revealed that like Japan, North America will receive two different versions called Birthright for the Hoshido side and Conquest for the Nohr side. The November 2015 Nintendo direct confirmed that North America would also receive a special edition containing all three storyline routes. Customers with this version will have Revelations available from the launch date. Alternatively, customers who buy the split versions have the option to buy the opposite storyline at a reduced cost and Revelations. Revelations was not available for non-Special Edition copies until March 10th, 2016. The first wave of DLC was also confirmed for Fates and can be bought in its entirety for a reduced cost or separately for full price. Like Awakening, these DLC packs will be released in on a weekly basis.

Setting

 * See Fire Emblem Fates continent

Thousands of years ago, a great war between the First Dragons took place, causing great destruction. One dragon decided to involve humans into the war by forging legendary weapons to end the war. While successful, this unfortunately introduced war to the humans. In the present, Fire Emblem Fates primarily takes place on an unnamed continent ruled by two large kingdoms: Hoshido and Nohr. The royal families of both kingdoms in the present are the descendants of the Dawn Dragon and Dusk Dragon respectively. A third central location is the hidden kingdom of Valla, a place only accessible through the bottomless chasm. Once ruled by humans, it is now ruled by the dragon Anankos, who is under different guises in Hoshido and Nohr to provoke war. In the Hidden Truths DLC, it is revealed that Anankos was formerly a kind dragon who gave wisdom to humanity, but his growing power and inability to ascend to the spirit realm with the world's other dragons began corrupting him. After he killed Valla's king in an uncontrolled fit of bestial rage, he finally went mad: his remaining sanity and kindness took temporary shelter in a human form and fathered the Avatar before dying, while his dragon self began an insane crusade to destroy humanity. Several years prior to the start of Fates, Hoshido's King Sumeragi is ambushed by Nohr's King Garon during a fake peace treaty talk between the nation and is killed. King Garon kidnaps Sumeragi's young child, the Avatar, and decides to raise them to serve his purposes. Meanwhile, back in Hoshido, without their king, Sumeragi's wife Mikoto becomes the new ruler of the kingdom.

Prologue
Having come of age, the Avatar is first tested by Garon to execute Hoshido prisoners. After seeing them attempt to spare the prisoner's lives, Garon gives them one last chance to redeem themselves by checking out an outpost on the border between Nohr and Hoshido. After a fight ensues, the Avatar is betrayed by Hans who attacks Gunter causing him to fall into the Bottomless Canyon to his presumed death. Enraged, the Avatar first discovers their Dragon Fang ability, but their vengeance ends as a sword given to them, the Ganglari, hurls them into the Bottomless Canyon. After a timely save by Lilith, the Avatar is taken to the Astral Realm and is eventually returned back to the real world. Immediately upon return, they are ambushed by Rinkah and brought to Hoshido. There, the Avatar is reunited with their long lost siblings as well as their biological mother, Mikoto. Wanting to announce her child's return, Mikoto gathers the Hoshido Populace at the Shiragi Castle Town where a hooded man takes the Ganglari from the Avatar and causes a massive magical explosion, taking thousands of Hoshido lives, including Queen Mikoto who shielded the Avatar. The death of their mother causes the Avatar to degenerate into a Dragon, but is eventually calmed by Azura and is given a Dragonstone to safely utilize their newfound powers. However, with the death of the queen, Hoshido lost the magical barrier that prevented Nohr from invading.

With war now inevitable between the two kingdoms, Hoshido launches its army into battle. In the opening battle between the two kingdoms, the Avatar's two families meet, and the Avatar is forced to make a choice. Do they side with their blood siblings in Hoshido, assist their adopted Nohrian siblings, or perhaps take a different route altogether?

Birthright
In the Birthright route, the Avatar helps their Hoshido kin defend their country from invasion by the Nohr. After arriving in Nohr, a string of deaths occurs including Flora and Lilith. Eventually, the Avatar battles Camilla and Leo but both are spared. Upon sieging the Nohr Castle, the Avatar is forced to face Xander in one-on-one combat. Tragically, Elise attempts to stop the fight and is mortally wounded by Xander. Out of grief for killing his sister, Xander finishes his duel with the Avatar and allows himself to be killed by them. The Avatar then faces Garon, the Avatar manages to power up their Yato into the Blazing Yato thanks to its resonance with Takumi's Fujin Yumi and Ryoma's Raijinto. Though they manage to significantly hurt Garon, Garon destroys the Yato and leaves the Avatar near death. In a lucid dream, the Avatar sees Lilith, Flora, Xander, and Elise who ask them what they plan to do. Hearing the voices of the Hoshido army, the Avatar awakens, reforges the Yato, and proceeds to take down Garon in his dragon form. After the Nohrian king is defeated, Garon reveals that he has been long dead, but the Avatar is not given much time to mull over this as Azura has begun to dissolve into water. Asking them to smile for her as she expires, Azura becomes water vapor and disappears. Some time later, peace has been restored between Hoshido and Nohr. Ryoma has taken the role as King of Hoshido while Leo has become King of Nohr. The Hoshido siblings vow to continue to restore peace to the world to their mother's statue with the aid of the Avatar.

Conquest
In the Conquest route, the Avatar both fights in the war against Hoshido, and works with his adoptive family to oust Garon from the throne. Fighting and sparing their Hoshidan siblings Hinoka, and Sakura, Takumi apparently dies by jumping into a canyon, and Garon orders the Avatar to kill Ryoma. After their fight, Ryoma spares the Avatar the agony of killing their own brother by committing seppuku. The Avatar then confronts Garon, revealing him to be an impostor orchestrating the destruction of both Hoshido and Nohr. Infusing the Yato with the power of Xander's Legendary Weapon, the Avatar kills the false Garon. However, after the impostor is defeated, Takumi, possessed by Anankos, attacks the Avatar, and the Avatar is forced to kill Takumi in order to defeat Anankos and free his soul.

In both routes, the Avatar confronts Garon and reveals him to be a monster serving the dragon Anankos who killed and replaced the real Garon and has been provoking the war. Azura exhausts her powers helping defeat the false Garon and dies.

Revelation
The Avatar, unable to bear the thought of fighting both of their families, decides to not ally with either. After taking down the lead commanders of the Nohrian and Hoshidan armies, both perceive this act as treason and the Avatar is forced to flee. Azura brings them to the Bottomless Canyon where she makes them jump with her. They arrive in the kingdom of Valla where Azura is finally able to reveal the secrets of the kingdom itself and its role in the war between Hoshido and Nohr. The duo resolves to unite the Hoshido and Nohr armies before a natural event which will seal the passage for decades.

During their journey, they learn that their sword is the "Seal of Flames", which when combined with the other families' Legendary Weapons will become the Fire Emblem, capable of killing Anankos.

Eventually, the Avatar manages to gather the Hoshidan and Nohrian armies and is able to convince them to jump into the Bottomless Canyon to enter Valla. However an unknown assailant attacks the Avatar on their way down and Scarlet protects them and dies in the process. In Valla, Ryoma learns of Scarlets death but resolves to move forward. The Avatar and Azura explains their situation and the two nations combine their forces to take down King Anankos, the orchestrator of the war.

During their travels through Valla, the army encounters a resurrected and controlled Arete, Azura's mother, Mikoto, and the former king of Hoshido, Sumeragi, who is revealed to be Mikoto's assassin. During their battle with Mikoto, the Avatar and Azura learn that Mikoto and Arete were sisters, making them cousins. Gunter, who was controlled by Anankos since their arrival in Valla, is revealed to be Scarlet's killer, but the Avatar eventually breaks the hold. Finally, the Avatar and his forces are able to fight Anankos and nearly kills him thanks to the power of the Omega Yato, empowered by the Fujin Yumi, Raijinto, Brynhildr, and Siegfried. He eats Garon in order to replenish his strength, but ultimately is killed by the Avatar. In the aftermath, Valla rejoins Nohr and Hoshido on the surface. Azura crowns the Avatar as the new ruler of Valla and peace is restored between the three kingdoms.

Hidden Truths
In the hidden truths DLC, it is revealed that Anankos split his soul in two, and his gentle personality took on human form. His human form fell in love with Mikoto and they had a child--the Avatar. It is also revealed that Lilith is a fragment of the dragon Anankos's rage, and Anankos calls her his child making her the Avatar's sister.

Returning Features

 * The player can create an Avatar for the game.
 * The player has more customizable options for their Avatar than in Awakening except for body size which has been reduced to two per gender.
 * Female Avatars have special hair accessories.
 * Special clothing similar to Shin Monsho no Nazo can be equipped on all units in the game via My Castle. These include hats, masks, clothes, and gloves which can be worn in battle and have a variety of stat boosts. Like classes, these will be absent in cinematic cutscenes.
 * The Pair Up and Dual System functions from Awakening return under new tactics called Attack Stance and Guard Stance.
 * In addition, the enemy can use the Attack Stance and Guard Stance unlike the enemies in Awakening, which did not use the Dual System at all.
 * The game has voice acting, much like Awakening. However, localized versions do not have dual audio.
 * Each version of the game changes the format of overall gameplay outside of the storyline.
 * The Birthright path offers unlimited amounts of gold, and as such, experience. The player can level up characters outside of the storyline chapters by paying a fee to initiate a Skirmish, similar to using a Reeking Box. Like Awakening, map victory conditions will mostly be either rout the enemy or defeat the boss.
 * The Conquest path is more structured, with experience and funds being much more limited and more victory conditions are present such as defending a base, breaking through the enemy lines, and turn restrictions for certain maps.
 * The Revelation path is a mid-set of difficulty between the first two paths; being more difficult than the Birthright path but less difficult than the Conquest path.
 * Like in Conquest, certain conditions will be necessary to complete the map, but like Birthright, the majority objectives of the story are either rout the enemy or defeat the boss.
 * Skirmishes are included, with unlimited gold like Birthright.
 * All character classes from both paths are available. Also, all buildings available in My Castle in both paths are included as well.
 * Skills make a return in the game and units can learn new skills as they level up.
 * Each unit (excluding amiibo units and Einherjar) are given a Personal Skill that is unique to them and always have them equipped. They also have 5 additional skill slots to equip whatever skill their character learns.
 * Reclassing and Promotion Branching are featured in the game.
 * All characters have one fixed reclassing option, reduced from two in Awakening.
 * The Heart Seal allows a unit to reclass into their secondary class at the same tier, but does not reset levels nor can it demote a unit like the Second Seal.
 * Units can gain more reclass options by using a Friendship Seal with a friend and a Partner Seal with their spouse.
 * Monsters similar to the Risen, called Faceless, make an appearance.
 * StreetPass makes a return, along with online features that work in a similar fashion.
 * Casual Mode returns.
 * Like Fire Emblem Gaiden, Weapon Durability is not featured in the game. However, Staves retain their limited uses.
 * Knives return from Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance and Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn under a new weapon class: Shuriken.
 * The Support system from Awakening returns with unique conversations.
 * S-Supports and Marriage return alongside of Children characters. Unlike Genealogy of the Holy War and Awakening, children are determined by their fathers while their hair colors are determined by their mothers.
 * Marriage causes the two characters to share their respective classes or secondary classes with each other using Partner Seals. Children also adopt their parent's classes.
 * Players can have same-sex S-Supports for their Avatar if they form one with Niles or Rhajat.
 * A total of 9 save slots are available for the player to use in the special edition and eShop version of the game, 3 in the standalone Birthright and Conquest copies.
 * Capture returns from Thracia 776, though completely reworked.
 * Special DLC maps return with a variety of rewards for completing them. Characters appearing in these are Chrom, Lissa, Frederick, and Anna, Anna being recruitable in one of her appearances.

New Features

 * New weapons, including Katana, Naginata, Yumi, Kanabō, Ofuda, Shuriken, and Rods.
 * Most classes are separated by routes, meaning that some are exclusive to a side.
 * New Nohr Classes: Nohr Prince/Princess, Maid, Butler, Malig Knight, Nohr Noble, Wolfskin and Wolfssegner.
 * New Hoshido Classes: Songstress, Oni Savage, Oni Chieftain, Priestess, Ninja, Mechanist, Master of Arms, Spear Fighter, Blacksmith, Basara, Great Master, Kinshi Knight, Master Ninja, Hoshido Noble, Kitsune and Nine-Tails.
 * All classes are unisex such as the Sky Knight compared to the long running Pegasus Knight class which was female exclusive in all previous games.
 * However, the DLC classes Ballistician and Witch are exclusive to males and females respectively.
 * The cast of Fates is split in half. Half are playable in Conquest only while half are playable in Birthright only. Revelations allows almost all characters to be playable. However, eight characters are always available in all three routes.
 * All royalty characters, including the Avatar, have the ability known as Dragon Vein, which allows them to alter the terrain at certain locations during Chapter and Paralogue battles.
 * The DLC item First Blood allows all units that consume it to utilize the Dragon Vein ability as well.
 * Children of royal characters are also able to use Dragon Vein.
 * A new mode called "Phoenix Mode" is introduced, which revives any fallen allied character on the next turn.
 * Gameplay mode style and difficulty can be lowered in the middle of a playthrough. Once lowered, difficulty and game mode style cannot be raised. Players can change from Classic Mode to Casual Mode and then to Phoenix Mode but not in reverse. The storyline will be unaffected by gameplay mode changes.
 * The Weapon Triangle has been revised. The triangle flow now works as follows:
 * Sword and Magic > Axe and Bow > Lance and Shuriken > Sword and Magic
 * Nearly all weapons have different effects that gives bonuses and penalties when used including stat bonuses during battles, stat penalties after battle, inability to double attack or critical, and Weapon Triangle effectiveness reversal.
 * A customizable home base called "My Castle" allows players to build their own village that is used for StreetPass features and a variety of other in game features.
 * amiibo support for four of the Fire Emblem representatives in Super Smash Bros. characters: Ike, Marth, Avatar (Awakening), and Lucina, which will allow players to recruit each character, receive and buy unique Accessories, and unique weapons.
 * Avoidable and unavoidable deaths are present in Fire Emblem Fates; some of these characters can be saved by meeting certain requirements, while others will always die on those paths.
 * A+ Support Ranks, which allows units to use Friendship Seals to be able to reclass into one of their friends' classes.
 * Einherjar-esque bonus units are featured in Fates. These characters can be accessed via Fire Emblem Cipher TCG codes in Japan. It is unknown if the cipher codes will be available for international release. These cards include Marth, Lucina, and Minerva.
 * Fates features an original song called Lost in Thoughts All Alone, replacing the original Fire Emblem theme as the main theme song of the game.
 * Two players can create a "child" called a Bond Unit by trading accessories through StreetPass.

Characters

 * See main article: List of characters in Fire Emblem Fates.

Chapters

 * See main article: List of chapters in Fire Emblem Fates.

Classes

 * See main article: List of classes in Fire Emblem Fates