Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia Famitsu Review Translated

I translated the entire Famitsu review for Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valenta (Echoes: Another Hero King in Japan). It received an overall 37/40 rating from four reviewers. The break down was 9/9/10/9. I post a translated image, but the transcript can be found after for reference. It is from the April 13 2017 issue of Famitsu.

A big thank you to VincentASM of serenesforest for providing the review scan! Look forward to serenesforest’s own view on the review and other info gained before the game releases next week.

Transcript:

Being inducted into the Platinum Hall of Fame

Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia

Platform: Nintendo 3DS
Publisher: Nintendo
Release: April 20th
Cost: 4980 yen (excludes tax) 5378 (with tax)
Genre: SRPG

For Ages 12+

A full remake of Fire Emblem: Gaiden which was released in 1992. The story of the two protagonists has been expanded upon with new dungeon exploration and combat mechanics.

Creator Notes:
[Target Audience]:
-SRPG Fans
-Fire Emblem series fans
[Average play time]:
-Varies per player/play style

Although it’s a remake of a 25 year old game, there have been substantial additions that make it feel as good as new. From being able to use “Move” and “Examine” commands in towns to freely moving characters around on 3D maps to explore dungeons are just some examples of new features that breathe fresh life into the game. Despite these additions, players will find that the core appeal of the series –strategy and raising characters –is certainly there! Once you start, you will be so engrossed in the experience you will not be able to quit! – 9

A major point is how the fully voiced dialogue and animations make for an incredibly dramatic story. A lot of fun is in managing and training your units, where you steadily become more and more attached to each and every character through the conversations you see them have in the towns and at base. It is all done very naturally. I was enticed every step of the way with exploring the 3D dungeons and towns like one would in an adventure game, and the conversation scenes were always something to look forward to. It all left me with an extremely favorable impression of the overall work. – 9

Originally, Gaiden had been the black sheep of the series. But, with a complete remake that conforms to a new generation’s standards, it’s been given new life. The game mechanics such as switching between two armies, bringing along characters you like and want to train, as well as receiving quests from towns makes this a game where players will constantly enjoy and look forward to progressing. Very little is left to the player’s imagination because the story and characters are so perfect and complete. Very dramatic! – 10

A flexible growth system and emphasis on “heroic adventure” were strong features of the original Famicom version. These points have been greatly expanded upon, with the player now able to easily visualize the full extent of the enemy’s strength and range. They clearly aimed to make the game easier to play down to the finest details. The original story and fantastically depicted characters are complemented perfectly by the scenario’s structure, and, while still simple, it is incredibly easy to empathize [with the characters]. This is a must play for veterans of the original!  – 9

Original Japanese Text:

２５年前の作品のレメイクだけど、大幅に手が加えられて、いま風の仕上がりに。町で‘移動’や‘調べる’といったコマンドが使えたり、ダンジョンではキャラを操作して３Ｄマップを探索可能など、目新しい要素も多く、新鮮な気持ちでプレイできた。それでいて、シミュレーションとしてのおもしろさや、仲間を育てる楽しみなどのシリーズの魅力はバッチリ健在。遊び出したら夢中になり、やめられません！

フルボイスとアニメーションでドラマチックに描かれるスートーリーが大きな魅力。戦闘でのユニットの管理育成をあれこれ考えるのは楽しく、村や拠点での会話などもあって、仲間のキャラひとりひとりへの思い入れが、自然と生まれてきます。３Ｄのダンジョン探索や、アドベンチャーゲーム風の街での探索や会話のシーンなど、それぞれの場面でおもしろみが感じられるような作りになっているのも好印象。

もともとが‘外伝’として、シリーズでも一風変わった仕上がりであることと、時代に即したリメイクが相まって、新鮮さに満ち溢れています。ふたつの軍を切り換えて集める仕掛けのほかにも、マップを行き来して好きなキャラを育成したり、街でクエストを受けたりと、プレイヤーごとの展開を楽しめるのがいい。想像の余地こそ減りましたが、物語やキャラどうしの描写が充実していて、ドラマチック。

成長システム面での融通が利き、ヒロイックアドベンチャーとしての側面が強調されていた印象があったファミコン版。その特徴を正統的に発展させつつ、敵軍勢全体の移動範囲を常時視覚化できるなど、細かい部分の遊びやすさも追求されています。オリジナルのストーリーや、各キャラの人物像を絶妙に補完するシナリオ構成は、シンプルながらも感情移入しやすいので、当時のプレーヤーも必見です！

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