For the Fire Emblem fans out there, Fire Emblem games 4 & 5 (Genealogy of the Holy War, Thracia 776, respectively) are likely remembered for their stories, epic battlefields, and significant difficulty, among other attributes. Fire Emblem Gaiden (the 2nd game) was remade last year under the title Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia. Remaking older games seems to be a bit more popular as of late; some other examples include: Secret of Mana, Shadow of the Colossus, Crash Bandicoot, Metroid: Samus Returns, not to mention the anticipated FF VII remake, whenever that happens!
Now, the big question: will they remake Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War? ...Or perhaps, should they?
My experience playing Genealogy of the Holy War
I personally discovered Genealogy after playing the GBA Fire Emblem games and was enraptured by the characters and the story. The story plays out similar to an episode of Game of Thrones; there are characters with rich histories, varied relationships, and it is full of political intrigue. Of course, unraveling that story requires playing the actual game. While difficult, the challenges stoked my interest for problem solving, which is what kept me going (and why I like strategy RPGs, in general). The soundtrack provides great listening for its long maps.
However, other things I quickly noticed were the lengthy levels/chapters. Each chapter takes a very long time to complete. Because of the long distances across the map, cavalry units are almost definitively better as non-mounted units essentially play catch-up. Genealogy is not beginner-friendly; you're thrown to the wolves right away provided with little instruction. Combine that with the game's difficulty as you ward off debilitating ambush spawns, crippling status ailments, and a handful of very powerful enemies. Also, units can't trade directly with each other. Be prepared to buy/sell through the market in order just to "give" an item.
Anticipated challenges to a remake (within the game)
While I think the story is the best aspect of Genealogy, it may also be its biggest obstacle in a remake. When I mentioned Game of Thrones above, it should be noted that there is a lot of written violence (nothing animated). Also, like GoT, there are... forbidden relationships without going into too many spoilers. I recognize that this game may not have been able to exist based on the restrictions Nintendo of America exercised (no depictions of violence, religious references, etc.), but I feel this could be fleshed out in a suitable way, while keeping complex character motivations and themes intact.
The levels would likely have to be re-worked. Each level is very long, and expansive, taking quite a while to complete. However, the original game essentially breaks down each level into a series of sub-levels (e.g. take over Caste 1, Castle 2, etc.). Breaking up an original chapter into separate levels would make a (hopeful) remake easier to pick up and play throughout its duration.
Unit re-balancing will be necessary in order to shift power, and actual usage to non-mounted units. Though, I feel this could also be solved in level re-works if maps were made smaller so that distance traveled wasn't the primary factor for a unit's utility.
Have you played Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War? If so, do you think they could, or should, remake this game? What do you feel would need to be changed in a possible remake?
Let me know what you guys think. For the Fire Emblem fans out there, Fire Emblem games 4 & 5 (Genealogy of the Holy War, Thracia 776, respectively) are likely remembered for their stories, epic battlefields, and significant difficulty, among other attributes. Fire Emblem Gaiden (the 2nd game) was remade last year under the title Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia. Remaking older games seems to be a bit more popular as of late; some other examples include: Secret of Mana, Shadow of the Colossus, Crash Bandicoot, Metroid: Samus Returns, not to mention the anticipated FF VII remake, whenever that happens!
Now, the big question: will they remake Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War? ...Or perhaps, should they?
My experience playing Genealogy of the Holy War
I personally discovered Genealogy after playing the GBA Fire Emblem games and was enraptured by the characters and the story. The story plays out similar to an episode of Game of Thrones; there are characters with rich histories, varied relationships, and it is full of political intrigue. Of course, unraveling that story requires playing the actual game. While difficult, the challenges stoked my interest for problem solving, which is what kept me going (and why I like strategy RPGs, in general). The soundtrack provides great listening for its long maps.
However, other things I quickly noticed were the lengthy levels/chapters. Each chapter takes a very long time to complete. Because of the long distances across the map, cavalry units are almost definitively better as non-mounted units essentially play catch-up. Genealogy is not beginner-friendly; you're thrown to the wolves right away provided with little instruction. Combine that with the game's difficulty as you ward off debilitating ambush spawns, crippling status ailments, and a handful of very powerful enemies. Also, units can't trade directly with each other. Be prepared to buy/sell through the market in order just to "give" an item.
Anticipated challenges to a remake (within the game)
While I think the story is the best aspect of Genealogy, it may also be its biggest obstacle in a remake. When I mentioned Game of Thrones above, it should be noted that there is a lot of written violence (nothing animated). Also, like GoT, there are... forbidden relationships without going into too many spoilers. I recognize that this game may not have been able to exist based on the restrictions Nintendo of America exercised (no depictions of violence, religious references, etc.), but I feel this could be fleshed out in a suitable way, while keeping complex character motivations and themes intact.
The levels would likely have to be re-worked. Each level is very long, and expansive, taking quite a while to complete. However, the original game essentially breaks down each level into a series of sub-levels (e.g. take over Caste 1, Castle 2, etc.). Breaking up an original chapter into separate levels would make a (hopeful) remake easier to pick up and play throughout its duration.
Unit re-balancing will be necessary in order to shift power, and actual usage to non-mounted units. Though, I feel this could also be solved in level re-works if maps were made smaller so that distance traveled wasn't the primary factor for a unit's utility.
Have you played Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War? If so, do you think they could, or should, remake this game? What do you feel would need to be changed in a possible remake?
Let me know what you guys think. |