Fire Emblem Fates is a tactical role-playing game designed for the Nintendo 3DS handheld gaming device. It was created by Intelligent Systems and Nintendo SPD and released by Nintendo. The game was first available in Japan in June 2015 and later released worldwide in 2016. It is the 14th game in the Fire Emblem series and the second to be made for the Nintendo 3DS after Fire Emblem Awakening. Unlike earlier games, Fates was released in three versions, each with a different story but featuring the same characters: Birthright and Conquest were sold as physical copies, and Revelation was released as downloadable content.
The main story follows a customizable character named Corrin, who is pulled into a war between two kingdoms, Hoshido (their birthplace) and Nohr (their adopted home). The player must decide which kingdom to support. In the Revelation version, the character helps both sides fight the real cause of the war. The game’s gameplay involves moving units on a grid-based battlefield and shares many features with earlier Fire Emblem games, though some elements are unique to each version.
Development of Fates began after the success of Fire Emblem Awakening. Many members of Awakening’s team returned to work on Fates. The team focused on adding new features, improving gameplay, and enhancing the story, which had received some criticism. To achieve this, the team hired writer Shin Kibayashi. To give players different experiences and show all sides of the story, the game was divided into three versions. When released, the game received positive reviews: Birthright was praised as a good choice for new players, Conquest was noted for its difficulty, and Revelation was seen as a balanced option between the two versions.
Gameplay
In Fire Emblem Fates, players start by creating the main character. They can choose the character's gender, appearance, and name. At the beginning of the game, players can select from three difficulty levels: Normal, Hard, and Lunatic. The game also includes different modes that determine what happens to characters if they are defeated in battle. In Classic Mode, characters who are defeated cannot return to the game, a feature that has been used in earlier games. Casual Mode allows defeated characters to be brought back after a battle ends. A new mode called Phoenix lets defeated characters return on the next player's turn. Each version of Fates focuses on a different style of gameplay. Birthright plays similarly to the previous game, Fire Emblem Awakening, and includes opportunities to earn extra gold and experience. In contrast, Conquest gives players limited gold and experience for completing maps. Conquest also includes tasks like defending a base or capturing enemy forces, and some levels have a limited number of turns. Revelation combines elements from Birthright and Conquest: it allows players to earn gold and experience like Birthright, but includes varied tasks and strategies similar to Conquest.
A new feature in the series is "My Castle," where players can build a base for their army. In this base, players can create shops, buy weapons and items, and interact with allied characters. Shops can be upgraded, which allows players to purchase more types of items. Players can also run a farm to produce food. At the restaurant in the base, players can serve food to characters, which can give them helpful effects, though some foods might cause negative effects. The player's personal quarters are also in the base, where they can interact with detailed models of other characters and their spouse (if applicable). Players can visit other players' bases using the StreetPass feature on the Nintendo 3DS. During these visits, players can fight the other player's army, buy items, and recruit characters. Since different items are available in each version of the game, this allows players to access items they would not normally have.
Battles take place on a grid-based battlefield, with turns given to both players and enemies. During an attack, the view changes from a top-down perspective to a third-person view. Environments and terrain vary between levels, including mountains, forests, and flat areas. A special ability unique to members of each kingdom's royal family is the use of Dragon Veins, which are special tiles on the map that allow them to change the battlefield to their advantage. Like previous games, Fire Emblem Fates includes a "weapon triangle" system, where certain weapons have advantages over others. In Fates, the triangle is different from earlier games: swords and magic defeat axes and bows, axes and bows defeat lances and hidden weapons, and lances and hidden weapons defeat swords and magic. Unlike earlier games, weapons in Fates do not have a limited-use durability system, except for staves. Instead, stronger weapons reduce some of the user's abilities. For example, the Brave Sword allows the user to attack twice, but it also lowers their defense and magic defense.
Each unit has a unique class that determines the types of weapons they can use and how far they can move in battle. At the start of the game, the main character begins as a Nohr Prince or Princess, while Azura starts as a Songstress. The classes in each version of Fates are based on the aesthetics of their respective nations. Using special items called "Seals," players can change or upgrade a character's class. Seals can also increase a character's experience level or alter their stats. Character relationships, known as "Support," develop during and between battles. These relationships can be viewed in the Support menu outside of battle. Battling with an adjacent or paired unit provides advantages, such as blocking attacks or attacking together. Outside of battle, relationships can grow to the point of marriage and having children. The appearance and abilities of children depend on their parents. Using a specific Seal, child characters can inherit additional skills from their parents. The game also introduces two new Seals: the Partner Seal and the Friendship Seal. These allow players to gain the class of their spouse or best friend, provided the class is compatible and the Support rank is high enough.
The game includes online multiplayer. Players can choose from five standard maps to play with selected players, random players, or through local multiplayer. Random battles can be played with standard rules or special restrictions. The Fog of War effect, which hides parts of the map, is not used. Each turn has a time limit of five minutes. Fire Emblem Fates also introduces Amiibo support for the first time in the series. Four characters from the Super Smash Bros. series—Marth, Ike, Robin, and Lucina—are recruitable units. When their Amiibo figurines are scanned, the characters appear in "My Castle." After talking to them three times, players can fight them in battle. If defeated, they join the main campaign as allies. Talking to them before the battle gives players themed items, such as Marth's tiara or Lucina's butterfly mask. The Amiibo feature becomes available after the story splits and "My Castle" is unlocked.
Synopsis
The story of Fates takes place in the lands of the kingdoms of Hoshido and Nohr. Both kingdoms' royal families share a common ancestor who was a dragon, but they worship different dragon gods, which causes them to fight. They are unaware that another dragon god, Anankos, rules the hidden kingdom of Valla, which lies beneath the Bottomless Canyon that separates Hoshido and Nohr. Anankos took over the throne of Valla and is trying to make Hoshido and Nohr fight each other. In the Hidden Truths DLC, it is explained that Anankos was once a kind dragon who helped humans, but his power grew too much, and he could not join the spirit realm with other dragons. After he killed Valla's king in a fit of rage, he became mad. His last kind thoughts lived in a human form, which became the parent of the Avatar, before he died. His dragon form then began a violent mission to destroy humans.
The main character is the Avatar, named Corrin by default. Players can choose Corrin's name, gender, and appearance. Corrin is part of the Hoshidan royal family and was captured by Nohr when they were young. Corrin has the special ability to change into a dragon. Another important character is Azura, a member of the Nohrian royal family who was kidnapped by Hoshido to help rescue Corrin. She controls water and can join Corrin on their journey. She can calm enemies with a song called Lost in Thought All Alone using her pendant. Other Hoshidan royal family members include Corrin's siblings Ryoma, Takumi, Hinoka, and Sakura. Ryoma and Takumi use the legendary weapons of Hoshido: the Raijinto katana and the Fujin Yumi. From Nohr, Corrin's guardian is Gunter, and their adoptive siblings are Xander, Camilla, Leo, and Elise. Xander and Leo use the legendary weapons of Nohr: the sword Siegfried and the tome Brynhildr. Other characters include Corrin's mother, Queen Mikoto of Hoshido; King Garon of Nohr; Sumeragi, the former king of Hoshido and husband of Mikoto; and Anankos, the dragon ruler of Valla and Corrin's biological father.
Before the game begins, Hoshido's King Sumeragi is attacked and killed by Nohr's King Garon during a fake peace meeting. Garon captures Sumeragi's child, Corrin, and raises them to serve his goals. In Hoshido, Sumeragi's wife, Mikoto, becomes the new ruler after her husband's death. After Corrin comes of age, Garon sends them to inspect a Hoshidan fortress above the Bottomless Canyon. However, one of Garon's men, Hans, starts a battle and pushes Corrin's mentor, Gunter, into the Canyon. Corrin is found by Hoshidan soldiers, who recognize them as a lost royal family member. Corrin meets their blood relatives and Azura in the capital city. Soldiers attack the city, and a mysterious assassin tries to kill Corrin. Mikoto sacrifices her life to protect Corrin. After this, Corrin gains a legendary sword called Yato, said to belong to the one who will save the world. In the first battle between the two kingdoms, Corrin must choose to side with Hoshido or Nohr. In the Birthright and Conquest story paths, Corrin chooses their biological or adoptive family, which causes them to be rejected by the other side and forced to fight them.
In the Birthright path, Corrin helps their Hoshidan family defend their country from Nohr's invasion. After battles with Corrin, Camilla and Leo are spared. With help from Elise and Shura, who kidnapped Azura from Nohr, Corrin and their group attack the Nohrian capital. Elise dies trying to stop Corrin and Xander from fighting, and Xander becomes sad and forces Corrin to kill him. Corrin then fights Garon, killing him with the Yato after it is given more power from Ryoma and Takumi's legendary weapons. Azura dies after using her singing powers too much to weaken Garon. In the ending, Ryoma becomes king of Hoshido, and Leo becomes king of Nohr, and peace is made between the two kingdoms.
In the Conquest path, Corrin fights against Hoshido and works with their adoptive family to change Nohr's harsh reputation. One night, Corrin follows Azura and is taken to the hidden kingdom of Valla. There, Azura reveals that King Garon has been replaced by an impostor. Corrin decides to have Garon sit on the magical throne of Hoshido, which removes the impostor's disguise. During the invasion of Hoshido, the Nohrians spare Hinoka and capture Sakura, while Takumi, who has become violent, dies by jumping off a wall. Garon orders Corrin to kill Ryoma. After their fight, Ryoma spares Corrin from killing their brother by killing himself. Corrin uses the Yato, given more power from Xander and Leo's legendary weapons, to kill the impostor Garon. However, a possessed Takumi attacks Corrin, and Corrin destroys his body to free his soul. Azura uses her powers too much, but her death is not shown, and she is marked as missing. In the ending, Hinoka becomes queen of Hoshido, and Xander becomes king of Nohr, and a peaceful alliance is formed between the two kingdoms.
In the Revelation path, Corrin refuses to side with either Hoshido or Nohr and is declared a traitor by both. They escape with Azura to the kingdom of Valla, where they find Gunter still alive. Azura reveals that Anankos has been controlling events, and she is the daughter of Valla's last king. Anankos created a curse that kills anyone who speaks about Valla outside its borders. To defeat Anankos, Corrin and Azura travel through Hoshido and Nohr, gaining the trust of their families. A natural event then hides Valla from the outside world
Development
The previous game in the Fire Emblem series, Fire Emblem Awakening, was planned to be the last in the series because sales were decreasing. However, the game was very successful worldwide, so Nintendo approved a new entry. Fire Emblem Fates was worked on together by regular Fire Emblem developer Intelligent Systems and Nintendo SPD. The main staff from Awakening returned for Fates: Intelligent Systems's Kouhei Maeda was the director, Nintendo SPD director Genki Yokota, Nintendo producer Hitoshi Yamagami, art director Toshiyuki Kusakihara, and character designer Yūsuke Kozaki. Yokota worked on Fates at the same time as working on Xenoblade Chronicles X. Masahiro Higuchi, who was the project manager for Awakening, joined as a producer. The original staff were surprised when Nintendo asked for a sequel because they had believed Awakening would be the final game in the series. During early planning, Fates was called "Fire Emblem 3DS II." The game's cutscenes were animated by Studio Anima, who also worked on Awakening, and storyboarding was done by Spooky Graphic. To create the different versions of the game, one team worked on shared parts of the game, while other teams handled individual level designs.
The gameplay was improved and expanded from the version used in Awakening. Maeda suggested the "My Castle" feature as an activity for players to learn more about the main characters outside of battles. Some staff said the amount of content in My Castle was so large it could be its own game. Originally, the social features in My Castle were only available through StreetPass, but it was decided that players in areas with less StreetPass activity should also be able to use the feature through a regular internet connection. Ideas from Maeda for earlier games, like the Dragon Vein ability and how skills are passed to second-generation characters, were also used. Because the game had multiple versions, map design became a bigger challenge than expected, with few maps shared between versions. Phoenix Mode was added to attract new players, a change from earlier games. For the first time in the Fire Emblem series, the main character could marry a character of the same sex. Male and female partners, Niles and Rhajat, appear in different versions of the game. Nintendo said this change was made to reflect the diversity of its players.
The two kingdoms in the game were based on different cultures: Hoshido was inspired by Japan, and Nohr used a Medieval European setting similar to earlier Fire Emblem games. Hoshido and Nohr were designed to contrast each other, especially in their architecture: Hoshido focused on light and air, while Nohr focused on darkness and stone. When development began, the team decided to ask Kozaki to return as the character designer, as he had done for Awakening. The large number of characters worried the team about whether Kozaki would agree to return. Hoshido characters wore clothing influenced by Japanese culture, and their designs were inspired by famous people in Japan, like Ryoma, whose outfit was based on samurai and historical figures like Takeda Shingen. Bright colors were used to highlight Hoshido's focus on light. Nohr used dark colors like black and purple to create a cold, unified look. Nobles in Nohr had similar design elements to show their family connections. The first character Kozaki designed was the Avatar. He focused on the Avatar's clothing to avoid making it look like it belonged to either Hoshido or Nohr, keeping the player's choice neutral until the story's decision point. The Avatar had bare feet to reflect their connection to dragons and to create a memorable feature. The main artwork showing the two families together was difficult to draw because of their different designs and was discussed extensively before being finalized. Azura was not included in artwork for the two physical copies of the game but appeared more in artwork related to Revelation, where she played a bigger role in the story.
During planning, the team studied how fans and critics had reacted to Awakening. While gameplay and graphics were praised, some longtime fans said the story was too simple, even though new players liked it. To appeal to both groups, the team decided to write a story that would work for veterans and newcomers. The idea of the story changing based on which side the main character chose came from Yamagami's memory of the first Fire Emblem game, which allowed choosing different protagonists but did not change the story. The team wanted to show both sides of a conflict without labeling them as good or evil, so they planned three versions of the game. Initially, the plan was to let players choose between two kingdoms, but Yamagami wanted a third version where neither side was chosen, so a third version was added. The Japanese subtitle "if" came from the many choices in the game, and the English title "Fates" referred to the idea that the main character's choices shape their future. After creating the three storylines, the team decided to release Birthright and Conquest as separate physical copies instead of one bundle. This was because selling them as a single release would have raised the price to match two games, which would not help players who only wanted one version. It also became easier to add the other versions as cheaper downloadable content (DLC), allowing players to choose their path after reaching a key decision in Chapter 6. Each version had the same amount of gameplay and story as Awakening.
As plans for three versions of the game developed, the team realized they could not write all three storylines alone. They looked for writers outside the video game industry and chose Shin Kibayashi, a Japanese writer known for manga and TV shows. Kibayashi was first contacted by Kozaki through their editor and was pitched the project by the team in December 2012. He initially refused because of his busy schedule, but after playing Awakening with his daughter, he agreed to write a story. He was asked to create a ten-page summary for each storyline but became attached to the characters and expanded Birthright's summary to about 500 pages. After completing his work, he wrote similar summaries for Conquest and Revelation.
Release
In January 2015, a Nintendo Direct broadcast told players in all regions about Fire Emblem Fates. In Japan, the game was called Fire Emblem if. Its English name was shared during the Electronic Entertainment Expo 2015. The game was released in multiple versions. Birthright and Conquest were released physically in Japan on June 25, 2015, with plans for a 2016 release in the West. Players who buy a physical copy of either version can download the other version as DLC for a lower price. Revelation was released only as downloadable content on July 9, two weeks after the physical release of Fates. A special edition included access to Birthright, Conquest, and Revelation. The Western release followed the same pattern as Japan. In North America, physical versions were released first in February, with Revelation added as DLC in March. In Europe, physical editions were released on May 20, with Revelation as DLC on June 9. A special edition containing all three storylines and an art book was available in both regions with the initial physical releases. In Australia, physical versions launched on May 21, with Revelation released on June 10. On July 19, 2022, it was announced that sales of Fates would end on February 28, 2023, before the Nintendo eShop closed on March 27, 2023.
The Japanese release was supported by a Fire Emblem-themed trading card game and an Awakening-themed manga. Two "starter packs" for the trading cards included codes to unlock characters Marth and Lucina in the game as DLC. A "booster box" came with a code for character Minerva. A special New Nintendo 3DS cover based on Fates was released in Japan with the game’s physical version. After release, a manga based on the game began in the September issue of Monthly Young Magazine. It was written by Kibayashi and illustrated by Kozaki. Between July and September 2015, multiple DLC maps were released, including story-related maps and optional maps with characters from other Fire Emblem games. These DLC maps were released in North America between February and April 2016 and in Europe between mid-May and late July.
The game’s localization was handled by Nintendo Treehouse. An English voice actor noted that Nintendo kept details about Fates private, leaving voice actors with little information about the game. After Tomodachi Life removed gay relationships in its Western version, fans worried the same might happen in Fates. Nintendo kept the option in the localized game. Changes were made for the Western release. A female character named Soleil, who is attracted to women, was included. In the Japanese version, a support conversation between the male avatar and Soleil was criticized for elements resembling gay conversion therapy. These elements were removed in the Western version to avoid controversy. Some characters’ personalities and speech were changed in the English version, such as one character becoming less serious and another changing from a "kindhearted gentle giant" to a "macho narcissist." Character Kana was made to "speak dragon" with "gibberish" and became more childish. An in-depth conversation between two characters was removed and replaced with ellipses. Dialogue was also changed to include references to The Simpsons, Sonic the Hedgehog, and Urban Dictionary.
A minigame in the My Castle area, where players could "pet" a chosen character’s face on the touch screen to build affection, was removed from Western versions. While 2D interactions and support increases remained, the touch screen feature was removed. A separate minigame where Corrin could wake up their spouse was unchanged. The option for Japanese voiceovers, available in Awakening, was removed from Fates. Nintendo stated other unspecified changes were made where necessary. These changes, noted by fans comparing English and Japanese versions, caused online controversy. Complaints were sent directly to Nintendo, leading a group called "Team If" to begin a fan translation, though it was later canceled after the game’s official release.
Reception
The different versions of Fates received high scores on the combined site Metacritic. Birthright scored 86 out of 100 based on thirty-five critic reviews. Conquest received a slightly higher score of 87 out of 100, based on forty reviews. Revelation scored 88 out of 100 based on twenty-five reviews. All versions of Fates together received an overall score of 88 out of 100 based on thirty-six reviews. Famitsu, which reviewed both physical versions together, praised the game's drama and characters, even though they noted that the relationships between characters in the two versions were complex. They said that playing only one version might leave players feeling unsatisfied. They also praised the game's battle features, ways characters interact, and easy-to-use interface. The "My Castle" feature, which initially felt incomplete, became a satisfying experience. Martin Robinson of Eurogamer praised the game as a good follow-up to the improvements in Awakening. He liked the characters' grey morality and story, and said Conquest was the "cooler" version because of its challenge and cast. His main criticism was the game's release in parts, which he called "needlessly complicated" and might confuse fans who liked Awakening. He also said Nintendo's translations were less detailed than the version by 8-4 and criticized the removal of a petting feature from the Japanese version. Kevin O'Keeffe of Mic praised the inclusion of same-sex relationships, noting that they were shown as romantic and equal to heterosexual relationships. He also criticized the lack of relationship choices and the absence of two playable characters who could be children of Corrin and Niles if they married women. He said the inclusion helped make LGBT players feel more comfortable. V.S. Wells of TechRadar criticized how the game portrayed Niles and Rhajat, saying they fit a harmful stereotype of being "depraved bisexuals" and that their bisexuality was used to show their moral flaws. He pointed to examples like Rhajat stalking Corrin even if Corrin is married and Niles threatening torture for fun while flirting with others. Melanie Zawodniak of Nintendo World Report had mixed feelings about Corrin. She praised the developers for making an avatar the main character, which she said added personal stakes to the player's relationships, but she said Corrin was poorly written and a "disaster of a character."
Chris Carter of Destructoid called Birthright's story "relatively open and shut" but said it kept complex character relationships. He generally said it was the best starting point for newcomers to the series. Javy Gwaltney of Game Informer called Birthright's story "a surprisingly dark tale," praised the gameplay improvements over Awakening, and was overall positive despite some criticism of its tutorial system. He liked the music and graphics but said the battle models had low resolution. Meghan Sullivan of IGN called the story, music, and visuals "great" and enjoyed the gameplay systems despite mission repetition and a slow online interface. Alexa Ray Corriea of GameSpot liked the gameplay changes and strategy but said there was little variation in playable maps. She enjoyed the character interactions but said some dialogue was overly dramatic. Kimberley Keller of Nintendo World Report, who reviewed all versions, praised the game overall and said Birthright was the "perfect way to start" the series because of its traditional Fire Emblem elements. Griffin McElroy and Allegra Frank of Polygon, who reviewed all versions, praised the gameplay and how the versions interacted but criticized the complicated character class system. They called Birthright a "straightforward march for vengeance, where victory almost always entails defeating an entire platoon or its leader." Both Connor Sheridan of GamesRadar and Ray Carsillo of Electronic Gaming Monthly praised the gameplay, with Sheridan calling Birthright familiar compared to other titles and Carsillo recommending it as a good starting point.
Carter said Conquest was a tougher experience from a gameplay perspective, focusing on tactical battles within set limits, and found its story more interesting than Birthright's. Gwaltney called Conquest a "dark fantasy epic" that asked difficult moral questions and said its gameplay was harder and more rewarding than other versions, despite similar tutorial issues. He shared his opinions on the music and graphics with Birthright. Jose Otero of IGN noted the game's challenge and praised its mission variety, which was not a point of praise for Birthright. Peter Brown of GameSpot praised the gameplay variety and character development but said the plot was "fairly middle of the road" and disliked the lack of optional side missions. Keller noted that Conquest had a harder gameplay structure and a more comedic story tone. Patricia Hernandez of Kotaku said Camilla, a playable character in Conquest, was "sexualized" and described her outfit as resembling a dominatrix, saying the game "defies expectations." McElroy and Frank called Conquest the more challenging version, a view shared by Carsillo and Sheridan, who said the game would not make players feel like heroes. Robinson of Eurogamer said Conquest was the "cooler" version due to its challenge and cast.
Carter said Revelation was a good middle ground between Birthright and Conquest and praised its story after moving past its initial premise. Corriea of GameSpot was highly positive, saying she enjoyed the drama and found the story better than Birthright and Conquest. She praised the gameplay and variety. Keller said Revelation's story "keeps players on their toes" and praised its gameplay for balancing the two versions. She called it "a fulfilling conclusion" to Fates. Sheridan was critical of needing to buy Revelation as DLC to get the full story. Gwaltney was less favorable than his opinions on Birthright and Conquest, saying the story felt "ho-hum and generic" after the more impactful stories of the first two versions. Sullivan of IGN enjoyed the combination of characters and gameplay from Birthright and Conquest but agreed with Corriea about the central plot device. Carsillo found Revelation the most satisfying due to its hidden plot points and praised its gameplay balance.
During the 20th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards, the Fates series was recognized for its achievements.
Legacy
Before the North American release of Fire Emblem Fates, Corrin was a playable character in the 2014 crossover fighting games Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U. Corrin was added as downloadable content on February 3, 2016. The character has both male and female versions as alternate costumes. Corrin’s attacks are based on the ability to transform into a dragon. The downloadable content also includes two music tracks from Fire Emblem Fates and two bonus trophies for the Nintendo 3DS version. Corrin returns as a playable fighter in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, now part of the base roster. Characters from Fire Emblem Fates were included in the mobile game Fire Emblem Heroes and the Dynasty Warriors-inspired game Fire Emblem Warriors when they launched. Additional characters were added later. Amiibo figures of Corrin were released on July 21, 2017, in both male and female versions. These figures can be scanned into Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia to summon a temporary ally version of Corrin in battle. They can also be scanned into Fire Emblem: Three Houses to unlock music tracks from Fire Emblem Fates in optional battles.