Love and war collide in Conquest’s tough-as-nails campaign.
By Jose Otero
Some of the most heart-pounding, high-stakes moments in Fire Emblem Fates: Conquest come from pivotal decisions in the heat of turn-based tactical combat, but it’s the resulting consequences that kept hooked me for well over 40 hours. Whether I was watching my soldiers establish and grow their relationships as warriors, or watching in horror as another one permanently fell to an enemy blade, I loved every moment of it. The stiff challenge, tailored to Fire Emblem veterans, and visually striking colorful style is complemented by wonderful mission variety and some deep customization.
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Conquest is the tougher half of the Fire Emblem Fates package – for the other, check out our review of Fire Emblem Fates: Birthright, which is sold and reviewed separately.
Conquest’s tense decisionmaking on a grid-based battlefield is part of an intricate and addictive turn-based tactics loop.
Fire Emblem Fates’ beautiful anime graphics and superb audio are on par with 2013’s excellent Fire Emblem Awakening. The distinctly European flavor of the glory-seeking Nohr kingdom contrasts with the spiritual Japanese vibe of the peaceful Hoshido Clan for great looking, visually distinct battles and characters. The two feuding families kick off a tumultuous and gut-wrenching campaign full of tough battles. In Conquest, you play the role of Corrin, a young noble born to the Hoshidos but raised by the Nohr who chooses to fight for his adopted brothers and sisters to find an end to the conflict.
Conquest’s tense decisionmaking on a grid-based battlefield is part of an intricate and addictive turn-based tactics loop. Attacks are based around chance-to-hit percentages and hidden dice rolls, with a simple rock-paper-scissors ruleset to keep melee weapons and projectile attacks balanced: Swords and magic beat axes and bows, which are beaten by lances and hidden weapons, which are in turn vulnerable to swords and magic. Each choice made on the battlefield plays a critical role in winning a skirmish, but your actions can also have a larger impact on how units develop. Decisions include choosing which soldiers to deploy, their weapons and loadout, and the right time to attack or run from enemies.
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Experience from combat naturally rewards you with level-ups and increased stats but, as is a defining and beloved characteristic of Fire Emblem games, your soldiers also get stronger based on bonds and relationships that develop as they fight side by side. Additionally, building up relationships opens up new story content in the form of support conversations, which add personality quirks and depth to their character, often revealing more about their motivations or silly personal imperfections. Felicia, for instance, is a hardworking maid you meet early on who also happens to be a total clutz, while Xander is the conflicted but dutiful crown prince of Nohr who diligently fights for the kingdom despite not always agreeing with his father’s decisions.
The personalities and stat bonuses add incredible depth to Fire Emblem Fates: Conquest’s carefully balanced battle system.
The personalities and stat bonuses add incredible depth to Fire Emblem Fates: Conquest’s carefully balanced battle system, because attack percentages and damage is affected by range, enemy class, and what allied characters are nearby. And while each class has a specific role in a fight, you can unlock additional perks as your classes evolve, with some surprising effects. For example, once Corrin has upgraded his class Nohr Prince to a Nohr Noble, his Draconic Hex spell can follow up standard attacks and add a bonus effect that significantly reduces an enemy’s stats, softening them up for a killing blow. Or Silas’ high-risk, high-reward Vow of Friendship power, which adds additional damage dealt and taken if he’s near another main character who has 50% or less health. These complex abilities can really turn a fight in your favor when used wisely on the right soldier and in the right situation. Building strong relationships draw new, more powerful soldiers to join your ranks and the loop starts over as you develop those recruits.
