Lets create some discussion regarding Fire Emblem Awakening:
1) Do you own the game? Have you played it? Did you beat it?
2) What do you like about FE: Awakening?
1. Yes x3
2. The music, cutscenes, spotpass content (at least at launch),
3) What do you dislike about FE: Awakening?
The story is the worst in the franchise, Kozaki's character designs, battle animations, character portraits, Robin is a downgrade from Chris IMO,
the sheer amount of wasted potential the game had,
4) This largely branches from the previous question, but for those that have played older Fire Emblem entries, how would you say it compares to older entries in the series? Is it truly inferior to all of them in every aspect (in other words, do you think it's the worst Fire Emblem game in existence), or does it have some redeemable features that let it stand out from older titles?
IMO: 9 > 7 > 2/3/8/10/12 > 4/6/11/13/14 > 1/5
To be honest, I can't think of anything that stands out in particular compared to previous games in the series.
Story - Every other game did it better
Graphics - GBA games did sprites better, GC games did 3D better,
Gameplay - Well it's not slow like FE1 or unforgiving like FE5
Avatar - Chris gave players more options, albeit they were a tad OP,
Characters - Subjective in terms of actually liking them, but objectively there have been better written main characters
Difficulty - It's definitely one of the easier games in the series, but I still feel FE9 offered the most reward for learning mechanics,
5) Do you think Fates improved from Awakening? Why or why not?
The story and graphics of Fates are both better than Awakening, but they still feel subpar compared to the rest of the series. Corrin is a more interesting character IMO than Robin and a few other lords, but I feel that's because they no longer count as an avatar per say. The music I don't find terribly memorable.
Pair Ups are more balanced, but the gameplay doesn't feel as exciting IMO. Leveling up doesn't feel as rewarding, or to put it a better way: units don't feel like they're filling the same roles as similar units did in previous games. A lot of the difficulty, at least in Conquest, I feel comes more from enemy units having access to skills/level gimmicks rather than map placement or having good stats.
Weapon Level EXP also feels a tad low, which is natural for having no durability, but that in an of itself feels pointless to have removed.
6) This connects from the previous question, but for those that have played both Fates and Awakening, did you like Fates more than Awakening? Why or why not?
Looking back I think I like Awakening better, if only for it's gameplay and music.
7) What are your thoughts about FE: Awakening's overall reception?
I'm glad to see FE succeed among the mainstream, I just wish it wasn't with this title (though I do acknowledge much of it's success was to due to having an actual marketing campaign). Granted I wouldn't ever
not recommend it, but I can't think of anything it did particularly well compared to other games in the series or that it's a good representation of the series as a whole.