Yeah, I mean I feel like that's not much different than playing any old game first. Like I wouldn't tell someone not to play Pokemon Red as their first Pokemon just because newer games have newer mechanics. I feel like I'd be relearning as much later as I will here, so that doesn't bother me.

It's only been a few days since release, so chances are that the people you talked with haven't reached the annoying parts. I can already see the same pattern repeating: People like the game's first two acts, act 3 is considered bearable, but then it keeps getting worse afterwards.

Why not?

The biggest reason this looks better is because it is fully voice acted and doesn't have the dating sim elements. Also, I hear the story is better than the last two games, which wouldn't surprise me if the focus is different.

In other words, the biggest reason I'm interested in this is because it's not like the other 3DS games, but still is modern.

You said it's your first Fire Emblem game. You are going to be like the guy who is baffled that Metroid: Other M is considered awful because it's his first Metroid.

IIRC Grieth's Castle is the desert map where the AI acts all weird and doesn't know whether it should attack or retreat inside the castle. The level design of this particular map is bad to begin with, but the behavior of the AI outright sucks.

Because the gameplay systems are so dated, it's not kind for newcomers to the series. If you'd like to go after the challenge, by all means. That said, those "dating sim elements" you criticize are pretty much the only thing that give the paper thin characters any sort of development. I don't think the story in any of the Fire Emblem games is good enough to carry it. The strength is in the gameplay and level design.

Most people aren't saying this game is awful, though. Other M isn't a good comparison at all. People don't like that game because it betrays what metroid is in all facets. The worst this game is alleged to do is be too faithful to the original's aged gameplay.

Sounds like somebody never played shining force😝

Everything I've heard says this game is easier than the other games because of how simple the mechanics are, so that surprises me.

I mean, I think most characters in most games are paper thin, so I not expecting shakespeare. But FE vets rag on Awakening/Fate's story in a way they don't seem to be here, is good enough for me. I'm not a fan of SRPGs at all, so I'm not really interested in any of that ouside of how permadeath effects the impact of the story, I don't really care about the gameplay as long as it's bareable, which it is so far.

People rag on the newer games because there's a bit of spite that by using a more mainstream art style and allowing more time to be spent romancing characters, it's popularized the series from irrelevancy to meaningful hit. "Selling out" by making the game a lot easier and more approachable. That's my take on the distaste for the newer Fire Emblems.