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Comic by: Chobota

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💙 Mari Plays FE — The Last Promise + Dream of Five (Both Completed) — A mini review 🌸

💙 The Last Promise in FEShrine 💙 Dream of Five in FEUniverse

When it comes to games, I figured my fiancé and I really have different preferences, though we do have common ground— games of warfare, or relating to such. I have fond memories of my silver-blue Game Boy SP and how I only had a counterfeit Pokémon Ruby to play with back then, and when my uncle handed me that flash drive full of wonderful games all waiting to be played, stories waiting to be told… Oh, the rest is history. And here I am now.

History does play a significant role in these things. I think my gaming history is pretty colorful… Ah, but before I get even further sidetracked, I’d like to provide a brief history of ROM hacking in Fire Emblem.

It all started simply as a means for a player to cheat their way through a game. I’ll admit that I did my fair share of implementing cheats to make the gameplay much easier for me, since I am mostly interested in the stories contained within the games. Of course, I also understand that cheating is an anomaly that pulls players away from how games are intended to be played. Turn-based strategy games like Fire Emblem require players to exercise logical and critical thinking, apart from their imagination, to lead their army to the best possible outcome… I suppose I’m not exactly a strategist to begin with, but a writer wanting to pick open the narrative for myself… But back to the history at hand!

Fan translation projects for the Japan-exclusive games also gave rise to code-altering software, and those smart and brave enough to fiddle with strings of code eventually thought, “How amazing would it be to make my own game?!” So, from simple game edits came the idea to create “original” hacks with the Fire Emblem games as bases. I believe every ROM hack is an ode to the original series and a love letter to the players, especially those who played the three GBA games.

All the ROM hacks I’ve played so far were passion projects released for free for everyone to enjoy and appreciate, and all implemented unique features and quirks I only wish were in the original games. With that being said, allow me to share glimpses of the most romantic love letter I’ve ever read, which could even be considered cheesy, but romantic all the same.

(Please don’t ask me about skills and growths, etc… I play with characters I think I find interesting, not by how well they can carry me throughout my campaign. And that, perhaps, is my greatest folly. 🤪)

Every true lover and supporter of the Fire Emblem series knows about or is at least familiar with the love letter that is The Last Promise. I say it is the most central piece of the ROM hacking hall of legends because of its popularity and notoriety. Many who have played it before say it’s “so bad it’s so good”, and I agree with that. From what I read, the hack creator was just a kid in high school when they started working on it, and even faced a lot of criticism for the “juvenile” writing. But I am immensely amazed by the heart, soul, and passion put into the creation of this hack. Sequels have been made and dedicated to the original story, but fail to deliver the pizazz that The Last Promise exuded.

Personally, the game was incredibly fun to play, and the story was classic Fire Emblem, though some parts definitely could have been done better. If there is one thing that I found completely unique, it is the final boss twist at the very end of the game. I’ve watched a playthrough before eventually playing the game, and the final battle struck a chord that still gets to me.

Like always, I gravitated towards the three main characters, Shon, Anakin, and Kelik, and invested much in their growth so I can take them with me on every map. The three main characters all have conflicting ideals despite having a singular goal, which makes their interactions interesting. I understand Siegfried is a main character, too, and he is somewhat meant to be the game’s Jagen, but he doesn’t really appeal to me all that much, so I was fine benching him. I won’t say much except maybe invest in other characters out of the colorful cast because you can only field so very few out of the many characters with varying motivations.

In terms of gameplay, which I said I wouldn’t really comment on, I thought I’d share my opinion that the game is extremely challenging for someone who just wants to see the story through to the end. (Please note that this is my opinion. I’m sure other players completed the game on their terms, but I have mine.) The enemies are overpowered compared to my units, though this aspect could reflect on my management as well. I know the devs have a balancing patch for this issue, but I just went ahead and played it as is because why the heck not? As the final battle approached, I soon regretted that gung-ho decision.

In conclusion…

Story: ★★★☆☆

Game Design: ★★★★☆ - Some sprites are wonky, I won’t lie, but the majority of the playable cast, NPCs, and enemies look fine.

Music: ★★★★☆ - Iconic, each track. Don’t ask me for my favorite theme because it is everyone’s favorite.

Gameplay: ★★★★☆

Replay Value: ★★★☆☆ - The game is incredibly lengthy, I kid you not. And despite the compelling story, I did not want to subject myself to the challenge of beating the game again and again and again just to see what I missed out on.

Seeing as The Last Promise is a game etched into the annals of Fire Emblem / ROM hacking history, casual enjoyers like me can easily look up playthroughs on YouTube and enjoy the story without investing too much time in the gameplay. However, there is still a lot of magic to see and feel when experiencing the game itself, so this is something I highly recommend.

Dream of Five is a passion project from the early 2000s that was only recently updated and completed by its original team of teenage creators, now all adults, too, as far as I know. It is perhaps the most… beautiful of all the ROM hacks I’ve played so far. Beautiful is such an understatement, too, because the game is downright gorgeous! From the compelling premise to the art direction to the musical scoring… I have nothing but lovely things to say about this game! I found the story so compelling that I ran through the first ten chapters all over again when my save file got corrupted. Every minute of grinding was worth it because the story it delivered was so powerful that it got me thinking… Are you ever truly yourself or just a product of people’s expectations of you?

As the route splits on Chapter 6, I figured each story would bring about its own challenges, along with different sets of characters, charms, and emotions. I think the road to Musain was much challenging compared to the straightforward route to Onduris. And as I know myself by now, I despise challenges and simply want to cut straight to the heart of the story… But surprisingly, I liked the Musain route more than the Onduris route, but that doesn’t make the latter less interesting.

I love how Musain and Onduris are mirror images, albeit different cultures, but have the same conflict and rot taking root as the protagonist Rena and her Striders navigate through similar turmoil. I also found the deuteragonist and tritagonist lords Arcus and se’Mori equally compelling, with both of them trying to prove their worth to others and themselves, and eventually making their marks on their respective societies.

As I mentioned earlier, Dream of Five has some of the most gorgeous art and sprite designs, with each character mindfully created with details of their personalities in mind. Words can’t sum up just how amazed I am at how… gorgeous every character is, not to mention the sprite upgrades as they are promoted. I remember encountering Corbeau in the Musain route and thinking, oh my gosh, she is absolutely breathtaking.

The support conversations aren’t just mere one-liners, but fleshed-out dialogue between the characters, with their discussions ranging from their motivations to full-out proposals to live out the rest of their days together. One thing I so very love about Dream of Five is the wonderful LGBTQ representation in character relationships. I had a real blast pairing up the different characters and coming up with my own conclusions about their orientations, though I had some help by reading up about the community’s interpretations as well.

In terms of gameplay, which I said I wouldn’t really comment on, I thought I’d share my opinion that the scale of difficulty increases at the start of Act 3 (Chapter 24). My units aren’t doubling as much as the previous acts, despite having several stats maxed out. It’s most likely due to the all-around stronger enemies equipped with better weapons… And also because it’s nearly the game’s climax.

As for the differing endings, I liked the Musain route conclusion more since I thought the end game bosses were fitting of a classic Fire Emblem game. The Onduris route conclusion was all right in my books, but the final bosses felt flat to me and weren’t really what I expected.

One of my favorite aspects of the game is Rena’s journal— how it’s one of the prominent plot devices and how it is attributed to everything. Much of the story flows from her writing, which begins every chapter. She doesn’t keep a journal to recall the events of the day whimsically, but to keep track of what she and her Striders have accomplished— and what has to be achieved in the future.

In conclusion…

Story: ★★★★☆

Game Design: ★★★★★ - PEAK.

Music: ★★★★☆ - Also absolute cinema.

Gameplay: ★★★★☆

Replay Value: ★★★★☆ - Two routes mean twice the game to play! And with over 60 characters to field, there is no way you can read through everything they want to say in just one playthrough.

There is so much I wish to speak about this masterpiece of a game, but I think nothing I say will ever give it justice, and nothing can ever replace the magic of experiencing the game itself, so I highly recommend playing it yourselves.

My Do5 tier… I think Garath is neat lol.

I understand Garath is meant to fall behind and eventually be benched as the chapters progress, since he is the Jagen, but in contrast to Siegfried, whom I happily benched, I found Garath to be an interesting character, along with many others whom I chose to field again when I played for the second time around (the Onduris route). (I think Garath is hot. He’s 38 and he’s hot and he has issues lol but he is also hot.)

As always, I am in awe at how much care and passion were put into these projects as they were being created. I am a sucker for stories of hope amidst trials, so of course these works resonated with me. This mini-review will never do these games any justice, so please, please, please play them! And of course, play Fire Emblem in general!

Kudos to the creators, Blazer and Parrhesia, Luminescent Blade & friends, for these amazing games! 🌸

[windsofrenais]

Fire Emblem Romhack Recommendations

Disappointed with no new Fire Emblem in today's direct? Just looking for a new Fire Emblem game to try? If that's the case, allow this post to serve as an introduction to some amazing romhacks to check out!

Dream of Five

👑🐰 DREAM OF FIVE weaves a tale of intrigue and identity, feat. an ornate and deliberate sense of style, custom story CGs, and downright gorgeous prose to boot! This hack also has a several chapter long route split, with each path having its own distinct gameplay and recruitable characters.

The Morrow's Golden Country

⛅️🌼 THE MORROW'S GOLDEN COUNTRY has an abundance in quality-of-life improvements, including a reworked support system and durability-based combat skills. A split-army story structure allows the player to get to know a large, loveable cast as its three lords fight for a brighter dawn—where none are left behind.

Cerulean Crescent

🏝️🌙 CERULEAN CRESCENT provides incredible turn economy management tools, with each playable unit boasting unique skills and self-repairing personal weapons. The setting lends itself towards a distinct, bold story structure as Ellerie fights to claim victory and vengeance, both.

Shackled Power

👊💥 SHACKLED POWER is perfect for those who want a classic Fire Emblem story that trends its style towards 90s-esque action, with all the explosions to go along with it. This hack also boasts numerous custom-drawn animations and portraits to truly make the player feel like a powerhouse!

Curse of Lagdou

🍈👿 CURSE OF LAGDOU expands the continent of Magvel's tale through its fast-paced maps and unique non-RNG crit system! Follow this poignant tale of two girls finding their purpose in life—featuring characters both new and old, along with custom-drawn animations and story CG art!

Four Kings

4️⃣👑 FOUR KINGS tells the story of family: of two brothers, and their respective journeys to become better people. It boasts tight gameplay and full deployment throughout its route split to let the player experiment with a wide variety of units, all with their own personal weapons!

Myrm Emblem

⚔️🔥 MYRM EMBLEM is a gameplay-focused hack, feat. skills and many quality-of-life improvements with a silly, brief story. Join Shigen, Lyn, and your favorite myrmidons and swordmasters from the FE series—as well as the Kaga Saga games—in an epic adventure to test your skill and fire emblem knowledge.

Drums of War

🥁🛡️ DRUMS OF WAR tasks its players with conquering tight and challenging enemy formations—and after the dust has settled: the choice on whether to recruit or ransom enemy leaders. Augment your ragtag band with your strongest enemies as you struggle and fight for a place deserving of you.

Dark Lord and the Maiden of Light

⚔️🌓 DARK LORD & THE MAIDEN OF LIGHT follows a classic FE plot, twisting familiar tropes in fresh ways. Its narrative rewards attention to detail: one must delve deep to uncover and understand the world's true nature. Fans of 3H's Rhea will enjoy Freesia's crusade against the sinister Ahribaal cult.

Embers Entwined

🪓 🧙‍♂️ EMBERS ENTWINED follows Petra, a princess in exile, and Diego, a mercenary from a mysterious bloodline, as they fight dark forces attempting to reach godhood. Necromancy takes center stage in this explosive tale, as sorcerers race against each other to perfect the art of raising the dead.

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Queen Camilla of Nohr

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Fire Emblem 8 besties;;;

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HAPPY 35TH ANNIVERSARY FIRE EMBLEMMM 🎂 🎂 🎂

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Eirika doodle

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🪽

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Trying a cute style

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💙 Mari Plays FE — The Hag in White (Completed) + Vision Quest (Completed) + Andaron Saga (Unfinished) — A mini review 🌸

💙 The Hag in White in FEUniverse 💙 Vision Quest in FEUniverse

I can’t believe it’s been nearly 20 years since my uncle first introduced me to game emulating… and thus began my ever-enduring love for the Fire Emblem series. I’ve never played a ROM hack in my entire life and only dipped my fingers in these games because I found playthroughs on YouTube and thought they had interesting stories! These games have been entertaining, and I am so blown away by the creativity of many other fans of the series!

I completed The Hag in White, which I thought had a creative yet challenging premise of having just one healer for the entire game. Vision Quest is also one of the most popular ROM hacks in the FE Universe, so of course, I also played it! Both games were equally fun and had their own set of quirks and challenges, and their stories were just as entertaining, too! Both games had sets of characters, maps, and music that were artfully made, you’d mistake them for mainline games because of how realistic they look and sound. I loved my jump from the noble lords of the original FE games to fielding commoners as the commanders of their respective armies in their charge against the great evil. (I haven’t played FE9 and 10 yet.) Both Kyra and Storch underwent significant grief in their respective journeys, but they insist that they are still the same people they were before the tides of conflict upturned their lives.

In contrast to many other gamers who prefer to focus on the gameplay aspects and balancing of these ROM hacks, I personally enjoyed reading through the stories, dialogues, and conversations between the different characters. At their core, they are exactly like the mainline games, with people brought together by a war and a common goal, and building lifelong bonds in the process. As much as I wanted to unlock every support conversation, there’s no way to get all of them in one playthrough.

I thought The Hag in White had a poignant yet lovely conclusion, while Vision Quest left me wondering about a sequel, especially after the shocking turn of events in the epilogue… VQ’s creator has since said that the incomplete sequel has been scrapped, but the beauty of unfinished stories is that we get to create our own endings. A question I asked when I first finished VQ is, “Would Storch go to war again?” I think that’ll depend on what he’s going to fight for. In the end, I think he is no different from the mainline FE protagonists who fought for a just cause, even though he was non-stop complaining all the way. (LOL!)

Meanwhile, I opted not to finish Andaron Saga and just watched playthroughs for the story. The latter had a promising premise as well, but I suppose the horrid things I’ve read about the hack’s lead developer put me off from playing the game in its entirety. There is a whole discussion about this hack and separating the art from the artist, but all in all, I just chose not to play because I can easily watch the story parts on YouTube now… And also because of the off-putting things I’ve read, even though it’s been years since the incident. I believe if you’re old enough to be on the internet, you’re old enough to police your experience. I’m not going to tell people not to play Andaron Saga and its prequel, Rebellion Saga, but I think they should read up and learn a thing or two about their developers and see for themselves if it’s a game they want to get behind.

I’d love to dip my fingers into more ROM hacks that are just as entertaining but aren’t problematic.

Kudos to the creators, Saint Rubenio and Pandan & Friends, for these amazing games! 🌸

[windsofrenais]

"No matter if I am the strongest or not, if I have you with me, my heart will be filled with kindness."

Hello, I'm Mari. ♡ 30↑, she/her. ☁️ Also known as @songsofadelaide. Welcome to my Fire Emblem treasure box! 💙 interacts as @songsofadelaide-archive.

☁️ My FE fics (Mostly FEW:3H) | 💙 Mari Plays FE

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