Fire Emblem is a well known strategy role-playing game that has not only a wide range of characters for players to experiment with, but also a brilliant story that plays out across categories. Each Fire Emblem title has followed the main character on some sort of adventure to save the world with some adventures appealing more than others to fans of the franchise.
With players now adventuring through the most recent title to the franchise, Fire Emblem Engage on the Nintendo Switch. It is the best time to think back on the older titles and their stories that lead to this moment in the franchise. Out of all the Fire Emblem games available these are the ones that have stories the player has enjoyed.
9 Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon – DS
While Marth may be a much loved character of the Fire Emblem franchise. Especially with players bonding with him once more as a resident of the emblem ring worn by the main character of Fire Emblem Engage, the title that he originates from has quite a forgettable story.
This remake of Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon & The Light Swordfirstly misses its mark due to a lack of support conversations which many players now look forward to listening in on. Its age may also be a large factor to why this story is so basic but players can't deny the nostalgia and enjoyment of revisiting this title to reclaim Altea as Marth.
8 Fire Emblem: Shadows Of Valentia – 3DS
As the remake of the original Fire Emblem title that only released in Japan, Fire Emblem Gaiden. Shadows of Valentia hoped to improve the fifteenth title of the series through not only graphics but also being the first staple Fire Emblem title to be fully voice acted.
Although nearing the bottom of the list this isn't to say that the story itself was awful as it still entertained a variety of players who enjoyed the third remake of the JRPG series. While the support conversations between characters were greatly received the story itself was quite straightforward and very predictable.
7 Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones – Game Boy Advance
Ceiling the fate of Fire Emblem on the Game Boy Advance with a bang, Fire Emblem: The Scared Stones followed the two siblings Ephraim and Eirika through a story of betrayal as well as stopping the summoning of an evil demon.
What makes the story of The Scared Stones so interesting is the two campaigns that have been tactfully contained inside a single Game Boy cartridge. After the introduction to the rpg players are able to choose between the two siblings on whose adventure they will follow. Arguably Ephraim's story entertained players more while Eirika's fell short of simply acquiring the help of other nations.
6 Fire Emblem: The Blazing Blade – Game Boy Advance
While being the seventh title in the Fire Emblem franchise for Japan this was the first Fire Emblem game that players in the US got to experience. It opened the floodgates for many more of the franchise to eventually make their way onto Nintendo consoles outside of Japan.
While each backstory and adventure of the three main protagonists Lyn, Eliwood, and Hector were a great beginning for international players. It can't be denied that out of the seven that were already released The Blazing Blade was the longest which made following these great stories difficult.
5 Fire Emblem: Fates – 3DS
Fire Emblem Fates was the first title to be split into three games, Birthright, Conquest, and Revelation. Arguably this lead to some interesting stories as each game relied on Corrin making a different decision on which family they would side with after the introduction of the game.
Be it birth family, adopted family, or neither, if a player didn't invest in purchasing all the games it was difficult to understand the connection Corrin themselves had with the people around them. Similar to The Scared Stones certain stories were favored to others with many players preferring Birthright to Conquest with Revelation being a nice extra story of bringing both sides together.
4 Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn – Wii
Following on from the story of Path of Radiance, Radiant Dawn explores the aftermath of the destruction caused by the Mad King's War and what had become of that losing Kingdom after his defeat. Fire Emblem once again splits its story across the main perspectives of Micaiah, Elincia, and Ike.
When all three stories have been explored by the player, these three individuals and the teams that follow them join together after dealing with their own problems to face the bigger picture. That being the reawakened god that hopes to end all humanity.
3 Fire Emblem: Three Houses – Nintendo Switch
Unlike Fire Emblem Fates that split the game into a variety of campaigns that couldn't be experienced from all angles if players didn't own all three versions, Fire Emblem: Three Houses allowed the player to teach each house of the game before throwing them into an intense war in the second part of the title.
Experiencing each side of the story can lead a player to some emotional situations as they are forced to end the lives of the students they once taught as well as uncovering the mysterious past of the main character, Byleth.
2 Fire Emblem: Awakening – 3DS
Fire Emblem Awakening caused a bit of controversy between old Fire Emblem players and the new players that were introduced to the series through Awakening. A change was seen with the thirteenth title as the game began to focus deeper on the support system and bonds created between each of the characters.
Besides the story added through the different supports, the main characters Robin, Chrom and his daughter Lucina all played a crucial part in telling the story of Awakening as they all connected to the bigger plot in some way. Not to mention the interesting feature of the character children traveling back in time to help their parents in the final fight.
1 Fire Emblem: Path Of Radiance – GameCube
While Radiant Dawn on the Wii was successful, its predecessor Path of Radiance had by far one of the best stories in the Fire Emblem franchise. Many fans fell in love with the adventure that followed Ike and his mercenary band as he assists the princess Elincia in returning to her throne.
Besides the main story itself, watching Ike come of age while also coming to terms with the death of his father from the hands of the Black Knight makes for a great secondary story that finally leads to Ike's vengeance.
Fire Emblem Engage is available now for Nintendo Switch.