Shadow Dragon conclusion

I feel I didn't really give this game the attention it deserved (being Fire Emblem and all) but... there was something lacking in it. Many things lacking, really. Bulleted points:

• Storyline. Before each chapter, a little bit of something was explained. But I couldn't follow why I was going through these motions, and thus the entire storyline was lost to me. Sure, Marth had to battle people and get his kingdom back, but it didn't go beyond that. They tried to implement various other things to get to the finale, but it really seemed like they just added it for the sake of adding something.


• Characters. Like I've said before, I cared very little for them. Perhaps because there were too many. When I sat through the credits and the ending bios of what everyone did after the war, I didn't even know who half of them were. I stick with my main character and his knights and a couple archers. I get comfortable with them.


• The ending. Oh hey look, Marth and Caeda are the only ones who can attack the final boss without getting killed. Okay I can't completely say that; Gordin may have been able to with his super-special royal bow but he got stuck in a locked room. But after I defeated the boss, that was it. I expected more, someone else coming out of nowhere (much like Blazing Sword) but it didn't. I beat him, and happily ever after. And then Caeda reveals her love for Marth even though they didn't communicate the entirety of the game. I don't even.

At the same time, though, there were some things I rather liked.

• Gameplay. Well obviously, since it's Fire Emblem. But I like the duel screen; it saves me time checking character stats and all that.


• Graphics. Look at screenshots and character sprites from the original. This one is much prettier. Okay that's shallow, but it's true.


• Marth. Fine. He was whiny and feminine in the beginning, but I became attached to him by the end. Which kind of contradicts my complaints about lack of character development, but when you stick by the same guy throughout the entire game you kind of have to grow attached. And Cain & Abel as well. They were always good to me.

The "cons" do outweight the "pros", but I wouldn't necessarily call it a bad game. I just wouldn't recommend it as the first Fire Emblem game one should play. (*cough*PathofRadiance*cough*)

Speaking of Path of Radiance, it's been a whole two months since I've last played through it so I believe it's approaching time to start again. Although I did just receive my DS flash card, so I should get on Sword of Seals first...

SD ch. 23: Dark Pontifix

In the words of Tormod... I botched this one.

Here, we have at least three guys posing as Gharnef, who can only be defeated used Starlight, a special C-level magic. Which would be all great & good... if I had a mage that could use C-level magic. I hadn't been using Merric because he kind of rocked from the start, so I didn't think I had to work on leveling him up. But he's the only one close enough to use Starlight, and he can't right now. So I'm trying to work myself around this level without getting in Gharnef's path, which is pretty much impossible. As there are three (four?) of him.

There are a few people that can be attacked by him and not get killed (Marth is at least dodging shots), but when I lose more than one person in a turn I simply cannot go on. If I can just get past Gharnef and toward the top of the palace, then everything will be much easier. At the same time, there's a door up there, and I only have Rickard to open it, since I killed Julian (I don't know when or why I didn't reset).

In short, I kind of screwed up, and now I'm getting frustrated.

Character Attachment

Know what bothers me about Shadow Dragon? I really don't care about the characters.

I guess I can't completely say that. I am rather attached to Caeda, Cain, Abel, and Gordin. I use them all the time. And I guess Marth. Though Marth hardly talks. Yeah he's starting to open up a bit, since I got back to Altea. But there's little communication between characters so it's difficult for me to become attached.

Oh, and Julian! Because you always need a thief.

I do rather like the ballisticians, though. Jake and... I forget the other. I use mostly Jake.

Thing is, there are so many opportunities for recruitment that it doesn't matter if someone, erm, "departs" early. Lose your healer? No matter, there are two others in tow. A paladin? Heck, the majority of the characters ride a horse.

Though I do like the opportunity to switch classes, though it tends to confuse me. I changed a bishop (or something) into a dracoknight [but, um, he died] and a fighter into a dark mage. And that archer that looks sad all the time? (I'm too lazy to look up his name.) He's now a mercenary.

Obviously not my favorite Fire Emblem title to date, but hey. Something keeps me playing. Perhaps I'm getting attached to Marth after all.

Shadow Dragon intro

I'm not entirely sure how I feel about this game yet. Mainly because I don't know what's going on. Yeah, Marth's running away from... something... and keeps on getting into fight with people. So... what?

The gameplay is really awkward, and the way it's set up feels like I should be rushing through it. I do like the duel-screen thing, though. But there are some things I haven't figured out how to do, if I can, including checking info about equipped weapons. Like, yeah, it's great I acquired the hammer, but how am I supposed to know who can wield it?

Okay okay, I won't knock it too much right now, seeing I'm on chapter three right now. But one more thing... why is everyone the same color? What happened to good guys in blue/bad guys in red? Why is everyone yellow? That's not confusing at all...