FE: Awakening Casual Or Not?

[Sorual 607]

im borrowing a copy of FE: Awakening from a friend of mine and i was wondering if i should turn on casual mode. with RPGs i tend to always go with the easy mode because i enjoy experiencing the story, not the struggle. i go to platformers and such for difficulty (i love megaman also because of its difficulty ) but for RPGs, i just want to experience the story. if i do hardcore mode then i wont allow ANY of my team to die what so ever. i will not accept ANY one in the game who's death could be avoided to die. (i guess its SUPER hardcore mode ) so its going to be a major struggle breaking the smooth experience that i want of an RPG. however, i want the full experience. i heard that part of the FE experience is the idea of losing your teamates perminantly. so i ask you this. should i turn on casual mode and play th game smoothly and get the story (what i play an RPG for) but not the full gameplay experience? or should i turn on hardcore mode and not let anyone die and get the full experience at the cost of not having a smooth trail i look for in an RPG? what do u think?

[HeyMouseSayCheese 1,133]

Go with Casual. It's the easier way to experience the story, and experience every character's side story- can't be better friends with 'em if they're dead.

 

Personally, I've never been a fan of permadeath in any video game and I don't get the appeal. Tension, I guess, but I permadeath already exists in the real world; why would I want to recreate one of the worst facets of life in something that's supposed to be fun?

[Setrex 1,031]

Play casual if you want to enjoy the story and appreciate the characters you are given. If you want a challenge you can always up the difficulty to hard while having perma-death off. I understand the debate that "stop being a noob and let your mistakes count for something" but honestly, for your first run through the game I see no problem with playing on casual.

 

I've played through a number of the past Fire Emblem games and when I got Awakening I gave it a shot on Casual Mode with Hard difficulty and honestly, I enjoyed it. I've since played the classic mode too, but that was after I enjoyed the story and stuff.

[Shana09 5,769]

Go Casual, I had so much more fun that way.

[Kyouma-Blade 90]

Go casual first, so you can get a feel of the game, then come back to it on Classic mode.

 

Casual mode will help you breeze through the game, so if you're aiming to just have story, go with it.

 

Classic mode is, like you said, part of the Fire Emblem experience. It's not really a Fire Emblem game until you have to reset because of a bullshit crit.

 

However, it's hard to get into that mindset, so casual is better, then coming back to the game go classic.

[Cucco 1,907]

It really isn't much of a Fire Emblem game if you take away permadeath.

[Moni_22 335]

I prefer casual because otherwise you'll have to restart the game if you lose someone (I assure you, you won't want anyone to die), it's better that way. Unless you are a hardcore player and prefer the traditional way But I think casual is the best

[Arya Stark 1,337]

Casual because I cry too much if I lose someone and end up soft resetting normally anyway. BS cries go a long way in making that decision too. (Because really? A 3% crit with a 67% hit rate and me dying is outrageous)

[Hero of Winds 2,576]

Casual. Perma-death is bullshit and the reason I've never played Fire Emblem.

[Kyouma-Blade 90]

Casual. Perma-death is bullshit and the reason I've never played Fire Emblem.

I personally don't think it's bullshit most of the time.

 

The permadeath is there because it adds another layer of strategy. You have to be smart about where you place your units, or else they're dead.

 

Casual mode completely removes that. They'll come back after the chapter ends, so why bother when I can just run in and win?

 

I sincerely recommend trying out classic mode, because it's an integral part of the franchise and gives it another strategic layer without completely making the game unfair. (Unlike Lunatic+. That's top tier bullshit.)

[Sorual 607]

I personally don't think it's bullshit most of the time.

 

The permadeath is there because it adds another layer of strategy. You have to be smart about where you place your units, or else they're dead.

 

Casual mode completely removes that. They'll come back after the chapter ends, so why bother when I can just run in and win?

 

I sincerely recommend trying out classic mode, because it's an integral part of the franchise and gives it another strategic layer without completely making the game unfair. (Unlike Lunatic+. That's top tier bullshit.)

i will do that mode after i clear casual. i already started.

[DragonMaster 1,166]

I played Hard difficulty on Casual mode and never regretted it. Perma-death might make it more challenging, but honestly it just sounds like the kind of challenge that I don't care to have. I still always tried to keep everyone alive, but when I made stupid mistakes I didn't have to reset or carry on without a character. The game still offers plenty of challenge* without perma-death anyway.

 

*Unless you're like me and grind a bunch (I bought the grinding DLC pack), but that would be your own decision.

[Kyouma-Blade 90]

I played Hard difficulty on Casual mode and never regretted it. Perma-death might make it more challenging, but honestly it just sounds like the kind of challenge that I don't care to have. I still always tried to keep everyone alive, but when I made stupid mistakes I didn't have to reset or carry on without a character. The game still offers plenty of challenge* without perma-death anyway.

 

*Unless you're like me and grind a bunch (I bought the grinding DLC pack), but that would be your own decision.

You shouldn't regret it. It's a part of the game, so I can't fault you for using it.

 

In fact, I also started with casual, because I also didn't like the idea of permadeath. Hell, I completely agree with your thoughts.

 

But permadeath is something you have to try, even if you don't make it past the prologue. I know I keep saying it's integral to the series, but that's because it is.

 

This was just me, but I cared a bit more about the characters when I replayed it on classic mode than when I played it on casual mode.

 

Before it felt like they were just units that were dispensable, so I cared less. When I replayed it, I cared more about them because they actually stayed dead. Plus, I'd have to restart for their ass, so I'd care about that too.

 

I don't know, you probably won't have the same experience as I did, because it sounds like a lot of bullshit when I type this up now. However, I still stand by my statement that you should try to play classic at least once.

[Sorual 607]

You shouldn't regret it. It's a part of the game, so I can't fault you for using it.

 

In fact, I also started with casual, because I also didn't like the idea of permadeath. Hell, I completely agree with your thoughts.

 

But permadeath is something you have to try, even if you don't make it past the prologue. I know I keep saying it's integral to the series, but that's because it is.

 

This was just me, but I cared a bit more about the characters when I replayed it on classic mode than when I played it on casual mode.

 

Before it felt like they were just units that were dispensable, so I cared less. When I replayed it, I cared more about them because they actually stayed dead. Plus, I'd have to restart for their ass, so I'd care about that too.

 

I don't know, you probably won't have the same experience as I did, because it sounds like a lot of bullshit when I type this up now. However, I still stand by my statement that you should try to play classic at least once.

oh i will. i actually played the start of sacred stones (which doesent have casual mode) and got stuck on a chapter because people kept dying. and your right. i did feel a stronger attachment with the characters. its just that i want to get more familiar with the game (and experience the storysmoothly first) before i just head on. i will play later games and replay awakening on classic after im done getting familiar with FE with casual.

[Hero of Winds 2,576]

I personally don't think it's bullshit most of the time.The permadeath is there because it adds another layer of strategy. You have to be smart about where you place your units, or else they're dead.Casual mode completely removes that. They'll come back after the chapter ends, so why bother when I can just run in and win?I sincerely recommend trying out classic mode, because it's an integral part of the franchise and gives it another strategic layer without completely making the game unfair. (Unlike Lunatic+. That's top tier bullshit.)

It's the same strategy no matter what to me. I don't just run into battle. I completely strategize my placement and attacks, because it's so easy to die. You have no idea how many times I reset the game just to get Donnel in my forces. I do crush things a lot now since I battle in pairs though. But even then, perma-death isnt a threat when you reach that point. It's almost impossible to die in pairs. The problem is, getting to that point without perma-death having an effect on you, in which it always does. I think it's a pretty shit feature that ruins the experience. Even if you like the feature, it makes an otherwise enjoyable experience pretty irritating and unnerving when you have to reset everytime a neccessary character dies.

[GotMilk5101520 573]

I'm starting this too. and i'm doing casual cause i'm not going to let anyone stay dead forever.