Hearth Emblem: Thracia 776 (ファイアーエムブレム トラキア776), launched 9/1/1999, developed by Clever Programs, printed by Nintendo
In the end, we now have reached the ultimate Tremendous Famicom sport I will probably be taking part in (last when it comes to chronology). It might appear unusual that this sport got here out so late within the lifecycle of the system (the PS2 was launched 6 months later!) however there’s some logic behind it. Nintendo had began a service known as “Nintendo Energy” (no relation to the US journal) that was form of a resurrection of the Famicom Disk System kiosks. You would carry a writeable cart into shops and get video games on these carts for reasonably priced costs. Relying on the dimensions of the sport you could possibly even get a number of video games without delay. The video games had been principally older SFC video games, each third occasion and Nintendo, however some new video games had been popping out as effectively.
Hearth Emblem was one of many final new video games launched for the system — in a manner you could possibly say it was the final “actual” sport. The one video games launched later than FE5 had been 4 Picross video games, a Picross ripoff sport, and the visible novel Metallic Slader Glory: Director’s Lower (a remake of a Famicom sport). FE5 did get an actual cartridge launch in January 2000, making it the final new cartridge sport launched for the system. These cartridges are arduous to return by, often within the $400 vary on ebay (which nonetheless will not be as costly as some SRPGs I skipped shopping for).
The sport is primarily recognized for its excessive issue stage, and for being the ultimate Hearth Emblem sport that Kaga Shouzo labored on.
The storyline takes place throughout Hearth Emblem 4’s story. I don’t know the way a lot connection there’s between the tales although — this can be totally a “gaiden” storyline that doesn’t affect the primary narrative a lot (clearly they couldn’t make any huge modifications).
The gameplay looks like a return to the “traditional” FE type though at this level you could possibly argue there was but no traditional type. In any case, the system is mainly FE3’s, with some new parts and a few additions from FE4. The foremost new gameplay parts are:
- Gaiden chapters – This turns into a typical function of the sequence. By fulfilling sure situations you may unlock non-obligatory maps.
- Fog of Struggle – A number of the maps have restricted visibility; you may see extra by utilizing a Torch merchandise.
- Seize – There’s a new stat known as “construct”; in case your Construct is bigger than the enemy, you may “seize” as an alternative of assault. If you happen to cut back the enemy to 0 with the Seize command you’re taking the enemy, and on the subsequent flip you may take their tools earlier than releasing them. The seize assault is much less efficient than the common assault, and if you’re carrying somebody that halves most of your stats — I ignored this stuff after I initially learn in regards to the system, which harm me till I discovered what was happening.
- Rescue – That is mainly Seize however for allies. You will get them out of hurt’s manner with this.
- Escape – That is an alternate objective that replaces the standard considered one of getting Leaf to the throne/fort. It’s important to get your occasion all to a sure level on the map. Leaf should escape final, or any remaining troops on the map will probably be “captured”.
So right here we go. I’m utilizing my common Hearth Emblem rule — I verify walkthroughs for factual issues like easy methods to get the gaiden chapters and secret characters, however not for technique recommendation. I additionally make one save state per map that I can return to if I lose a personality.
Stage 1
The primary few levels aren’t particularly troublesome, so it’s a great way to get used to the system. I captured quite a lot of items within the first stage (one of many villagers even tells you to do that), as a result of I had heard sources are at a little bit of a premium.
Stage 2
The second stage requires you to avoid wasting all the homes (besides that one within the picture that begins destroyed) with a view to get the primary Gaiden chapter. As with stage 1 this isn’t particularly troublesome, though I did must reload my save state after Marty died attempting to seize a stage 10 pirate.
The most important problem I had was with the boss, who I may barely harm. Nevertheless, I used to be reminded by the FE discord that the Mild Sword and Hearth Sword forged spells as their vary 2 assault (the occasion doesn’t have a mage or healer at this level). I believe this was a brand new function in FE4 that I had forgotten about within the 4 years since I performed it. With that it was straightforward. (Truly I believe that is stage 3 slightly than 2…)
Stage 2x
That is the primary fog of warfare map. I made a decision I’d simply play recklessly the primary time in order that I may get a really feel for a way the stage was laid out…nevertheless it turned out this labored effective and I didn’t have to restart. I used one of many two torches I obtained within the stage to widen the sphere of view. You can even get some extra individuals in your crew.
Stage 3
You wish to return the 4 captured kids right here to their houses (utilizing the Rescue) command, in an effort to get some later bonuses. The principle factor you wish to do is defeat the Bishop close to the boss earlier than flip 10 in order that he doesn’t go for the chests and begin casting nasty spells at you.
The one factor that tripped me up right here is that after some time, 2 bandits will seem and head for the homes to destroy them. If you happen to depart a few guys down there it’s straightforward however I didn’t do that, so I needed to reload state a bunch of instances to determine easy methods to block them from destroying the homes.
Stage 4
That is the place the problem ramps up loads. I believe I reloaded extra instances than in every other FE stage I’ve performed, and I needed to fully restart the stage. A giant problem was that (as I discussed earlier) I fully ignored that capturing halves your assault, and that if you’re holding a unit, most of your stats are halved. This meant I used to be taking part in at an enormous drawback, and as soon as the discord let me learn about this it grew to become considerably simpler.
You begin with most of your guys in jail, with no tools. This makes the stage tough as a result of whereas you may get some objects out of the chests (together with no matter Leaf had), there aren’t actually sufficient to go round until you deliberate upfront.
If you are doing this, reinforcement spearmen come out. One factor I discovered about right here was “Seize baiting” — if in case you have a unit with no weapons, the enemies will seize them, and that can halve their stats and you’ll battle them extra successfully. There are two points although. The primary is that the enemies will attempt to escape the map, and in the event that they do, you lose the character (at the very least for some time). The second problem, which I didn’t know till later, is that the enemies will take any objects that the character has, aside from some uncommon/distinctive objects. I ended up dropping a good quantity of stuff as a consequence of not realizing about this (together with a Rapier, an Elfire ebook, a thieves’ choose, and doubtless another stuff).
As soon as issues are below management, you may let the 6 residents free and they’ll begin escaping the map. You want all six of them to flee to get the subsequent Gaiden map.
In any case of that, you’re nonetheless not completed, as a result of the path to the Escape place on the prime has extra guys in it. I used to be very lucky to have an Armor Killer I may give to Fergus, besides I needed to load state loads. I can’t think about taking part in this sport having to restart from the start of the stage if I misplaced a personality right here. However finally I obtained all the things to work out proper, and I completed the stage.
Stage 4x
I used to be warned that this was a troublesome stage, and I can see why — you begin out with 4 mages and 4 armor knights heading straight for you. I really feel like I obtained fortunate in with the ability to cope with it on my first strive; I didn’t have any explicit technique however in some way I managed to have everybody survive. In all probability some fortunate dodges and unit placements that had been inadvertently good.
After that the remainder of the stage is fairly easy — you do must watch out of a mage that’s hiding in a room and an armor knight with a Satan Axe. Reinforcements come, however you could have Sety as an NPC that’s mainly invincible and may cope with all of them.
That’s the place I’ll finish this put up — I’m as much as stage 8 at this level however I’m not going to have the ability to play a lot for a number of weeks. There received’t be a put up subsequent Saturday however then after that weekly updates will resume.
