I'm seriously considering sueing Nintendo for the rights to release this game internationally...
But, I didn't come here to murder THE ENTIRE NINTENDO STAFF, I came to review the game. While the story isn't entirely clear (due to the ever-so-evil Japan-only text) you can combine the translations with the game situations to uncover bits and pieces of the plot line and all the hype on the internet contributes as well. So, judging by that, it's a really good story.
The gameplay is much more attracting to me then that of other RPGs I've played. I mean, there are multiple unit classes (these include social knight, archer, armor knight, mage, and cleric/priest to name a few) and each one promotes to a more powerful version of their previous forms. Social knights become paladins (the god-given saviors of the game, aside from Roy as a level twenty unit or a promoted unit). Before their promotion social knights can onl fight with swords and lances, but after upgrading can use axes. There are levels of weapon mastery. For example with swords: there are slim swords, iron swords, steel swords, and killing edges. But to use anything above an iron sword the unit must not only be able to use swords, but also to have the required sword mastery level (to use a killing edge you must have C level sword mastery).
There are 2 different meathods of fighting. Either a unit uses weapons or magic. The weapons include swords, lances, axes, or bows. The magic includes anima, dark, or light. Priests/clerics and tourbadors can noly use staves at first but they grow to use magic as well.
There are 3 classes in the game that are exclusive to the characters bearing them. Roy is the lord, which is the main character of the game. If Roy dies, the game is over and the player must restart the chapter to continue playing. While there are lords in every game, each one is unique, and most of them use swords. Roy is a particularly weak lord in the beginning. Once he reaches level twenty though, he may either be strong enough to fight an entire battle on his own or still weak enough to have a need to rely on the other units. He's not useless though, by any means. After his promotion to Master Lord, he WILL surpass ever other unit on the field (aside from the enemy boss units, though he surpasses them most of the time as well) REGARDLESS of the sword he uses.
The second class in that of king which is given to Zephiel (his name may be Zephyr or Zephial, but the damned Nintendo company won't release the game internationally and clear the matter up as well as provide us with a lot of fun), the second strongest main bad guy of the game.
The final class is a name I don't know, but I assume it's the dark dragon. It belongs to Idoun (or Idenn).
Playing the game may seem simple but it's not. While movement may require you to select a unit and guide it to it's destination via simple means, you're required to consider what the possible consequences may be of leaving your unit there and if you'd like to risk them. Is it safe to leave that level 3 mercenary there where it's possible those enemy social knights may strike him down? Do you think Lilina's strong enough to take on THAT many enemy paladins? There are other things to consider too. Is that weapon enough to take out that enemy in one combat round? Should you use that rare guiding ring to upgrade the cleric, the tourbador, or the shaman. Is it worth waiting to get that support? Should you jsut let that unit die and move on. Who should deliver the final blow to that weakend boss and gain an ass-load of experience points? Perhaps you should just let that gaiden chapter slide so you won't have to restart the whole damned game.
This and so much more will haunt you on your mission. If you don't feel like trying to figure out where everything is (thanks in every way, shape, and form to the devil-spawned japanese text) you should go and grab one of the inferior (in my opinion) Fire Emblem games that were released in America before you try this one out. Because those games are much easier, you'll be better prepared to take this one on if you have a general idea where everything is (such as where's wait, where's attack, and where's support).
The music, structure, and appearence of the game are really good, but I've wasted too much time describing everything else, so I'll leave this long review behind with this parting demand, er, request...
THREATEN THE DAMNED NINTENDO STAFF WITH A NUCLEAR WARHEAD UNLESS THEY AGREE TO SURRENDER THIS IN AN AMERICAN FORM!!! AND NOT JSUT AN AMERICAN FORM, AN AMERICAN FORM WHERE THEY DON'T CHANGE THE BAD WORDS, REPHRASE THE SEX INNUENDO, OR OTHERWISE LESSEN THE REQUIRED MATURITY LEVEL!!! EVEN IF THEY'VE GOT TO RATE IT "T", I WANT IT IN IT'S ORIGINAL FORM JUST WRITTEN IN ENGLISH!!!
(All the same, I'll accept it if they decide to do all that stuff i just wrote in the second sentence of my tirade, just as long as they release it with all english text).