@dyngkm94: I'm a big fan to the switch-up of the weapons triangle and I like the broader, more complex class upgrade system. I'm also super keen on the relationship stuff, because every time a support conversation was available I learned something about a character. There's a lot of small subplots to be found in the bonding portion of Fates, and it made me feel close to my people. Some of them are downright funny, others are sad, but all of them were boons to Fates' world-building.

@dartheditor: No, unfortunately! You can only drop down, not scale up.

@OKeane1991 That's a tough one. If you're a newbie, you'll probably have an easier time with the difficulty swapping and grinding opportunities on Fates: Birthright. But Awakening is also a pretty excellent place to start. I'd say, pick the one with the story you are most interested in and try that first! But if you're MAKING me pick, start with Awakening. :)

@dyngkm94 I've played all three and Peter played Conquest and Birthright. I can't give you an exact amount of hours on my end (Peter's review says he finished Conquest in 20), but all told, including the time spent figuring things out for another feature going up later today or tomorrow (!) I think I clocked in around 70 hours. Both of us played a significant chunk of time on each difficulty level. I can't speak for Peter, but for me, I played up to Chapter 14 on each mode (those games are LOONNNGGGG) and then completed the game on casual. Again, speaking only for myself, I've been with Fire Emblem since the beginning and Fates definitely feels like a "new age" Fire Emblem, closer to Awakening than it is to all the games that came prior. I hope that helps!

@dartheditor No selectable language tracks, sadly.

@tragiclovestory You won't miss out on anything by playing on casual! I played on both, and casual allows you the leniency you need if you are more focused on story. You can also drop down to Phoenix mode if you are REALLY stuck, which lets units resurrect after each turn in the same battle. Whatever you play, you won't miss any story or narrative-related content, I promise.

@finaldasa There is definitely some cherry picking happening. Many times you walk into the bathhouse and there will be someone of the same gender, and you exchange pleasantries and just sit there. Other times, you can be a girl and walk in on boys or vice versa, and they tell you to get out and you leave. The steamiest things that happen in the North American versions are the ability to wake you spouse up by petting them with the stylus and some kissing faces made at you. The innuendo-laden dialogue is hotter than some of the stuff you see. No actual petting.

@iiicon: I never encountered this. New enemies do arrive halfway through battles, but I never had them arrive, and then move again. I was only attacked if I had someone on a square near them.

@Ballroompirate: I think Peter's review of Conquest's mechanics exactly sums up my feelings about it--I love classic Fire Emblem difficulty but at one point, losing the ability to grind really stymied me. In terms of story, I think Conquest was my least favorite... HOWEVER. There are two very powerful moments in that game that made me teary. Watching them hurt. There are a few points in all three stories where it's just raw emotion, and I think Conquest, despite being the weaker of the three, has its moments.

Also Silas is the one true bae.

@turtlethetaffer: So! I adored Awakening, and I still adore it. But Fire Emblem Fates, for all its variation, I think, has a better story. I know Intelligent Systems has been very open about taking feedback from Awakening into account for Fates, which included a lot of criticism on the story. Mechanically, they are very much on the same page in terms of complexity and challenge. Story wise, I think I like Fates' better. It's more involved, more dramatic in that way only a JRPG can be, you know what I'm talking about.