@MetaMario:
Up to Birthright 22.
! I didn't take Ryoma for 21, after some consideration. But I did take my flyers and bring Rescue.
! Because I DID end up needing it! Two DVs are on each level; one floods the area with lava, the other makes a path to go up. This map boils down to trial and error. First attempt I flooded the area, so I reset. I guessed lucky on the second floor, and while I did flood the third….I said "fuck it" and used Scarlet (and Hinoka to ferry Takumi) to kill the boss. Takumi was an EXCELLENT golem killer, more than anyone on my team.
! There's some nasty promoted enemies, but nothing unmanageable. The holes can be used to gain HP and cover, but enemies also spawn from them when you flood the area, including more golems?! One round Kagero prayed to the RNG and dodged a rock throw that would've killed her.
! This chapter wasn't all that hard, but the lava sure was annoying. Those golems and their 1-5 range caught me off guard though, luckily their accuracy is mediocre at best
! > Chapter 22 and…..wait, what? Nohr has a food problem....see this is kinda confusing when you think about Conquest. The Slime Garon probably wouldn't give a shit since he just wants to rule, but I assume it's what the other soldiers used to justify following the king? I kinda hate how this isn't expanded upon on either route, just that it's basically "Nohr is cold, dark, and hungry, but we Hoshidons have more food than ninja! We can help them after the war!". Which is a nice post-war thought, but I think I see what people say when they complain about Birthright making your choice to be the "you're a dick if you picked the opposite route" choice.
Also I'm not sure if I can apply knowledge in one route to discuss another. Leo in turn gets the crystal from Azura....so he figures it out? Does that mean that he would do the same in Conquest? The circumstances are so different, and not everyone would be in the 100% right mental state from route to route. Like Takumi says some (rightfully) harsh things to you after Mikoto dies before the split - and this anger builds and builds in Conquest, but after making the choice for Birthright, it doesn't feel like Takumi really distrusts you (when you get him, that is). He's still...y'know, Takumi-ish, but....now I have to wonder how much the possession did.
The same for Garon's gruff nature. Obviously chapter 1 onward he's not....him?. Xander mentions how Garon wasn't always like that when he was a child....(and obviously Nohr wasn't a super friendly funtime kingdom before the story began), but it'd be nice to see a piece of the real Garon to get a picture. It could be that he could've been harsh but fair in his heyday (as in, still not Mikoto), but he could've became gradually more and more….twisted. My brain is trying to extrapolate so much.
! That's the main problem of the game's story IMO. It has so much potential and it's clearly ambitious but left too many things unexplained and there were several ass pulls along the way. Like how you get a crystal that reveals Garon's true form but then it breaks with no explanation just to drag the story further. Really makes you wonder just how much stuff they cut from the original 1500 pages draft they hired a Mangaka to write. Maybe future DLC chapters will tie up some of these loose ends, although some may be averse to the idea of having to pay for a complete story.
! > Anyways, the map's simple but I love the idea of a backalley street brawl. I was doing pretty well until a berserker critted Silas, so I need to try it again. Shura doesn't look as threatening as he was for Conquest, but fuck, Spy Yumis are the devil's weapons.
I actually don't think Shura was that hard to beat in Conquest, just a drag to find if you want as much money as possible.
Next is the Kitsune chapter for me…I've heard not so pleasant things about this one.
@KageKageKing:
WatchMojo does another thing.
At least Roy didn't make it into the top 10, Smash Bros is the only thing he's ever had going for him. Heck, he was a SSB character before a Fire Emblem one.