Another major design flaw that doesn’t particularly annoy me is Holy War’s map design. I will eventually get around to criticizing it in my gameplay post but the reason why I’m bringing it up here is because the plot gives these huge maps a context that justifies their existence. In Holy War you’re usually doing one of two things: You’re either invading an entire country or you’re going from one part of a country to another. The gargantuan maps add to the size and scale of these battles. In this game you actually feel like you’re in a country fighting actual battles against an enemy army which is a pretty cool feeling that adds to the experience for me. Here’s what Kaga’s mindset was when designing the maps in Holy War:
“—And that’s why the maps became large?
Kaga: Indeed. We’ve made the maps that large because the world itself was broadened. The previous map size made it feel like it was a limited-scale war, and even if there were events here and there it didn’t make you feel like it was a large world. Through the system we used this time around, many of those large regions can exist at the same time, and influential individuals of each region can move independently… I thought it’d be able to express such dramatic developments. We also made it a long story going across two generations – parents and children – with that in mind. Feeling the movements of a large-scale story while letting the player shape the future depending on their playstyle were points we tried to implement.”
For me the big maps succeeded in making the world of Jugdral feel bigger, vast and much more epic in scale. I also agree with Kaga that smaller sized maps tend to give the impression of limited scope. In Holy War the bigger maps successfully portray the grand and epic scale that this game is clearly trying to go for.
This game also has great world building. Right at the start the game gives you a long chronology of the events that transpired prior to the events in the game. This little tidbit right here gives Holy War more world building than a good chunk of the other games in the series. What’s even better is that these events get brought up in the events of the game and one of these events even becomes a major game mechanic. (Naturally I am referring to the Holy Blood system) I love little touches like this when the game mechanics and story are intertwined. The chronology also sets up how the different kingdoms were founded too. Also, this game has an extensive family tree:
Blood ties are very important. Family politics and drama are prevalent. In fact lineage and inheritance are bigger themes of this game than even I came to suspect. Here’s a fantastic quote that explains all of this in detail:
“As the title suggests, FE4 deals a lot with lineage, inheritance etc. This is especially apparent when you look at the game's mechanics, but I am talking about how that theme of inheritance plays into the story. The main cast of FE4 consists of characters who are, for the most part, nobles from ancient royal lines, descended from legendary heroes who defeated a great evil. I don't just mean your characters either, most of the enemies are also descended from "crusaders" as they are so called. These descendants, who inherited immense power from their ancestors, enter a huge war, where they have the power to defeat entire armies single handedly with holy weapons. But unlike their ancestors, they did not earn this power by being sworn to a cause against evil. It was literally handed down to them. So while some (like Cuan and Sigurd) use their power to stand up for what they think is right, others (Eltshan) are loyal to a fault and end up on the wrong side of the fight, some (Langobart, Reptor) are greedy and cruel, and use their power to cause unrest, others (Arvis) are dangerously idealistic and more than a little arrogant, and plunge the world into chaos through their attempts to rebuild the world. The story of gen 1 shows that inherited nobility and power do not guarantee that a person will use it responsibly. The legacy of the ancient holy knights is that they would destroy each other.
In gen 2, you see much more of these "inheritors of light" rising to the challenge to overcome the evil in the world. When faced with an ancient demon (Loptyr, very similar to Grima) threatening to take control of the world, the descendants take up the mantle of their ancestors, and become the new crusaders. You still see some fighting on opposite sides, but in the end they are much more united against the enemy, and even among those who you fight, many find their redemption. So the big theme is rising to the challenge of your ancestors, and taking on the responsibility that the world thrust on you.”
(Source: https://www.reddit.com/r/fireemblem/comments/2wjprl/tacticians_i_need_your_help_related_to_the/)
Yeah even the name for this game ties into the themes that are prevalent here. This game also is one of the few to have an actual calendar. The only other continent that I can think of that does this are the Tellius games though I could be wrong on that.
Holy War also has the best plot twist in the entire series. The Massacre at Barhara hit me like a ton of bricks in a way that only 2 other fictional events ever have. This used to be the most disturbing thing I’d witnessed in a story up until I saw the Red Wedding and the Eclipse in Berserk. I remember this scene in Holy War giving me nightmares. Watching Alvis flaunt Diadora in front of Sigurd before proceeding to burn him and his army alive is heart wrenching.
Overall Summation: Despite everything I’ve written here I still don’t feel like I’ve done the story of Holy War justice. For me, the strongest element in Holy War is it’s story. Holy War has the best story in the Fire Emblem series bar none. It’s dark, political machinations give it an edge over other games and I wish that future installments would do something along these lines.
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