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>>139961
Awakening is my first Fire Emblem since I played Sacred Stones at the time of its release. I picked it since the 3DS XL bundle was the occasion to get a 3DS. And while I don't remember much from the GBA games (almost nothing from Rekka no Ken), I do have the feeling Sacred Stones was somewhat more pure and engaging in its storytelling.
But while I am a huge stickler on story quality, and you do raise some valid points on the "slice of life" thing, I just don't play Fire Emblem for the writing. I mean, the characterization is what sets it apart from other strategy games, like you said, but it's still a strategy game. Supports are a nice touch but I don't think twice about them. I mean, if I want compelling character development I'll play Zero Escape.
I do have some issues on the gameplay though. Didn't have the chance to play the Radiance series so I don't know how much is Awakening's doing and how much is just the legacy, but the game lost a bit of its edge. Recruiting characters could be harrowing, involving characters you didn't level up at all, but now Chrom's a universal recruiter and the recruitees are rarely in any danger.
Plus the skills and pair up system are pretty fucking brutal. A character can become unkillable with minimal work and while it allows me to take the other characters and level them up in turn, I'm stuck with the feeling that a lone Hero unit that can dodge everything, one shot everyone, and still getting a healing strike he doesn't even need at least once a fight just ain't right.
It's still fun on the whole, but maybe change for the sake of change and additions for the sake of additions make the characters overequipped as the series goes on, a la Asscreed.