b) Newcomers ----------------------------------------------------------- [0120]

How many games are in Fire Emblem? How does this game fit into the series?
The Fire Emblem series has nine games. This game, titled 'Fire Emblem' in the West, is the seventh entry and a prequel to 'Fuuin no Tsurugi' (Sealed Sword/Sword of Seals), which stars Roy. Other notable entries include 'The Sacred Stones' and 'Path of Radiance'.

Are Marth and Roy in this game?
Marth, who starred in the first and third games, is not in this game and exists in a different universe. Roy makes a very small cameo at the very end of the game. He stars in 'Fuuin no Tsurugi' (FE6), which is the sequel to this game. Most Fire Emblem games are not directly connected, unlike FE6 and FE7.

What kind of game is Fire Emblem?
Fire Emblem is a turn-based Strategy Role-Playing Game (SRPG), similar to Tactics Ogre, Shining Force, or Advance Wars. Intelligent Systems, the developer of Advance Wars, also made Fire Emblem, resulting in similar controls, unit movement, and battle mechanics. Players control an army to achieve set objectives.

How hard is Fire Emblem?
Fire Emblem is known for its challenging difficulty and realistic permadeath system: when a unit's HP reaches 0, they die permanently with no revival option. This requires careful strategy and learning from mistakes. The game is more challenging than Advance Wars because each character is unique, forcing players to consider the consequences of sacrificing them. The Japanese version was even harder, with the Western release being simplified.

Why have you subtitled the game 'The Blazing Sword' when no such title appears in the game?
The subtitle 'The Blazing Sword' (or 'Rekka no Ken' in Japan) is used to distinguish this game from others in the series and prevent confusion.

Fire Emblem vs. Advance Wars?
Fire Emblem offers superior difficulty, objective variety, and story. Advance Wars excels in multiplayer features and greater customization of units and maps. While similar, Fire Emblem is generally considered more engaging, whereas Advance Wars can become boring quickly without multiplayer due to its fixed RNG and easier difficulty.