Fire Emblem : The Sacred Stones

Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones is a tactical turn-based game where players command a roster of units across grid-based battlefields. The continent of Magvel, once secured by five nations built around magical stones that sealed a demonic threat eight centuries prior, is plunged into conflict when the Grado Empire assaults its former ally Renais.

Central to the combat are interlocking weapon and magic systems, where each category holds an advantage over another. Characters gain experience from their actions in battle, allowing them to eventually promote to more advanced classes, which include knights, archers, wyvern riders, and others. The player's perspective alternates between the two surviving royal siblings of Renais, Ephraim and Eirika, as they navigate separate story paths following the invasion.

Outside of direct confrontation, players can interact with the environment by visiting houses for information or shops to procure gear. Some maps feature neutral characters who may be recruited into the army through specific dialogue. A defining and challenging characteristic of the series is permanent unit loss; characters who fall in combat cannot be revived.