Throughout all this time Nintendo Switch He has received quite a few great games, although 2022 could be said to have been one of his best years, setting the bar quite high. Even so, Nintendo does not intend to give up and wants the game to be repeated, which is why 2023 is going to start in style with the launch of Fire Emblem Engage.
The new installment of the popular saga will hit stores very soon and until now it was aiming to be one of the best titles to be released on Nintendo’s hybrid console this year. Luckily, I have been able to see it first hand by having the opportunity to try a complete preview of its first chapters over ten hours.
Joining forces with the Emblems
The first thing is to talk about what is undoubtedly one of the most important features of this new Fire Emblem: the Emblems. These are rings that the different main characters can equip to become more powerful thanks to the fact that they will serve to summon very familiar faces to all fans of the series.
For example, among them are Marth, Roy, Celica or Sigurd, to name a few, although in reality there are many more. Of course, it is not that we are going to play directly with them, but they will simply fight side by side with us to give us all their power through a fusion and thus make our group temporarily more devastating.
The latter is due more than anything to the fact that the fusion lasts only three turns, so his thing is to think carefully about what is the moment to take advantage of the Emblems, because the truth is that it is noticeable considerably when they are used. Not only because the statistics will be increased, but also because they unlock special abilities that can only be used with this process.
Thus, Emblems allow for devastating attacks and weapons that are otherwise unavailable. In addition, all this varies with each Emblem, so it is also another detail to take into account who will use each one, although at any time you can switch between the different characters at the beginning of each battle or in the rest area .
Without a doubt, it is a great point in favor that old characters return to action in this very particular way, although it must also be recognized that the negative point is that some of the prominence and weight is left to the newcomers. For this very reason, up to the point I have reached, it has left me wondering if they have been implemented so that the game generates more interest or without their presence it would have been just as spectacular, because the truth is that Fire Emblem Engage it’s all a game.
Instead, the plot so far has left me a bit indifferent. It basically tells the story of the Divine Dragon, who has been sleeping for 1,000 years in his human form. That until now that he has awakened just when the Fallen Dragon Sombron has returned ready to destroy the world and seize the 12 emblems that exist, so the group of protagonists must first gather them in order to be able to defeat him.
Strategic battles with the infallible touch of the franchise
When it came time to take action, I found just what I was looking for, some fighting that carry the Fire Emblem mark at all times, with their respective turns and in which you have to choose the actions that each of the characters will carry out. Thus, the gameplay remains the same as always, as it happens with the advantages and disadvantages when facing enemies.
In this sense, we find a rock-paper-scissors mechanic, since some characters use swords that defeat those who use axes, those who carry spears and these who use swords. In addition, the terrain is divided into a series of squares through which you have to move to attack your opponents, although you also have to take into account how much they can move so as not to get sold out before your time.
In fact, The setting also plays an important role to take into account.. For example, in places where there is a field, there are bushes to camouflage and thus be able to better avoid the impacts, in castles it may be the case that there are doors to knock down or hidden paths in order to attack the opposing army from different flanks, and There will also be darker areas where torches will have to be used to illuminate the terrain.
The truth is that in all the fights I have fought so far I have found that the enemies have a good artificial intelligence to pose a challenge, although when the Emblems come into play the story changes a lot and becomes somewhat simpler during the turns that remain active. I imagine that over time they will become even tougher when the adventure considers that I have already learned enough how to play.
Of course regular features return in the saga that can be turned on or off, such as characters dying forever if they’re killed, or only a certain number of heroes being able to participate in encounters. Therefore, at the beginning of each battle it will be necessary to manage what objects each one will carry, the Emblems and also who will fight, either based on the enemies or those that you prefer to select at that moment.
Also, when two fight very close to an adversary they will be able to combine their attacks to cause more damage and in the process increase their support level, which also means that their attributes improve over time. On the other hand, if you play connected to the network you can find materials lying on the ground or points to gain experience or lasso points to enhance the Emblem rings.
And not everything will be participating in main battles one after the other, because many will leave us with amazing sequences and there will also be other secondary encounters to get more items, experience and even additional characters that they join our cause, so all this is great reasons not to pass them by.
As if that weren’t enough, another great novelty is that once the fighting is over, you can freely explore the setting from a third-person point of view. In this way you can chat with your companions to earn lasso fragments, collect objects that are hidden or to adopt animals that will later graze on the Somniel’s farm.
El Somniel, a headquarters full of activities
Beyond the cinematics and battles, Fire Emblem Engage It has a look similar to that of Fire Emblem: Three Houses. Instead of having a monastery to manage our team and improve it with secondary activities, it will be here the Somniel, a headquarters that is situated in the air on a floating island. In it, as the story progresses, more areas and ways to hang out will be unlocked.
What I have seen so far has given me a good feeling, because there are a wide variety of ways to perfect the relationship with the different partners or even make them stronger. For example, in the Armory you can buy more weapons or there will also be the Bazaar to buy or sell objects that can be very useful.
It is also possible to relax in the cafeteria having a drink, preparing a meal with allies or even resting directly in the rooms to reminisce about conversations or past events. On the other hand, those looking for something more interactive will have at their disposal Training with minigames in which the muscles or the Colosseum will be exercised to gain more additional experience.
The only thing I haven’t been able to see yet is the Tower of Challenges, as this is a place where you need to be connected to the network to play with or against other players on self-generated maps. It’s certainly another great way to keep the game alive in the long run and I’m really looking forward to seeing how other people around the world bring their wits to the fore in the scenarios they design.
Otherwise, from what I’ve seen so far highlights the Hall of Emblemswhich, as its name indicates, is the place designed to manage everything that has to do with these accessories, such as creating other minor Emblems, inheriting skills from the franchise’s veteran characters and they can even be polished in order to enhance the relationship with them.
I still have a long way to go until I find out what else is in store for me Fire Emblem Engage. At the moment it does not give me the impression that it will reach the quality of Fire Emblem: Three Housesbut that does not mean that until now I consider it to be a most spectacular game to start the 2023 Nintendo Switch with a bang.
- Platforms: Nintendo Switch
- multiplayer: Yes
- developer: Intelligent Systems
- Company: Nintendo
- Launch: January 20, 2023
