Reviews are pouring in this afternoon for the new entry in the long-running Fire Emblem series, Fire Emblem Engage , and it looks like it’s going to be a hit from critics with an average score critic score 83 on Metacritic with 58 reviews. The most prominent takeaway from Fire Emblem Engage is that Intelligent Systems has largely removed the social relationship aspect that the last game, Fire Emblem Three Houses, excelled at. Fire Emblem Engage opts for a more traditional battle-based experience, which will either float your boat because you don’t like some of the social aspects of Fire Emblem Three Houses, or alternatively it’ll be a little disappointing to hear if you enjoyed it. Here are a few selected excerpts from a small selection of Fire Emblem Engage reviews:
“I want a Fire Emblem game to make me think. Challenge me. Make me work with the units I got. Offer cards with interesting terrain or elements that make me do things I might not want to do. Serve up a good cast of characters and unique elements to make it exciting, and give me a chance to keep growing and experimenting. Fortunately not just for me, but for all Switch owners, Fire Emblem Engage does all of those things.”
“Intelligent Systems and Nintendo really went above and beyond when designing this tactical time-waster. The game is good, with elements that will challenge long-time players. The accessibility options are wide, so people coming from Fire Emblem: Three Houses can more easily immerse themselves in a more typical Fire Emblem experience and not be intimidated by the nuances. Fire Emblem Engage is an amazing and wonderful way for Nintendo to kick off 2023.”
“After conducting several extensive studio sessions and passing tests in 2019’s Fire Emblem: Three Houses, Fire Emblem Engage makes the potentially surprising decision to purposefully move away from its focus on time management and teaching. Many of the core activities and aspects of hanging out with your team are still there, but Engage makes a smart move to adjust its look back toward the series’ roots by putting engaging tactical combat first.”
“It’s no small feat that Fire Emblem Engage can tell a simple yet entertaining story that celebrates the vast history of its series in a way that doesn’t rely on prior knowledge of that legacy. Building the perfect team of different characters and pairing them with past heroes’ emblem rings allows for tons of customization and strategy, and blasting through enemy ranks with their special powers is always immensely satisfying. Both the main and side missions provide plenty of challenge, and clever twists and obstacles offset the reliance on overly familiar mission objectives. Couple all of that with a suite of quality-of-life improvements that feel instantly vital, and Fire Emblem Engage shows it’s worthy enough to be reckoned with alongside the legacy it so well respects.”
“This is a significant improvement on the Three Houses game, and while it’s still low-tech, even for Nintendo, the graphics are significantly less jarring – even if a lot of the talking head sequences still play out in front of a static background, like the old SNES game. We don’t know how some fans will take the ultra-ornate costumes, which make most of the characters look like they’re on their way to a fancy party, but we prefer it to the tedious seriousness of Three Houses.”
I”ntelligent Systems risks making the game look so cartoony and over the top, but in terms of gameplay this is a much more serious strategic offering. At this point, with all the new moves and abilities, we wouldn’t be surprised if the next spin-off is a fighting game, but when it comes to main entries, this is as good as Fire Emblem has ever been.”
