I talked at length about the details in my preview two weeks ago so I won’t repeat myself too much here, but a total rework of the series’ staple weapon triangle goes a long way into encouraging aggressive tactics that raise the stakes of each battle, and powerful Emblem Rings representing heroes from previous games add a new layer of risk and reward to combat. Of course, Fire Emblem isn’t just a game about characters it’s also about tactical RPG strategy, which is where Engage really manages to shine. The only characters I didn’t find something to love about were the ones that simply didn’t stay in active duty long enough to unlock their support conversations. Some personal favorites of mine include the party animal Pandreo, who earnestly dedicates his life to leading the church his parents abandoned the former assassin Yunaka, who puts on an over-the-top goofball facade as she tries to leave her violent past behind her and the child merchant Anna, who dreams up big entrepreneurial schemes while concealing her fear and anxiety over being separated from her family.

The main story may be simple, but Fire Emblem Engage has one of my favorite casts in the franchise, with a number of characters that are fleshed out very well in support conversations. This story isn’t particularly unique-it has a lot in common with Fire Emblem Awakening, which was already pretty derivative in itself-but it gets the job done well enough and gives us the chance to meet a cast of characters from all corners of the world who bounce off of each other in compelling and entertaining ways. In order to prevent the Fell Dragon’s return, Alear must gather the twelve Emblem Rings-artifacts of substantial power carrying the spirits of heroes from other worlds-and travels the land to find them before they can fall into the wrong hands. After a thousand-year slumber, Alear wakes up with amnesia to a world on the verge of war with worshippers of the ancient Fell Dragon. Engage may not quite be everything I wanted it to be, but I think it’s easily a new high bar for what a modern Fire Emblem can be.įire Emblem Engage tells the story of the Divine Dragon, a character whose name and gender you can choose that is canonically named Alear. There are also bold new reworks and innovations to mainstay mechanics that drive the tactical gameplay forward to new heights.

There’s plenty of fanservice referencing the series’ more than thirty years of history with classic characters, maps, and gameplay mechanics that harken back to the best memories of your favorite Fire Emblem game. Fire Emblem Engage is both a celebration of the franchise’s history and an exciting evolution on the series’ formula, managing to deliver the best of both worlds.

Fire emblem engage plot