Given how lengthy the online game improvement course of takes, typically we don’t see the complete affect of a sport’s innovation till years later. That’s one thing I instantly observed when booting up Fire Emblem Engage, the most recent installment of Nintendo’s long-running techniques collection. After a couple of hours with it, I may see how the mission was possible conceived as a direct response to 2017’s Fire Emblem Heroes, certainly one of Nintendo’s greatest cell hits. Though 2018’s Fire Emblem: Three Houses was a serious essential success for the collection, Heroes appears to be the title that’s shaping Fire Emblem’s future 5 years later.
While that would wind up making Fire Emblem Engage a extra polarizing launch, I’m greater than comfy with that path up to now. Based on its first eight chapters, the RPG appears to be a extra system-heavy installment that’s experimenting with how cell hooks can match right into a console sport (and with out the overbearing monetization practices). It’s the collection’ Pokémon Let’s Go second, however it isn’t sacrificing complexity to get there.
Same nice techniques
If that introduction has you nervous, permit me to place your thoughts comfy: There are not any radical modifications in Fire Emblem Engage. It’s nonetheless an intricately designed and detailed tactical RPG with comparable hooks as its predecessors. Whether you come to the collection for its tense grid-based battles or eccentric characters, that’s all right here in full power.
In its earliest chapters, Engage does an particularly commendable job of easing me into its mountain of concepts, outdated and new. Some preliminary cinematics shortly get me up to the mark with its new protagonist, Alear, a descendant of the Divine Dragon awoken to resolve an impending battle in Elyos. Though it doesn’t seem to be probably the most unique story in collection historical past, it’s no less than certainly one of its most visually alluring ones. My eye is instantly drawn in by its vibrant colours and easy animations, all of which really feel like an anime-infused step up from Three Houses.
Shortly after, I’m reintroduced to the standard rock-paper-scissors fight hook, which is as sturdy as ever right here. Battles nonetheless retain their Chess-like enchantment, as I strategically deploy and transfer my troops. More over-the-top battle animations assist construct every character’s character whereas making essential hits particularly satisfying. As for brand spanking new improvements, I’m particularly offered on its chain assault and guard system, which rewards gamers for considerate troop placement by letting them deal, or typically block, extra harm.
The complexity builds with every chapter, however in a means that’s exceptionally well-paced early on. For occasion, gamers spend their time between battles in a hub world referred to as Somniel. It’s a base of operations the place they will farm supplies, purchase new gear, take part in mock battles, and rather more. So far, new features are added at a gradual tempo that all the time permits me to get the cling of a brand new RPG mechanic or social exercise earlier than studying a brand new one. I get the sense that Somniel will construct much more because the story progresses, making it really feel like a thriving little neighborhood that I may spend an hour in between every chapter.
All of that retains Fire Emblem Engage from ever feeling too intimidating for newcomers, regardless of constructing on every thing the collection does properly. That welcoming angle is sensible as a result of I think about Nintendo is hoping to transform informal cell gamers with this entry.
Heroes affect
Fire Emblem Heroes’ DNA is evident from the bounce; actually, it’s baked into the very story of the sport. The central hook right here revolves round summoning characters from the collection’ historical past within the type of equippable rings. That provides the sport the identical taste of fan service current in Heroes, making a narrative purpose to see characters like Marth and Sigurd once more. Though extra intelligent is that the system permits Nintendo to combine a “gacha” system the place gamers spend in-game forex to tug random rings.
So far, it’s a innocent concept that makes for an additional layer of RPG complexity. The bond power wanted to purchase pulls or meld rings collectively to make extra highly effective ones is plentiful and simply earned by doing absolutely anything, from feeding your pet canine to exploring a map in 3D after ending a battle. That emphasis on forex is one other space the place I can really feel some cell affect. There are tons of of in-game achievements to chase, every of which grants some bond power. That guidelines development hook very a lot jogs my memory of finishing every day or weekly challenges in a sport like Genshin Impact so I can seize extra useful forex. Importantly, none of this requires actual cash past the sport’s retail worth so far as I can inform.
I can see the place this might really feel extra comfy for folks coming off Heroes, whereas Three Houses could have felt a bit alien. That’s the place I’m reminded of Pokémon Let’s Go of all video games. Released in 2018, Pokémon Let’s Go! Pikachu and Eevee had been created as a solution to bridge the hole between the mainline RPGs and the wildly widespread Pokémon Go. It did that by integrating concepts from the latter, particularly its extra streamlined catching mechanic. Engage brings the identical power — although rather more efficiently — by placing an emphasis on random pulls, forex administration, and to-do lists.
These aren’t simply hole concepts completed for the sake of interesting to cell gamers; they do nonetheless construct on and sometimes enhance the RPG’s system. Most rings act as fundamental equipment that present stat buffs, however others are extra particular. Equipping Marth, as an illustration, will give gamers entry to a particular sword flurry assault that may deal tons of injury. Rings basically introduce the concept of “ultimate abilities” into Fire Emblem, giving gamers one other strategic choice to make in battle. When’s the fitting second to summon a hero? When’s the fitting time to interrupt out a particular assault? Those choices shake up the established circulate of battle and convey some enjoyable visible aptitude, besides.
Characters may degree up their bonds with ring heroes, simply as they will with different items. Doing so provides them entry to passive talents that may be purchased with bond power and geared up. That provides a powerful additional layer of customization, because it’s inspired me to modify rings round to offer every character entry to extra buffs. I can create extremely particular utilities for items because of this. Alear, as an illustration, barely ever takes harm as I’ve loaded her up with evasion abilities gained from leveling up her bond with varied rings.
I used to be skeptical concerning the fan service focus after I first noticed Fire Emblem Engage, however I’m relieved truly taking part in by means of its first eight chapters. While its story has but to completely draw me in, I’m having a good time experimenting with totally different character/ring combos. The varied sources aren’t too sophisticated to handle and the guidelines of achievements is continually giving me little dopamine hits it doesn’t matter what I’m doing. If this installment is Nintendo testing the waters with how a lot it could merge its cell and console choices, Engage looks like one of the best you can hope for with such a difficult experiment.
Fire Emblem Engage launches on January 20 for Nintendo Switch.
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