What helps elevate this plot even further is the game's characters, which are packed with charm and personality. This is the first game in the series where not a single character comes off as unlikable, and while they can be a bit over the top at times — and their designs are certainly something — that all just adds to their charm for me. — Nintendo
When Fire Emblem Engage was first announced to the world, many were excited for the fresh new installment in Nintendo's beloved tactical RPG series. Just as many, however, myself included, were displeased with the direction the game had taken.
I'm here writing this to say that I have eaten my words; Fire Emblem Engage is the most fun I've had with a Fire Emblem game in years.
I don't mean that in a vindictive way, either; Engage is a genuinely entertaining experience simply for being exactly what it is: a game that feels fully Fire Emblem.
Set on the continent of Elyos, Engage sees the Divine Dragon Alear awaken from a 1,000-year slumber and subsequently be charged with the quest to gather the 12 Emblem Rings — relics guarded by the four kingdoms of Elyos that contain the spirits of legendary heroes from other worlds — to protect the world from the revival of the diabolical Fell Dragon.
This story is well within the guidelines of typical Fire Emblem plots but it still manages to be uniquely captivating, to such an extent that mysteries in the story leave me guessing where they could lead for days on end.
What helps elevate this plot even further is the game's characters, which are packed with charm and personality. This is the first game in the series where not a single character comes off as unlikable, and while they can be a bit over the top at times — and their designs are certainly something — that all just adds to their charm for me.
Engage's combat is nothing to scoff at, either. It maintains the strategy-based gameplay the series is known for, but implements new mechanics that add wonderful depth to a player's available tactics, all the while making everything approachable for new or inexperienced players.
The Break mechanic is a wonderful way of educating new players on the series' trademark Weapon Triangle and encouraging them to take full advantage of it, while the titular Engage system, though a bit silly in concept, is a blast to use.
While I was initially dismissive of Engage's reliance on popular FE characters from previous installments in the form of the Emblems, there's something truly charming about having them supercharge one of your units and letting them unleash an ultimate attack like a Dragon Ball Z character. It's a perfect trump card to bust out when you need it or to just end a fight in style.
Ironically, my opinion on the usage of previous FE heroes has flipped a bit since playing the game for myself. Despite being marketed as being a major part of the game, the Emblems have less involvement in the story than I expected or even hoped for, only contributing to the story through the plot devices that are the rings they're bound to and the occasional word of encouragement or helpful piece of advice.
They're given a bit more development in their special support conversations but most of these amount to little more than a single sentence exchange about how close the character is with their Emblem — which, compared to the full conversations other characters can have with each other, is more than a little disappointing. It would have been nice to see the characters of these iconic heroes explored a bit more in depth beyond just references and the occasional in-joke.
And while Engage encourages you to build your units as you see fit and freely power them up as much as you want, it's actually oddly difficult to earn the money you need to buy better equipment and items for them to do so.
Your avenues of earning money are surprisingly scarce, meaning you're often so strapped for cash that most of your units will often be pitting low-tier equipment up against the highest grade weaponry, even if you're wisely spending every coin you get.
Despite these complaints, Engage is still one of the best Fire Emblem games I've ever played, and definitely a wonderful place for people interested in the series to start. It might not be as serious as some of its fellow FE games but it nails the mechanics and aesthetics of what an FE game is, and it isn't afraid to be just that: truly, wholly, unabashedly Fire Emblem. – The Valdosta Daily Times, Ga./Tribune News Service
