Fire Emblem Engage

 Switch
User Score
6.6

Mixed or average reviews- based on 822 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 451 out of 822
  2. Mixed: 154 out of 822
  3. Negative: 217 out of 822
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  1. giannis2001
    Sep 11, 2023
    7
    Very good gameplay but forgettable characters and story. I really liked the combat in this game, it has a great variety in characters, classes, weapons, abilities, and combinations with the emblems. The maps are very good as well. However, the story and the characters are just boring and uninterested. I didn't care that much for the story or the characters throughout the game.
  2. Blueking640
    Sep 8, 2023
    7
    Best gameplay in the series yet, with fun characters, but the story and world bulding is not as good as in Three Houses. This was an anniversary game, before it was delayed, and its clear that game does not take itself too seriously. Still a fun game, and the emblems add great gameplay variety.
  3. fflatburger
    Aug 13, 2023
    6
    To many mechanics in the game, the story was incredibly stupid, and return trips to the Sominel were always tedious, it truly could have just been a menu on the world map and I would have been so much more satisfied.
  4. Maradum
    Jul 31, 2023
    7
    FE Engage has the difficult task to come out after Three Houses, which was the first very succesful FE game in the west. Many people that liked 3H might not enjoy Engage as much – while FE veterans are more than happy about the amazing tactic gameplay it offers

    The story and writing is the weakest point here, with the main story being super tropy, nothing special and just a very basic    FE Engage has the difficult task to come out after Three Houses, which was the first very succesful FE game in the west. Many people that liked 3H might not enjoy Engage as much – while FE veterans are more than happy about the amazing tactic gameplay it offers

    The story and writing is the weakest point here, with the main story being super tropy, nothing special and just a very basic narrative. Good writing comes through in the funny and interesting support conversations that bring a lot of color to the characters.

    The art style is extremely colorful, might be a bit to comicy for some. The game itself looks amazing though.

    The shining star is definitely the gameplay, which is absolute peak turn based strategy combat. There is a vast variety of unit types so that each playthrough is unique. The Emblem Rings offer eve more tactic options as each Emblem offers special abilities.

    The Somniel as a hub fulfills its purpose, but there are many activities that just feel annoying, with little rewards, like „polishing your Emblem Rings“ or wyvern riding. Those boring side activities could be removed to put more focus on other aspects as they offer little to none to the game itself.    … Expand
  5. drseven
    Jun 27, 2023
    7
    Comparisons hurt, and compared to its FE 3H predecessor, it feels like an inferior product. Visually it improves and the battles continue to have the essence of the Fire Emblem. everything else, history, progress, level of customization, charisma of the characters is mediocre. The ring system doesn't work and is poorly implemented, it seems more like an excuse to bring back characters fromComparisons hurt, and compared to its FE 3H predecessor, it feels like an inferior product. Visually it improves and the battles continue to have the essence of the Fire Emblem. everything else, history, progress, level of customization, charisma of the characters is mediocre. The ring system doesn't work and is poorly implemented, it seems more like an excuse to bring back characters from the past.

    Conclusion: a fun game that preserves the bases of the fire Emblem but fails in everything around it.    … Expand
  6. SushiMess
    Jun 26, 2023
    6
    At first, I was really excited to get into the game because of the cool looking gameplay. As I keep playing however, the game feels much more like a chore instead of something I enjoy. Characters have like zero development, the castle you walk around in feels really empty and bad, and the story although was engaging in the first 10ish chapters, fell off hard afterwards. I completely lostAt first, I was really excited to get into the game because of the cool looking gameplay. As I keep playing however, the game feels much more like a chore instead of something I enjoy. Characters have like zero development, the castle you walk around in feels really empty and bad, and the story although was engaging in the first 10ish chapters, fell off hard afterwards. I completely lost interest in the game after reaching chapter 20 and thought to myself why I was even still playing as it felt so much like a chore but pushed myself to finish it since I was already so far.… Expand
  7. Snowbell
    Jun 26, 2023
    6
    As a Fire Emblem fan I was disappointed with the story. The writing and "cutscenes" felt very mediocre, which ruined some of the more emotional moments.
    The combat was good and the engage system is kinda fun, but I personally would rather see the pair up system return. Or just all of the systems from Fates and Awakening.
    Yes, this is written by a fan of the 3DS games and I know not    As a Fire Emblem fan I was disappointed with the story. The writing and "cutscenes" felt very mediocre, which ruined some of the more emotional moments.
    The combat was good and the engage system is kinda fun, but I personally would rather see the pair up system return. Or just all of the systems from Fates and Awakening.

    Yes, this is written by a fan of the 3DS games and I know not everyone like the marry/child system. I do however.    … Expand
  8. CooperMarlow
    May 29, 2023
    5
    Core gameplay mechanics have improved. Each encounter requires careful thought and awareness of your unit’s strengths, weaknesses, and abilities.

    Reducing ability slots to only two would be fine if abilities as a whole were much more impactful in battle, and while this can be said for some, there are many that are useless or just not worth investing your precious SP in. They missed the    Core gameplay mechanics have improved. Each encounter requires careful thought and awareness of your unit’s strengths, weaknesses, and abilities.

    Reducing ability slots to only two would be fine if abilities as a whole were much more impactful in battle, and while this can be said for some, there are many that are useless or just not worth investing your precious SP in. They missed the mark with this one, but it’s an interesting idea.

    The story is boring and uninteresting–4’th grade level stuff–the writing is fine, and the main player character design is just embarrassing.

    The game itself also feels lacking in content and perhaps a touch too easy, because I’m blasting through chapters and already at the halfway point. With no alternate paths or endings to look forward to, there’s pretty much no reason to replay this game beyond bumping up the difficulty and trying out different characters–but when the core of what’s there is so utterly average and uninspiring, I don’t see myself doing this.

    Engage is a massive step backwards from 3 Houses and doesn’t inspire confidence in the future of this franchise. Go back to your roots, hire some good writers, and stop trying to appeal to a casual audience that isn’t ever going to manifest for this genre of game.    … Expand
  9. Andrewaps
    May 28, 2023
    5
    So, I've played just about every Fire Emblem game at this point, excluding spinoffs like Warriors/Three Hopes/Heroes, so I'd like to think that I've got some pretty hefty experience in the franchise. My favorites? FE6 (Binding Blade)/FE9 (PoR)/FE15 (Shadows of Valentia). Simple, yet masterfully crafted games that challenged the player to the limit with tightly tuned base mechanics wrappedSo, I've played just about every Fire Emblem game at this point, excluding spinoffs like Warriors/Three Hopes/Heroes, so I'd like to think that I've got some pretty hefty experience in the franchise. My favorites? FE6 (Binding Blade)/FE9 (PoR)/FE15 (Shadows of Valentia). Simple, yet masterfully crafted games that challenged the player to the limit with tightly tuned base mechanics wrapped together with small twists to the formula to keep it fresh. They contain soundtracks that invade my brain to this day without my permission. They had a solid story (with their share of hiccups, mind you) that kept me engaged throughout, with a very likeable cast of misfits and lords. They had proper worldbuilding and set the stage properly, making the continent actually feel alive. Practically every unit was serviceable, with some being clearly better than others, but with just about every unit having a purpose/niche use. Frankly, I still play several of these games today, 10+ years after their release.

    Why am I bringing up other FE games so much? To drive home how lackluster Engage is. Now while Engage was an improvement over Three Houses in gameplay and map design, it did worse in just about every other meaningful category. From resource management, to character design, to character supports, to skill balancing, to character balancing, to sound design/OST, to story design, to the scale of the villains/antagonists, everything else just falls flat.

    In other words, Engage is a disappointment. Despite having polished gameplay and beautiful animation sprinkled throughout, it is so bafflingly horrendous at just about everything else that I have lost interest in playing the game. Solid gameplay is a must for Fire Emblem, but even the worst game in the franchise has been serviceable in that regard. A diamond will be a diamond, regardless of its polish/features. Instead, it is the overall presentation that gives the diamond its allure. In other words, Engage lacks a proper soul, something to draw me into it and keep me, heh, engaged. I am also of the opinion that this game simply has too many mechanics drowning what is otherwise solid gameplay. The Somniel (however you spell it) and all of its gimmicks alone makes the game feel like such a chore at times.

    TLDR; Engage has a few strong points, but overall it is a disappointment to the FE franchise, and a huge step down from the previous installments: Three Houses and Shadows of Valentia. If looking for a FE game on the switch, I would personally recommend skipping this one, and would suggest Three Houses instead. I love Fire Emblem, it is my favorite video game franchise, but Engage was simply not for me. Hopefully the rumored remake of FE4 will wash the bad taste out of my mouth.    … Expand
  10. Sensou
    May 23, 2023
    6
    Good but Not Good.

    There's a complete hesitation to buy this game and that's why I just borrow it from my friend and I'm glad I didn't purchase it, I don't like it that well. This game is far inferior that Three Houses. To put into a context: Three Houses is my first fire emblem game and I've also finished Engage, so this is not half experience review as I've encounter every content    Good but Not Good.

    There's a complete hesitation to buy this game and that's why I just borrow it from my friend and I'm glad I didn't purchase it, I don't like it that well. This game is far inferior that Three Houses. To put into a context: Three Houses is my first fire emblem game and I've also finished Engage, so this is not half experience review as I've encounter every content this game has to offer.

    The visuals and cutscene of this game is an improvement than the last installment but it also becoming it's weaknesses as well. The cutscene is way too lengthy, believe it or not, the cutscene could take around 10-15 minutes. Completely kill the pacing of this game. I skip every cutscene after Chapter 12 (excluding the cinematic cutscene).
    Another note from the cutscene or art department, the animation is still lacking like in Three Houses and the interaction also hella weird. You can have a normal conversation after the battle with your enemy before they flee. Makes no sense and kill the tension that should be there.

    The game is way more free in terms of time because there's no Day Mechanic like in Three Houses so you can grind and bond as much as you want where in Three Houses you need to plan out how to utilize several days in a month. Sounds great right? Turns out, it's a nope.
    Because of that freedom, the game get tedious pretty fast. Engage couldn't handle it well, the skirmishes will always get generated for you to grind. It's great but for me it becomes annoying as I'm trying to clean the map from those bandits but we'll never be able to clean that out. Exploring around the Somniel also get boring pretty quickly. There's no real value or meaningful activities there. The fact that you can skip going back to Somniel and keep proceeding with the Chapter sort of make Somniel just an extra content.

    The UI of the game is also confusing. One example: I miss the inheritance skill which I think it's auto equipped but turns out you need to press ZR in the inheritance skill to equip it. Completely a bad design.

    The variety of the characters are nice and pretty good but they are truly forgettable, not like the way in Three Houses. Even in their combat abilities, they are also forgettable which makes me lock my unit to the one that I like the most from start to end which makes many characters like a filler for my roster. My Lineup will always consist of: Alfred, Celine, Louis, Ivy, Zelkov, Kagetsu, Alcryst, Panette and Merrin.

    So many things holding this game down which is a shame as this game seems like an Anniversary game for Fire Emblem series but turns out to be a bummer. Luckily the combat is amazing and strategic which is way better than Three Houses.    … Expand
  11. kinsang
    May 22, 2023
    5
    อย่างแรกที่ต้องชมเลยคือเรื่องของเกมเพลย์ที่ยกระดับขึ้นมาจากภาคก่อน การดีไซน์แมพ ทำให้รู้สึกว่าเล่นสนุกขึ้น และนั่นก็คงเป็นคำชมอย่างเดียวของเกมภาคนี้ ส่วนด้านอื่นอย่างเนื้อเรื่อง บทพูด บทตัวละคร กลับดิ่งลงเหวไปคนละทาง ถึงแม้ภาคนี้จะมีตัวละครเยอะก็จริง แต่ตัวละครที่สำคัญต่อเนื้อเรื่องนั้นมีแค่ไม่กี่ตัว ส่วนด้านบทที่เขียนมาก็เหมือนเอาเด็กที่เพิ่งดูดราก้อนบอลจบเป็นครั้งแรกมาเขียนเนื้อเรื่องให้อย่างแรกที่ต้องชมเลยคือเรื่องของเกมเพลย์ที่ยกระดับขึ้นมาจากภาคก่อน การดีไซน์แมพ ทำให้รู้สึกว่าเล่นสนุกขึ้น และนั่นก็คงเป็นคำชมอย่างเดียวของเกมภาคนี้ ส่วนด้านอื่นอย่างเนื้อเรื่อง บทพูด บทตัวละคร กลับดิ่งลงเหวไปคนละทาง ถึงแม้ภาคนี้จะมีตัวละครเยอะก็จริง แต่ตัวละครที่สำคัญต่อเนื้อเรื่องนั้นมีแค่ไม่กี่ตัว ส่วนด้านบทที่เขียนมาก็เหมือนเอาเด็กที่เพิ่งดูดราก้อนบอลจบเป็นครั้งแรกมาเขียนเนื้อเรื่องให้ อีกทั้งการหักมุมต่างๆ บทในส่วนที่สำคัญยัง execution ได้ไม่ดีอีกต่างหาก ถือว่าเสียดายงบจริงๆ… Expand
  12. hackerfrenzy
    May 10, 2023
    7
    really good tactical gameplay, really terrible writing and characters.
    I spent a lot of time in the game due to the fun battles, but I was rolling my eyes so hard at the dialogues and the plot that I started to just ignore it. If you expect Fire Emblem: Three Houses level of story, this is not it. If you don't care about the story and just like this type of combat then this game does a great job.
  13. marcoskalil
    May 1, 2023
    6
    Fire Emblem veterans may like Engage's straightforward design, leaving part of the Persona influence behind, but ultimately both story and gameplay are uninspiring. It seems Nintendo used a formulaic approach, uniting the most cliche profiles for its characters and narratives, but also battlefield variety. For this reason even newcomers may find the franchise to be underwhelming. NewFire Emblem veterans may like Engage's straightforward design, leaving part of the Persona influence behind, but ultimately both story and gameplay are uninspiring. It seems Nintendo used a formulaic approach, uniting the most cliche profiles for its characters and narratives, but also battlefield variety. For this reason even newcomers may find the franchise to be underwhelming. New players should seek other entries to start in the franchise.

    If you can ignore the cringe-inducing story and characters, you should eventually have some satisfying moments with the combo system and the flexibility of the rings and class systems.    … Expand
  14. Stjepan3203
    Apr 30, 2023
    7
    Fire Emblem Engage did improve upon is predecessors in terms of gameplay but sadly took 2 steps back in terms of story. The games story it's very very predictable and anime cliché like. I don't think the story it's necessarily bad but compared to the previous game Three Houses, Engage definitely felt lackluster.

    If you don't mind more predictable stories and you wanted Fire Emblem to    Fire Emblem Engage did improve upon is predecessors in terms of gameplay but sadly took 2 steps back in terms of story. The games story it's very very predictable and anime cliché like. I don't think the story it's necessarily bad but compared to the previous game Three Houses, Engage definitely felt lackluster.

    If you don't mind more predictable stories and you wanted Fire Emblem to improve upon it's already amazing gameplay, then Engage will definitely do the trick.    … Expand
  15. Jcdusss
    Apr 30, 2023
    7
    Great maps and combat mechanics, so it’s not a bad Fire Emblem.
    But the story is really dull and manichean (much more than Tree Houses and Fates). And I don’t like the design of the characters too, I think that a certain amount of them are really problematic.
  16. justfind
    Apr 29, 2023
    5
    It's unbelievable that this game scored 80 points. It has the advantage that the battle is fun, but the other disadvantages are too big. The characters, stories, and characters are piece of trash.
  17. Demostenez
    Apr 27, 2023
    7
    Pros: Combat was fun, and I liked the Engage mechanic. Having the weapon triangle back was nice. I liked the design of the characters. Voice acting was good.

    Cons: it came out after Three Houses. The story and the characters felt less developed after the excellent work done in 3H. Some characters felt unnecessary and just there to pad the roster. I played all four 3H routes, but after    Pros: Combat was fun, and I liked the Engage mechanic. Having the weapon triangle back was nice. I liked the design of the characters. Voice acting was good.

    Cons: it came out after Three Houses. The story and the characters felt less developed after the excellent work done in 3H. Some characters felt unnecessary and just there to pad the roster. I played all four 3H routes, but after finishing the last DLC, I don't know that I'll ever pick up Engage again.    … Expand
  18. Evinith
    Apr 22, 2023
    5
    Weak begging, decent middle, and a terrible ending. Overall a very generic feeling product because of the need to use a god complex and overall loving character without it being earned. It comes across as fates but worse in most ways (though not every way)
  19. FlexosuarousRex
    Apr 19, 2023
    7
    I started playing fire emblem during the gba era and I have to say, engage is a bit disappointing. It has plenty going for it, but as a whole misses the mark. The gameplay is really good, the return of the weapon triangle is very much welcome, and the rings do a lot to diversify gameplay. The visuals are much smoother and the maps in this game I feel are superior to that of three houses inI started playing fire emblem during the gba era and I have to say, engage is a bit disappointing. It has plenty going for it, but as a whole misses the mark. The gameplay is really good, the return of the weapon triangle is very much welcome, and the rings do a lot to diversify gameplay. The visuals are much smoother and the maps in this game I feel are superior to that of three houses in terms of design both artistically and technically. I also really enjoyed the mini arena where the player could could set up duels amongst the cast of the main party for exp - I honestly hope that returns in future titles.

    The social aspect has been toned down very much so from three houses, so anybody who wasn't a fan of the social aspect in that game may find themselves more at home with this title - this may be a good thing to some but also leads to my first complaint.

    The character interactions outside of battle are so bland and abbreviated that their inclusion doesn't feel justified; on top of that, characters are completely forgettable anime arche types so I found myself caring about them far less than in previous titles. When the rest of the story is forgettable at best and downright boring at worst the player will have very little reason to delve any deeper into the story and character lore than what is necessary to progress and, sadly, that is how I felt when playing.

    Other than the combat in Engage, the rest of the game is extremely mediocre. I honestly couldn't bring myself to finish it because it felt, as a whole, to be a stilted experience. It definitely has the DNA of a great game but frankly it fails in too many areas to be considered as such. I think this game would have been much better received if it dropped before three houses but, coming afterward, this game feels like a complete downgrade to the previous title.

    Also, a personal note, i think the main hero design is pretty atrocious as well. Byleth's design was far superior, giving us a classic looking king type from the series with very unique and cool clothing. The new hero just looks like a mess - i do understand that this is a subjective take but I had to mention it.

    TLDR; the game has good combat and combat mechanics but not much more. It misses more than it hits.    … Expand
  20. Shugg
    Apr 19, 2023
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Gameplay: potentially best in the series, few flaws most related to the DLC, or common recurring flaws of the series that don't detract from the fun being had. A true testament to the potential creative ingenuity the fire emblem team can bring to the table. Map design is excellent, and the feeling of power brought by emblems is quite surprisingly balanced very well. Theres no feeling of "i should save this ultimate power until i need it", more of a "fire away, we need it as much as we can use it!" which is a very hard thing to pull off, definitely a favorite gameplay-wise. Highly suggest Hard for a first playthrough as the emblems can trivialize normal mode, and the exp restrictiveness of Maddening can be an uncomfortable challenge to some.
    Music: some tracks are quite good, notably the theme from chapter 25. Theres a recurring leitmotif often present and its enjoyable. Alot of tracks are unfortunately forgettable, but the ones that shine really do. I personally think the worst track unfortunately is the opening 4kids-esque anime intro song. But some people may enjoy what i find to be unbearably cringe.
    [Spoilers] Story [Spolers] : Initially it comes across as a very cut and dry story with little depth and intentionally light hearted that doesn't take itself too seriously. But the suspension of disbelief for the sake of immersion is very quickly thrown out the window by the time you reach the second country. And it only gets worse as time goes on, entire plot points being forgotten, a narrative that seems excessively too fast to feel attached to, eventually culminating in a major antagonists motivations being literally "i wish the Big Bad would get me pregnant so i could have a family". Unironically, and it's narratively intended to be a moment that has you sympathize with the villain who, not even 5 chapters ago, killed a character they considered "family", and mind controlled another.
    Characters: save for very few like hortensia and maybe pandreo, the supports and character development in this story are by far the weakest of the series. every character is not only just a single track trope with no development, they are so insultingly simple it feels as though this game was designed to pull specifically only the FE:Heroes audience that had never played another game. It is achingly difficult to find a character with enough viable depth to actually immerse in, and even the ones with said depth, are disappointingly poorly written or have an incredibly predictable flow. After playing every FE, this was easily the worst case of characters being truly forgettable. I'm also not a fan of their truly hideously clashing color designs, and obviously Vtuber inspired aesthetics. The arguments made in favor of the design choices and characters of this game are frustrating to hear, as they come across as cherry picking at best, and blatantly ignorant at worst.

    The reason this score is so low is because as a long time FE fan, i was looking forward to well designed and likable characters with immersive development and at least a tolerable level of world building, with villains who had interesting motivations and/or memorable moments. As some of the stories in these games can vary wildly, i wasn't hoping for something on the level of PoR or even Three Houses (yes, despite the plot holes and the fandom's vitriolic reaction to certain characters, it's a good story and a good direction the series took).
    It is disappointing to me that i was more invested in a game that was outsourced, than i was in the last two entries by the home developers. I am hoping they can do better in the future, and listen to the majority of players who also took issue with this.    … Expand
  21. Maya_weiner
    Apr 17, 2023
    7
    Mechanically, the game is great! I like the triangle mechanic returning, the maps & missions themselves are fun. However, I'd finished 3h not long before I got this one. The transition from them is grating, honestly. Engage is much more light-hearted, and it shows with the characters depth (or lack thereof), art style, story, etc. This by itself is fine, if you want an experience differentMechanically, the game is great! I like the triangle mechanic returning, the maps & missions themselves are fun. However, I'd finished 3h not long before I got this one. The transition from them is grating, honestly. Engage is much more light-hearted, and it shows with the characters depth (or lack thereof), art style, story, etc. This by itself is fine, if you want an experience different from 3 Houses.
    Big events don't feel meaningful. When you learn about your character, it doesn't feel like it's earned. When important moments happen, they don't captivate me, because I hardly knew the characters to begin with. I don't think I regret buying this, but to me, it's a downgrade from Three Houses. I'd recommend someone to play that instead.    … Expand
  22. TippyToes
    Apr 16, 2023
    5
    I have put two hundred hours into this game and played all the dlc maps. Through the shimmers of good gameplay, alright music, and a handful of memorable characters. I was left salty and burnt out by the end of it all. Like looking for that small, glimmer of light in the deepest, ocean abyss. I never found that hook to get me excited to play Engage. Instead, beating this game as close to aI have put two hundred hours into this game and played all the dlc maps. Through the shimmers of good gameplay, alright music, and a handful of memorable characters. I was left salty and burnt out by the end of it all. Like looking for that small, glimmer of light in the deepest, ocean abyss. I never found that hook to get me excited to play Engage. Instead, beating this game as close to a hundred percent as I could felt more like a chore than anything else. I won't drag on with how bad the story is since everyone is pretty much in agreement that it is horrible and uninspired. However, there are other things that I do think bring the game down. Especially after the fourth wave of dlc that I believe is worth talking about.

    First, the avatar pandering needs to stop. When the trailer came out for the fourth wave. I never felt so uninterested, for a series of dlc waves that cost thirty five dollars, for a character I little give no diddily squats about. If it was Diamant, or Ivy, or Yunaka, or a few of my favorite others characters that wasn't the main one. I would definitely care a lot more. Although the four crown princess and princesses and their siblings get something. It is still completely overshadowed by the amount of screen time, pampering, and worshipping that Alear gets. I don't even think that is how emotions work. The evil clones in wave four such as Diamant, Alcrist, Ivy, etc had emotions that made sense for their predicament. Alear is still looked at as a god. A character that can never do no wrong. Even from their enemies, and this kind of writing seriously needs to stop. I believe every avatar since fates had this problem. I honestly hope that maybe after this. IS will consider dropping the avatar for a while. Then again, I asked for the same after Byleth, but Three Houses sold almost three million copies. So clearly, listening to feedback was not the priority after that game came out.

    Next, the dlc. What a complete and utter load. The first three waves consist of nothing but new emblems and rare items which clearly should have been in the game day one. Even still, I hated doing most of these maps. Why do I hate them? It's because no fire emblem map should be thirty five turns or more. Are they insane!? To put that into perspective. I started Camillias map around seven at night. Pushing through and fighting wave after wave after wave of reinforcements using the Diamant and Ike emblem combo until I defeated the boss. By the time I was done. It was ten at night. I had been sitting there for three hours trying to get an emblem of a character that A. I did not like and B. Was completely useless through out my whole play through. What makes this more scummy is that there is no Hoshido rep. In an anniversary title meant to honor all the games. Conquest and Birthright being separate from each other. Besides, we all know why Camilla was chosen over Xander or Leo who actually went through an arc. Fan service, and it's not even good fan service. If IS made a game where you could actually play as past heros and expand on their lore and character development. That would be good fan service. Waving keys in front of our faces to hide your mistakes will only work for so long. Maybe, after the second or third try. IS might finally see this now...emphasis on might.

    Lastly, and most importantly. Even after the dlc. After getting playable characters who died in the main story, and after getting new powers, uninspired story ideas, or whatever IS can conjure up. I am here to say on the record, right now. My soul be damned, that Conquest and Birthright had a overall better story than Engage. The main reason as to why is because those games at least had stakes. There was tension. When a character died in that game. They stayed dead. Engage has none of that. No one is really ever considered dead in this game. There is nothing to be lost. There is nothing to worry about. So why should a player be concerned about anything in this game? I actually miss the drama Corrin had between the Norh and Hoshido siblings despite the flaws those games had. I believe that drama between characters is what worked for three houses and is what's needed for the next game. Fire Emblem Engage didn't feel like an anniversary game to me. It was more so a series of underdeveloped ideas, wasted potential, and a overdone avatar character that you can't make to look like you anymore.    … Expand
  23. iMustang
    Apr 12, 2023
    7
    Fire Emblem Engage was a return to formula for the franchise, backpedalling on new ideas in favor of the traditional storytelling the series is known for. Fell Dragon bad guy, dragon child hero, and parents who proudly wear their death flags with pride as their kids join your party. As I worked my way through the 26 chapter narrative I was hopeful I would find some hook, some great plotFire Emblem Engage was a return to formula for the franchise, backpedalling on new ideas in favor of the traditional storytelling the series is known for. Fell Dragon bad guy, dragon child hero, and parents who proudly wear their death flags with pride as their kids join your party. As I worked my way through the 26 chapter narrative I was hopeful I would find some hook, some great plot twist to make this experience stand out from it's predecessors. And after logging in nearly 70 hours I can confidently say... There's nothing here we haven't seen before. The story was predictable to a fault with very little in the way of plot twists or surprises, and overstayed it's welcome by being unnecessarily long to tell a tale that was fairly straightforward. I know I've not played many Fire Emblem games as I started with the 3DS era, but I would go so far as to say this story was the weakest of any Fire Emblem game I've played.

    The characters have interesting designs and fun personalities, but with a cast of nearly 40 characters you get so little time with any of them. Support conversations return and are a delight, but unless you’re willing to dedicate an insane amount of time to grinding you won’t be seeing even half of them the game has to offer. The main story eventually condenses the cast down to about 6 core characters and shelves most of the others along the way, which is a shame because many of them looked interesting and I would have liked to spend time with them. As is also the case with quantity over quality, many of the characters I did spend time with lacked depth and leave me with few I’ll remember.

    Now to give credit where it's due, mechanically speaking this easily was an achievement in the franchise. The Emblem system greatly impacted every battle with a unique ultimate move of sorts characters could use to influence the tides of battles. They were as pleasing to watch the characters use as they were to actually put them into practice, with each one being dynamically different. This was only made more incredible by the fact that there are so many emblems each with a unique move and skill set that you always wonder what the next thing is you can do. Given that Engage is even in the name, I will say it delivered on that core feature.

    Ultimately playing Fire Emblem Engage felt like playing Fire Emblem Fates Revelations, but without playing two journeys to lead up to the big adventure and just starting there instead. A cast too big to enjoy, a thin story that overstays it’s welcome, and an experience that’s overall forgettable. I’ll remember a few characters I liked, or some of the villains that had surprisingly more depth than most the heroes. I’ll remember how fun the game was to play, or how fantastic the soundtrack was. Overall I will remember that I enjoyed this game… but only just enough to say, “it was alright.”    … Expand
  24. Jammy223
    Mar 22, 2023
    7
    It's not awful, not at all. But I think the game overall falls flat of what the previous game (Three Houses) was trying to do. It felt like while this game had polished combat as well as animations in said combat, it lacked in the characters feeling, it felt as if these characters as you're recruiting them and are supposedly your friends you don't feel like you can get close and while youIt's not awful, not at all. But I think the game overall falls flat of what the previous game (Three Houses) was trying to do. It felt like while this game had polished combat as well as animations in said combat, it lacked in the characters feeling, it felt as if these characters as you're recruiting them and are supposedly your friends you don't feel like you can get close and while you can give all of them your "pact" ring, this does not equal in marriage like Three Houses.

    It's unfortunate because it could've been a good game, but it stuck mostly to giving it a feeling of bringing people into the series which was already done by Three Houses and way better.    … Expand
  25. TeachCooker
    Mar 20, 2023
    5
    I'll get the low hanging fruit out of the way first. The characters and story are really boring. Not much to say other than the plot is uninspired and the characters are just walking tropes.
    The gameplay itself is where I have mixed feelings. For every positive there is a negative holding it back.
    For starters, bringing back the weapon triangle was a good move. The lack of it in the last    I'll get the low hanging fruit out of the way first. The characters and story are really boring. Not much to say other than the plot is uninspired and the characters are just walking tropes.
    The gameplay itself is where I have mixed feelings. For every positive there is a negative holding it back.
    For starters, bringing back the weapon triangle was a good move. The lack of it in the last few entries removed a basic level of depth many players expect.The emblem/ring system is an amazing addition that explodes the level of customization for your units to near absurd levels. Engage is maybe the best FE game when it comes to the ability to make sure your favorite units can clear the game.
    Yet at the same time there isn't very much strategy to be found in this turn-based strategy game. Mainly due to the fact that every enemy on the map attacks with zero regard for planning or tactics, in favor of just swarming your army asap. Some maps suffer greatly from this while others lose any challenge they might have presented otherwise.
    I won't hold the following criticism against the game too much, but with each new FE I hope they choose to make an effort to reduce RNG's influence on the gameplay. FE is always labeled a strategy game, yet ultimately what wins or loses battles are dice rolls. It is a problem that taking an optimal approach to any map can be rendered meaningless by RNG, just as making bad choices can be rewarded by lucky dice rolls. I will give the game credit for adding inheritable abilities that can help minimize RNG for the unit in question, but it is a small band-aid when a system wide solution is needed.

    Ultimately, a game that has many excellent concepts and mechanics gets bogged down by too many flaws to deliver a very middle of the road experience.    … Expand
  26. Snoopy64
    Jan 31, 2023
    7
    The gameplay alone deserves a 10, but the other things like day 1 dlc, gacha mechanics in a full priced game, and weak story hurt engage substantially.
  27. Ahoythere
    Mar 5, 2023
    6
    After beating the game, I'm putting a solid 6 due to a personal like of the art style and combat. However, the story was incredibly stupid, and return trips to the Sominel were always tedious, it truly could have just been a menu on the world map and I would have been so much more satisfied. Another reason that I am lowering it, is due to the inability to change the difficulty to higherAfter beating the game, I'm putting a solid 6 due to a personal like of the art style and combat. However, the story was incredibly stupid, and return trips to the Sominel were always tedious, it truly could have just been a menu on the world map and I would have been so much more satisfied. Another reason that I am lowering it, is due to the inability to change the difficulty to higher settings. I feel bad for anyone who started on normal, got invested, then was stuck at it. It was simply too easy of a difficulty, so much so that it should have been called easy mode.… Expand
  28. Mene0
    Mar 5, 2023
    7
    Fire Emblem Engage has the best gameplay the series has had so far. This is complemented by the excelent map design, also some of the best this series has ever had.
    However, this game has a few shortcomings, mostly it's story and characters. The story is generic at best and really, really bad at its worst points(ch 20-22), the characters that the story focuses the most are kind of    Fire Emblem Engage has the best gameplay the series has had so far. This is complemented by the excelent map design, also some of the best this series has ever had.
    However, this game has a few shortcomings, mostly it's story and characters. The story is generic at best and really, really bad at its worst points(ch 20-22), the characters that the story focuses the most are kind of uninteresting, with the rest of the roster being a lot cooler. Also, some of the character designs are really, really weird, not fitting at all in a medieval fantasy setting. I much prefer the simpler design of some characters over the really exagerated ones.
    The soundtrack is also good, but it's great how it dinamically shifts between a more action focused version of the song it's playing when you go into combat.
    The UI of the game is also somewhat bad and clunky, you will spend a lot of time in menus when you are not in battle.
    In the end this is a very worthwhile game if you are a fan of the franchise, but bad story and characters really do hurt the overall enjoyment of and RPG, for obvious reasons.    … Expand
  29. weskergamer
    Mar 2, 2023
    7
    As a Big Fire Emblem fan, Engage left me with a weird taste in my mouth. I loved it buy i also hated a lot of stuff and decision made by Intelligent System. Apparently, this game is meant to celebrate the Fire Emblem franchise, and it succeeds gameplay wise, but in other things it was very disappointed. The gameplay and everything related to gameplay in this game is the only reason why I'mAs a Big Fire Emblem fan, Engage left me with a weird taste in my mouth. I loved it buy i also hated a lot of stuff and decision made by Intelligent System. Apparently, this game is meant to celebrate the Fire Emblem franchise, and it succeeds gameplay wise, but in other things it was very disappointed. The gameplay and everything related to gameplay in this game is the only reason why I'm giving it a 7. It's so damn good. It's the best the series has ever been. But as a AAA game meant to celebrate a 25 yo franchise with a great story and beloved characters, it doesn't have a great story nor beloved characters. Even the characterization, graphics and moments of the heroes from past games it's so bad, giving importance basically only to Marth and characters like Ike, Sigurd and Roy looking so horrible with this game art style. I only hope that if they make a Genealogy or Tellius series remake they use more realistic art style. The story and characters of this game are so boring and cliche, reusing plots from previous game like Awakening and Fates. Outside of the story and characters the music is great, and it's good that we got a place where you can listen to it. The maps are really fun, i really enjoy the last 5 maps and the paralogues, even though i don't understand why my units can die in paralogues when it's basically a training section against the emblems. Even though I complain about the story, fire emblem has always been known for simple stories, but at least the characters were memorable, not the case in this game. I think I will only remember Diamant, Alcryst and Lapis tbh. The Villans were really, really bad in this game. The last thing I really hated about this game, was that, by the time of this review, there is no New Game+. This may be a small issue but still it hurted me a lot to finish the game and wasn't able to restart the game with support and skills already done like in 3H, something that I actually like because it made replayability more fun. Anyway, this game made a lot of bad decision, it doesn't make any sense that a game that follow one of the greatest games of the switch and of this generation of consoles, fells so underwhelmed and a step back in the franchise. They could' work in the bases of 3H and just improve the gameplay and maybe the graphics and we could have had the greatest game in the franchise, since without a doubt Engage has the best and more fun gameplay in the series, not even close. At the end of the day, in a couple of years we'll play a new FE with the same gameplay at this one but improving in the story, characters and art style, and it will be like this game never existed.… Expand
  30. mgao22
    Feb 26, 2023
    6
    The content of Engage is about paying respect to the whole series, which is wierd in first place, because they already did that in fire emblem warriors. Paying respect twice in one generation? What's so respectable about this franchise?

    Fine, I am okay with it. However, while the characters are taken from decades back, the painting style is completely modern, it looks like a cheap    The content of Engage is about paying respect to the whole series, which is wierd in first place, because they already did that in fire emblem warriors. Paying respect twice in one generation? What's so respectable about this franchise?

    Fine, I am okay with it. However, while the characters are taken from decades back, the painting style is completely modern, it looks like a cheap mobile game! I'd played the Genealogy on SNES, in which Sigurd was illstrated with exquisite, handsome 80s darwing style, and now what Engage turn him into? A completely un-identifiable pedestrian. Same thing with Lindis from the Blazing Blade, and many other classic characters. Seriously, get your mind straight. Don't let Nostalgia become a cheap excuse for saving money.

    I'm too loyal to Fire Emblem to give it something lower than 6, but I gotta be honest, the more loyal you are, the more disappointed you will be with this new instalment.    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

51
#51 Best Switch Game of 2023
2
#2 Most Discussed Switch Game of 2023

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
80

Generally favorable reviews - based on 129 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 102 out of 129
  2. Mixed: 27 out of 129
  3. Negative: 0 out of 129
  1. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Jan 24, 2024
    80
    Hogwarts Legacy is definitely a beautiful-looking game that doesn't have a groundbreaking story, but does have a beautiful world, a fun combat system, broomstick flying, and of course an incredible amount of side quests and missions. [Issue#325]
  2. Gamereactor Spain
    Oct 16, 2023
    80
    It’s a title where difficulty isn’t just about advancing mission after mission but doing so with as few casualties as possible. This makes Engage the perfect gateway to the series, as well as a handful of good memories for those already familiar with it. A game which perfectly balances periods of action with quiet, enjoyable interludes in which to chat with other characters, play minigames and try out new weapons.
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  3. Pocket-lint
    Jun 23, 2023
    90
    Fire Emblem Engage is a superb strategy game that has taken a major technical leap forward, graphically superior to its predecessor in every meaningful way.It tells a well-meaning story that still manages to pack in a few surprisng twists, and while its social features are a little extraneous this time, it's still super relaxing to fall into its world.Multiplayer expands things even further, leaving us confident that the future is very, very bright for this excellent series.
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