Fire Emblem Engage Reviews
Fire Emblem Engage proves itself worthy enough to be counted alongside the legacy it honors so well.
Nintendo's long-running fantasy series looks to its rich history for this smart, satisfying turn-based strategy game.
This is the best Fire Emblem game to play ever. No exaggeration. I have not experienced all of the very early games, but I have seen enough to plant my flag for this one. But to fully experience? Way down the list. It's frustrating in the extreme - I just do not care about these characters and their plight, and even the ones where I might have, the game offers me no reason to invest whatsoever. I highly recommend Fire Emblem Engage because the gameplay and battles are stellar. Just be prepared to find yourself skipping a lot of stuff by the end.
Fire Emblem Engage is sadly a missed opportunity to tie together a new cast of characters with the heroes of old.
A more traditional Fire Emblem experience than Three Houses, but one that's filled with fun new features and emphasises deep and varied gameplay over dating mini-games.
Players looking for deep customization, expertly crafted strategy RPG combat, and a heartfelt story with adoration for more than 30 years of Fire Emblem history will find that and more in Engage. It’s one of the most gripping games I’ve played on Switch and, ultimately, one I struggled to peel myself away from.
Fire Emblem Engage's fantastic combat is held back by an underwhelming story that lacks the ambition of recent entries.
It can’t quite reach the crescendos that Three Houses did, and it certainly doesn’t achieve the longevity of Awakening. But it is consistently great. And it’s confident enough to let me take the reins.
I’ve always believed that mobile games are an approachable gateway for new fans to enjoy an otherwise esoteric IP, and Engage streamlines the gameplay in all the right ways. Unfortunately, though, the story falls short of what I’ve come to expect from any Fire Emblem game, and I’m still struggling to understand why. With Fates, the poor writing could be attributed to its sheer character bloat, but Engage has a reasonably normal-sized cast. The watered-down stories felt like an intentional appeal to capture new audiences. But at some point, I want to move on from the appetizer to the main course. With its disposable conversations, shallow handling of themes, and incohesive visual design, Engage is the chicken wing, rather than a full chicken dinner.
If you were overwhelmed by Three Houses, this is a great follow-up that doesn’t just follow that same formula: and in many ways, gets back to Fire Emblem basics.
With Fire Emblem Engage, Nintendo Switch hosts one of the best SRPGs on the market in terms of combat. However, we see this installment as a missed opportunity to present a classic round game due to its script. The shadow of Three Houses has played against this delivery, although seeing Marth is always a cause for joy.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Fire Emblem Engage balances the series' past and its future, offering a renewed focus on the tactical gameplay, an endearing cast of old and new faces, and the best visuals the franchise has ever seen.
Fire Emblem Engage's story might be shaky, but the tactics game excels in every other way.
The latest from Intelligent Systems proves that the studio has its finger on the pulse of the genre inside out. After a groundbreaking installment, they return to the classic approach while presenting new features that spice up and make, if possible, even more interesting its great combat system. A must for fans of the genre.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
As a fan of older Fire Emblem and strategy games in general, I was thrilled to see the depth of combat and the level to which you can make battling your absolute focus. That’s still true even if Engage doesn’t quite get the balance in its execution right in a way that might put a small subset of Three Houses lovers off.
As far as the two mainline Fire Emblem titles go on Switch, Engage knocks it out of the park when it comes to general flow of gameplay and combat itself.
It's essential to remember that just a little over 10 years ago, Fire Emblem Awakening saved the franchise and brought it to the mainstream. Now, in the present, Fire Emblem Engage represents a series that now no longer needs saving. It's a series that has blockbuster appeal, with people eagerly anticipating every announcement. Fire Emblem is Forever, and I'm overjoyed to see friends and colleagues take to it so passionately, something I didn't think would happen.
Fire Emblem Engage is a masterpiece of tactical gameplay design, with a gorgeous look, and depth most games can only dream of.
Fire Emblem Engage is another stellar entry in this storied franchise, but it's also one that takes a noticeably different stance than its most recent predecessor. It's all about the combat this time around, at the expense of the relationships and romance that made Three Houses such a fan favourite, so if you're looking for that social element here, you're bound to be left feeling at least a tad disappointed. However, for those jonesing to get down and dirty with some sweet turn-based tactical action - action that's embedded in a satisfyingly OTT, beautifully presented anime narrative - this is as fine an example of the genre as you'll play this year.