Fire Emblem Engage works to blend classic elements of the long-running Nintendo series with a few new twists. Some of the returning elements include tricky tactical battles, the ability for characters to bond via Support conversations, and a place to hang out with units between battles. New parts of Fire Emblem Engage's gameplay include the Wyvern Riding mini-game, the ability to adopt animals, and explorable battle maps. The latter element is particularly fun, as it provides an opportunity for character development, the chance to easily earn necessary items, and a closer look into the culture of the various kingdoms in Fire Emblem Engage.
In Fire Emblem Engage, the Divine Dragon Alear gathers forces from four nations - Firene, Brodia, Elusia, and Solm - to take on the vicious Fell Dragon Sombron. It differentiates itself from previous entries Fire Emblem Fates and Three Houses in that it features only a single story, rather than branching routes. However, it is still a lengthy game including optional Paralogues, Skirmishes for grinding between battles, and an upcoming Fell Xenologue DLC. Engage also does not skimp on its non-combat related options, including activities in the Somniel and the ability to explore every battle map after the fight has finished.
Explorable Maps Spotlight Engage's Lands
The setting of Fire Emblem Engage features four distinct countries, each with a unique ruling system, geography, and culture, surrounding the central land of Lythos. Lythos includes the floating island Somniel, being home to the Divine Dragons, while the four outer kingdoms are governed by human rulers with their own web of political entanglements.
Being able to explore maps after battle allows players to truly investigate and learn about the differences between countries. Each map has different types of animals that Alear can adopt, for example - Firene's maps are home to cats, dogs, and donkeys, while visiting Solm allows the player to adopt more exotic creatures like flamingos and camels. The player can also interact with NPCs, which gives a deeper look into what life is like. NPCs in Elusia and Brodia will complain of the weather, while those in Firene's Tea Village will constantly urge the player to try delicious local oranges and tea. Even the items that Alear can pick up on each map add charm and character, with Ingots appearing more often in Brodia, while Firene is the primary source of fruits and other edible ingredients.
Map Exploration Fleshes Out Engage's Characters
In addition to NPCs and animals, many units will be available to talk on the map - whether they were brought into battle or not. This is a great way to quickly earn Bond Fragments, which are used in the Somniel to create Bond Rings and strengthen units' relationships with their Emblems, but it also lets the characters' personalities shine. Some of the dialogue options are fairly generic - wannabe hero Amber will usually talk about how powerful he is, for example, while merchant Anna will usually mention money in some way - others are unique and fun. In particular, the royals of each country will comment about the differences between their home battlefields and the foreign lands they are visiting. Players can explore maps after Skirmishes, too, meaning that it is possible to return to previously beaten maps and see new dialogue from characters who weren't recruited the first time the map was visited.
Fire Emblem Engage strikes a good balance between challenging battles that the series is known for and the between-battle relaxation that later entries like Fire Emblem: Three Houses have popularized. Map exploration is a fun new addition that helps Engage feel fresh when compared to its many predecessors. It is definitely an element that could return in future Fire Emblem games, especially as a nice break between tricky battles on Classic or Maddening mode.
Fire Emblem Engage is available now for Nintendo Switch.
