Fire Emblem: Engage was a highly anticipated game for Fire Emblem fans ever since its announcement, seeing as it was the first mainline title game for Fire Emblem since 2019’s Fire Emblem: Three Houses. Fire Emblem: Engage was finally released on January 20, 2023, and actually had a bigger opening retail sale that beat Three Houses by a small margin in Japan.
While the two games belong in the same franchise, they are vastly different experiences when it comes to the art style, the gaming mechanics, and also the story. Even with all these differences, many elements in Fire Emblem: Engage could be very well appreciated by fans of the previous main titles, regardless of whether it makes the game more like Three Houses or different from it.
5 A New Array Of Classes
Alongside a cast of brand-new characters, the game, Fire Emblem: Engage offers new classes that the units can be promoted to. One of the core mechanics of Fire Emblem games is the diversity of classes, from classics like Pegasus Knights and Archers to more novelties such as Griffin Knights and Wolf Knights.
With each Fire Emblem game, available classes change depending on the game’s setting and story. However, it is always fun for players to try new classes they would’ve never been able to experience in the previous game. While the selection of classes in Fire Emblem: Engage isn’t comparable to a game like Fire Emblem: Fates, it should be able to please fans of the most recent title Fire Emblem: Three Houses with its diversity.
4 More Area Explorations
While Three Houses only offered a limited place to explore, that being just the Garreg Mach Monastery, the Abyss if the DLC was purchased, and a camp to wait in one time if siding with Edelgard in the war towards the end of White Clouds, Fire Emblem Engage actually showcases many different areas throughout the game all through Elyos as there are many kingdoms and different landscapes, from the deserts in Solm to the icy lands of Elusia.
After each battle, the player can look around the location they just fought in and talk to their other units, find objects around or find new animals to adopt and place in their Somniel. While the activities might be lackluster to some, it can be interesting to look closer at the areas battles are fought in as the game doesn’t offer a zoom-in option during battles, unlike in Three Houses.
3 The Somniel
The Somniel could be described as the equivalent to Three Houses’ Garreg Mach Monastery, but less like a chore to the player. The Somniel is a group of floating islands in the sky that serve as the base for the player. However, it is mostly up to the player if they want to visit it or not. Meanwhile, Three Houses’ monastery can’t be avoided without losing a lot of important dialogue and essential game features to unlock.
It is also possible to access the Somniel anywhere and anytime without wasting any weekends, contrary to Three Houses where a visit to the Monastery would mean skipping some mock battles or Seminars. Both of these places, however, offer similar activities to do. Some of these activities are fishing, eating with different characters to boost stats, and also offering the player a marketplace, among many other things.
2 Byleth’s Return
Out of the 12 rings that are scattered around the continent of Elyos, one that is recognizable to Three Houses fans is the Ring of the Instructor. This ring would be none other than that of the Officers Academy Instructor, Byleth. As the main character of the previous Fire Emblem main title, Fire Emblem: Three Houses, the male version of Byleth that’s available in Engage might be the only recognizable one to new fans, as most of the rings are from way older titles.
The ring is first in the possession of Lythos, but is then stolen from the vault. The ring is then in the possession of King Hyacinth of Elusia who then hands it down to his daughter, Hortensia. The ring’s design is reminiscent of the Nabatean technology, a technology from people in Three Houses that are similar to the Divine Dragons in Fire Emblem: Engage.
1 The 3 Houses Leaders Return
Fire Emblem: Engage added in its expansion pass some of the most beloved characters from the previous titleFire Emblem: Three Houses and, as expected, they were the 3 house leaders, notably, Edelgard von Hresvelg, Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd, and Claude von Riegan. These three have been the face of the previous game for obvious reasons. Their role in the story is essential and each one of them was able to win over fans in their own ways throughout their stories.
While these characters definitely have tension between them in the original game, the Three House bracelet forces them to collaborate to help the unit they’re equipped to, making it one of the most powerful and versatile ones to engage with. From Edelgard’s powerful Amyr, to Dimitri’s Areadbhar, and finally Claude’s Failnaught, it offers a range of weapons to best any opponent.