One of the best things players should know before jumping into Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes is where this game falls in the timeline. This is not a sequel to the 2019 hit, Three Houses. It is instead a retelling of that story albeit in a different universe.
It’s sort of like what this developer did for Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity in 2020. At first, it seemed like that was a prequel to Breath of the Wild but that was not 100% the truth. Getting into it now would spoil things. So, that’s one thing to know before starting Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes but there are a lot more useful tips on the way.
8 What Carries Over From Three Houses
There are a lot of similarities between Three Hopes and Three Houses. For one, players can customize their difficulty levels on two fronts. There is the standard easy-to-hard ratio but there is also Casual and Classic mode. Classic will kill off characters slain in battle while Casual will allow them the stay alive after a battle. Chores, training, and bonding with teammates also return in-between battles while in camp but the wealth of options has been paired down though. Also of note, the weapon wheel still matters maybe now more than ever even outside of tactical combat. One carry over from the Musou genre overall is the co-op gameplay.
7 Focus On Shez
Shez is the new main character for Three Hopes, replacing Byleth as the default. What’s more, Shez, male or female, can talk. As they are the main hero, it would be a wise decision to focus attention on them. It’s important to have a balanced team of soldiers but that’s where in-camp training comes into play. If anyone ever gets behind in levels just be sure to bump them up with gold in camp. The reason why Shez should be the strongest should be obvious. The main character will face more trials alone and will be the main focus of the narrative. This has been true for the series for ages.
6 You Can Remove Dialogue
One of the best things about the Switch is the capture button. While the video and screenshot quality is lower than the Xbox Series X and PS5, it is still easier to capture footage on Switch. The graphics might not be astounding, but fans of Three Hopes may wish to capture screenshots of characters during conversations as they do look great.
What players may not realize is that these text windows can be removed briefly for the very idea of screenshots. This may only help a small fraction of players but it’s a good thing to learn. Don’t forget to experiment with the menu to test a few things out too.
5 Keep Changing Classes
The class system is another returning element in Three Hopes. Most units will start with a generic class like a Monk. Monks can then branch off to either become Priests or Mages which further branch off from there. Using units will increase the mastery of these classes, just like in the main series. Once a class is mastered, players should immediately swap to something else even if it is a backward digression. Don’t waste experience points by keeping a unit locked into a class is the overall tip.
4 Assigning Moves
One of the biggest evolutionary changes made to these Musou games, which was before Three Hopes, is the ability to tactically mark where AI units should go. Before starting a match, check to see what is the most common set of weapons in the enemy arsenal. If most of the map is covered in ax wielders, focus the four-unit setup around sword users. If the map is diverse, create an equally distinct team. Then, when assigning jobs, send units toward the areas of the map where they should succeed better. It’s tactical gameplay 101.
3 Take Advantages Of Stuns
Some enemy units can take a lot of hits before they go down. The easiest way to eliminate enemies faster, be they named villains or general commanders, is through stun attacks. Every enemy will have a shield appear above their head when they take damage.
The more players attack, the weaker this icon will become. Once it is completely broken, an X should appear above their heads which is a button prompt on the controller. Following through should kill the enemy instantly.
2 Pay Attention To Side Quests
There are many types of side quests in the game that will appear during a mission. For example, a thief may appear on the map with a key. Killing this thief and obtaining their key will allow players to unlock a hidden chest on the map for greater rewards. If this side quest is failed, don’t worry. Most maps can be replayed in every chapter. However, once players move on from that chapter, they can no longer go back. Three Hopes warns players of this change if they click on the final mission on the world map. It’s a standard for many RPGs but there is a way to go back later. Don't worry too much about being a completionist the first time through.
1 Amiibo Support
Three Hopes is unfortunately not getting any new Amiibo for launch. However, all past Fire Emblem Amiibo will work with the game in some capacity. Players can use five Amiibo a day and after 24 hours expire, they can use five more. It doesn’t matter if these Amiibo are the same ones or not. There is nothing huge any of these characters will unlock. Rewards will vary from crests used to upgrade classes to fancy weapons. It’s all a toss-up depending on which Amiibo players have. Test them all out and hope for the best.
Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes was released on June 24, 2022, and is available on Switch.