Look, I'm gonna preface this by saying that, tl;dr, I really enjoyed Fire Emblem Engage! If you're a gameplay-first SRPG enthusiast, or just keen on some excellent music and stellar visuals, this one could be for you!
That said, I feel like your capacity for this game will depend largely on your tolerance for paper-thin plot and saccharine (over)designed characters, of which this game has many. The plot is far from its namesake, a glorified excuse to slap together series protagonists for some good ol-fashioned campy anime whoop-ass. It's got a couple fun moments that don't specifically rely on series callbacks to feel cool, but the overall tone is a massive departure from typical Emblem fare. Although past FE games aren't exceptionally doom-and-gloom, this feels like the dial turned all the way over; some key moments still do their job, but it's mostly lighthearted and doesn't really feel like it -- or its cast -- has a whole lot "to say".
And ultimately, for me, that was okay. The gameplay, visuals and music carry this one. If anything has me excited for the future of Fire Emblem after Engage, it's how well-formed the core gameplay is; Emblem Rings as sort of sub-jobs, skill inheritance for extra mix and match, and (this one's a bit superficial) characters actually moving on the overworld as I direct them all went a long way to keep me motivated. Post-game activities include extra "arcade mode"-style maps for souping up special weaponry, co-op relay trials, and even a mode that lets you build a defense base and try to invade others' creations -- all ideas that took some inspiration from Heroes -- great implementations for a console Emblem. If you're really feeling the strategic gameplay and just want a playground to let loose with some superpowered characters there's a fair bit of extra space to work with.
Engage's presentation is impressive, with rich backgrounds and animations, varied environments and an infectious soundtrack punctuated by the series now-signature dynamic map music. The main non-vocal themes are exciting and catchy, with some great use of the main motif, and the game's sidequests include wonderful arrangements of some Fire Emblem classics. There's a lot to like here.
Engage is a fine game when you take it for what it is -- a big birthday party where all the main heroes from across its history are invited -- but folks probably won't be excited if they're more attuned to old FE or even something more involved like 3H.
That said, I feel like your capacity for this game will depend largely on your tolerance for paper-thin plot and saccharine (over)designed characters, of which this game has many. The plot is far from its namesake, a glorified excuse to slap together series protagonists for some good ol-fashioned campy anime whoop-ass. It's got a couple fun moments that don't specifically rely on series callbacks to feel cool, but the overall tone is a massive departure from typical Emblem fare. Although past FE games aren't exceptionally doom-and-gloom, this feels like the dial turned all the way over; some key moments still do their job, but it's mostly lighthearted and doesn't really feel like it -- or its cast -- has a whole lot "to say".
And ultimately, for me, that was okay. The gameplay, visuals and music carry this one. If anything has me excited for the future of Fire Emblem after Engage, it's how well-formed the core gameplay is; Emblem Rings as sort of sub-jobs, skill inheritance for extra mix and match, and (this one's a bit superficial) characters actually moving on the overworld as I direct them all went a long way to keep me motivated. Post-game activities include extra "arcade mode"-style maps for souping up special weaponry, co-op relay trials, and even a mode that lets you build a defense base and try to invade others' creations -- all ideas that took some inspiration from Heroes -- great implementations for a console Emblem. If you're really feeling the strategic gameplay and just want a playground to let loose with some superpowered characters there's a fair bit of extra space to work with.
Engage's presentation is impressive, with rich backgrounds and animations, varied environments and an infectious soundtrack punctuated by the series now-signature dynamic map music. The main non-vocal themes are exciting and catchy, with some great use of the main motif, and the game's sidequests include wonderful arrangements of some Fire Emblem classics. There's a lot to like here.
Engage is a fine game when you take it for what it is -- a big birthday party where all the main heroes from across its history are invited -- but folks probably won't be excited if they're more attuned to old FE or even something more involved like 3H.