Game is pretty mid (actual definition). Mechanically it's fun the first time around but very exhausting on repeat playthroughs. Mostly this game is way too long for what it is narrative wise and a good chunk of the endgame maps are WAAAAAAAAAAAY too long. Which sucks because I think early game the maps are really fucking good. The soundtrack is also a low point for me, because the last 2 games had some of the best soundtracks in the whole franchise, but this game just kinda uses the same motif over and over at nauseum.
I actually really like the emblem mechanic, I think a good chunk of the rings do a good job of standing out from one another and having their own unique uses. DGMW some rings like Sigurd and Michiah are insanely overpowered, but for the most part the map design is created with the rings in mind, and I think it does a good job keeping them balanced.
What I DON'T like is the trade off for having the rings being that skills take a massive back seat. And I get it right, skill emblem is it's own issue but if skills are gonna be neutered so bad like this why have them at all? I just basically put Canter and some other skill on basically all my units and called it a day. I think the rings and personals are plenty of customization already so I just think the inclusion here is lame.
The story sucks, it's a dead horse but for the sake of a fair review I should go over it anyway. Alear starts promising but becomes VERY bland VERY quickly. The lords once recruited just become Alear's cheerleaders with no actual input of their own. Veyle could have been interesting if FE didn't do the FE thing of using mind control as a substitute for actual narrative conflict. You fight the same like 4 bad guys who are just a diet Black Fang for like half the fucking game, Zephia is the worst villain in Fire Emblem history. You can't just have this woman be a pure evil bitch the whole game only to change her mind last minute out of nowhere because "muh attornment" that's not how character writing works. Sombron is kinda lame but at least he doesn't become a different character at the end, and his fight was cool.
God I wish this game was shorter, it would be so much better, since there would be less bad story and the game could be much more replayable.
The overworld is also MUCH worse, it's not as customizable or brief as My Castle but also not as in depth or narratively engaging (lol) as Garreg Mach, it's this weird middle ground where it's kinda just bad in both areas. It's a time sink that doesn't matter that much and could have just been replaced by a menu. I do like some of the characters like Hortensia, Goldmary, Alfred, and others, but I'd say a good 75% of the cast is kinda just there.
It's also weird to me how like other modern games this game has emphasis on pairing your characters and seeing all sorts of supports but unlike the last 3 games, not ONLY is pairing limited like in Three Houses, but unlike Three Houses it doesn't get the trade off of more interesting supports (because fans whined about 3H supports being too long because god forbid they're interesting) and more detailed and specific paired endings. Actually Engage doesn't HAVE paired endings outside the MC and a good chunk of said ending is just the same copy paste over and over.
Overall the game just kinda makes me sad since I think it def could have been better.
I actually really like the emblem mechanic, I think a good chunk of the rings do a good job of standing out from one another and having their own unique uses. DGMW some rings like Sigurd and Michiah are insanely overpowered, but for the most part the map design is created with the rings in mind, and I think it does a good job keeping them balanced.
What I DON'T like is the trade off for having the rings being that skills take a massive back seat. And I get it right, skill emblem is it's own issue but if skills are gonna be neutered so bad like this why have them at all? I just basically put Canter and some other skill on basically all my units and called it a day. I think the rings and personals are plenty of customization already so I just think the inclusion here is lame.
The story sucks, it's a dead horse but for the sake of a fair review I should go over it anyway. Alear starts promising but becomes VERY bland VERY quickly. The lords once recruited just become Alear's cheerleaders with no actual input of their own. Veyle could have been interesting if FE didn't do the FE thing of using mind control as a substitute for actual narrative conflict. You fight the same like 4 bad guys who are just a diet Black Fang for like half the fucking game, Zephia is the worst villain in Fire Emblem history. You can't just have this woman be a pure evil bitch the whole game only to change her mind last minute out of nowhere because "muh attornment" that's not how character writing works. Sombron is kinda lame but at least he doesn't become a different character at the end, and his fight was cool.
God I wish this game was shorter, it would be so much better, since there would be less bad story and the game could be much more replayable.
The overworld is also MUCH worse, it's not as customizable or brief as My Castle but also not as in depth or narratively engaging (lol) as Garreg Mach, it's this weird middle ground where it's kinda just bad in both areas. It's a time sink that doesn't matter that much and could have just been replaced by a menu. I do like some of the characters like Hortensia, Goldmary, Alfred, and others, but I'd say a good 75% of the cast is kinda just there.
It's also weird to me how like other modern games this game has emphasis on pairing your characters and seeing all sorts of supports but unlike the last 3 games, not ONLY is pairing limited like in Three Houses, but unlike Three Houses it doesn't get the trade off of more interesting supports (because fans whined about 3H supports being too long because god forbid they're interesting) and more detailed and specific paired endings. Actually Engage doesn't HAVE paired endings outside the MC and a good chunk of said ending is just the same copy paste over and over.
Overall the game just kinda makes me sad since I think it def could have been better.