Fire Emblem Engage

 Switch
User Score
6.7

Mixed or average reviews- based on 578 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 343 out of 578
  2. Mixed: 77 out of 578
  3. Negative: 158 out of 578
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  1. FredtheMole
    Jan 22, 2023
    9
    Story and writing are pretty awful, but in a way that I think enhances the game, considering how funny it makes it. Gameplay is solid and, while the game is definitely worse than Three Houses, it's definitely a solid turn-based strategy experience.
  2. ScarlettFire
    Jan 21, 2023
    10
    While the story is much less gripping, the return to form of "there's the evil dragon, go kill it" feels refreshing in an odd way. The gameplay is some of the best of the series we've had so far, with the Emblems providing a nice layer of stratagy to the game.
  3. selika39
    Feb 2, 2023
    8
    EDIT at end after putting in 60 Hours, revised my review to 8/10 from 7/10

    TLDR: If you're looking for a solid SRPG strategy game, this is a must-buy. Best gameplay out of any FE game I've played. However if you don't care about strategy, but can't stand cheesy writing and poorly developed characters, this is a hard one to swallow. ----- After putting in a good 30+ hours, I first    EDIT at end after putting in 60 Hours, revised my review to 8/10 from 7/10

    TLDR: If you're looking for a solid SRPG strategy game, this is a must-buy. Best gameplay out of any FE game I've played.
    However if you don't care about strategy, but can't stand cheesy writing and poorly developed characters, this is a hard one to swallow.

    -----

    After putting in a good 30+ hours, I first want to congratulate whoever was handling the difficulty. It's miles better and more balanced than the previous entries, and so far I've enjoyed playing the gameplay for what it is.

    Art style can be hit or miss, but I'm still amazed at how every playable character has unique designs to them. There are also a LOT more units than before, so props to the amazing artist.

    The huge glaring issue for me is that the characters are too shallow. The story is simple, but then a lot of JRPGS are. For me, it’s more about the interactions between the interesting cast of characters that impact the story. This entry however doesn’t have that.

    Part of the issue I believe is needing more screen time for the many different characters. Interactions between emblems and different characters are too short. Except for a few characters, they don't even get screen time in the main story. There aren’t any character unique missions, and this also makes the characters lack depth. I feel like they had something here, but either had not have enough time or just weren't competent enough. It's sad because the characters all had unique interesting designs.

    As a result, classic didn't feel classic enough. When units died, I reverted time out of habit and because of completionism. Not because I had attachments to characters.

    All in all, it's a solid game, but I really miss some of the story elements they left out.

    EDIT: the story and character interaction with the main story are still pretty lackluster even towards the end, but I really have to give this game a higher score for the devs who did an amazing job on map design and ability balance for units, on both hard and maddening difficulties.
    Reclassing and skill choice is more focused compared to 3H, but I feel like that actually helped out the devs with balancing the game.    … Expand
  4. iloveprotein
    Feb 3, 2023
    9
    The schoolroom social mechanics of Three Houses took away from the core Fire Emblem gameplay and in my opinion made the game a real drag at times. Engage moves away from that and also moves away from the Pair-Up mechanic that Fates relied heavily upon. This leads to a much more straight-forward and pure version of the game, which I thoroughly enjoy. The story leaves something to beThe schoolroom social mechanics of Three Houses took away from the core Fire Emblem gameplay and in my opinion made the game a real drag at times. Engage moves away from that and also moves away from the Pair-Up mechanic that Fates relied heavily upon. This leads to a much more straight-forward and pure version of the game, which I thoroughly enjoy. The story leaves something to be desired, but Fire Emblem has never been about the stories for me, so isn't too big of a deal.… Expand
  5. Lani337
    Jan 29, 2023
    9
    While I understand everyone who doesn't like this game, I disagree. Yes, the story is very bad for Fire Emblem standards, however the gameplay might just be the best one in the series. The graphics look amazing, even though the artstyle is controversial, I liked it. Emblems are fun to use and need a lot of calculation to be used efficiently. The OST is great and the battle animations haveWhile I understand everyone who doesn't like this game, I disagree. Yes, the story is very bad for Fire Emblem standards, however the gameplay might just be the best one in the series. The graphics look amazing, even though the artstyle is controversial, I liked it. Emblems are fun to use and need a lot of calculation to be used efficiently. The OST is great and the battle animations have never been better. The Somniel is a way better feature than the monastery, since you aren't forced to be there in 50% of your gametime like in Three Houses. The new Characters on the other hand feel kinda boring and Supports aren't great. You can really feel that the Gameplay was made by people who love Fire Emblem. The Story and the characters however, are not.… Expand
  6. hkjhkjh
    Jan 29, 2023
    10
    I assume the low user score comes from people who only ever played Three Houses but none of the older FE titles cause Engage is more similar to those.
    But don't let that fool you, Engage is an amazing FE game with deep and complex gameplay, likeable characters, great soundtracks, good story etc
  7. Jonlol
    Jan 28, 2023
    9
    The maps are much better designed than three houses. A lot more variety in objectives and map gimmicks. Graphic and animations are great. I personally like the character design and the simpler story and supports. It’s a more chilled experience compared to FE3H.
  8. SoulFG
    Jan 28, 2023
    9
    Fire Emblem Engage

    Pros Great Gameplay back to the more strategic style of Fire Emblem + fresh new ideas! Improved Graphics definitly the best looking Fire Emblem so far x good stable 30fps -Great Music as always ranges to soothing themes to rock but + some returning ost -Great way of telling the story with cgi cutscenes gone are the horrid 2d/3d hybrid cutscenes -Has online    Fire Emblem Engage

    Pros
    Great Gameplay back to the more strategic style of Fire Emblem + fresh new ideas!
    Improved Graphics definitly the best looking Fire Emblem so far x good stable 30fps
    -Great Music as always ranges to soothing themes to rock but + some returning ost
    -Great way of telling the story with cgi cutscenes gone are the horrid 2d/3d hybrid cutscenes
    -Has online feature Tower of Trials

    Cons
    Strange story pacing sometimes too fast sometimes to slow
    Weird dialogs because off strange localization choices

    Gameplay
    In my opinion Fire Emblem Engage is a fine return to its roots with more focus on the strategic elements which are visible trough the return of the weapon triangle, better map designs and new elements like Emblem rings and Break mechanics which takes things in a fresh direction.
    But it also took some notes from Three Houses with its hub base Somniel wheres you can talk with
    allies, collect items, buy/sell items & weapons, eat in caferteria, battle in the arena, tower of trial and more.

    Technical aspect
    By far the best looking FIre Emblem to date with improved graphic, colorful designs, well modeled character models (even if you don't like the design they still did an awesome job of modeling them), stable 30fps, faster loadtimes.

    Story
    The story this time is more akin to Awakening or Shadow Dragon and has one straight path instead of 2-3. The story is told in great cgi cutscenes and ingame cutscenes gone are the days of the horrible semi 2d /3d cgi cutscenes and the small frames pictures. The story felt more lighthearted and more like a saturday morning anime instead of a romance of three kingdoms story that the previous installment had. So in my opinions it's not bad just a different approach and depending on what you like more could be a good ir bad thing. The only bad thing is the strange pacing of the story and the weird choices of dialog in the localization.

    So if you are realy looking for a similar game like three houses with the exact style of gameplay and story you may get dissapointed but if you're looking for more superb and strategic approuch of gameplay and don't mind the new elements and design choices you will definitly have fun with this game!

    So decide for yourself its your life, your money buy it if you like the premise of the game anybody has right to have their opinion and should not be swayed by the internet.    … Expand
  9. En1
    Jan 29, 2023
    8
    The gameplay is easily the best it's been for the series in years, and the map objectives are varied, the emblem mechanic may seem fanservicey for the sake of it but they do a good job of not stepping on the toes of the story at hand. As for the story, it's simple but it's well executed, people seem to be of the mind of, if it's not complex or revolutionary it's mediocre, its prettyThe gameplay is easily the best it's been for the series in years, and the map objectives are varied, the emblem mechanic may seem fanservicey for the sake of it but they do a good job of not stepping on the toes of the story at hand. As for the story, it's simple but it's well executed, people seem to be of the mind of, if it's not complex or revolutionary it's mediocre, its pretty enjoyable if you let yourself kick back and have fun with it.The characters are vibrant and varied and have some fun support conversations, they have about the same amount of depth as usual with the series, even in the previous entry, Fire Emblem Three Houses, many of the characters start off one note or have a trait that's surface level, but as you get to know them more, you learn there's more to them than just that, the side content of the game can be ignored if it's not your cup of tea but it's a treat, somniel is a pretty sizeable area to mess around in and is a nice break after a difficult map. Some downsides are that the pacing of the game can drag a fair bit somewhere towards the middle of it, and that certain resources to improve your units, such as SP and weapon materials, are bit hard to amass, overall, Fire Emblem Engage isn't anything revolutionary in the series but what it is, is another good entry that returns and refined some of the tactical elements that were lost in the previous outing, if they can keep up releasing games of this caliber the future of the series looks bright.… Expand
  10. GhoulStoryBro
    Jan 26, 2023
    9
    I am very conflicted about this game. On one hand, the gameplay and map design are fantastic. They reminds me fondly of some of the better conquest maps. The engage mechanic works really well and keeps combat interesting. But the story and characters are just not up to those of three houses, or even the old-school fire emblem game. It's not fates level bad, but the story never grabbed meI am very conflicted about this game. On one hand, the gameplay and map design are fantastic. They reminds me fondly of some of the better conquest maps. The engage mechanic works really well and keeps combat interesting. But the story and characters are just not up to those of three houses, or even the old-school fire emblem game. It's not fates level bad, but the story never grabbed me and I never felt incentivized to max out the character's supports, as they were almost all lackluster and light on any meaningful dynamics. I was disappointed when I reached the end of the game and found out that they also didn't bother putting in paired endings for other characters,. The lack of a NG+ mode on launch is also disappointing, even if it is nice maddening difficulty is available day 1. Additionally, due to the non-branching story, it's much less replayable than three houses or fates. Overall, a great game if you're looking for a tactical RPG, but those seeking out a solid story and characters are better off going with the recently ported to switch (and much cheaper) persona titles.… Expand
  11. EchoesOfC
    Jan 24, 2023
    10
    This an awesome FE game, its story may be the classic hero journey like in Shadow Dragon and Awakening but it's a nice breath of fresh air to return the roots of the series instead of multiple routes with big drama like 3H, sometimes it's just nice to lay back and enjoy the gameplay with a simple but nice story :)
  12. Sukoshi
    Jan 28, 2023
    10
    Fire Emblem Engage is probably one of the best Fire Emblem games to date, for many reasons. Beautiful graphics, great combat system that even OG players will enjoy. Overall it's a fire emblem game that will please the majority of fans. But that's not to say the game doesn't have it's faults, of course. Fire emblem Engage is not perfect, yes It's a vast improvement from the lastFire Emblem Engage is probably one of the best Fire Emblem games to date, for many reasons. Beautiful graphics, great combat system that even OG players will enjoy. Overall it's a fire emblem game that will please the majority of fans. But that's not to say the game doesn't have it's faults, of course. Fire emblem Engage is not perfect, yes It's a vast improvement from the last installment, but It still has it's problems of it's own, I will list some without spoilers.

    The story is not great.

    For long time fire emblem fans, one Thing that many of us can agree on is that the stories in most of the fire emblem games are not great. Awakening is very forgettable and over all not very well written. The Fate games lore is just not very good, and just just two of the many. But of course there are exceptions like Genealogy of the holy war, Three Houses, Echoes, and of course Radiant Dawn, games that have very rich and intriguing stories that will draw the player in. Overall I think a good story is essential in a game. It's what draw the player to play more, dig deeper into the game. So without a well written plot, what's the point of even playing the game?
    But again I'm not say the story is bad, I'm fact far from it. I just think it has too many cliches and generic trops in it. But over all I don't many people will have a problem with it.

    Now let's talk about the good things about the game because there is a bunch.


    1. Beautiful cutscenes, graphics and Character animation.
    2. Great cast of unique well designed characters.

    3. Amazing voics acting.

    4. The best the combat system has been in FE

    5. Many fun and cool side activities to do besides the main story.

    6. Supports with characters.

    Overall I've had an amazing time with Fire Emblem Engage, and I plan on playing it many other times. For fire emblem Engage I give it a 10/10. Some people may thinks it's way to high, and it may be my own personal bias because I'm a huge FE fan. But I did genuinely have a great time playing and I think if you want to get into the franchise then this will be the best point to start.    … Expand
  13. Davidjames220
    Jan 26, 2023
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Amazing game from someone who never got fire emblem before and I am loving the rings mechanic, the combat feels so good and I like the sommiel however this feels hit and miss in areas as some people are biased with this being a follow up to three houses when it wasn’t. I feel it’s good but it needs more cohersive work with it and it also needs more to do social life sim wise for me… Expand
  14. TJohn
    Jan 22, 2023
    8
    As others have said, it’s a solid game with excellent controls and a beautiful art style. The story isn’t as good as 3H and the characters aren’t as memorable, but aside from these differences it has made some welcome changes over 3H. The tactical combat is some of the best in the series, period, and I love the art style and relaxing vibe of the Somniel. The UI is also much better and itAs others have said, it’s a solid game with excellent controls and a beautiful art style. The story isn’t as good as 3H and the characters aren’t as memorable, but aside from these differences it has made some welcome changes over 3H. The tactical combat is some of the best in the series, period, and I love the art style and relaxing vibe of the Somniel. The UI is also much better and it feels way more streamlined to navigate.

    The emblems are also a cool addition, and the AI itself is much better in Engage making it more fun to try out different emblem combinations.

    I think in many respects this game is better than 3H, so giving it anything less than an 8 seems unjustified. Still I feel like 3H did such an incredible job with the characters, voice acting, and story, that this game just feels like it’s missing something by comparison. There are a few minor changes that do annoy me in this game. There are a lot of random lines that aren’t voice acted which seems like a strange choice after 3H voice acted nearly everything. I also felt like the tutorial/get to know the game on the beginning was too long, but these are minor gripes.

    Overall Engage is an excellent game that doesn’t quite have the same heart as 3 Houses, but definitely makes up for it with a beautiful art style and tight controls. 8/10    … Expand
  15. QueDuBonheur
    Jan 22, 2023
    10
    Absolutely loving it so far. Just don't expect Three Houses 2.0, it's a more classical Fire Emblem approach with anime. It's a bit cheesy but nothing unexpected it you played some of past entries, it's still enjoyable. Gameplay is stellar, maps are ok, visual and performance is a huge improvement compared to the previous title. It's rare to see a big Nintendo Switch game running this well.Absolutely loving it so far. Just don't expect Three Houses 2.0, it's a more classical Fire Emblem approach with anime. It's a bit cheesy but nothing unexpected it you played some of past entries, it's still enjoyable. Gameplay is stellar, maps are ok, visual and performance is a huge improvement compared to the previous title. It's rare to see a big Nintendo Switch game running this well.

    Overall it's a pretty good tactical game, I recommend you git it a try !    … Expand
  16. LeaveMeAlone-
    Jan 22, 2023
    10
    Colourful, fun, and ENAGEing! (I am not sorry for that terrible pun!)

    Easily a good recommendation for someone's first FE.
  17. MonkeyDGaster
    Jan 23, 2023
    8
    Great gameplay with a some really interesting additions like the emblems, fairly decent supports, meh story, and it looks great.

    The hub is a way smaller focus in the game unlike 3 houses, which is really good for what the game goes for. I was a bit resistant to the character designs pre-released, but I found to like a lot more then I thought and they really do grow on you. Background:    Great gameplay with a some really interesting additions like the emblems, fairly decent supports, meh story, and it looks great.

    The hub is a way smaller focus in the game unlike 3 houses, which is really good for what the game goes for.

    I was a bit resistant to the character designs pre-released, but I found to like a lot more then I thought and they really do grow on you.

    Background: been an FE fan since Awakening, no lifed 3 houses, and am on chapter 14 of the game.    … Expand
  18. rucasouza88
    Jan 24, 2023
    10
    Different from previous, but awesome. Improved in lots of things too! I loved the game series from the Awakening and I feel something like that here too.
  19. EevieRoseAmalee
    Jan 28, 2023
    10
    This game is now one of my favorite fire emblems and games ever made. This is coming from an old school fire emblem fan who loves Fire Emblem like Fire Emblem Genealogy of the Holy War and an some of the newer stuff like Awakening. To put it simply this game was able to invoke emotions that I have not felt from a game in awhile it really made me feel good to see Marth, Sigurd, Roy and theThis game is now one of my favorite fire emblems and games ever made. This is coming from an old school fire emblem fan who loves Fire Emblem like Fire Emblem Genealogy of the Holy War and an some of the newer stuff like Awakening. To put it simply this game was able to invoke emotions that I have not felt from a game in awhile it really made me feel good to see Marth, Sigurd, Roy and the others, and the new cast is also very well done and the voice actors for alear knocked it out of the park including the rest of the cast. Even in the chapters leading up to the end I was assuming they would drop the ball leading into the final chapters as some games do but I was blown away that they where able to take the remaining chapters before the final boss into an emotional roller coaster, and then also to tie up loose ends. This game is simply a love letter to fire emblem fans especially if you missed seeing your boy or girl. Seeing Sigurd made me happy everytime! This game gets a 10/10 from me and a round of applause because I went in with low expectations after playing three snoozes that game made me lose a lot of faith in the series so tbh I went into this one expecting to be disappointed the same way, but came out with a game that I put among some of my favorite fire emblems now.… Expand
  20. Beto1960
    Jan 28, 2023
    10
    Mucho mejor visualmente que la entrega anterior, una jugabilidad clásica y a la ves desafiante, más que recomendado
  21. Jason_VA
    Jan 29, 2023
    10
    This game has the best combat of all the franchise and story is funny it's a big fanservice with all the past of the franchise.
  22. GameforGamers
    Jan 25, 2023
    10
    One of the best games i've played this year, it's great to see how great the fire emblem games became recently and fire emblem engage is just another amazing addition to the series
  23. bettergames
    Jan 29, 2023
    9
    It's the best strategic game I played after Three Houses. I like the new art style and the colours. Most of the battle animations are very cool, but the animations of riders and fliers can be a bit weird. I think this is a problem persistent from the GameCube era. It seems that they cannot figure out how to animate riders and fliers attacking animation better. But those units are veryIt's the best strategic game I played after Three Houses. I like the new art style and the colours. Most of the battle animations are very cool, but the animations of riders and fliers can be a bit weird. I think this is a problem persistent from the GameCube era. It seems that they cannot figure out how to animate riders and fliers attacking animation better. But those units are very cool, so I hope they can do better there. It's a bit frustrating that there's no second promotion like in Radiant Dawn. There are only basic and advanced classes, no third tier. I don't like that idea. There's no dragonlord, only wyvern riding units. I hate that, as dragons look much cooler than wyverns. Or call it a wyvern, but give it two arms, please.… Expand
  24. Alink_xex
    Jan 24, 2023
    10
    Realmente a mí me gustó tanto el gameplay como los diseños de los personajes.. aunque la historia no mucho pero igual está genial
  25. Icebeam
    Jan 25, 2023
    10
    Literally can't stop playing.
    I loved Three Houses, and this game takes it to another level with such a beautiful art direction.
    Where the plot falls behind, the gameplay makes up for it.

    The only improvement I could see it's in the menu's layout: managing items and equipments can be a bit frustrating.
  26. Veiox
    Jan 27, 2023
    9
    I would be wary taking fair weather fan criticism as Gospel. If you play the first 3 chapters and are going to be upset that they removed all the anime love triangle filler then it isn’t for you. The story is very old school fire emblem and twists and turns quickly at the later chapters and the combat/maps is some of the best in the series. MASSIVE gameplay improvement over 3H.
  27. Oscelios
    Jan 30, 2023
    8
    Really enjoyable Gameplay, meh story and character supports, but if you're looking for some of the best strategy Gameplay out there, this will be a worthwhile purchase
  28. Syne_00
    Jan 30, 2023
    9
    The game is more fun than I expected, the modeling of the characters at first did not convince me but when you see the engage fusions you can understand why they did so, plus the level and character design is far superior to the previous release in my opinion.
  29. Yallahs9
    Feb 2, 2023
    10
    A mí parecer un aire totalmente fresco para la saga FE y eso me gusta. Recomendado si sientes que " three houses" se te hizo pesado
  30. Jlpp35
    Jan 28, 2023
    9
    A love letter for new and old fans of the franchise. Great gameplay, excellent map design, very vanilla but good story (sometimes the writting feels a bit sloppy but only in some moments), tons of new features and mechanics well added, simple but great characters (some are more one note and others have more deep to them but nothing super complicated in most cases) and the best animationsA love letter for new and old fans of the franchise. Great gameplay, excellent map design, very vanilla but good story (sometimes the writting feels a bit sloppy but only in some moments), tons of new features and mechanics well added, simple but great characters (some are more one note and others have more deep to them but nothing super complicated in most cases) and the best animations the franchise has ever got. The normal difficulty is easy but still offers a challenge for newcomers while hard and Maddening can be really challenging but still feeling fair most of the time. And there are tons of references to past games that still make sense by themselves if you don't understand them. The supports could have been better but most of them are still good, and some of the designs or characters can feel a bit annoying but nothing super important.… Expand
  31. Game_Critical
    Jan 21, 2023
    9
    Loved it!

    Combat: Lots of good mechanics return from previous games, defence bonuses from forts, weapon triangles and fog of war. This is coupled with new hazard like quicksand and poison traps. This gives a nice spin on the already great tactical combat. Graphics: Despite being on Switch, the animations are quite good and the game runs solid. The game is very anime, which I don't    Loved it!

    Combat:
    Lots of good mechanics return from previous games, defence bonuses from forts, weapon triangles and fog of war. This is coupled with new hazard like quicksand and poison traps. This gives a nice spin on the already great tactical combat.

    Graphics:
    Despite being on Switch, the animations are quite good and the game runs solid. The game is very anime, which I don't mind, but it's not for everybody

    Story:
    The only minus of the game. I found the story to be somewhat barebones. You hunt for some rings like a sonic wannabe.

    Difficulty:
    For veterans I would recommend to play on hard or higher.

    Overall a 9/10, would be a 10/10 if they put some more thought into the story.    … Expand
  32. crwestfall01
    Jan 21, 2023
    9
    Great entry for the switch! More personal rating because I prefer more traditional FE! Love the gameplay and character design
  33. dndb301
    Jan 22, 2023
    10
    The battle of this game is the best in the history of the series.
    The story is a bit disappointing, but I strongly recommend the battle because it's really fun.
  34. swiftrock
    Jan 22, 2023
    10
    I can not understand the very negative reviews for this game. This game is not a Three Houses 2.0 but is still a very great game. The gameplay is the most engaging it has ever been in a FE game with new lovable cast of characters. The is not a single character I find annoying or boring. The story is pretty simple but it is by far no where as bad as everyone makes it out to be. It's a goodI can not understand the very negative reviews for this game. This game is not a Three Houses 2.0 but is still a very great game. The gameplay is the most engaging it has ever been in a FE game with new lovable cast of characters. The is not a single character I find annoying or boring. The story is pretty simple but it is by far no where as bad as everyone makes it out to be. It's a good story for a Fire Emblem game. I highly recommend to not skip this game just for the gameplay itself.… Expand
  35. cq0
    Jan 22, 2023
    10
    This is my second FE after awakening. I like it all. The story is ok but the combat is great.
  36. LIN1993
    Jan 22, 2023
    10
    I extremely love the design of the characters in this game,moreover it is so clean that the IS wants return the traditional style of the fight aspect.
  37. Ax3l__
    Jan 23, 2023
    8
    This title of the FE series is not bad at all (25 hours in):
    GAMEPLAY 9/10 The best game of the franchise in this aspect (i played three houses and the titles on the 3ds)
    STORY (so far) 5/10 pretty basic, almost zero characters development ART STYLE 8/10 if you like anime this style is for you, it gives me vtuber vibes MECHANICS 10/10 i really enjoy the engage mechanic GRAPHICS 7/10    This title of the FE series is not bad at all (25 hours in):
    GAMEPLAY 9/10 The best game of the franchise in this aspect (i played three houses and the titles on the 3ds)
    STORY (so far) 5/10 pretty basic, almost zero characters development
    ART STYLE 8/10 if you like anime this style is for you, it gives me vtuber vibes
    MECHANICS 10/10 i really enjoy the engage mechanic
    GRAPHICS 7/10 better than three houses but not incredible    … Expand
  38. Yvask
    Jan 21, 2023
    9
    My first proper FE game was Three Houses and I loved that game, but the relationship mechanics seemed to take a lot of my time. Engage addresses this issue while maintaining the mechanic and focusing on the story to provide depth. The interactions unlocked through increasing your relationship with allies seem kinda like filler, at least up until rank B with some characters being moreMy first proper FE game was Three Houses and I loved that game, but the relationship mechanics seemed to take a lot of my time. Engage addresses this issue while maintaining the mechanic and focusing on the story to provide depth. The interactions unlocked through increasing your relationship with allies seem kinda like filler, at least up until rank B with some characters being more interesting, imo Yunaka mainly. The combat takes the center stage and rightfully so since this is a tactical game, now with optimal RPG elements for my taste at the least. Normal difficulty can be pretty tame, with some battles amping up the difficulty, and Hard just annihilated me, but I preferred playing on Hard for the strategic aspects. Definitely suggest this game if you're a tactical RPG fan and especially if you loved Three Houses but thought you were spending too much time in the HUB.… Expand
  39. Ahbeek
    Jan 21, 2023
    9
    Plays like an old school fire emblem game, as a longtime fan of the series and someone who did not like the jrpg direction of three houses, It's a fantastic game.
  40. abowman
    Jan 23, 2023
    9
    This is a fantastic addition to the Fire Emblem series. The story isn't quite as good as three houses, and it stats off much slower. However by the time you get about 5-6 emblem rings, the combat and battle scenarios are absolutely fantastic. The emblems in addition to the class system allow for a huge amount of character and class customization.

    I wish they would make these games more    This is a fantastic addition to the Fire Emblem series. The story isn't quite as good as three houses, and it stats off much slower. However by the time you get about 5-6 emblem rings, the combat and battle scenarios are absolutely fantastic. The emblems in addition to the class system allow for a huge amount of character and class customization.

    I wish they would make these games more mature and move away from the bad anime troupes. If they would implement an adult, dark story in these games they would be much better received by a wider audience.    … Expand
  41. Zalabar22
    Jan 22, 2023
    9
    Fire Emblem Engage is a colorful, fun, and beautiful game. There are so many characters to deploy and interact with, plus the Emblem Heroes bring a unique and strategic flair to each battle. I'm constantly swapping units and Emblems to maximize my armies battle capabilities and obtain victory on every map. Engage offers tons of replayability with a long campaign, random skirmishes, onlineFire Emblem Engage is a colorful, fun, and beautiful game. There are so many characters to deploy and interact with, plus the Emblem Heroes bring a unique and strategic flair to each battle. I'm constantly swapping units and Emblems to maximize my armies battle capabilities and obtain victory on every map. Engage offers tons of replayability with a long campaign, random skirmishes, online play, different characters to strategize with, and player made challenge maps to overcome. I'm glad the focus is back on the gameplay, and while there are less social options than Three Houses, I'm also enjoying the interactions you can have with your army and I'm interested and eager to have another interaction with the colorful and diverse cast of characters. Engage has a unique visual style that often makes it feel like a full blown anime; it might also be one of the best looking Nintendo Switch games that I've ever played! I haven't had any bugs or crashes in over 12 hours of play, and it runs smoothly in handheld and docked on my OLED Nintendo Switch. All in all, this is a game that's going to keep me "engaged" for some time to come.… Expand
  42. control9
    Jan 23, 2023
    9
    If you came for 3H-like dating sim with a little sprinkle of battles between endless monastery sections -- then you wouldn't like it.
    If you came for FE game with sane map design, great combat system and are ready to skip cringeworthy dialogue -- then you came to a right place.
    Graphics - 9/10 (for a switch game) Gameplay - 10/10 Plot -- well, there is a plot / 10 Characters design -    If you came for 3H-like dating sim with a little sprinkle of battles between endless monastery sections -- then you wouldn't like it.
    If you came for FE game with sane map design, great combat system and are ready to skip cringeworthy dialogue -- then you came to a right place.
    Graphics - 9/10 (for a switch game)
    Gameplay - 10/10
    Plot -- well, there is a plot / 10
    Characters design - 5/10 - apart from protag they don't look that bad
    Character interaction (supports, other dialogues, etc) -- "my head hurts from facepalms"/10    … Expand
  43. ShiftingSands
    Jan 22, 2023
    10
    A wonderful and colourful tribute to Fire Emblem's past, with some of the deepest gameplay of any FE game to boot!
  44. Shiro55
    Jan 22, 2023
    10
    Fantastic game, combat is even better than before, visuals are pretty, fantastic music, story is decent and has a unique variety of characters.
  45. GaleForceWinds
    Jan 22, 2023
    10
    Just a good, tactical FE. The map design is much more thought out than Three Houses where.
  46. Majimagoro19
    Feb 3, 2023
    10
    Game looks great, and is fun to play still, but mildly disappointed due to the lack of things to do in the base like in three houses, as I found those very fun just like in persona games, I do understand that its not the main point of these games, so that's a pass. Though it actually made me buy some of the older games, and on my way to finish those as well.
  47. FelypeHenrique
    Jan 23, 2023
    9
    great fire emblem just because it doesn't have so many unbearable mandatory social mechanics with the characters around the plot as in 3H so I thought it was amazing. the important thing for a good FE is there and refined with great mechanics in the combat that is the important thing in a fire emblem
  48. SkyVersa
    Jan 23, 2023
    8
    The gameplay is a step up from Three Houses, as well as the graphics and character models.

    But the story isn't as good as in past Fire Emblem games. It's more similar to Fates, but a slight bit worse. But this shouldn't stop a Fire Emblem fan from purchasing this entry, as it's still Fire Emblem at it's core and a worthy addition to the series. Anyone who gives this game a very negative    The gameplay is a step up from Three Houses, as well as the graphics and character models.

    But the story isn't as good as in past Fire Emblem games. It's more similar to Fates, but a slight bit worse.

    But this shouldn't stop a Fire Emblem fan from purchasing this entry, as it's still Fire Emblem at it's core and a worthy addition to the series.

    Anyone who gives this game a very negative score probably just wished for Genology of the Holy War 2.    … Expand
  49. MajinAndre
    Jan 23, 2023
    9
    Best gameplay in the series so far. Classic weapon triangle is back and with the engage system, combat is innovative but balanced enough to where you aren't OP. Could use better writing for the story, but characters and battles are plenty enough to keep you engaged. Fire emblem might finally be returned to form.
  50. katieelizabeth
    Jan 21, 2023
    9
    I have finished about half the game and I'm really annoyed at some of the reviews because Engage game is oozing with quality and polish. I think these reviews were unfair, placing expectations onto a game unfairly and not giving credit to many of the great things Engage does.

    The combat just feels so amazing. This is probably the best combat in Fire Emblem. The enemy phase is so snappy    I have finished about half the game and I'm really annoyed at some of the reviews because Engage game is oozing with quality and polish. I think these reviews were unfair, placing expectations onto a game unfairly and not giving credit to many of the great things Engage does.

    The combat just feels so amazing. This is probably the best combat in Fire Emblem. The enemy phase is so snappy and fluid - I really like how it's presented. It really does ooze with polish and I can tell they spent a lot of time rethinking things to make getting information easier. The UI is fantastic! I really love it so far.

    The map design and enemy placement is also extremely well done. You can tell the people designing the levels understood Fire Emblem well. They are a pleasure to play through.

    I really like the class design in Engage - each unit type is unique and has real pros/cons. A lot of units like thieves, armors and archers all seem like they got a bit of a buff in Engage - armors especially.

    One change I noticed almost immediately was something no review even bothered to mention - moving the character around gives battle forecasts by just putting your character near them. I know this is a small change, but it makes sense and it's better than the past games.

    I was not sure about the art style and samey faces, but I gotta admit it looks pretty great on a 4k television - the sharpness and color really pops. I actually like the art style for the most part, apart from the sillier outfits (Hortensia is an example of a pretty awful outfit, but that's just me I guess).

    I was worried about spending a ton of time on exploring maps after a battle looking for items and stuff, but once I realized there was a mini-map that indicated where everything is, I realized the developers really wanted to respect your time in these sections so you could do them quickly. Also, all the Bond Fragments are automatically collected if you don't talk to people, which really helps with replayability to get through these sections faster. Again, no review mentioned any of this, and it was a concern of mine going into Engage. The developers handled it correctly.

    The difficulty on Hard seems stiff but fair and feels really good. I definitely fear losing units and must position them correctly to make sure units don't die. Engage feels a bit harder than Three Houses did - more in line with Conquest or Radiant Dawn on Hard.

    And while I don't think I will ever like the avatar character in these games, I actually don't mind this one that much. At least Alear is not a Mary Sue/Gary Stu, although the avatar worship is still a bit cringy. The twins are kind of annoying and there are a couple of other annoying characters, but there are many characters that are likable too.

    Also the combat animations finally remind me of the gba games. They are probably the best in any Fire Emblem game, which says a lot because it took them awhile to create stellar animations in most of the 3D entries.

    The technicals in Engage are fantastic too. The frame rates just feel so much better than Three Houses all around, especially in the Somniel or exploring the maps after battles. The game runs really well on Switch.

    I really like how the Somniel is very optional. Much of the stuff on the ground is for food items and extra Bond Fragment, but none of it seems necessary and you'll be rolling in Bond Fragments by just playing through the game anyway. The mini-games and social activities also aren't that impactful to the long-term, so I feel it's okay to skip them. This is a huge upgrade from the Monastery, which outstayed its welcome in Three Houses when you replayed the game through all 4 routes. The monastery was very tedious, repetitive and took up a lot of time over a 40-50 hour playthrough. The worst part about the Monastery was that it was not optional and took so much time to optimize. The Somniel is nothing like that.

    I think the one thing I miss from Three Houses and the Tellius games is the deep world building that could immerse you into the game's world - it's not really there. The Story is also pretty familiar too - likely intentional. It's good enough just to get you from map to map and does the job. It's fine.

    Overall, I'm really impressed. This is a really fantastic Fire Emblem game and one that I will be coming back to multiple times after I beat it.    … Expand
  51. SquidC4
    Jan 23, 2023
    9
    An all round really solid Jrpg that restores Fire emblem closer to its roots. A consistent enjoyable soundtrack alongside some of the best visuals seen on the Switch all help to weive together the new narrative.
  52. Aidompi
    Jan 23, 2023
    10
    Very good gameplay and music. Bad story but who cares about story anyway. If you enjoy hard games this is for you. Of course you csn steamroll this game in a lower diffucultys if thats your thing.
  53. sonicpulsar
    Jan 23, 2023
    10
    Fast combat with impressively animated sequences, a cast of rememberable characters and real-time changing music depending on the situation (tacticall vs combat). Love this game, definitely one of the best strategy RPGs 10/10
  54. I_HATE_SPLATOON
    Feb 2, 2023
    10
    2023 best strategy game , good gameplay design and best character design!!! must play !!!
  55. jakrater
    Jan 24, 2023
    10
    Is probably an 8 but there are clowns review bombing an amazing game. This game has a lot going for it especially in the way of art design and gameplay. The story is a bit lacking, but it’s decent.
  56. Diaz99
    Jan 24, 2023
    10
    Fire emblem engage brings back the challenging tactical gameplay Fire Emblem has sorely missed the las couple entries and it's more engaging than ever
  57. wjkchn
    Jan 26, 2023
    10
    As a big fan of turn-based strategy games, I would say the battle part is perfect especially if you choose the hardest+classic difficulty. I totally understand some players prefer Fire Emblem Three Houses since its plot and the characters are not that attractive, but again, in terms of a strategy game, it's even much better than Three Houses. It is more balanced, meaning you should not letAs a big fan of turn-based strategy games, I would say the battle part is perfect especially if you choose the hardest+classic difficulty. I totally understand some players prefer Fire Emblem Three Houses since its plot and the characters are not that attractive, but again, in terms of a strategy game, it's even much better than Three Houses. It is more balanced, meaning you should not let all your male/female characters go for some overpowered jobs/classes. It limits your chance to gain exp at the hardest difficulty so every kill matters. In addition, it enables you to skip mini-games if you just want to focus on the battle.… Expand
  58. Inalterial
    Jan 28, 2023
    10
    a total marvel, I'm not a big fan of tactical rpgs but this one has blown my mind, its gameplay, its soundtrack and its artistic style is really impressive and worth admiring

    Without a doubt it will be one of the best games on nintendo switch
  59. kaestro
    Jan 30, 2023
    10
    If you're a fan of srpg, this is a one of a kind you would want to play!
    Engage gives you awesome battle experience with somewhat diverse strategies you can use.
    I'm a fan of xcom series, and honestly three houses was not of my taste for I think it was too easy to play
    But Engage challenges you to win each stages
    Play and enjoy!
  60. ToasterKetchup
    Jan 30, 2023
    10
    Favorite FE game to date. It was simple, crisp, fun, and pulled on your heart strings. Loved it.
  61. LezheroGz
    Jan 30, 2023
    10
    Man I love this game, to much better than 3h, at least ^for me^, the gameplay, the animations (the anime art style is kinda meh for ME) 3H feel like a visual novel with tactical gameplay, engage is more like the classics, I love it
  62. ShaoTairo
    Jan 23, 2023
    10
    Lol @ all these visual novel chasers & content creator nuts.
    Oh no! I cant read the story to all my pathetic simps because its bad, what should I do now
    Heres a thought, shut up and PLAY THE GAME. Its got excellent gameplay, and thats what games should be focused on. If you want to read something to your dumb simps, goto the library and buy a freaking book. Dont dump on FE Engage    Lol @ all these visual novel chasers & content creator nuts.
    Oh no! I cant read the story to all my pathetic simps because its bad, what should I do now

    Heres a thought, shut up and PLAY THE GAME.
    Its got excellent gameplay, and thats what games should be focused on.
    If you want to read something to your dumb simps, goto the library and buy a freaking book. Dont dump on FE Engage which is a good game just because you're a whiny visual novel addict.    … Expand
  63. redsaltedegg
    Jan 22, 2023
    10
    A return to form. Performance is surprising considering how 3H did on release. Less social aspects which makes multiple playthroughs actually fun. Maddening is hard, yet somewhat balanced and not a turtle fest like on 3H so that's a plus as well.

    A must buy and must play for FE fans.
  64. Emanyueru
    Jan 22, 2023
    10
    El juego es muy bueno y divertido si bien su historia no es tan buena como Three Houses pero en cuanto jugabilidad lo supera. Haber que sorpresa seran los proximos DLC
  65. Tragglix
    Jan 23, 2023
    10
    excellent game that returns to the roots of Fire emblem, it is undoubtedly a more classic experience for fans of the entire saga, the gameplay is wonderful and the return of the triangle of weapons improves everything, something worth enjoying, the story complies with the standards of what Fire Emblem is and without a doubt it is a worthy game that celebrates the 30 years of this wonderfulexcellent game that returns to the roots of Fire emblem, it is undoubtedly a more classic experience for fans of the entire saga, the gameplay is wonderful and the return of the triangle of weapons improves everything, something worth enjoying, the story complies with the standards of what Fire Emblem is and without a doubt it is a worthy game that celebrates the 30 years of this wonderful franchise.… Expand
  66. The_Darkest
    Jan 22, 2023
    10
    Better than Fire Emblem Three Houses!

    Music and Combat is very great!

    And the Character Designs is not very bad!
  67. gq_foine
    Jan 23, 2023
    10
    One of the best in the series and reminds me of Awakening and much better than Three Houses.

    Overall, 9.5/10

    Graphics - 9.5
    Music and sound 10
    Story and cast of Characters: 9
    Gameplay: 9
    Controls. 9.5
    Replay and value: 9
  68. FrangDang
    Jan 21, 2023
    10
    The perfect fix to an RPG craving. First time playing a Fire Emblem game. Wonderfully beautiful Nintendo Switch Exclusive. Delicious strategy fun that you can’t get enough of. Shotgun blast of characters to your face (my favorite amount of characters in RPGs is too many). Seriously great job by Intelligent Systems on the huge buffet of characters to choose from. This game has been on myThe perfect fix to an RPG craving. First time playing a Fire Emblem game. Wonderfully beautiful Nintendo Switch Exclusive. Delicious strategy fun that you can’t get enough of. Shotgun blast of characters to your face (my favorite amount of characters in RPGs is too many). Seriously great job by Intelligent Systems on the huge buffet of characters to choose from. This game has been on my mind for awhile and am very happily with the decision to purchase. This will have me keeping an eye out for future Fire Emblem releases. Many parts in this game have put a big smile on my face and that’s what makes a great game. An awesome experience you don’t want to walk away from. I hope the series continues to focus on great strategy turn based fun, heaps of playable characters, and an enjoyable memorable story. More people need to give this game a chance.… Expand
  69. Gustavo1997a
    Jan 22, 2023
    10
    Explora bastante la personalidad del protagonista, nunca antes la saga lo habia hecho tanto cómo en este título. Definitivamente nos encontramos frente a otro juego cómo Zelda Wind Waker o Final fantasy 9, juzgado injustamente por alejarse de una estética "madura"
  70. Foxtina
    Jan 24, 2023
    8
    I'm glad that devs went back from Three Houses a little bit, it was too Persona-ish to me. But some elements still exists.
    At first I didn't like the idea "summoning" heroes from previous games (sounded like FE Heroes mobile), but now I kinda like it and I don't mind it at all.
    The combat really improved and art style as well (but red and blue color palette looks like a mess) Support    I'm glad that devs went back from Three Houses a little bit, it was too Persona-ish to me. But some elements still exists.
    At first I didn't like the idea "summoning" heroes from previous games (sounded like FE Heroes mobile), but now I kinda like it and I don't mind it at all.
    The combat really improved and art style as well (but red and blue color palette looks like a mess)
    Support conversations are boring as always, nothing new. Sadly no "S" support for other characters just only one for main protag.
    Animals, oh boy, that was unnecessary, people thought I was playing farming sim for a sec.
    Yay, another big evil dragon we need to kill. Same old story but I don't mind.
    Game is great, maybe I'm enjoying it more than 3Houses, but Awakening is still my favorite.    … Expand
  71. HipsterOctorock
    Jan 23, 2023
    9
    Fantastic map design, great combat, memorable and fun characters, a campy, informal and yet fun plot, along with a trimming of the unnecessary fluff that Three Houses brought makes Engage a great game and an even better Fire Emblem game. For the Three Houses fans- I suggest giving this game a try before writing it off as a skip- A lot of the appeal to Fire Emblem is the wonderful SRPGFantastic map design, great combat, memorable and fun characters, a campy, informal and yet fun plot, along with a trimming of the unnecessary fluff that Three Houses brought makes Engage a great game and an even better Fire Emblem game. For the Three Houses fans- I suggest giving this game a try before writing it off as a skip- A lot of the appeal to Fire Emblem is the wonderful SRPG gameplay, which this game delivers in spades.
    The Class system is no longer "Make everyone a Wyvern Lord or Dark Flier", but rather encourages diversity in your team with the passive abilities attributed to units of different Class Types. A healthy mix of powerful combat units and useful utility units is the key to success on the game's hardest difficulty, Maddening.
    Map design is a return to form for the series, giving us fun and engaging maps that really test the player's problem solving abilities, especially on Maddening, while also removing or toning down gimmicks like Ambush reinforcements and enemy skills. Gone are the open field, deathball-able maps from games like Awakening and Three Houses, and instead are the fun and tight map design sensibilities from games like Thracia 776 and Binding Blade, offering different side objectives to the player to promote splitting the ever-invincible deathball. Making good use of staves like Obstruct, Freeze, and Warp can be the difference between letting a house be ransacked or receiving a quality reward that makes life easier.
    Most of the fluff removed from Three Houses is simply just removing important gameplay aspects from what should've been completely optional minigames. Now, in Engage, you can opt to spend all of 3 minutes in the Somniel forging your weapons and inheriting skills before moving on to the next chapter of the game and keeping that ball rolling. But for those players who need more downtime between the challenging and engaging battles, places like My Room, the Cafe, and minigames like working out and fishing are all available for one to enjoy.
    The story is campy and fun, taking the colourful cast of characters around the continent solving problems and escaping trouble all while on the tried-and-true Hero's Journey to collect the rings and defeat the Fell Dragon. With how campy the tone can get, one can only see the lighthearted story as something endearing and enjoyable, while also being a nice break from the heavy political intrigue, angst, and world-building of the previous entry.    … Expand
  72. Urliel
    Jan 24, 2023
    9
    So I adore this game: toss backs to old Fire Emblems with returning faces, great look, battles are fun, and I love the freedom of the new home base.... but those skirmishes though..... It's hard to enjoy the game to it's fullest when all you wanna do is smash your Switch because the skirmishes diffulty scales too hard. Lol 10 skirmishes with silver weaponry when you can't even afford steelSo I adore this game: toss backs to old Fire Emblems with returning faces, great look, battles are fun, and I love the freedom of the new home base.... but those skirmishes though..... It's hard to enjoy the game to it's fullest when all you wanna do is smash your Switch because the skirmishes diffulty scales too hard. Lol 10 skirmishes with silver weaponry when you can't even afford steel weapons yet. It makes it impossible to grind money or lvls to enjoy the multitude of classes. There needs to be scaled territories like the first area being up to lvl 10 or normal difficulty is something like uour lvl -5 or something. I wanna enjoy and grind out my favorite things but it's impossible when all I do is focus on avoiding snapping my switch in half… Expand
  73. Stigs
    Jan 26, 2023
    10
    The game is divisive. That's because it's definitely a quality product, but the direction they took it in is a harsh step in the opposite direction of one of the most popular entries in the series. The story is more simple and juvenile, and if you're a huge fan of the morally ambiguous nature of 3H, then you will likely not find what you are looking for here. It's a very vanillaThe game is divisive. That's because it's definitely a quality product, but the direction they took it in is a harsh step in the opposite direction of one of the most popular entries in the series. The story is more simple and juvenile, and if you're a huge fan of the morally ambiguous nature of 3H, then you will likely not find what you are looking for here. It's a very vanilla experience that honestly feels as though it were written for kids. Considering it's age rating and artstyle, it's entirely possible it actually WAS written for kids. The ending even attempts to impart some very shonen-anime-esque moral lessons on the player.

    Regardless, the division is a result of the conflicting priorities of this franchises' playerbase. The music is still top notch, the maps have some of the best designs this series has seen since Conquest, the rings are loads of fun to plan around, the supports are as good as they've always been, and I never want to see an FE game without the break system ever again; it's that good.

    You'd think people would respect that Intsys isn't content to rest on their laurals and are willing to take risks. The games are iterative, but compared to other franchises FE places a higher value on novelty. Just looking back in the last 6-7 entries in this 17 game long franchise you can already see a wide variety of artstyles, the combat systems shifting in radical ways, and a variety of musical styles tailored to the series' many settings. Maybe they have more similarities than difference overall, but again, compared to other franchises, FE does a lot more. Hell, Three Houses was a result this series' commitment to reinventing itself.

    Regardless of what I prefer, I fully expect the next entry to resemble 3H more than it does Engage, and when that happens I'll probably modestly enjoy it and give it a 7-8 or something; as opposed to slapping a 0 on it and complaining about the balance or something.    … Expand
  74. MinePlay512
    Jan 21, 2023
    10
    Engage is a love letter to the past entries and will help the Fire Emblem series move forward in a very huge way.
  75. Tailed-Raven
    Jan 22, 2023
    10
    .Most likely my favorite combat system and characters are fun so big ups from me. Dont listen to 0/10 reviews this game is super fun.
  76. Sleepytea_
    Jan 22, 2023
    10
    Typical metacritic users with their very braindead reviews. Engage is not three houses, but it is very good. I'm not going to go crazy with this review but if you like FE gameplay, you'll like Engage. Story/Characters are just okay but the rest of the game is fantastic. Gave game a 10 to mitigate the random 0/10 reviews lol I hate metacritic.
  77. Josegamer2000
    Jan 23, 2023
    10
    Excellent video game with magnificent gameplay, it returns to the original essence that I missed so much from Fire Emblem, the story complies with what I expect from a Fire Emblem, whose strong point has never been the story but it's fine compared to other games (as in Fire Emblem fates), I definitely recommend it, hours of fun guaranteed.
  78. pyrocyborg
    Jan 24, 2023
    10
    The insane review bombing force me to give this game a 10 to offset the high number of 0 it received. A lot of these "0" reviewers didn't actually play the game and are either from weirdos who wanted the main character (who's 17-18) to romance a 11 years old girl, or from people who despise everything that isn't a dating sim. This game isn't a 0, people! To everyone reading this in orderThe insane review bombing force me to give this game a 10 to offset the high number of 0 it received. A lot of these "0" reviewers didn't actually play the game and are either from weirdos who wanted the main character (who's 17-18) to romance a 11 years old girl, or from people who despise everything that isn't a dating sim. This game isn't a 0, people! To everyone reading this in order to make a purchase decision : please read the more nuanced reviews (5-8 out of 10) and totally ignore the 0.

    Almost no game deserves a 0, and almost none deserve a 10. This game deserves neither and I would honestly give a 8 for effort as it's kind of a two steps forward, one backward game that didn't manage to check every box it should have.

    If anything, it's a return to form to the earlier titles in the franchise more than a spiritual sequel to Three Houses. Those who were introduced to the series with Three Houses may find this a bit difficult to swallow, and I totally understand.

    Pros :
    1) The animation quality (both cutscene and during combat) is MILES ahead of what Three Houses was. There is simply no comparison there. Every character felt stiff in Three Houses during cutscenes. They're more alive this time and can jump, move around and interact with stuff.
    2) Graphics are better too, if it's of any use.
    3) Combat system is snappy (for a strategic RPG, that is) and while they dumbed down on some systems, some others are back and the Engage mechanic offset the lack of battalion and gambits.
    4) Faster paced. Say what you will, but the whole school phase from Three Houses was kind of a pain on multiple playthrough, and you sometimes forced yourself to go faster just so that you could proceed to the next battle. This isn't an issue with Engage as there is no school.
    5) The game is more approcheable by newcomers. Less systems means that they don't have to understand everything to play the game.

    Cons :
    1) The battles lack scale. In Three Houses, battalions helped give the battle a sense of epic proportion with soldiers running and fighting around. In Engage, your characters are fighting alone against one or two opponents. It feels like a 10v10 fight more often than not.
    2) Romance options are really limited, mainly due to localization. This doesn't deserve the actual review bombing, but in the English version of Engage, you cannot romance characters that are of similar age to your main character (17-18), which means that half of the cast is out of "reach". But you can romance a 45 years old, go figure.
    3) The story is it's weak point : After a relatively original story like Three Houses with four story routes (even if two of them felt quite unfinished), Engage's story is very weak, both in scale and in effort. It's like your typical pre-teen cartoon story of good versus evil than a 10 years old could have come up with. It's highly predictable and it feels like it was written for pre-teen or teenagers at most. It's really no big deal in the grand scheme of thing, but it's a negative nonetheless.
    4) This follows number 3. As the story is weaker, the characters aren't as fleshed out and it's likely that you won't like the cast as much as Three Houses' characters, for example.
    5) While voice acting is on point (both English and Japanese), dialogue is kind of dumb and cringy. Evil characters say evil things and good characters say good things. There is no nuance, and character depth is severely impaired that way. Everything feels unidimensional.
    6) Social aspect is very limited compared to Three Houses.
    7) Menus feel a bit weird. There are a lot of submenus or location dependant actions that should have been implemented better.

    So, all and all, if the only thing you liked about Three Houses is the story, then skip this game as you'll be really disappointed. Now, I only wish they could get away from the typical anime tropes and create a mature game with mostly adult characters : This way, no one would cry about romance or lack thereoff.    … Expand
  79. Scratcher
    Jan 22, 2023
    9
    Fire Emblem Engage despite drifting from very good three houses is not a disappointment. Game is going back to its roots, being more expansive and graphically impressive version of the 3ds games in the likes of awakening and echoes. As every FE game engage offers unique mechanic in summoning heroes from older games. Overall every fe should have a lot of fun with neatly prepared battlesFire Emblem Engage despite drifting from very good three houses is not a disappointment. Game is going back to its roots, being more expansive and graphically impressive version of the 3ds games in the likes of awakening and echoes. As every FE game engage offers unique mechanic in summoning heroes from older games. Overall every fe should have a lot of fun with neatly prepared battles with wide roster of characters. Let’s just hope intelligent systems will be back someday to some new innovative experiments in the likes of three houses. For second fe game on the system, engage is getting strong 9/10 from me… Expand
  80. Imupsetaboutow2
    Jan 23, 2023
    10
    I started to play FE in the GBA with sacred stones.

    I give engage a solid 9/10. It's a different game from three houses, but it doesn't make it a worse game. I love the gameplay, the support, the characters. At first I had mixed opinions about the trailer that I watched and the emblems, I thought it would be a justice league, lol. Turns out the emblems are not a "main focus",    I started to play FE in the GBA with sacred stones.

    I give engage a solid 9/10.
    It's a different game from three houses, but it doesn't make it a worse game.

    I love the gameplay, the support, the characters.

    At first I had mixed opinions about the trailer that I watched and the emblems, I thought it would be a justice league, lol.

    Turns out the emblems are not a "main focus", the main focus is mostly on the new characters, and the emblems are here to help a lil bit.

    I loved three houses.
    I'm loving engage.

    The only thing that both of these games need is a post-end content => Tower of valni.    … Expand
  81. SAKI2020
    Jan 22, 2023
    10
    Better than three houses…especially the fight aspect. the characters are all fine as far as i concerned.
  82. Baraky
    Jan 23, 2023
    10
    My latest addiction. I don't know why the people want the same game over and over.
  83. QueenAegis
    Jan 21, 2023
    10
    Taken back on the social aspects “which I prefer” and moving forward with great combat, a less mind numbing base, beautiful graphics, and a ton of depth to gearing up your party makes this game a great entry in the series
  84. cheezychz
    Jan 21, 2023
    10
    I really like the game, the character designs are refreshing and different. They each have their own personality and quirkiness, some humor as well. The story is criticized for being bland and boring but I enjoyed it and had a great time. Gameplay 10/10 flashy! And combat looks great, the environment can also be destroyed. It’s not for everyone, I don’t get the hate for this game and itI really like the game, the character designs are refreshing and different. They each have their own personality and quirkiness, some humor as well. The story is criticized for being bland and boring but I enjoyed it and had a great time. Gameplay 10/10 flashy! And combat looks great, the environment can also be destroyed. It’s not for everyone, I don’t get the hate for this game and it seems unfair for it being called a anime game. It’s refreshing and yes the story is predictable but that shouldn’t hinder the fun. I hated how the characters looked like genshin but they grew on me, and the voice actors did an amazing job. Again it’s not for everyone so I recommend you try it, I don’t regret my time with it, and don’t trust what people say as they just bash it for the “weebo characters and cringe story.”… Expand
  85. Phantasmagarlic
    Jan 24, 2023
    9
    This feels more like an actual Fire Emblem, while 3 Houses is amazing, it always felt like a new iteration on the FE formula, and while many players fell in love with that iteration, pretty much all other Fire Emblem fans love the franchise because of the original formula. This game feels much more like an enhanced and fleshed out version of previous FE games and therefore still manages toThis feels more like an actual Fire Emblem, while 3 Houses is amazing, it always felt like a new iteration on the FE formula, and while many players fell in love with that iteration, pretty much all other Fire Emblem fans love the franchise because of the original formula. This game feels much more like an enhanced and fleshed out version of previous FE games and therefore still manages to feel new and refreshed, despite sidestepping the 3 House's 'iteration'. I'm happy to see Intelligent Systems still cares about fans who have been around before 3 Houses, because there are still a lot of us out here!! And we are loyal fans who love this kind of Fire Emblem!!… Expand
  86. kawoods2
    Jan 23, 2023
    9
    Visually, it looks great in handheld with awesome battle animations.
    Gameplay is great with straight forward battles and the triangle weapon system.
    Audio is good with most interactions being fully voice acted, with the voice acting being fairly decent. Story is mediocre with a fairly straightforward plot. Overall, I really enjoy the straightforward SRPG gameplay versus the social    Visually, it looks great in handheld with awesome battle animations.
    Gameplay is great with straight forward battles and the triangle weapon system.
    Audio is good with most interactions being fully voice acted, with the voice acting being fairly decent.
    Story is mediocre with a fairly straightforward plot.
    Overall, I really enjoy the straightforward SRPG gameplay versus the social aspects in Three Houses. If story and social aspects are what you enjoyed most about Three Houses, this may not be your favorite Fire Emblem.    … Expand
  87. badlatency
    Jan 24, 2023
    9
    Extremely solid FE game reminiscent of Awakening with elements of Echoes and the GBA games. Most highly recommend the female protagonist as I feel she best fits the story and emotional tone. While the English VA is not as strong as in Three Houses, it isn't out of place for an anime game. Visuals are gorgeous, and the OST is very good.
  88. Crimbytheman
    Jan 23, 2023
    10
    Amazing game. This features some of the best gameplay in any fire emblem title ever.
  89. reachlivingston
    Jan 25, 2023
    8
    I don't know how how to explain all the 0 scores except to say that they are from tantrum throwing juveniles who are mad because FE Engage is not a Three House's clone. The characters in FE Engage that I have met so far are fun, the battles are stellar, and the whole game reminds me of earlier FE games before the social simulator was added to Three Houses. The game looks great, althoughI don't know how how to explain all the 0 scores except to say that they are from tantrum throwing juveniles who are mad because FE Engage is not a Three House's clone. The characters in FE Engage that I have met so far are fun, the battles are stellar, and the whole game reminds me of earlier FE games before the social simulator was added to Three Houses. The game looks great, although some of the color choices are a bit suspect (I am not a fan of the super bright and colorful main character design, for example). The story is so so and I would like to see a bit more I. The way if building relationships with characters, but not to the extent of the ss hool simulator we got in Three Houses. Overall, this is a great entry into the FE franchise that hardens back to pre Three Houses installments and is worth the asking price based on the great combat alone.… Expand
  90. Ragnellrok
    Jan 26, 2023
    9
    I'm only writing this as a long time FE fan to counterbalance the negative reviews. I hit 24 hours played earlier today. Overworld map: is basically Awakening/Sacred Stones, so in my opinion one of the best overworld map styles in the series where you have an actual idea of where every battle was.
    Paralogues: Divine Paralogues seem to replicate specific maps, the Tiki one apparently    I'm only writing this as a long time FE fan to counterbalance the negative reviews. I hit 24 hours played earlier today. Overworld map: is basically Awakening/Sacred Stones, so in my opinion one of the best overworld map styles in the series where you have an actual idea of where every battle was.
    Paralogues: Divine Paralogues seem to replicate specific maps, the Tiki one apparently recreates a New Mystery of the Emblem map. Normal Paralogues... one gets you Anna, the other gets you the "Donny/Trainee/Midori/Cyril" character, like Cyril it's a personal skill and starts out in the healer class. The remaining paralogues unlock level 20 with the Ring Spirits.

    Some more details on Paralogues:
    Lucina's Paralogue recreates Two Falchions, yep, even Arena Ferox.
    So any Ring (not bracelet) recreates a map that the person would be associated with, so Lyn gets a paralogue celebrating the Saccae Plains, Byleth the Sacred Tomb, etc, etc.

    I think the characters are colorful if not easily mistaken for someone out of Genshin Impact, so, is that bad? Depends on taste, I've been playing since the GBA, I don't mind it, each game has been evolving the character models and formula with each entry, this is just a 3 Houses style evolution, which was an evolution on the game before, etc, etc. They wanted this artstyle and honestly, it mostly reminds me of FEH the most, of course that's skimming over map part, but the symbols are similar and much like FEH it is a celebration of all things Fire Emblem from Marth all the way to Byleth. Excellent game, definitely worth playing imho, but just be aware that the game is bright and colorful compared to even 3 Houses/Hopes and most titles before. But this did dethrone Pokémon in Japan... so um, game's good, just give it a chance.    … Expand
  91. Robertinho123
    Feb 3, 2023
    9
    Absolutely loving this game. The story is average, but the gameplay is almost perfect.

    Almost cause there's still too much side-content, I think I'd prefer the game without Somniel, it feels like a slog to have to go there and do everything.

    Give me just the tactical battle and I'm happy!
  92. shoghidx
    Feb 5, 2023
    10
    Despite a simplistic approach to story (not necessarily bad by any means), the gameplay is peak fire emblem turn based strategy, and while not every character has the charm of 3 Houses or Awakening's cast, there are plenty of gems and is a wonderful experience start to finish for longtime fire emblem veterans
  93. ronaldmcdonaldm
    Feb 2, 2023
    10
    Losers review bombing this game only because it has worlds better gameplay than their favorite fire emblem, lol. People acting like FE had the pinnacle of writing for video games, when literally only the Tellius series had good writing and maybe Jugdral series. Could the story of Engage been better? Absolutely yes! But dont act like this game is the worst offender Lmao. It also happens toLosers review bombing this game only because it has worlds better gameplay than their favorite fire emblem, lol. People acting like FE had the pinnacle of writing for video games, when literally only the Tellius series had good writing and maybe Jugdral series. Could the story of Engage been better? Absolutely yes! But dont act like this game is the worst offender Lmao. It also happens to be an anniversary title, btw.… Expand
  94. Mist3rKincer
    Feb 3, 2023
    9
    FE: Engage has the best gameplay I've seen in the series thus far. The story is predictable as everybody has said 1000x over but that isn't a huge distractor for me. The support conversation are some of the most fun to watch (depending on who is paired up). Everybody from Brodia on is significantly more interesting than the characters before. Ignore donations if you don't plan on doingFE: Engage has the best gameplay I've seen in the series thus far. The story is predictable as everybody has said 1000x over but that isn't a huge distractor for me. The support conversation are some of the most fun to watch (depending on who is paired up). Everybody from Brodia on is significantly more interesting than the characters before. Ignore donations if you don't plan on doing skirmishes. The amount of customizability is amazing and while SP is hard to come by, this feels like an intentional choice for balancing reasons. If you can get past a mediocre story, this game will be a treat.… Expand
  95. kamisamadesu19
    Feb 5, 2023
    10
    Major Performance and gameplay improvements

    More of this in future FE games if possible, with Tellius handling the lore/world building. FE3H staff could handle the characters.
  96. Dauvas
    Feb 5, 2023
    10
    Finally a true fire emblem game with focus on strategy and the war. No more school simulators which makes me love it even more!
  97. LaernuTairo
    Jan 23, 2023
    10
    Gets old seeing the same twitch idiots and their little girl posse following them to meta to review bomb games just because theyd rather read text boxes then play the games.
    Engage has had me "engaged" for hours. Not many games do that in the last few years.
    People have serious issues. I skip stories in games I play unless they're AAA efforts. Why would they bother with making stories    Gets old seeing the same twitch idiots and their little girl posse following them to meta to review bomb games just because theyd rather read text boxes then play the games.
    Engage has had me "engaged" for hours. Not many games do that in the last few years.
    People have serious issues. I skip stories in games I play unless they're AAA efforts.
    Why would they bother with making stories and quests all over?
    Engage is great because it does NOT do what 3H did, which is had boring a to b quests in town all over.    … Expand
  98. LGM1983
    Jan 21, 2023
    10
    Muy bueno me recuerda los clásicos para mi mejor que 3house es más enfocado en el combate un 10
  99. SylvaConnect
    Jan 22, 2023
    10
    Bunch of shills acting like FE games EVER had a fantastic story to begin with lol.
    FE games have always been about the gameplay and engage is definitely moving in the right direction.
    3H emphasis on story and boring town quests made the game a chore and the story was lackluster to begin with. It was a great game but lets not pretend these B level stories should be invested into. Most    Bunch of shills acting like FE games EVER had a fantastic story to begin with lol.
    FE games have always been about the gameplay and engage is definitely moving in the right direction.

    3H emphasis on story and boring town quests made the game a chore and the story was lackluster to begin with. It was a great game but lets not pretend these B level stories should be invested into. Most people are going to skip them. Same as in FFXIV where a minority of very, loud clowns cry about stories. This game is awesome, and ignoring the story for gameplay is EXACTLY what it should be doing.    … Expand
  100. grady2k12
    Jan 24, 2023
    10
    I don't understand why anyone would give this a negative rating. It's not another Three Houses, which is a good thing. This is a game focused on combat and gameplay, and it definitely does a great job. This is a 10/10 from me and should be a Game of the Year contender.
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Awards & Rankings

4
#4 Best Switch Game of 2023
1
#1 Most Discussed Switch Game of 2023

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
81

Generally favorable reviews - based on 105 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 84 out of 105
  2. Mixed: 21 out of 105
  3. Negative: 0 out of 105
  1. The Mako Reactor
    Feb 8, 2023
    95
    Fire Emblem Engage is one of Nintendo's best games in years, and a much more polished release than Fire Emblem: Three Houses which I loved. While it suffers in its story compared to recent releases, it is still an essential for tactical RPG fans. It also happens to be a gorgeous game that shines on the OLED Switch display.
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  2. Noisy Pixel
    Feb 6, 2023
    90
    Fire Emblem Engage is a solid entry in the franchise. It’s easily the best Fire Emblem game from the modern generation (awakening onwards). I enjoyed my time so much that I’m already returning for my second, more relaxed playthrough on maddening. It’ll take a while.
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  3. New Game Network
    Feb 6, 2023
    71
    Fire Emblem Engage features familiar excellent gameplay with copious ways to customize your team. However, the story is rather dull, and the large roster is hurt by the limited character depth. There's plenty of tactical RPG gameplay to enjoy here, but it feels like a light step back for the series.
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