Nintendo and Intelligent Systems are looking to ignite the start of 2023 with a brand new mainline entry into the long-running Fire Emblem series. Fire Emblem Engage is a single-player tactical RPG released for the Nintendo Switch, which welcomes newcomers with open arms and spoils series veterans with a host of celebrated characters.

The grand scope of any Fire Emblem game is always at the heart of war, and Engage is no different. Opening character, Alear, who can be male or female and named however you please, has succumbed to the harrow of the opening battles and has been sidelined for a thousand years. The long-term effect has left your character with no memory of your past and when you finally arise, the devastating forces led by the Fell Dragon are marching forth, which leaves you little choice other than to accept your role as the Divine Dragon and set out for war once again.

If I could give a round of applause for the art style and direction I would and then some. I am always fascinated with how Nintendo titles continue to work to their strengths to deliver eye-catching and colourful characters and environments. The cutscenes are stunning, and everything from the lighting, narrative, and framing of the scene could be its own series that I would tune in to watch each week. The musical score, voice acting, and sound effects were all part of making the complete package in terms of player experience. The undertones of the score had an almost chiptune rhythm to them, reminiscent of older titles, and being able to switch between English and Japanese voice acting offered two distinct levels of immersion based on how you want to soak in the material.

The layers that the game then transitions to, from pre-rendered to in-game engine moments were still impressive, albeit a little less crisp, but were more than made up for with the smooth character movements and easily distinguishable map layouts during combat. Whether I was in handheld or docked mode, the consistency of the frame rates was impressive given the flashy finisher moves that zoomed in on the characters before zooming back out for an overview of the field. I will say there must be a bit of power needed for handheld mode as I found that I would need to recharge after 4-5 hours, but this was on the launch Switch.

As the name suggests, however, you will engage with many a hero on your journey, and the spirit of the Fire Emblem warriors will be with you along the way. Through the power of twelve rings that are scattered across multiple Kingdoms, any given ally can ‘Engage’ once connected with a particular ring, and can then bring forth fan favourite heroes in spiritual form. Alear, for example, starts her journey with the Iconic Marth, who offers more than a powerful aid in battle; his emotional connection to Alear can help them to remember their past and take on the leadership role they have been thrust into.

There is a sizable list of characters that continue to pile up fast it can feel a little overwhelming at first, but the core group that you start with can very well be with you for a long time. Personalities can shine, especially from the likes of one of your biggest fans, Clanne, who swoons at any compliment you give. There is a little downside in that almost all allies will immediately side with you once they meet you, meaning the dialogue never really dabbles in earning your trust. This made the stakes of people management lessen as a result, even though you still had to strengthen bonds to gain additional benefits.

This can be achieved through fighting side by side, gifts, and support conversations. It just felt that everyone started happy with each other and then got even happier instead of rising from weary to enthralled. Outside of Alcryst, who starts off on the wrong foot and grovels to regain your trust, the lack of back-and-forth banter made the good vs evil tale lack the depth found in Fire Emblem: Three Houses. I will say the direction of this title seems more tailored towards the in-depth and famously satisfying tactical turn-based combat, so the streamlined story and interactions with characters offered a moment to breathe in the lore and world in between fights rather than take centre stage.

The home base, Somniel, is a great place to recoup after a fight and reap the fruits of your labour. If you didn’t want to sift through every single stat, being able to cycle through your equipment with a handy optimise tool was great, and it will certainly get you by, but it won’t truly get the best of your team if you do so. Being able to engage with other players online in the outrun trials section was also an excellent addition to test your team against player-made maps or take turns controlling a team. This was optional but an impressive addition that maybe lacked in terms of balanced match-making as I went in with a lower-level group and could get demolished against a well-oiled team.

There are small, timing-based mini-games as well, and these are light-hearted fun, such as fishing, push-ups, squats, or cleaning your Emblem rings. Yes, that is a mini-game that pops up more than once. There is a habit that I got into early; checking my desk to cash in my achievement points, which provide Bond Points that can be used to create Bond Rings. It may not be a bustling city, but it was a nice relief mechanism that I enjoyed returning to.

The combat aspect is as deep as it has ever been, so if the slower-paced story-driven side of events hasn’t got you hooked, the combat and customisation will likely be the driving force to squeezing a few more hours in before bed. The grid-based system is a fast and snappy way to move your units across the battlefield with indicators of enemy sight lines, attack range, and also how far you can move to be readily available so you can make smart decisions. There is an option to issue your entire group with one motive, such as aggressively advancing or opting to defend you in particular, but this will often lead to sticky situations if completely relied upon.

Careful consideration needs to be taken when attacking however, as once you attack a soldier, they will get a counterattack before their turn even begins. To offset this, using the break system is a fantastic way to use a sword bearer against an axe wielder to break their posture and prevent the counterattack at all. This continues over to the Engage feature, infusing the legends of the Fire Emblem warriors with your characters through the rings to increase their attacks and offer intrinsic stat boosts that your characters will eventually keep the more you use them together. You can also build powerful combinations between classes on a single character by adding seals, such as adding an archery-based seal to a sword wielder so they can become a dual-threat unit.

There was also an element I came across where it was easy to forget about a character in the expanded arsenal, and if this happened, it could be out levelled if left unchecked, but there were repeat skirmishes you could venture back to in previously conquered areas that would be a prime opportunity to level other characters if you wish, however. My main playthrough was on the Normal difficulty and that let me try out under-levelled characters in combat with no risk of permanent death, but that is an option through classic mode. I tried out the Maddening difficulty setting with classic mode enabled, and it was as brutal as it sounds. Even with the Draconic Time Crystal that lets you take back moves up to ten times, it demands perfect planning.

Fire Emblem Engage is an onslaught of fantastic and in-depth combat with a charming and immersive social element between the clashes. The Engage feature was a bold opportunity to capitalise on the extended history of the franchise, and it was successfully able to adapt the legendary Fire Emblem characters into the fold without taking away the story of Alear being the central protagonist. Fire Emblem has never looked better and Engage is a showcase title for Nintendo to show off.

Written by: Shane Fletcher