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Taking on the Fell Dragon in Fire Emblem Engage
Amy Flower
STACK Senior Editor
A super-popular series in its native Japan for over 30 years, while we haven’t had the pleasure until more recently in the west, it didn’t take long for Fire Emblem to gain a dedicated band of fans.
While the last major outing, Fire Emblem: Three Houses, went adventuring with the format a little, Fire Emblem Engage recalls the more traditional turn-based strategy roots of the RPG series.
We step into the shoes of the Divine Dragon Alear – in feminine or masculine form – and wake up after a satisfying 1,000 year kip only to find that the nasty old Fell Dragon has returned to the land of Elyos. It seems that the seal of 12 Emblem rings wasn’t enough to restrain the fire-breather, and they’ve now been spread far and wide. It’s up to you to explore the world and recover these magical rings – each of which contains a great warrior whose powers become added to yours - taking on all manner of foes while you do so and, ultimately, bringing evil dragon-free peace to Elyos.
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Yes, it’s an old school save-the-day narrative, but it’s the way that it’s enhanced with masterful anime-styled interludes (skippable if you’re really impatient for action) that really helps make Fire Emblem Engage a truly captivating tale.
Setup is a breeze, just select a form (gender), name them, enter their birthday, and select a difficulty from three options – normal, hard, and maddening. Old school warriors will welcome the return of the two-pronged added difficulty choice, whereby your fallen units will return in the next battle, or be gone for evermore.
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If you’re familiar with the series from way back, then you’ll be picking this one up in no time. Traditional turn-based style is the way, with numerous variables to consider ranging from which weapon trumps which, and which fighters can boast supremacy over which others in the given situation. This is where the strategy really kicks in, as not every fight will require brute force or, by the same token, a softly, softly approach.
Where the “Engage” bit comes in is via the player’s Emblem Ring, which when worn summons the power of the soul of a hero from days gone, really boosting your chances in battle. It’s a neat touch, and a great way to reminisce about earlier tales in the series, and favourite warriors such as Marth and Roy.
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All the action revolves around the home hub of The Somniel, where such life necessities as shopping and cooking, and pretty much anything that isn’t a direct battle, takes place. There’s a selection of minigames, and various activities to bolster your crew’s chances in the next battle outing, or just to kick back a little and have some fun. Hello fishing! There’s also a touch of multiplayer here with a selection of trials housed within the Tower of Trials. The highlight here is exercising your map-building skills and connecting up with the works of others, then going the biff for Outrealm Trials supremacy.
Oozing with fan service, yet accessible for those who are only just discovering the joys of the series, Fire Emblem Engage combines stunning animation with a fun take on well-worn, classic story trope, and increasingly challenging strategy that’s sure to keep those who love the genre itching to keep going for one more battle.
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