Game Review: Fire Emblem Engage

 

Fire Emblem Engage is a game that makes it clear from the very first minutes that its priority is tactical combat. If the previous entry – Three Houses – was “chess with elements of dating and school life,” then Engage is a purer, more classic interpretation of the series. For some, it’s a return to Fire Emblem’s golden age; for others, it’s a step away from the “standard” set by the last installment.

What we get is a production that combines the best elements of older titles (Awakening, Fates, GBA) with a handful of modern improvements, a new Emblem Rings system, and very polished, varied battle maps. Unfortunately, its flaws are just as apparent: a predictable story, characters reduced to a single gimmick, and an excess of unnecessary activities between battles.

Story – cliché, but well-paced

The plot of Engage is almost the definition of a “typical Fire Emblem”: four nations, an ancient evil dragon (Sombron) returning after centuries, and a hero – Alear – who suffers from amnesia and must collect 12 legendary rings to save the world. It’s a very black-and-white tale – good is good, evil is evil, without the moral grayness we knew from Three Houses.

Still, it’s not a tiring story. Its rhythm is quick, events progress smoothly, and the journey across Elyos gives a strong sense of progression. There are moments that genuinely surprise (especially when tied to gameplay mechanics), but most of the plot twists can be predicted long before they show up on screen.

If you’re expecting political intrigue, moral conflict, or deep relationships on the scale of Fódlan – you won’t find that here. Engage is more of an epic fantasy fairy tale than a war drama.

Characters – a kaleidoscope of archetypes

The cast of Engage is… colorful in every sense of the word. Character designs lean heavily into exaggerated anime aesthetics – from candy-like outfits to absurd hairstyles. Some will find it charming, others off-putting.

Each character has one or two defining quirks: someone is obsessed with tea, another lives for meat, another is a perpetual salesman, yet another loves telling stories. The issue is that these traits dominate 90% of their dialogue, making support conversations lose freshness quickly.

There are exceptions, though. Characters like Kagetsu (an endlessly positive warrior), Merrin (“wasn’t that cool?”), or Veyle (a story-relevant character with an interesting arc) can really win the player’s affection. Unfortunately, most lack the deeper development we saw in Three Houses, where conversations also reinforced worldbuilding.

Emblem Rings – the heart of the mechanics

The Emblem Rings system is undoubtedly Engage’s biggest innovation and the main reason the gameplay is so satisfying. Each ring contains the “spirit” of a hero from past Fire Emblem games (Marth, Ike, Lyn, Eirika, etc.), granting the wearer new skills, weapons, and special attacks.

The key is that rings can be freely assigned to any character – meaning hundreds of possible combinations. You can give a warrior magical specialization, turn a mage into a mobile rider, or make an archer into an assassin on the move. Importantly, the system isn’t overpowered – unlike Awakening’s Pair Up, which could break balance, here Engage requires smart planning of ring activations.

On top of that, the classic weapon triangle returns – swords beat axes, axes beat lances, lances beat swords. Striking with the right weapon causes a Break effect, preventing the enemy from counterattacking. A small detail, but one that adds pace and tactical sharpness to battles.

Map design – diverse and creative

This is one of Engage’s strongest points. The maps not only look great but offer a wide range of challenges:

• icy fields where wind pushes units around,

• volcanoes showering the map with lava,

• dark areas where you must use torches,

• open plains with waves of enemies that force you to play offensively.

Each chapter has its own unique twist, and the level design is so polished that even late-game rarely feels repetitive. It’s clear the developers wanted to avoid the “deathballing” common in earlier entries – here, positioning and adapting to threats are essential.

Somniel – a base that could have been smaller

Between battles, you head to Somniel – a floating base full of activities. You can train, cook, fish, adopt animals, ride a dragon, polish rings, try on clothes, and dozens of other things. The problem is that most of it is… unnecessary.

While Emblem training or forging weapons genuinely impact gameplay, many minigames are pure filler. Polishing rings to improve bond levels is one of those mechanics nobody asked for, and it only slows down the pacing.

On the plus side – the absence of a calendar system (as in Three Houses) makes the game’s pace much faster. If you want, you can jump from battle to battle without major interruptions.

Class system and reclassing

Engage lets you reclass characters almost freely – the only requirement is acquiring the right proficiencies (like swords or magic), which are obtained by wearing certain Emblem Rings. This opens a huge field for experimentation and lets you maximize each unit’s stats.

Want your axe-wielding warrior to become a battle mage? Go ahead. Think your archer should fly a wyvern? Nothing’s stopping you. This freedom strongly encourages multiple playthroughs.

Presentation – visuals and audio

Visually, this is the best-looking Fire Emblem in 3D to date. Character models are sharp, animations are smooth, and environments look impressive – especially in post-battle close-ups when you can freely explore the map.

The music deserves special praise. Engage offers a mix of new tracks and remixes from older games – especially during Emblem Paralogues. For long-time fans, it’s pure nostalgia.

Difficulty and game modes

The game offers three difficulty levels (Normal, Hard, Maddening) available from the start. Veterans should probably jump straight into Hard or Maddening – Normal is quite easy, even with limited rewinds.

Skirmishes, training, and repeatable missions make it easy to keep units at the right level. For those craving a true challenge, Maddening mode (without mid-battle saves) will be the ultimate test.

Multiplayer and extra content

While there’s no true PvP, you can create your own maps and share them with other players, as well as fight co-op battles against AI. It’s a neat extra, though rather niche.

Conclusion – excellent tactics, weaker narrative

Fire Emblem Engage knows exactly who it was made for. If you love tactical challenges, experimenting with classes and party composition, and see the story as just a pretext for the next battle – you’ll be delighted.

If, however, after Three Houses you’re expecting deep relationships, moral choices, and a layered world – you’ll feel unsatisfied. Engage is beautiful, tactically brilliant, but narratively shallow.

Pros

+Emblem Rings – huge tactical possibilities

+Return of the weapon triangle with the Break mechanic

+Excellent, varied map design

+Flexible class and reclassing system

+Best-looking 3D Fire Emblem to date

+Great soundtrack and nostalgic callbacks

Cons

-Predictable, cliché story

-Most characters are one-dimensional archetypes

-Somniel full of unnecessary, time-wasting activities

-Lack of deeper worldbuilding

-Some minigames are pointless

Final Score: 7.5/10

Excellent tactics, stunning maps, beautiful presentation – but narratively and story-wise, Engage falls short of Three Houses. For fans of mechanics – a must-play. For those seeking a deep story – not necessarily.