Fire Emblem Engage
What to Know
Average Score
- January 20, 2023
- Intelligent Systems
- Action, RPG, Strategy
Critics Consensus
- In-Game Purchases
- January 20, 2023
- Action, RPG, Strategy
- In-Game Purchases
Critics Consensus
# Reviews: 46
Phenomenal tactical game design, battlefield heroics, and gorgeous visuals overcome its shaky story to create an excellent entry in the franchise.
Rate and Review
Critic Reviews for Fire Emblem Engage
Critic Reviews
Score Distribution
46
Reviews
Silver
38% of scored reviews fell within the range of 86 to 92 / 100
Ranges
Players looking for deep customization, expertly crafted strategy RPG combat, and a heartfelt story with adoration for more than 30 years of Fire Emblem history will find that and more in Engage. It’s one of the most gripping games I’ve played on Switch and, ultimately, one I struggled to peel myself away from.
Nintendo’s long-running fantasy series looks to its rich history for this smart, satisfying turn-based strategy game.
Fire Emblem Engage proves itself worthy enough to be counted alongside the legacy it honors so well.
Wesley LeBlanc (Game Informer)
9/10 - (Read Review)
Players looking for deep customization, expertly crafted strategy RPG combat, and a heartfelt story with adoration for more than 30 years of Fire Emblem history will find that and more in Engage. It’s one of the most gripping games I’ve played on Switch and, ultimately, one I struggled to peel myself away from.
Henry Stockdale (Eurogamer)
Recommended - (Read Review)
Nintendo’s long-running fantasy series looks to its rich history for this smart, satisfying turn-based strategy game.
Brendan Graeber (IGN)
9/10 - (Read Review)
Fire Emblem Engage proves itself worthy enough to be counted alongside the legacy it honors so well.
Outlet | Author | Score | Date | Quote | Read |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Atomix | Alberto Desfassiaux | 95 / 100 | 01-17-2023 | Fire Emblem Engage is a bold and a very innovative game in all regards. The way it introduces new gameplay mechanics, combined with its great story, makes it one of the best of the series. | Read review |
AusGamers | Steve Farrelly | 8.5 / 10 | 01-19-2023 | And from here your journey begins. | Read review |
Cerealkillerz | Manuel Barthes | 7.9 / 10 | 01-17-2023 | Fire Emblem Engage unfortunately fails to shine like its predecessor Three Houses. The step back to the roots of the series wasn’t a bad one at all. Above all, the combat system knows how to inspire thanks to the emblems, the reunion with Marth and Co. was successful. Unfortunately, the unspectacular story, its generic characters and the lack of endgame content reduce the gaming experience a lot. | Read review |
CGMagazine | Preston Dozsa | 8.5 / 10 | 01-17-2023 | Fire Emblem Engage is a refreshing return to the series’ roots, emphasizing its tactical complexity that surpasses more recent entries in the franchise while still featuring a charming cast of characters. | Read review |
Checkpoint Gaming | Edie W-K | 6.5 / 10 | 01-17-2023 | Fire Emblem Engage is an okay addition to the Fire Emblem series, with fun and varied maps and enough changes to the tactical mechanics to make it probably worth playing for any FE fan, though not all of its changes are winners. Its spectacular graphics are something to behold; it’s just a shame that it is accompanied by a story that falls completely flat and emblem heroes that are shadows of their former selves. It’s just sadly underwhelming in the face of what its predecessor, Three Houses, achieved better. | Read review |
COGconnected | James Paley | 82 / 100 | 01-17-2023 | While Engage didn’t win me over with its story, the mechanics are a different matter. I’m pleased that level grinding is being sidestepped in such a clever manner, though I still miss it. I loved how intense the battles are, every single time. Even with the Time Crystal, the stakes feel terribly high. Sure, the narrative feels more cliché than I’m used to. I wish it wasn’t a good vs evil fetch quest. But the character bonds still tell a compelling tale all on their own. And though I didn’t love the side content this time around, I’m still happy there’s so much of it available. Overall, Fire Emblem Engage is an excellent entry in the franchise. You won’t want to miss this one. | Read review |
Destructoid | Chris Carter | 9 / 10 | 01-17-2023 | If you were overwhelmed by Three Houses, this is a great follow-up that doesn’t just follow that same formula: and in many ways, gets back to Fire Emblem basics. | Read review |
Digital Trends | Giovanni Colantonio | 4 / 5 stars | 01-17-2023 | Fire Emblem Engage is another reliable hit in the tactics series, even if it isn’t as much a step forward as previous installments. | Read review |
Digitally Downloaded | Matt Sainsbury | 5 / 5 stars | 01-18-2023 | Fire Emblem Engage is everything I love about Fire Emblem, bundled up in a way that does justice to both the classics that got me into the series, and the production values of modern gaming. Brilliant. | Read review |
Eurogamer | Henry Stockdale | Recommended | 01-17-2023 | Nintendo’s long-running fantasy series looks to its rich history for this smart, satisfying turn-based strategy game. | Read review |
Everyeye.it | Antonello Bello | 9 / 10 | 01-17-2023 | Despite initial misgivings, Fire Emblem Engage has proved to be a solid and articulated strategy game | Read review |
Game Informer | Wesley LeBlanc | 9 / 10 | 01-17-2023 | Players looking for deep customization, expertly crafted strategy RPG combat, and a heartfelt story with adoration for more than 30 years of Fire Emblem history will find that and more in Engage. It’s one of the most gripping games I’ve played on Switch and, ultimately, one I struggled to peel myself away from. | Read review |
GameSpot | Jacob Dekker | 7 / 10 | 01-17-2023 | Fire Emblem Engage’s fantastic combat is held back by an underwhelming story that lacks the ambition of recent entries. | Read review |
GamesRadar+ | Hirun Cryer | 2.5 / 5 stars | 01-17-2023 | Fire Emblem Engage is sadly a missed opportunity to tie together a new cast of characters with the heroes of old. | Read review |
GameXplain | Daan Koopman | Recommended | 01-17-2023 | Video Review | Read review |
God is a Geek | Adam Cook | 9.5 / 10 | 01-17-2023 | Fire Emblem Engage is a masterpiece of tactical gameplay design, with a gorgeous look, and depth most games can only dream of. | Read review |
Hobby Consolas | David Rodriguez | 80 / 100 | 01-17-2023 | With Fire Emblem Engage, Nintendo Switch hosts one of the best SRPGs on the market in terms of combat. However, we see this installment as a missed opportunity to present a classic round game due to its script. The shadow of Three Houses has played against this delivery, although seeing Marth is always a cause for joy. | Read review |
IGN | Brendan Graeber | 9 / 10 | 01-17-2023 | Fire Emblem Engage proves itself worthy enough to be counted alongside the legacy it honors so well. | Read review |
IGN Spain | David Oña | 8 / 10 | 01-17-2023 | The latest from Intelligent Systems proves that the studio has its finger on the pulse of the genre inside out. After a groundbreaking installment, they return to the classic approach while presenting new features that spice up and make, if possible, even more interesting its great combat system. A must for fans of the genre. | Read review |
Merlin’in Kazanı | Samet Basri Taşlı | 90 / 100 | 01-18-2023 | Fire Emblem Engage is one of the early surprises of 2023. Nintendo has managed to make fans of the genre happy with a great JRPG game! | Read review |
Metro GameCentral | David Jenkins | 8 / 10 | 01-17-2023 | A more traditional Fire Emblem experience than Three Houses, but one that’s filled with fun new features and emphasises deep and varied gameplay over dating mini-games. | Read review |
Nintendo Life | PJ O’Reilly | 9 / 10 | 01-17-2023 | Fire Emblem Engage is another stellar entry in this storied franchise, but it’s also one that takes a noticeably different stance than its most recent predecessor. It’s all about the combat this time around, at the expense of the relationships and romance that made Three Houses such a fan favourite, so if you’re looking for that social element here, you’re bound to be left feeling at least a tad disappointed. However, for those jonesing to get down and dirty with some sweet turn-based tactical action | Read review |
NintendoWorldReport | Matthew Zawodniak | 9 / 10 | 01-17-2023 | I have never played a game quite so ravenously, sinking over ninety hours into my first playthrough in just two weeks (though don’t get too intimidated by that number, it counts all of my resets from playing on Hard difficulty, and I also played all fifteen optional chapters). At the end of it all I didn’t feel exhausted or burnt out, but rather like I somehow wished that I could play for even longer. Fire Emblem Engage may not check every box that fans were hoping for, but it is easily the strongest showing for the series in the last decade. | Read review |
NoobFeed | Asura Kagawa | 80 / 100 | 01-21-2023 | Fire Emblem Engage has one of the best TRPG and tactical combat mechanisms that have been released in recent years, and for this reason only, it is well worthy of your attention. It’s a shame that Engage doesn’t live up to the high standards set by its predecessor. If you want to battle on hundreds of maps and click through countless dialogues, this is the game for you. | Read review |
PCMag | Will Greenwald | 3.5 / 5 stars | 01-17-2023 | Fire Emblem Engage recalls earlier series entries by hitting familiar tactical notes, but it augments them with a cool, new team-up system. Its multiplayer modes need work, though. | Read review |
Polygon | Mike Mahardy | Recommended | 01-17-2023 | It can’t quite reach the crescendos that Three Houses did, and it certainly doesn’t achieve the longevity of Awakening. But it is consistently great. And it’s confident enough to let me take the reins. | Read review |
Post Arcade (National Post) | Chad Sapieha | 8 / 10 | 01-19-2023 | Intelligent Systems’ latest introduces dozens of new heroes alongside some of the nearly 600 playable characters from earlier games. Read on. | Read review |
Press Start | Harry Kalogirou | 8 / 10 | 01-18-2023 | As an experience more in-line with the pre-Fates era of Fire Emblem, Engage is a worthy celebration of one of Nintendo’s longest running and most storied franchises. Despite many flaws, none of them offset the experience so drastically to sour the overall experience, making for another great entry into the gilded halls of Fire Emblem. | Read review |
Screen Rant | Cody Gravelle | 4 / 5 stars | 01-17-2023 | Ultimately, Fire Emblem Engage is an excellent game that contains one of the finest tactical systems in recent memory, and it’s well worth a look for that reason. Just don’t expect to remember much about Elyos once the journey ends. | Read review |
SECTOR.sk | Michal Korec | 8 / 10 | 01-18-2023 | The timing after Three Houses is challenging and expectations are high, but FE Engage serves as the best of series in 30 years. Solid, although uneven plot, still interesting social interactions and non-combat parts are merged with excellent tactical strategy gameplay. Mixing new Engage tricks with established weapon-triangle and great maps layout will please fans for tens of hours. | Read review |
Shacknews | Josh Broadwell | 9 / 10 | 01-17-2023 | Fire Emblem Engage’s story might be shaky, but the tactics game excels in every other way. | Read review |
Skill Up | Ralph Panebianco | Recommended | 01-17-2023 | Video Review | Read review |
SpazioGames | Gianluca Arena | 8.4 / 10 | 01-17-2023 | Fire Emblem Engage is a great celebration of a more than 30 years old franchise, and also one of the best looking Switch games of the last months. We dare to say it’s not one of the best episodes in the franchise, but it is, nonetheless, a great SRPG if you have at least fifty hours to invest in it. | Read review |
Stevivor | Matt Gosper | 9 / 10 | 01-17-2023 | While players may be tempted to judge Fire Emblem Engage on the art style alone, I strongly suggest giving it a try before casting judgement; you may just find that this is one of the best Fire Emblem games to date. | Read review |
The Games Machine | Danilo Dellafrana | 9 / 10 | 01-17-2023 | Between novelties and various refinements, Fire Emblem Engage’s combat system is perfectly polished and exciting. Not all of the campaign is full of twists and turns, and the shadow of socializing at all costs might make the more grumpy digital generals nervous, but overall Fire Emblem Engage is a recommended chapter. | Read review |
TheSixthAxis | Dominic Leighton | 9 / 10 | 01-17-2023 | Fire Emblem Engage balances the series’ past and its future, offering a renewed focus on the tactical gameplay, an endearing cast of old and new faces, and the best visuals the franchise has ever seen. | Read review |
TrustedReviews | Ryan Jones | 4 / 5 stars | 01-17-2023 | Engage isn’t the best entry point into the series, and is rather shallow in terms of story and character development, but the combat is enjoyable enough alone to keep players engrossed until the end. | Read review |
Twinfinite | Zhiqing Wan | 3.5 / 5 stars | 01-17-2023 | At the end of the day, Fire Emblem Engage ends up being a rather middling experience that wasn’t afraid to try a few new things as far as combat is concerned, but couldn’t come close to the heights that its predecessors have set for the series. | Read review |
Unboxholics | Γιώργος Πρίτσκας | Not Recommended | 01-21-2023 | Fire Emblem Engage features an excellent combat system that I’m sure fans of the genre will appreciate. It’s smart, balanced, and with enough depth to absorb the player into its mechanics. It always rewards patience, organization and strategic combination of units and punishes rushing and “heroics”. However, the rest of the game that frames this combat system is, unfortunately, in my opinion, disappointing. | Read review |
VG247 | Alex Donaldson | Recommended | 01-17-2023 | As a fan of older Fire Emblem and strategy games in general, I was thrilled to see the depth of combat and the level to which you can make battling your absolute focus. That’s still true even if Engage doesn’t quite get the balance in its execution right in a way that might put a small subset of Three Houses lovers off. | Read review |
VGC | Jordan Middler | 3 / 5 stars | 01-17-2023 | Fire Emblem Engage is a great strategy game, but we don’t think it’s a great modern Fire Emblem game. Whether the reverence for the social elements of Three Houses came as a surprise to the team or not, the dearth of those moments in Engage makes it feel like it’s missing half of its core at times. While the anniversary cameos will please the hardcore fans at first, we worry that, much like the weak social aspects, their largely minor impact on the game itself will disappoint. | Read review |
Video Chums | A.J. Maciejewski | 9 / 10 | 01-17-2023 | If you’re new to the mainline Fire Emblem games albeit an enthusiast of SRPGs in general like I am then Engage will surely wow you with its tight old-school gameplay, incredible presentation, and fantastic cast of characters. Heck, it might even turn you into a dedicated fan. | Read review |
Washington Post | Alyse Stanley | Recommended | 01-17-2023 | “Engage” continues the series trend of mashing up tactics and RPG elements, but while the latter falls flat and feels out of place, it excels in the former. And if my biggest qualms are with the game’s least Fire Emblem-y parts, I consider that a solid entry in the series. | Read review |
Wccftech | Nathan Birch | 8 / 10 | 01-17-2023 | Fire Emblem Engage’s story is derivative JRPG nonsense and its social elements are skippable, but the game’s battlefield heroics largely make up for its shortcomings. Classic Fire Emblem combat mechanics make their welcome return here and are nicely elevated by the new Engage system and a slate of varied, surprisingly-challenging maps. Fire Emblem Engage won’t be everybody’s favorite entry in the series, but it should be a critical hit with many seasoned generals. | Read review |
We Got This Covered | Shaan Joshi | 3.5 / 5 stars | 01-20-2023 | As a turn-based tactical RPG, Fire Emblem Engage delivers on all fronts. On the other hand, when it comes to its social sim systems and story, this latest entry falls short of the mark, especially when compared to its predecessors. | Read review |
WellPlayed | Ralph Panebianco | 7 / 10 | 01-18-2023 | Fire Emblem Engage is enjoyable but leaves little impression. If the narrative was more compelling, if the character relationships were deeper and more interesting or if combat was more varied, there’s every chance that Engage would have felt more robust and impactful. In the absence of those things, Engage just feels…fine. | Read review |
Game Info
In a war against the Fell Dragon, four kingdoms worked together with heroes from other worlds to seal away this great evil. One-thousand years later, this seal has weakened and the Fell Dragon is about to reawaken. As a Divine Dragon, use rich strategies and robust customization to meet your destiny—to collect Emblem Rings and bring peace back to the Continent of Elyos. Summon valiant heroes like Marth and Celica with the power of Emblem Rings and add their power to yours in this brand-new Fire Emblem story. Aside from merging appearances, Engaging lets you inherit weapons, skills, and more from these battle-tested legends. The turn-based, tactical battle system returns with a fresh cast of characters you can customize and Engage to carefully craft your strategy.
RELEASE DATES:
DEVELOPER(S):
- Intelligent Systems
PUBLISHER(S):
- Nintendo
GENRES:
- Action, RPG, Strategy
SERIES/FRANCHISE:
- Fire Emblem
GAME MODES:
- Single player
GAME ENGINE:
- Unity
DLC:
- -
BUNDLED IN:
- -
DIRECTOR(S):
- Tsutomu Tei, Kenta Nakanishi
PRODUCER(S):
- Masahiro Higuchi, Genki Yokota, Toyokazu Nonaka
DESIGNER(S):
- Yuya Ishii
PROGRAMMER(S):
- Susumu Ishihara
ARTIST(S):
- Mika Pikazo, Takafumi Teraoka, Hiromi Tanaka
WRITER(S):
- Nami Komuro
COMPOSER(S):
- Yasuhisa Baba, Kazuki Komai, Hiroki Morishita, Takeru Kanazaki, Fumihiro Isobe, Takafumi Wada
GAME MODES:
- Single player
GAME ENGINE:
- Unity
DLC:
- n/a
BUNDLED IN:
- n/a
DIRECTOR(S):
- Tsutomu Tei, Kenta Nakanishi
PRODUCER(S):
- Masahiro Higuchi, Genki Yokota, Toyokazu Nonaka
DESIGNER(S):
- Yuya Ishii
PROGRAMMER(S):
- Susumu Ishihara
ARTIST(S):
- Mika Pikazo, Takafumi Teraoka, Hiromi Tanaka
WRITER(S):
- Nami Komuro
COMPOSER(S):
- Yasuhisa Baba, Kazuki Komai, Hiroki Morishita, Takeru Kanazaki, Fumihiro Isobe, Takafumi Wada
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