Fire Emblem Engage (FE Retrospective Part 17)
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- Опубліковано 3 лип 2024
- The Fire Emblem series has momentum. With nearly every entry selling better than the last, and more people acknowledging it's existence, it had infinite potential to do anything for it's most recent mainline installment. Deciding to call back to the series' past, its direction left many perplexed and divided. But is the quality of it's contents good enough for it to rise above the skepticism?
Chapters:
0:00 - Fire Emblem Has Momentum
2:31 - A Most Beautiful Presentation
5:13 - Story Analysis
12:29 - An Anniversary "Celebration"
17:22 - Succeeding in the Micro
22:11 - Gameplay Feature Breakdown
30:03 - Map Design
32:57 - A Permadeath Scrutiny
40:01 - Auditing My Preconceptions
46:26 - The Importance of Playing Through Mistakes
51:21 - Just how far... - Ігри
![Intro to Tool Dev in Unity [part 2/4]](/img/n.gif)
Congratulations on making it through this retrospective series!
I personally love this game. I thought it was lot of fun. It really carried me early last year as it was a rough time in my life. Also yes I agree perms death is the way FE is meant to be experienced.
Engage was amazing.
I must say I believe that the developpers will do the next entry right, if only they scale back on the whole "FE Heroes" influence. I'm confident they will because Engage was an anniversary game and the next entry will be different
I don't think this game allegedly being an anniversary celebration is a justifiable excuse. Path of Radiance, Awakening, and Shadows of Valentia were also anniversary games (released on the actual anniversaries of the series for that matter). If anything, being celebrating the anniversary of a series should be more reason to put a best foot forward.
Spoilers for a year old game with a passable story at best:
As far as I understand, the opening cutscene is supposed to be symbolic of Alear 1000 years ago without directly spoiling the reveal that they are Sombron's child. I believe Lucina says at one point that her ring once resided in Firene, so Alfred represents a past Firenese ruler. Same for Diamont, Ivy, and Timerra.
Despite seeing the big twists coming from a mile away, I have to give credit where credit is due. I did not forsee the reveal that Alear is only the adoptive child of Lumera. The fact that she explicitly prays when summoning Sigurd in Chapter 2 while showing concern that Alear cited an incantation was a nice touch as well.
I tried rationalizing the prologue chapter in the way you described. But in my mind, it just doesn't work. The event is presented far too "literally" for it to represent something "symbolic". If it's presented in that way in order to obfuscate the later reveals in the story, then the story telling is just being dishonest.
Alear also invoking the Emblems at the Beginning while Lumera simply summons them was also somewhat clever. But as I said, ideal foreshadowing is something you *notice* without *having context*. And I didn't even notice that Lumera didn't invoke them.
Permadeath is turned on before chapter 4, what are you on about? The exception is Lumera's map.
You could have continued your run from chapter 17 on hard. You just almost gave up for no reason. Good thing you continued it.
Ok so I double checked. You're correct. I wish the game signposted that better.
totally agree with the "emblem" gimmick. it would've been way cooler if they hadn't already been re-introducing past heroes for the past several games
Are you excited for Unicorn Overlord? I'll be excited for a "swift strategy" entry about that game!
I have low interest in Unicorn Overlord and have no plans to make a Swift Strategy of it at this time.
I wish the developpers scaling back on the multi route story actually meant making a great story lol but three houses somehow got it better than engage
btw I'm commenting a lot so your channel gets more reach
w00t
Great video, I really hope Fire Emblem will put a bit more ambition into storytelling while keeping the gameplay fresh. Engage is a solid meal, but Three Houses got the apetites for changes. Right now the series is on a brink of following the Pokemon route imo.
Hey, this game is still one to really enjoy. Gameplay is more important than story. If you think this game isn’t good, you’re delusional.
Hmm you release a video on the same weekend I did....As Elon would say CONCERNING! Jokes aside, loved the new vid. Might have to buy Engage. FE is just one of those series, I started, but then I missed a few installments and i'm like 'should I jsut jump in or try to catch up?'
Yes of course you should try to catch up. Silly Question.
@@ChrisTheFields I gotta do FE X SMT first cause I want to do a video that a game that was so hyped....kinda just happend? And no one really talks about it lol
I never finished Engage, the fact that a lot of class progression stemmed from wearing rings made the game feel like it was incentivising grinding (I played on Hard mode, which I consider to be the intended experience) Apart from that system the gameplay was fun.
The story stopped gripping me past the big showdown chapter (I think it's 17? It's right after the desert area and you fight enemies that have as many rings as you do), it felt like it had reached its peak, and I didn't get very attached to many characters either. I'd often think something like "oh I like this one, I might S rank them" only for them to have stupid or rude interactions with others for the sake of a joke, and it'd turn me off lol (looking at you, Alcryst, Merrin and Kagetsu!)
I'm a firm proponent of "soft" permadeath with a case by case basis. My gal is overwhelmed and dies because of aggressive tactics? Yeah my bad, she should stay dead. Oh, my 88% hit chance to break missed, but the enemy's 31% hit went through? Now my guy is on the floor? Nah, I play these games to have fun, go ahead and spin that wheel.
Really enjoyed the video, of course!
First Fire Emblem game I dropped. Turns out the gameplay is not as interesting when you don't care about the units at all. Even the older games with no support conversations managed to make me care about my units despite a lot of them having no personality. Crazy.
No, it’s got great characters. You just generalize them as one note. You’re not giving this game the chance it deserves and you know it.
Don't disrespect Hortensia
nah
I think the funniest part from Engage was reclassing Vander to a wolf knight and seeing his silly costume constantly
I... didnt like Engage. Theres characters i do honestly like (I still love Marni despite her missed potential imo). But wow this is my least favorite FE game. It feels like the flaws of Fates' story repeated, but now without me being able to understand it as "they tried something different and it just didnt work out". And thats not mentioning other things i dont like (why the hell do they kill off Alear *twice* in the span of ONE CHAPTER)
Having super recently played DQ11S, I left thinking it handled the "celebration of the series" aspect better than Engage
Not gonna lie, the fact you started the review with "These characters look like V-tubers" really soured me on the rest of the video and almost made me stop watching. If you're going to make an opinion piece, it's probably a good idea not to put something that will hit people on a personal level. Specially for this game when so many people quickly throw the "Vtuber design" as a negative and an excuse to hate on the designs.
Anyway, this was a good video, I particularly agree with your comments on the gameplay, since I feel this is the game in the series with by far the most refined gameplay and map design. But I do want to comment on the fact that after a second playthrough, I've learned to appreciate the story a lot more. It's simple and it has flaws, but I think the overall message of family and friendship is executed really well.
Having also played every game in the series, I'll say Engage is my second favorite (Thracia is the best, in case you were wondering).
I still stand by not liking the designs in this game, as I personally don't like a lot of common design trends typically found in vtuber characters which I believed influenced the art direction of Engage. And that section was also meant to be framed in a somewhat joking context. With hindsight, however, I can see how it can be interpreted as a harsh generalization. I could have phrased that segment differently to still keep the comedic intent without making sound like an objective negative against the game. For that, I will apologize.