If Fireplace Emblem: Three Homes was a zig, Fireplace Emblem Interact is the ensuing zag. Whereas the 2019 epic dove headfirst into relationship simulation between turn-based battles, the upcoming Interact is nearly fully centered on the militaristic aspect of issues.
That’s to not say there aren’t any social parts in Interact. All through the primary eight chapters (the chunk I’m allowed to speak about right here), I’ve spent a substantial amount of time on the Somniel, this sport’s base of operations. I’ve dined with some teammates, exercised with others, and gifted my allies a wide range of gadgets I’ve discovered mendacity round our HQ. Often, the “help rank” between two characters has improved from a “C” score to a “B,” promising proximity buffs in subsequent missions.
Interact’s intermittent social parts are cursory, much less involved with character growth than in how these interactions will manifest within the subsequent struggle. Three Homes gave you a concrete group of scholars to instruct, practice, and fall in love with all through your marketing campaign, whereas Interact returns to the standard components of recruiting new troopers as you traverse the world map. Actually, it hurls new recruits at you. By the point Chapter 8 ended, I used to be already defaulting to the identical dozen characters for many fights, persistently leaving the redundant eight or so in reserve.
![Clanne, Alear, Vander, and Framme from Fire Emblem Engage pose in front of the camera](https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/YeNwkSHR5t-jVFXsBkVYTE5Utn0=/0x0:2000x1125/1200x0/filters:focal(0x0:2000x1125):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24336171/FE_Cast.jpg)
Picture: Clever Programs/Nintendo
Enabling the permadeath possibility could necessitate counting on greenhorns extra typically, however I turned it off for this playthrough with a view to keep away from lacking any attractive subplots. Nevertheless, with few exceptions up to now, solid members all really feel like tough drafts — one loves cooking, whereas one other enjoys lifting weights. Their 10-second help cutscenes are all about (you guessed it) cooking and lifting weights. In Interact, characters hardly ever transcend the one or two hobbies that outline them, and the ensuing internet of relationships is simply as flimsy.
So, no, you gained’t spend your time on the Somniel attending to know a small solid of characters intimately — as an alternative, you’ll be micromanaging your fighters’ abilities, gathering cooking elements, doing pushups to achieve buffs throughout the subsequent skirmish, and adopting a veritable zoo of barnyard animals to grant you provides. If Three Homes drew inspiration from Persona’s calendar-focused and character-oriented gameplay loop, Interact feels extra like a administration sim wherein you’re returning to base to carry out menial chores and upkeep earlier than the motion kicks in once more. The general loop really feels extra like Fireplace Emblem video games used to, earlier than Three Homes shook issues up. (I’m additionally reminded of final yr’s Cult of the Lamb.)
As missing as Interact is on the social aspect, it soars in its turn-based battles. Maps within the first eight chapters are diverse, with rivers, fort ramparts, siege tools, and fog of conflict creating compelling obstacles so that you can remedy and exploit. It’s an absolute pleasure to ship a robust armored unit (on this case Louis, a royal bodyguard) into a bunch of bandits earlier than overlaying him at a distance with a lightning bolt from a mage (Clanne, a strong sorcerer who started as a lowly peon), and ending off the remainders with cavalry, archers, and expert sword masters.
![A view of the battlefield in Fire Emblem: Engage, in which the protagonist Alear moves ahead of his army to confront enemies](https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Vacpkm4jttAG5apCO65RsiHaFaY=/0x0:2000x1125/1200x0/filters:focal(0x0:2000x1125):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24336174/FE_Battle.jpg)
Picture: Clever Programs/Nintendo
Pre-Three Homes, Fireplace Emblem video games used a rock, paper, scissors system for weapons, and it returns right here: Alfred, a crown prince who begins the sport with robust spear abilities, can stop enemy sword wielders from counterattacking, for example. That very same swordsman can break any of my troopers utilizing axes. Lastly, axes are the bane of spears. The cycle of vulnerabilities provides yet one more consideration to every transfer you make.
Interact’s largest departure from earlier video games could also be in how these characters really grasp new weapons, lessons, and abilities. Enter: the ring system. By “bonding” with completely different Emblem Rings (whether or not by carrying them in battle or by way of a helpful exercise within the Somniel), characters can inherit the talents of the ring’s related character, every of whom is a personality from the franchise’s previous. Growing the bond between a personality and Marth, for instance, will unlock proficiency with swords, permitting that character to maneuver into sword-centric lessons. They’ll additionally acquire new assaults, defensive abilities, and passive skills which might be all vaguely Marth-themed.
![A menu screen in Fire Emblem: Engage showing the bond between protagonist Alear and Marth, whose Emblem Ring grants sword-based abilities](https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/MbnRnQUCUjxD5AxOWOFEdMwYwtA=/0x0:2000x1125/1200x0/filters:focal(0x0:2000x1125):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24336179/FE_Rings.jpg)
Picture: Clever Programs/Nintendo
Any character who wears an Emblem Ring in battle will even have the ability to carry out the titular “Interact” maneuver, primarily supercharging them for 3 turns and granting them game-breaking skills. My favourite requires the ring of Micaiah (from Fireplace Emblem: Radiant Daybreak): It heals each ally within the battle, however knocks the person’s hit factors down to 1.
Interact’s ring system is initially troublesome to parse, however now that I’ve spent hours within the menus, I’ve uncovered one of many extra versatile class techniques in any Fireplace Emblem up to now. By permitting any character to be taught any weapon (their beginning character traits however), Interact leaves the door open for a dizzying swath of military potentialities. My present military depends closely on mages, cavalry, and an armored frontline, however I’m already theorycrafting a number of different military compositions once I’m not taking part in.
As of now, Interact has me hooked. Its social parts are missing, and I think about {that a} lot of people that got here to the sequence with Three Homes might be dissatisfied and/or overwhelmed with this new outing. Actually, trying again, Three Homes now feels much less like a blueprint for the sequence going ahead, and extra like an aberration from its earlier trajectory.
However as somebody who appreciates techniques video games that permit me discover my very own tales amongst a multifarious band of fighters, I’m having fun with the hell out of it thus far. It’s all the time speeding to get to the following battle, the place certainly one of my weaker archers can ship the killing blow to a problematic enemy, rank up, earn a brand new class, and turn into certainly one of my most prized snipers. Fireplace Emblem Interact, a minimum of in its first eight chapters, is all concerning the nuances of turn-based battles. The whole lot in between is simply preparation.