For whatever reason, I’ve always really struggled to embrace the Fire Emblem series, despite checking out quite a few different entries over the course of the last few decades. Maybe I’ve got a short attention span, but I’ve always found they take too long to get to the meat of the matter, which ends up turning me off before they get their hooks in.
It’s one of those series that I’ve always liked the idea of, especially the perma-death concept that really ups the stakes and creates a sense of tension.
Fire Emblem Fortune’s Weave certainly suffers from some of the same problems in terms of getting to the point, but when it does get going, it really is something to behold.
Part of the game’s strengths lie in how ambitious it all is, essentially featuring four campaigns set against the backdrop a demonic invasion.
The inclusion of multiple different lead characters adds an enormous amount of variety to the game, giving players plenty to think about when switching between different stories.
It also greatly improves the overall pacing, something that circumvents many of the issues I have with Fire Emblem, but without sacrificing the storytelling and character development that long-term fans will no doubt enjoy.
And that’s the remarkable thing about Fortune’s Weave. It’s not a dumbed down, heavily condensed experience that a Philistine like me should be craving, but rather the most content-rich and ambitious Fire Emblem to date.
Even if you are getting bored – which I wasn’t at any point past the opening couple of hours – the ability to switch between stories completely refreshes the game.
The action itself will be familiar to veteran Fire Emblem fans, featuring the same turn-based combat system that takes place on grid-based maps.
Again, the different characters and timelines ensures that each new battle gives players something new to think about and stops the rot from setting in.
If there’s one criticism you could level at Fire Emblem Fortune’s Weave it’s that the visual style and presentation hasn’t moved on too far from its predecessors.
The anime aesthetic is perfectly pleasant and functional, but it lacks the detail and density of other triple-A efforts such as Star Wars Zero Company. Still, this is unlikely to be a hindrance to fans of the series or newcomers, especially when the action is this engaging.
Fortune’s Weave is easily the best Fire Emblem game I’ve ever played, and one of the best reasons to invest in a Nintendo Switch 2 this Christmas.
