The year was 2013. I can remember the sheer excitement I felt as I stepped into my local video game store and laid eyes on the title that I’d been desperate to play for months. I’d brought a bag filled with Nintendo DS games that I’d played to near death, traded them in at the counter, and finally got my hands on the 3DS release that changed my gaming life for good: Fire Emblem Awakening.
Awakening was the game that truly got me into RPGs. Its vibrant cast of characters, its stellar strategic gameplay, its engrossing narrative — twelve-year-old me was enraptured by its brilliance.
Now, 13 years on, those feelings of excitement and enthusiasm have been reawakened. And that’s because I got the chance to play Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave, a title which — so far — has encapsulated everything that made me fall in love with the series all those years ago. Here’s how I’ve found my time with Fortune’s Weave, and why I think it could be the epic tactical RPG that defines the Nintendo Switch 2.
Latest Videos FromTechRadar
Enter the Flame Lords
Our adventure is centered around the land of Dagda, a kingdom enjoying a period of relative prosperity under the rule of Divine Sovereign Solel. A grand event is soon to take place in Dagda’s capital, Dagsion, which is drawing great warriors from around the kingdom and beyond: the Heroic Games. This tournament’s victor is to be granted one wish of their choosing, and the city is abuzz with anticipation. But little do the combatants know that a great calamity is soon to befall the world around them.
Five years after the Heroic Games have concluded, turmoil runs rife across Dagda. The demonic god, Balor, has returned, and the forces of the underworld have humanity hanging by a thread. One individual — you, the main protagonist — is tasked by the goddess Sothis to bring about salvation for humanity and drive away the darkness. And this is where we get into the real meat of Fortune’s Weave.
Four great warriors from the Heroic Games, known as the Flame Lords, have vanished. With the help of the goddess Fortuna, you are able to go back in time, alter the causality across each hero’s path, and recruit them to assist in the battle for Dagda’s deliverance.
As the player, you get to travel back to the time of the Heroic Games and delve into four individual campaigns that enable you to control each of the four Flame Lords: Cai, Dietrich, Theodora, and Leda. Meanwhile, you, the main protagonist, will appear as the Pale Raven, and be able to give advice on upcoming battles and watch over the Flame Lords along their journey.
It may sound like a lot to take in, and a lot of back and forths along the timeline, but the storytelling in the early section of the game — which I’ll be discussing here — is incredibly tight, clear, and gripping.
Walk the path of great heroes
After completing a brief prologue, you’re given the chance to pick from any of the four heroes, although you’re able to swap between each individual storyline whenever you feel like. I started by following Dietrich’s path, and wow. What a way to kick off my adventure.
First of all, I have to shout out the character design. Dietrich himself is a truly majestic specimen (something pointed out by many through your journey), and his chilling killer instincts and thirst for battle are reflected in his visceral combat style to perfection. He’s joined by a brilliantly charismatic cast, including the mysterious and eccentric priest, Fabio, the young and skilled Esmeralda, and the former mercenary Mikaela, to name a few.
Each character is surprisingly layered and full of charisma and intrigue, not to mention the absolutely phenomenal voice acting, which is already shaping up to be some of the best the series has ever produced. Naturally, you can build your support with each member of your party and view special conversations, just as you could in previous instalments.
Did you know TechRadar now has membership?
Become a TechRadar Insider by simply clicking ‘Join Now’ at the top of this page. Have a question? Please email membership@techradar.com
Although Dietrich’s path has been my favorite so far, I’ve dipped into the story of each protagonist, and all offer a strong lineup of characters, distinct yet interwoven narratives, and unique mechanics to drill into.
For instance, Theodora can assign battalions, which can boost a unit’s attack power and inflict status effects on foes, and Dietrich can learn new combat arts from wandering warriors. It keeps each pathway feeling fresh and distinct, and incentivized me to try out each and every one of the Flame Lords’ campaigns.
Although you’ll spend a decent amount of time on main story battles, you’ll also be given free time here and there. With this time, you can access training facilities to strengthen a unit’s skill with certain weapons or magic, you can serve at a temple to earn favor from the gods, or you can dine at an inn to build up support with allies and regain motivation (required for certain tasks).
This is just a taste of what’s on offer, but the bottom line is, I found that there was never a shortage of things to do during my free time, and the variety on offer breathes vibrancy and life into Dagsion, making it feel like the esteemed capital it’s presented as.
Gameplay and combat: timeless fundamentals with some neat twists
Let’s talk about the core gameplay on offer, though, which will be the most exciting aspect for a lot of returning fans.
A lot of the bones are the same. Other than some dungeon sections, which incorporate a mild amount of action combat and 3D exploration, you’re mainly playing a tactical JRPG with the usual grid-based combat. Each map is a blast to play through, and although things start out very easy, you’ll soon have to be considerate of which units you select, how you position them, and how you approach the enemy.
At its core, Fortune’s Weave is a continuation of what made the series great, and whether you play in Casual (where units return to your ranks after defeat), or Classic (where units are gone forever if they fall in battle), you’ll find that just about each decision you make on the battlefield matters — and building the perfect units and reclassing them to vanquish your opponent is still outrageously enjoyable.
Combat Arts are back, which degrade weapon durability in exchange for powerful actions, and Blessings from the gods give you boons in combat, such as a reduction in damage received or a higher chance of avoiding attacks. But there are also some new additions. Perhaps the most high-profile, and one I’ve been loving, is Blaze Arts.
Blaze Arts sacrifice a portion of your HP in return for powerful moves, but aren’t available to all units. Dietrich, for example, can warp forward multiple spaces and attack afterwards. Or Theodora can unleash an especially long-range attack on distant foes. The HP sacrifice prevents you from using them without consequence, and the abilities can help you clutch up in tense situations.
I’ve also been loving the battle animations, which add solid immersion to the action. The way that some units will parry attacks and swiftly retaliate, and the elaborate Blaze Arts animations, are both clear standouts and make battles feel like the spectacle they’re intended to be.
Outside of the excellent combat, it’s a lot of fun to just stroll through Dagsion, and movement feels both rapid and responsive. Fast travel is also an option if you want to get from A to B in an instant, but sometimes I just wanted to walk through the city and take in some of the amazing music. Whether it’s beautiful acoustic arrangements or ambient synth-led tracks, Fortune’s Weave is brimming with memorable music, and I can see myself coming back to the OST for years to come.
My only small nitpick about traversing Dagsion is that some of the NPCs provide incredibly repetitive dialogue. I heard “you’re looking well” and its many variations a lot more times than I’d care to mention in my first few hours with the game.
Graphics and performance: a clear step-up on Switch 2
Moving on to performance now, and I have to say, I’m satisfied with what I’ve experienced from Fortune’s Weave so far.
The Switch 2 has added some much-needed firepower, and the improvement from Three Houses is substantial. Character models, such as that of Fortuna, look excellent, with her beaming yellow and rich purple hair really popping on-screen. I’d argue that a few textures on environmental elements, such as trees, perhaps look a bit basic, but it doesn’t feel like the game’s first priority is to be a graphical marvel.
Drawn characters look impressive during dialogue sections too, and have some animations to add emotion and depth to them. Beyond this, cinematic sequences are epic, and a couple of them reminded me of the grandeur exhibited by the opening of Fire Emblem Awakening (one that felt unskippable all those years ago).
One interesting inclusion in Fortune’s Weave is mouse controls, which, as expected, are as smooth and effective as ever on Switch 2. I honestly didn’t use them much, as I prefer to stick with traditional controls, but it’s always good to see a new title make use of the Switch 2’s new technological capabilities.
The game also runs really smoothly, and the Switch 2’s enhanced resolution makes for a more detailed experience than ever. Most of the time, loading screens are very brief too, although I did occasionally experience some minor delays when opening doors in Dagsion, for instance — nothing particularly grating though.
My final thoughts (so far)
Of course, there are a lot of battles that lie ahead, and there’s a lot more story to sink my teeth into, but the early signs are incredibly positive for Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave.
So far, the captivating storytelling, brilliant cast of characters, refined turn-based tactical combat, and immersive world of Fortune’s Weave have got me hooked, and I can’t wait to spend more time with the game. These qualities really took me back in time to when I first fell in love with the series, and if my initial hours are anything to go by, I think long-time fans will appreciate the distinct yet interwoven stories, challenging battles, and high stakes.
I should note that I had a good time with Fire Emblem: Three Houses, but the opening of Fortune’s Weave feels like it’s building on everything that made that entry click in a meaningful, substantive way.
I’m sure there’ll be lots more to discuss when the full game launches in September, so keep your eyes peeled for our full review when the time comes, but until then, I’m going to enjoy my ride on the Fire Emblem hype train.
Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds.
The best Nintendo Switch 2 games to play right now
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Q33MEchrR2TQpapvmuQn77-1920-80.jpg
Source link
harry.padoan@futurenet.com (Harry Padoan)
