Fire Emblem Warriors First Impressions: Griping Combat, Expansive Story, and Smart Strategic Gameplay is the Name of the Game

Game: Fire Emblem Warriors

Publisher: Nintendo

Developer: KOEI TECMO GAMES CO., LTD.

Reviewed: Nintendo Switch

Fire Emblem Warriors is the most recent Nintendo first party exclusive to hit the Switch. Many gamers were both excited and mixed feeling on when this game was announced earlier this year, but if you like the Warrior style of gameplay and are a Fire Emblem fan, then this game is going to be right up your alley.

Right off the bat, Fire Emblem Warriors does an amazing job of creating a beautiful world for the players. Both the art direction and varied heroes and villains in the game give life to the game, allowing the player to truly feel immersed. After playing other third-party titles on the Nintendo Switch, it is obvious that first party games developed by Nintendo such as Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild, Super Mario Odyssey, and Splatoon 2, really manage to showcase the true capabilities of the Switch.

Both the handheld and docked experience while playing this game was enjoyable and stable. There were minor frame rate drops but those only happened when the heat of the battle kicked into overdrive. Besides that, the game ran and played beautifully.

Fire Emblem Warriors starts off its story with a weird open dimension plothole that brings characters from gamers favorite Fire Emblem titles such as Awakening and Fates into the fold. It really doesn’t make too much sense, but nonetheless, it was cool seeing these characters from different games interact with each other. The main focus of Fire Emblem Warriors, however, is its gameplay.

Being a Warrior title, players can expect the usual style of gameplay. Hack, slash, and strategically place your allies is the name of the game. This is where Fire Emblem Warriors truly shines. The developers managed to create a nearly perfect strategy title. With new features implemented such as the Triangle Weapon ecosystem where Swords beat Axes and Axes beat Spears. This new ecosystem will have players managing characters with certain weapons more directly. Send a character with a sword to take out an axe enemy base, and it will be easier. Send someone with a spear and it will take much longer. It brings an extra layer of strategy to the game, which is welcomed.

Characters generally listen to commands efficiently enough, however, there are plenty of times that your allies won’t do anything after they finished their task. You will most definitely be micromanaging all eight characters that can be present on the battlefield at once. You could preset certain characters to defend or attack, but sometimes it not worth it as the AI takes both commands too literal. If you make a character defend, they will only defend that one position for the entire match and not help out anything else. And vice versa with the attack command, if you deploy this the AI takes it to heart and will attack any situation without any guidance, even if it gets themselves killed.

Once an ally goes down and you learn how much it will cost to revive them, you will quickly learn that it is better to just micromanage them yourselves and save yourself the headaches that will ensue otherwise.

The Fire Emblem Warriors campaign is long enough coming in around 20 or plus hours depending on how you play the game. There are a couple of ways to start the game as well; players can choose the classic permadeath playstyle or go with an easier casual playstyle that will give players automatic revives after each stage. Which playstyle you pick will make the game feel different as you will be more careful and mindful on the classic mode while a little more carefree on the casual.

While we’re on the subject, Fire Emblem Warriors also has a good amount of characters to choose from. There are about 20 characters that span across some of the most iconic Fire Emblem titles. The developers also did a good job locking these characters behind their challenge time trial modes. If you want to access a certain character, gamers will have to play the mode and hope to complete it with success if they want that certain character. Its a good mechanic that will keep the longevity of the game.

However, if you are a casual gamer, this title might not be for you. There is quite a lot for you to grasp; from the various Fire Emblem characters to learn to the deep stragetic gameplay style of the game. If you fall in this type of gamer, I would suggest waiting for a price drop for the game; it could still be enjoyable for those who are brand new to both franchises, but at full price, you might regret the purchase.

Fire Emblem Warriors is pure enjoyment for both fans of Fire Emblem games and Warrior style games alike. It has a deeper than expected strategy focus that will have the player micromanaging the battlefield while also hacking and slashing their way to victory. It’s a good blend of the two properties, it’s as simple as that. The game looks good, plays great, and is a total blast to play.

Did you pick up Fire Emblem Warriors for the Nintendo Switch? How are you liking it s far? Let us know in the comments below!