Characterization Aid

When creating a character, ask yourself the following questions.
What living family does he have?
What deceased family does he have?
What colors does he prefer?
How well would he perform in the hit new tactical social deduction game Fire Emblem Shadows, the true test of wits?

Durabilitypunk

What was the last fantasy or science fiction story you read in which people kept breaking their weapons? It should be easy to remember, because it's the best you ever read.

Addendum

While you're at it, give all the secondary charactes their own kingdoms. That gives you the backstory for your next story.

Addendum

Now if they ever make a new Shining Force, mummies are all but guaranteed. It's all about style, you know. That goes for everything on this planet. Now on Mars, people only care how many customization options there are. Weirdos.

Speculation on the Next Fire Emblem

Will it be cyberpunk? Cybernonpunk? Those are the only two options. Mummycore is right out.

Some Reflections on Fire Emblem: Engage

Spoilers naturally


Hard isn't kidding around early on, though it is kidding around later. It's a satisfying tactical experience without being crazy hard. There is however some cheapness in some stages regarding boss movement and when they trigger.
The combat styles are a good attempt to reduce mounted dominance. Fliers feel like one option rather than the best one. Cavalry, however, seems too weak now. Perhaps it should have built-in Momentum, because as it is, increased movement alone is a poor bonus with how small the difference is and the additional terrain-ignoring fliers get.
It's a great idea to divide skills between the characters (personal and class skills) and the emblems (crazy nonsense). The game can be more complex while still being easy to understand because of the compartmentalization. That said, I would have preferred if the balance hadn't been tilted so far toward the emblem side. Even inherited skills come from emblems only and not from classes or something else.
SP gain is slow. Any kind of experimentation is pretty much locked to Normal, where skirmishes ought to be safe to do.
The story itself is decent, but the presentation of it is terrible. The cutscene direction is a big problem. I'm sure the writers imagined most of the lines between the good guys and the bad guys being delivered across a battlefield, not for everyone to walk up and stand in a cirle together and walk away when it's time for war and tactics. The blocking is boring even in good-guy-only conversations. There's no cinematic flair whatsoever. Another problem is that they use the lord's dumbfounded expression far too often.
The translators should be ashamed of themselves, but they most certainly are not.
The voice director should get some of that shame too.
The cast is decent. Pretty normal Fire Emblem stuff, which doesn't seem exceptional but is still better than most games.
The music is standard for Fire Emblem as well, which is to say completely forgettable. It isn't essential to have super-special special weapons, but it can be fun. Unfortunately, most of the special effects go into emblem weapons. Outside of that theere's the lord's sword then nothing till the very late stages when you can get legendary weapons. The legend of a silver weapon but slightly better.
The biggest disapppointment of the game is Wyvern Ride. Only the little mascot could have fun with that one. Maybe I'm just mad he's better at it than I am.
Colors! How I missed them. Most importantly, the enemy range and threat colors and terrain distinctions, which in Three Houses were often hard to make out.
Rating: Good/Game.

The Mysteries of Fire Emblem: Engage

How did an old Gainax character become queen of Solm? Why aren't her kids Gainax characters? Did she ever find the secret of blue water?

Addendum

The internet sent it over. Never mind. There aren't problems in the world anymore.

The Lonely Cry of the Last Man

Everybody's getting engaged except me! Where's my eighteenth entry depending on how you count in the classic tactical RPG series Fire Emblem?

32 Years Later

As we prepare for the release of Fire Emblem: Engage, let's take a moment to reflect that Fire Emblem is a weak title. They should have called it something tough, like Langrisser or Black/Matrix. But now it's too late.

Title Rework Corner

Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones? Not in this day and age. Fire Emblem: Double Trouble! is what we'll call the remake. And while we're at it, let's change Fire Emblem to A Song of Horses and Wyverns. It's more marketable and more honest, a rare combination.

Sprucing Up Your Script

Out: Rosebud is a sled
In: Rosebud opens treasure chests

More Fire Emblem Trivia

Did you know that in the original game, the titular fire emblem is a skeleton key? Of course you do. Everyone knows that. It's still funny, though.

Fire Emblem Trivia

Did you know that Fire Emblem: Engage was originally planned to be an N-Gage game? They had to downscale it for the Switch, which is why it's taken so long to come out.

Nintendo Direct News and Analysis

Where can I find some of that? I can only watch the Various Daylife trailer so many times, fellas. I would also like to say that I hate the Fire Emblem main character's design so much that I like it. It feels like it has some real enthusiasm behind it, which I prefer to something bland. Bylandeth.

Addendum

I would have gone with Three Nopes, but I think that usage of "nope" is already dead. And Three Copes doesn't make sense if you think about it, which I know we all prefer not to.

Joke Corner

Fire Emblem Three Hopes? More like Fire Emblem Tree Ropes! For tire swings! I don't know. I'm just trying to manipulate search engine results.

Big Fire Emblem News

Is it true the next Fire Emblem game will take place in space and have jetpacks, space lances, and survivors of supersoldier experiments with high HP?

I know that isn't what the alleged leaks say, but I thought it would be more fun to make up my own. It's not as if knowing about the next game changes it. The matter does not wait upon our approval or fear our condemnation.

Farewell to Dragalia Lost

I don't really have anything to say about it, but attention must be paid. I can't believe they didn't put Link in it. It had more collabs with Capcom games than Nintendo. Come on, fellas.