Gameplay is very fun and addictive, graphics, animation and ost at the top. Apart from an artistic direction that is less successful, a slightly overplayed acting in English, a translation that is not always fair compared to the original version, this game deserves better than the rating assigned to it. If you manage to overcome these little flaws, you will discover a real hidden gem that will fill you for hours.
«Can’t stop playing»
«Underrated»
Some minor spoilers for classes, character names and game length.
If you like (modern) Fire Emblems, you'll probably like Engage as well. I think it's also heavily inspired by Fire Emblem Heroes, both with regards to gameplay and to character design, but I'm not too sure because I haven't played Heroes yet.
I had a good time, but I think the game is too long for how little it innovates gameplay along the way (130 hours for a semi-completionist playthrough) and there are too few side missions. The story is boring and might as well not have been there (I got some Power Rangers vibes, oddly enough), but Fire Emblem's stories are never the main draw (for me at least). What I do take issue with is the immensely bland cast of characters: I was somewhat attached to some, like Lapis, Chloé and Rosado, but I didn't care for the rest at all. They have no challenges to overcome, there is no conflict between them to be resolved and their personalities can be described with the word for the thing that they like ("this character likes working out", "this character likes tea", that's it).
Character and class design is hit or miss. Most regular classes look pretty cool, but some others look very edgy or look like clowns/jesters and are really off-putting. Most characters look quite cool or cute as well, but the girls and women are unnecessarily sexualized: huge breasts, low-cut shirts, boob windows, bare stomachs and thighs, round butts, bra armour, short skirts, etc. And to be clear, women being sexual or sexy is not an issue, but their sexualization in videogames is, especially when they clearly are very young.
Like I said, I had a good time playing Fire Emblem Engage, but I obviously have some issues with it. If you can only buy one game every now and then, this would be a good choice, because you can put a lot of hours into it :)
If you like (modern) Fire Emblems, you'll probably like Engage as well. I think it's also heavily inspired by Fire Emblem Heroes, both with regards to gameplay and to character design, but I'm not too sure because I haven't played Heroes yet.
I had a good time, but I think the game is too long for how little it innovates gameplay along the way (130 hours for a semi-completionist playthrough) and there are too few side missions. The story is boring and might as well not have been there (I got some Power Rangers vibes, oddly enough), but Fire Emblem's stories are never the main draw (for me at least). What I do take issue with is the immensely bland cast of characters: I was somewhat attached to some, like Lapis, Chloé and Rosado, but I didn't care for the rest at all. They have no challenges to overcome, there is no conflict between them to be resolved and their personalities can be described with the word for the thing that they like ("this character likes working out", "this character likes tea", that's it).
Character and class design is hit or miss. Most regular classes look pretty cool, but some others look very edgy or look like clowns/jesters and are really off-putting. Most characters look quite cool or cute as well, but the girls and women are unnecessarily sexualized: huge breasts, low-cut shirts, boob windows, bare stomachs and thighs, round butts, bra armour, short skirts, etc. And to be clear, women being sexual or sexy is not an issue, but their sexualization in videogames is, especially when they clearly are very young.
Like I said, I had a good time playing Fire Emblem Engage, but I obviously have some issues with it. If you can only buy one game every now and then, this would be a good choice, because you can put a lot of hours into it :)