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Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave starts with a curious mix of ancient legends, tactical battles, and futuristic magic. Its opening hours introduce plenty of mysteries before the larger story comes into focus. The early chapters have not yet brought together the political intrigue and strategy the series is known for, but their characters and ideas make it easy to want to continue.
Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave sets up a story across time
The game begins with a brief chance to play as a customizable hero, then moves into a strange scenario involving medieval-looking characters, advanced computer systems, and weapons that channel magic. In an Obelisk Chamber, a brightly colored goddess named Fortuna speaks on behalf of Sothis, the young goddess from Fire Emblem: Three Houses. Sothis asks the hero to revisit the past and change the histories of legendary figures, apparently to help avert a disaster in the present.
The opening leaves many details unexplained. That ambiguity seems intentional: the preview section introduces the game’s central pieces without revealing how they fit together. For players who prefer a clear explanation early on, the shifting timelines and unusual technology may take some getting used to. It helps to pay attention to the characters and the obelisks, since these appear to guide the story’s different routes.
Four obelisks offer different pasts to explore, each connected to a celebrated hero who has become a fallen warrior and an evil flame lord. Choosing one leads into a story that reaches Dagsion, capital of the Dagdan Empire. The city hosts the Heroic Games, a tournament inspired by gladiatorial contests, where the selected heroes have important roles.
Tactical battles add new layers to familiar strategy
One early route follows Leda, a magical bard driven by a desire to avenge her father. She travels in search of clues and money, entertaining alehouse crowds with music and dance. On the battlefield, her mystical vihuela supports nearby allies through her character-specific Blaze Art.
Blaze Arts consume HP, so using one at the right moment matters. Combat Arts introduce another trade-off: they strengthen particular weapons but reduce their durability. Both systems add decisions to the familiar grid-based battles, where positioning, planned advances, and flanking can make the difference between a successful turn and a costly one.
The battles remain enjoyable, and their animations look especially polished. The game’s visual presentation also makes strong use of the Switch 2 hardware. A practical tip for tactical encounters is to consider both the immediate benefit of a special move and its cost; spending HP or weapon durability too freely can limit options later.
Dungeon combat and excursions offer a change of pace
Dungeon crawling brings back an element associated with Fire Emblem Gaiden, originally released in Japan in 1992 and later remade as Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia in 2017. The return of exploration is welcome, although the preview’s dungeon encounters use turn-based combat rather than the series’ grid-based battles. So far, these fights feel less compelling than the tactical encounters, and the option to speed them up or skip to the results may be useful for players eager to get back to the main battles.
Video editor Eric Van Allen chose a different obelisk and explored Cai’s past. Cai is an optimistic young hero whose search for a better life leads him and his childhood friends toward the Heroic Games. Excursions beyond Dagsion let the group take on quests, hunt for resources, and explore the surrounding country. These activities build renown and help develop the sense that Cai is becoming a more recognizable and formidable figure.
For a smoother early experience, alternate between story chapters and excursions when available. Quests and resource hunts provide useful rewards, while exploring the area offers more context for Cai’s journey.
Does Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave hook you early?
Not every system or story thread has clicked in the opening stretch. The dungeon fights have yet to match the satisfaction of the grid-based battles, and the broader narrative is still unfolding. Even so, the combination of branching histories, distinctive characters, tactical choices, and striking presentation creates enough intrigue to keep the adventure moving.
Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave is still building toward its full story, so these impressions reflect only an early portion of the game. Its opening may be a slow burn, but there is already plenty to investigate—and the unanswered questions make continuing feel worthwhile.
