Summary
- Fire Emblem Engage received mixed reviews with polished gameplay but lackluster story, leaving fans with lingering questions.
- Leaked before official announcement, Fire Emblem Engage's unconventional design raised eyebrows, overshadowing a rumored remake.
- Speculation continues around a Fire Emblem 4 remake as a potential successor to Fire Emblem Engage amid ongoing anticipation.
Fire Emblem Engage was released a few years after the series' thirty-year anniversary, and was met with somewhat mixed reception. The game featured some of the most polished gameplay in the series, but a story that was rarely lauded by critics. Although conversation about the game has quieted down significantly, Fire Emblem Engage has still left one major question hanging in the air.
A little under two years have passed since Fire Emblem Engage was released in January of last year. However, Fire Emblem Engage leaked online long before it was officially announced. These leaks were often laughed off at the time thanks to the more unconventional aspects of Alear's design. Of course, they turned out to be true, but a game leaked alongside Engage remains unseen.
One Year Later, Fire Emblem Engage Doesn't Have the Staying Power of Its Predecessor
Despite the huge growth in the franchise's popularity over the past decade, Fire Emblem Engage has had a hard time standing out a year after release.
A Fire Emblem 4 Remake Should Still Be on Every Fan's Mind
Fire Emblem Engage's Origins as a Ridiculous Rumor
Within the Fire Emblem community, much of the conversation these days revolves around a potential Fire Emblem Engage successor more than it does any other aspect of the game itself. However, the next Fire Emblem game may already be known to fans who have been paying close attention since before Engage's development cycle.
Fire Emblem Engage was not the only game mentioned within the leak that revealed its existence. These very same rumors also revealed plans for an upcoming Fire Emblem remake, with many fans stirring ongoing speculation about the topic ever since. Although Fire Emblem Engage's rumored existence was eventually proven true, the accompanying Fire Emblem remake still has yet to rear its head.
Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia May Have Paved the Way for Future Fire Emblem Remakes
The particular game that was placed on everyone's radar was Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War, otherwise known simply as FE4. Though the game's status as an obscure title should make it seem less likely, there are notable factors that actually lend this leak further credibility. For one, other recent titles indicate why Nintendo would prioritize a Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War remake.
Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia paved the way for future titles, and certainly set an evident precedent. The title being remade by Echoes was Fire Emblem Gaiden, the second game in the series. Fire Emblem Gaiden shares a key similarity with Genealogy of the Holy War, one that makes its remake sound all the more likely. Most notably, neither Fire Emblem Gaiden nor Genealogy of the Holy War ever received an international release.
Even today, there's no viable way to legitimately play the original titles. Fire Emblem first came to international audiences with the seventh game in the series. While Fire Emblem: Blazing Blade certainly deserves a remake, it is already much more accessible than its predecessors. Echoes seems to suggest that developers are focusing on remaking the games that need it the most, Fire Emblem titles with much less existing acclaim internationally.
Nintendo Could Pivot Fire Emblem Remake Plans
It's possible that the Fire Emblem Engage leak remains wholly credible, and remake plans have simply been scrapped, but this particular possibility seems unlikely. However, it is certainly worth mentioning that other Fire Emblem titles may be as deserving of a remake, if not more. Regardless, it's much more likely that Nintendo has simply continued to adjust the release window of the next Fire Emblem game.
Thanks to the growing popularity of the series, a new Fire Emblem game makes perfect sense as a Nintendo Switch 2 launch title. If rumors are to be believed, and evidence seems to indicate that they are, the Fire Emblem 4 remake likely began development long before the Switch was so close to the end of its lifespan. While a Fire Emblem remake would've been the perfect title for the Switch's final year, it's more likely than not that plans were simply delayed in order to accommodate the Nintendo Switch successor.
If anything, it may even be better to opt for releasing a new mainline game rather than another remake. Fans are certainly expecting a follow-up to Fire Emblem: Three Houses and Engage, and a remake wouldn't necessarily fill that role. Whatever the case, rumors of a Fire Emblem remake have lost neither credibility nor anticipation, despite the game's absence so far.
Fire Emblem Engage
- Released
- January 20, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T for Teen due to Fantasy Violence, Mild Language, Mild Suggestive Themes
- Developer(s)
- Intelligent Systems
- Publisher(s)
- Nintendo
- Franchise
- Fire Emblem
- Platform(s)
- Switch
- Genre(s)
- Tactical, JRPG
- How Long To Beat
- 40 Hours
