The second Fire Emblem Warriors game is just around the corner now. Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes will release on June 24, and if the Koei Tecmo’s first take on Fire Emblem was anything to go by, this is going to be something special indeed.
Three Hopes will be significantly different to that first game though. The first Fire Emblem Warriors was a celebration of the series to date. It brought together all your favourite characters from across the entire series (including Lyn! Lyn!) for a kind of all-star battle royale. Three Hopes, meanwhile, is a direct continuation of the story of Fire Emblem: Three Houses, so will only include characters from that game. That’s not necessarily a problem, since the cast of Three Houses is spectacular (especially Hilda), and the tighter focus of the game should lend itself to a better and more cohesive narrative, but it is a different focus.
In the lead-up to release, Koei Tecmo and Nintendo has shared a new and extended trailer, that highlights many of the characters and some of the gameplay features. One of the most intriguing of these is the strategic map. I would not go in expecting Crusader Kings, of course, but as the Warriors Empires sub-series shows, Koei Tecmo knows how to mix light strategy with big action. As the press release states:
“Players can give orders to allies in real time, while hacking and slashing through hordes of enemies. Some strategical elements from Fire Emblem: Three Houses, such as Adjutants, are also making a comeback. These allies can protect the player and help them unleash powerful moves called Partner Specials.
“Forces can be manoeuvred across the map while keeping an eye on objectives. Extra events, such as the appearance of Survey Spots, the merchant Anna who sells valuable items and more can be found on the map as well.”
This is easily one of my most anticipated games of 2022. I cannot wait.
