The arrival of a new Fire Emblem title often feels like something of a reset in video games. There’s always a Fire Emblem game in development at some point in the halls of Intelligent Systems, who have continued to refine and perfect their spectacular strategy RPG franchise, and inevitably, a new entry comes at precisely the right time. It’s a series that doesn’t overstay its welcome, and that’s quite an achievement these days.
The latest iteration is Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave, which takes place within the same realm as 2019’s Three Houses. While not a direct sequel, as it takes place in an entirely different time period, Fortune’s Weave continues the franchise tradition of allowing games to cross over both directly and indirectly. Fortune’s Weave is a game built on the themes of legacy, and it carries those themes through its narrative and its game design.
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After having spent roughly 50 hours with Fortune’s Weave, it’s place in the annals of the Fire Emblem franchise is going to be a fascinating one. On the one hand, Fortune’s Weave is a spectacular strategy RPG that utilizes complex systems and is absolutely stuffed with content and things to do. Conversely, it’s a formula that’s starting to feel a bit rote, but when a game feels as good as Fortune’s Weave, it’s hard to complain too much.
Behold the Flame Lords
Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave takes place in the Dagdan Empire, hundreds of years before the events of Three Houses. After the game’s prologue, where the very fate of the world is left in peril, you are tasked with intervening in the lives of multiple champions that the game refers to as Flame Lords. Their lives are important to the salvation of the world, so their survival is paramount.
Each Flame Lord has their own story and route to experience, and with a grand total of four, there’s just a staggering amount of content and stories to enjoy. As ever with Fire Emblem, Fortune’s Weave is a game built to last. It’s a title that wants you to play it, then keep playing it until there’s nothing else left to play. The Fire Emblem games have always been rather large commitments, and as with the previous incarnations, Fortune’s Weave is a game that takes its time to really get rolling.
For as many things as Fire Emblem gets right, there’s often been a feeling of frustration for me at how it kind of bungles the little things. Those little things tend to add up, and in a game that has as many highs as Fortune’s Weave, the lows really hit like an 18-wheeler. There’s nothing wrong with a game being a slow burn, but Fortune’s Weave is one of the slowest of slow burns.
The Flame Lords are an absolutely delightful cast of diverse, compelling characters. And during my first hour or so with Fortune’s Weave, I found myself a little worried, as the main cast that connects to each Flame Lord via the game’s prologue are rather dull. They feel like some of the worst stock Fire Emblem characters, but once you’re able to get going with the Flame Lords, the game really finds itself.
Strategy Perfection
For over three decades, Fire Emblem has been the premiere place for strategy RPGs. Many have attempted to challenge for the throne, and many have come frighteningly close, but Fire Emblem’s vice-like grip on the strategy RPG genre is one that isn’t showing any sign of loosening any time soon. Fortune’s Weave continues to prove why Intelligent Systems have remained at the top of that mountain.
The combat in Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave creates some of the most satisfying, entertaining conflicts I’ve ever experienced in a video game. It’s not entirely surprising, as Intelligent Systems have been absolutely crushing it ever since Fire Emblem first debuted, but even more so when the franchise entered 3D with 2005’s Path of Radiance.
Each Flame Lord has their own story and route to experience, and with a grand total of four, there’s just a staggering amount of content and stories to enjoy.
It’s really the way that Fortune’s Weave staggers each escalation of the combat that works in its favor, and if you’re a long-time veteran of the franchise from way back, you will likely have no problems getting into the action. If you’re new to Fire Emblem, however, Intelligent Systems has also become rather adept at finding ways to make sure the game is easy to get into, but they will amp up the challenge significantly once they feel you’re in a groove.
It’s the kind of combat system that is so genuinely enthralling, that it makes the somewhat long wait between battles feel more compelling. It helps make each story section feel more honest, as Fire Emblem has found a way to feel like an interactive fantasy novel of sorts. It’s all about great game design at work, as the combat compliments the story, and vice versa. That level of design is a high bar to reach, but Intelligent Systems has continuously showcased their skill in doing so, and Fortune’s Weave is no different.
The King of Kings
Fortune’s Weave is the first Fire Emblem game built exclusively for the Switch 2. The gap between Fire Emblem: Engage, which was made specifically for the first Switch, is a fascinating one. It still targets 1080p and 30 FPS, hitting that rather easily, but this often feels like something of a missed opportunity. Fortune’s Weave looks perfectly fine, but it’s not targeting hyperrealism or 4K, so the cap at 30 feels a bit strange.
Even so, the game looks absolutely beautiful in motion. You could feel Fire Emblem: Engage starting to burst at the seams a little on Switch 1, but Fortune’s Weave performs admirably on Switch 2. It’s a little disappointing that Intelligent Systems is targeting 30 FPS, when it seems obvious the game could clear 60, but it’s not the worst thing in the world.
Many have attempted to challenge for the throne, and many have come frighteningly close, but Fire Emblem’s vice-like grip on the strategy RPG genre is one that isn’t showing any sign of loosening any time soon.
Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave is another absolutely dazzling strategy RPG from Intelligent Systems, but I can’t help but feel that I was going through the motions during certain parts of the game. On the surface, it’s a breathtaking experience with brilliant combat and charming characters, but I found myself wondering if the franchise was capable of more. More than anything else, it feels like Fire Emblem could benefit from a much larger break to really find a formula that doesn’t feel as familiar.
That being said, Fortune’s Weave is still a marvelous experience that shouldn’t be missed. It has some of the best combat in the entire franchise, and once the story really starts taking its big swings, the payoff is absolutely masterful. Among the increasingly large number of reasons to finally buy a Nintendo Switch 2 this year, Fortune’s Weave is certainly going to be remembered as one of them.
Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave continues the franchise tradition of combining addictive strategy combat with an expansive, complex story in a huge fantasy kingdom. There are elements of Fortune’s Weave that are starting to feel a little familiar, and it feels like the franchise needs to do something wildly different soon, but what’s here is truly sparkling. The game’s design is superb, and it’s going to very easily be one of the best games on the Switch 2 this year.
Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave
Reviewed on Nintendo Switch 2
9/10
Released
September 17, 2026
ESRB
Teen / Fantasy Violence, Mild Language, Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol, In-Game Purchases
Publisher(s)
Nintendo
Pros & Cons
- Stupendous combat system
- Outstanding music and sound design
- A lot of content
- Entertaining cast of characters
- The formula feels a little stale at this point
- Main cast is alarmingly bland compared to the Flame Lords
- Takes a while to get really interesting
- Performance is good, but feels safe
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