Fire Emblem Engage is just around the corner, set to launch on January 20. And on Thursday, a trailer showed off the new hangout where you and your allies will hang out between battles: Somniel, a verdant floating fortress. In the trailer, the main character – with a huge mane of red and blue Colgate-ass hair – walks through Somniel’s lush layout, showing some fun activities. Much like previous Fire Emblem installments, this one promises fun shenanigans like stealing Wyverns, buying cute outfits, reading your fortune – and of course classic bonding activities like sharing meals and the Peach.
Somniel is full of places to prepare for your battles. In the game square you can buy armor and other items. There’s a Ring Room where you can store the rings you’ve collected and create new ones – a new gameplay element that allows players to boost stats. You can also fight in the Arena to gain experience and fight a series of battles in the Tower of Trials.
More importantly, there are plenty of activities to do with your allies in Somniel, like sharing (probably a lot) meals at Café Terrace to boost your allies’ stats. You can also train together, have your fortune read, ride a Wyvern into the sky through a course, and fish (of course). There’s a spooky farm where you can tend to the animals you’ve found on your adventures – the trailer shows a cat hanging out with a donkey, a beagle and a camel. There is also a very cute creature named Sommie who “has been here since time immemorial” and will grant luck to those who are kind to her.
The trailer also showed off some cool customization options – you can buy clothes and accessories like different shades for yourself but and your allies. You can also take a break by taking a nap in your huge wet room; but a cute ally of yours might wake you up, much like a Animal Crossing: New Horizons villagers showing up at your home.
Fire Emblem fans know how much of the series’ downtime between battles is spent chatting with allies and doing silly activities. In Fire Emblem: Three Houses players roamed the hallowed halls of Garreg Mach Monastery, spending activity points to cook fish skewers and eat what looked like 17 meals a day with students – all with the goal of bonding with one another with the others before going into battle. You could sword fight with Felix on the practice grounds, take Dorothea (and her silly little hat) to choir practice, or attempt to wake Lindhart from a nap.
Same Fire Emblem WarriorsMusou’s recent take on the franchise, gave players free time activities to do with their students like tea parties, horseback riding, and dusting.
I can’t wait to meet Fire Emblem Engageof his new allies and enjoy wacky excursions and activities with them, even if it all has to end on the battlefield.
