Nintendo has uploaded a new trailer for the upcoming Fire Emblem Engage, the next mainline entry in the Fire Emblem series, which releases next year. The trailer is surprisingly long and detailed, showcasing a lot of new characters and previously unknown information about the game’s setting of Elyos. Alear, the main character, is given the quest to collect all twelve Emblem Rings to help defeat the Fell Dragon, an ancient evil sealed away over one thousand years ago that is soon to reappear.
The Emblem Rings have the power to summon Emblems, which are an echo or spirit of heroes of past Fire Emblem games. Marth is the one that’s shown most prominently in the trailer, and he appears to be the one most relevant to the story, as he’s seen having several conversations with Alear. This is unsurprising, as he’s the protagonist of the first-ever Fire Emblem game from 1990, and he’s arguably the most recognized Fire Emblem character due to his inclusion in the mega-popular Super Smash Bros series since 2001.
Alear is a Divine Dragon who has also reawakened after a thousand-year slumber and part of their quest involves recovering their lost memories, which will seemingly allow them to summon more Emblems. At one point in the trailer, Marth states, “I was able to answer your call… because you remembered me.” This trailer showed for the first time certain other Emblems you’ll be able to summon, which include fan favorites like Celica, Roy, Ike, Lyn, and Lucina.
The trailer also shows off the four kingdoms that were said to seal away the Fell Dragon one thousand years ago. It’s clear Alear’s journey will take them across these four kingdoms, and they will meet and recruit many characters along the way. The antagonist faction sounds like it’s called Illusia, and given that “some Illusians worship the Fell Dragon,” they’re undoubtedly going to clash with the main character.
Finally, the trailer reveals that you, the player, aren’t the only one who will have Emblem Rings. Some nefarious actors will as well, and as seen towards the end, they’ll have the powers to control the Emblems and turn them against you. The final sequences show Marth turning a dark shade of red as he grunts in pain. We also get some quick shots of an evil Lyn and an evil Lucina. Fans have had their excitement rekindled with this trailer, many praising the story’s potential, though some still express disdain toward the game’s flashier and more colorful character designs.
Fire Emblem Engage releases on January 20, 2023, exclusively for the Nintendo Switch.