Part of the draw of Fire Emblem Engage is the mix of new and returning characters players will get to know and utilize in their battle strategies. As exciting as it is to see the return of iconic characters as Emblems for veterans of the franchise, their inclusion might not have the same impact for newcomers to the series who may not be familiar with the games these characters originate from. Luckily, Fire Emblem Engage helps give newcomers some context for these characters through the return of the series-staple paralogue chapters.
Paralogues are the Fire Emblem series' version of side quests—optional chapters that don't affect the main story, but often yield worthwhile rewards like new characters to recruit. While Fire Emblem Engage features a couple of early game paralogues for players to recruit Jean and Anna into their armies, most of the optional chapters in this entry focus on the Emblem Heroes. Each one has their own specific paralogue that rewards players with that Emblem's max bond rank when completed, but also offers a look at pivotal moments from that character's home game to give players a better understanding of their past.
Paralogues Highlight Heroes' Past Deeds for Those Unfamiliar
As players prepare to face off against an Emblem Hero during their paralogue, they will offer some context as to the location of the battle and its significance in their respective home games. This gives new players a chance to learn more about a character they may be unfamiliar with, especially those from the Japan-exclusive entries. For veterans, this is a great opportunity to relive some of the highlights of the series' past, including details like remixed battle themes from their respective games, while facing off against the Emblems at their full strength.
The first Emblem paralogue players will unlock is Emblem Lucina's which becomes available after Chapter 11. This battle takes place in the Arena of the Gods, a reference to the Arena Ferox map in Lucina's home game Fire Emblem Awakening. During this optional chapter, Lucina mentions that this place is significant to her as it is where she fought against her father, Chrom, while disguised as Marth during the tournament held there by the Khans of Regna Ferox. The layout and enemy placement of this paralogue's map is also nearly identical to its original incarnation in Fire Emblem Awakening.
Following Chapter 12, players will next get access to Emblem Lyn's paralogue, which sees the Divine Dragon face off against the Emblem Hero on a map that closely resembles the Sacae Plains of her home game, Fire Emblem: The Blazing Blade, or simply Fire Emblem in its release outside Japan. During this paralogue, Lyn will recount her upbringing among the Lorca tribe and the terrible tragedy that befell her people when bandits poisoned their drinking water and destroyed their village. The map specifically bears a striking resemblance to Chapter 20B of Fire Emblem: The Binding Blade, the Japan-exclusive game set 20 years after the events of Lyn's home game.
As players progress the story and gain access to more Emblem Rings, they will continue to unlock the paralogues for their associated Emblem Heroes. Other standouts include Emblem Ike's chapter at the Fort of Hope reminiscent of his first time leading the Greil Mercenaries in Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance and Emblem Byleth's at the Sacred Tomb, where he first acquires the Sword of the Creator within Fire Emblem: Three Houses' Garreg Mach Monastery. Each of these paralogues is worth experiencing not only to maximize an Emblem's bond rank, but to play through important moments in the series past as an homage to how far the Fire Emblem series has come.
Fire Emblem Engage is available now for Nintendo Switch.