The rewind and blessings features in <em>Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave</em> have convinced me this is the way more video games should handle difficulty options, especially tactics games that could benefit from more flexibility. It's not about preserving a sense of identity through challenge, but about providing ways to experiment, have fun, and learn at one's own pace without altering the game's fundamental structure.
<em>Three Houses</em> introduced the Divine Pulse rewind in 2019, and <em>Engage</em> carried it over with minimal changes. Those games offered limited uses, suggesting hesitation from Intelligent Systems about player reception and potential casualization. <em>Fortune’s Weave</em>, however, removes that constraint, offering infinite rewinds on normal difficulty and up to 20 on hard mode, though the latter consumes Divine Sand. This generosity has drawn criticism from some players, but the core argument is that these options are not mandatory, and players on easier difficulties should not be penalized for having them.
The latter half of <em>Fortune’s Weave</em> significantly ramps up the difficulty. Battles on hard mode can extend to 90 minutes, while even normal mode can demand an hour of continuous play. Part 2 Chapter 3, a densely packed city battle with cavalry, elephants, and relentless reinforcements, exemplifies this challenge. One player described using their last Divine Sand on rewinds and blessings, relying on a mid-battle save to correct mistakes that had occurred much earlier, ultimately finding immense fun in overcoming the difficult scenario. Without such assists, the frustration of lengthy, unforgiving battles could lead to players abandoning the game.
This experience contrasts with other tactics games, such as <em>Star Wars Zero Company</em>, which can feel inflexible and punishing due to a lack of undo options or mid-battle saves. Even games like <em>Mario + Rabbids</em>, while shorter, restrict players from undoing movement, which offers little strategic benefit. Long battles in titles like <em>Final Fantasy Tactics</em> or older <em>Fire Emblem</em> entries, like <em>Blazing Blade</em>, often necessitate full restarts for minor errors, diminishing the desire to play. Features like the Switch Online's save-anytime option for <em>Path of Radiance</em> highlight the value of such conveniences for replayability.
In contrast, <em>Fortune's Weave</em>'s difficulty options encourage strategic risk-taking. Players can experiment with unit positioning, team compositions, and combat arts, knowing that mistakes can be rectified without significant time loss. This freedom allows for deeper learning and more innovative play.
Beyond rewinds, the blessings system offers further strategic depth. Players can use abilities like Aurora's damage reduction or Kalla's evasion to mitigate risks or ensure unit survival. While not foolproof, these blessings provide additional layers of tactical choice, making the game more open-ended. For a player who has followed the series since <em>Blazing Blade</em>, <em>Fortune's Weave</em>'s flexible systems, including its open class system and potent personal abilities, foster a sense of freedom in planning and execution not felt in previous entries.
