Critical consensus for <i>Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave</i>, the latest tactical RPG from Intelligent Systems and Nintendo, indicates a new high water mark for the long-running series, with reviewers lauding both its quality and immense scale.
Aggregate scores place <i>Fortune's Weave</i> at 89 on Metacritic and 90 on OpenCritic, with several outlets, including IGN and Eurogamer, awarding perfect or near-perfect scores. These figures tie the game with 2019's <i>Fire Emblem: Three Houses</i> as the second-highest-rated entry in the franchise, trailing only 2013's <i>Fire Emblem: Awakening</i>.
Reviewers frequently highlighted the game's ambitious scope and intricate design. Eurogamer's five-star review described <i>Fortune's Weave</i> as a "pinnacle of combat design" and a "sumptuous feast," praising its ability to blend the storytelling strengths of <i>Three Houses</i> with the refined combat of <i>Fire Emblem Engage</i>, while incorporating a party-based battle system from <i>Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia</i> into an expansive world map.
IGN awarded the game a "Masterpiece" rating, with critic Brendan Graeber commending the narrative structure across four threads and the player's ability to manage story permutations within a single save file. The intricate twists of each hero's story path were cited as a key factor in the game's compelling final act.
Siliconera's review emphasized the game's sheer size, noting that it plays out over three acts and can feel akin to two full games bundled together. While the developer's efforts to make the experience manageable were appreciated, some disappointment was expressed regarding the Support system.
Some critics found aspects of the game's length and narrative to be less successful. Giant Bomb's Jeff Grubb, while enjoying the tactical gameplay, criticized the plot as "vacuous" and the writing as "hollow." RPG Site's Cullen Black noted that the game's complexity and length, with one playthrough exceeding 161 hours, could be overwhelming, though he still found the experience largely enjoyable.
Polygon's assessment called <i>Fortune's Weave</i> a "monumental achievement" and "one of Nintendo's greats," noting that the game demands significant time and mental investment but offers substantial rewards. The review indicated that over 120 hours of gameplay had been invested, with significant portions of content still unexplored, suggesting a game that warrants a lengthy, deliberate experience.
<i>Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave</i> is set to release exclusively for the Nintendo Switch 2 on September 17.