Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave has not been available long enough for the Switch 2 to report my playtime, but I estimate I have spent about 10 hours with it. Only a small portion of that time, however, has involved actually weaving fortunes.
That is not because the game has failed to win me over. I am enjoying its protagonists considerably, and I have been surprised by how much I like almost everyone apart from Theodora. The problem is that the cast rarely stops talking.
A lot of story, not enough momentum
Conversation is vital to a plot-heavy strategy RPG, but Fortune’s Weave repeatedly explains points it has already made. Many exchanges feel like extended versions of conversations that came immediately before them, as though the game does not trust players to remember what they have just read.
The writing is so elaborate that a new conversation can begin with a clear point in its first text panel, followed by several more panels that add little. With auto-advance enabled, it is tempting to look away briefly because the essential information has already landed.
A post from Jeff Grubb (@grubb.wtf) offers a particularly spoilery example of the same issue:
Fire Emblem spoilers, I guess. After 50 hours of proper-noun plotslop, this is what broke me. If this doesn’t affect you like it does me, then have at it. It is relentless, though.
For more gaming and arcade-industry commentary, browse the RETROCADE Arcade Blog or explore the arcade videos.
The tutorials are guilty too
The game’s tutorial prompts add to the slowdown. I understand the need to introduce systems and communicate important information, but repeated instruction panels can add several minutes to the overall playtime.
There is a difference between teaching a meaningful mechanic and defining something self-evident. When a tutorial needs to explain that every dot on the world map is called a “location”, the onboarding has become excessive.
The same principle applies to any arcade machine buying guide: useful information should help people make decisions, not bury the point beneath repetition. Fortune’s Weave would benefit from that same editorial discipline.
Nintendo, this game needs a firm editorial pass. Tighten the dialogue, reduce the tutorial interruptions and give the actual fortune-weaving more room to breathe.
That would make an already enjoyable adventure move with much more confidence, whether you are playing on a Switch 2 or taking a break to browse RETROCADE’s arcade machines.
Leave a Reply