The Nintendo Switch 2 has been quietly, deliberately building a must-have library of games.

And for me, personally, Fortune’s Weave has shot right to the top of the list. The Fire Emblem games, in particular, have always been favourites of mine with their focus on strategy, story-telling, character and world building, and Three Houses may very well be one of my Top 20 Titles.

For Fortune’s Weave, Nintendo have continued that high quality on, bringing together a massive world, full of arching storylines, dramatic moments, and high stakes battles, both making this a game that looks incredible on the big screen, but also suits the part as a handheld delight.

To me, it epitomises what the Switch 2 is, really taking advantage of the hybrid nature of the console and even making strong use of its specific features, like adding Mouse Support which, honestly, I don’t think I’ll ever be able to play another Fire Emblem game without it.

Entering the timeline as a prequel to Three Houses, Fortune’s Weave immediately reintroduces us to a familiar character – Sothis – and is set in the Dagdan Empire, fighting off the imminent threat of the demon god, Balor.

Initially taking on the role of the Pale Raven God, the game will eventually open up, enabling you to take on four different stories, led by four heroes, building to the events of the current day.

The game’s storytelling just immediately draws you in, as you take on dungeons, move between open maps and tackle side quests as you lead into the Heroic Games.

Of course, the game follows the standard turn-based, grid-centric board where you take it turns to move your units, get in range and take down mercenaries, creatures, and other rivals using a variety of techniques, such as Combat Arts and Blaze Attacks which bring out the ferocity of your characters.

It’s a tried and tested formula that’s balanced as wonderfully as ever, with a few new twists. For instance, new dungeons now let you take on a more traditional RPG, Final Fantasy style fight of turn v turn where you can easily link up with your teammates for more powerful attacks.

From top to bottom, each character’s piece of the world has its own look and feel, making them all the more memorable and their stories gripping you from the off, and through all the content, there is so much game here. Almost too much at times, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing for someone like me who wants more, but it’s hard to believe just how large this offering actually is.

Adding in voice acting to the game’s score also just give these characters so much more emotional weight, giving so much more energy to key plot points while modernising and freshening up the experience, bringing the best of the Fire Emblem franchise to date and giving you so much more for it.

Equally, as a story, it doesn’t shy away from heavy moments, big setpieces and bringing a drama rarely seen in a Nintendo game before. Particularly with its writing as many of the characters could have even carried their own game, but it just shows how much imagination and creativity has gone into a project which is clearly brimming with great ideas.

The incremental challenge also works wonderfully in terms of gradually giving the player new things to uncover and unpack, with each of the four characters not just having new story but also having a gameplay ability, with Cai being able to tame mounts, and Deitrich locating enemies.

All set within the city of Dagison, it serves as a central hub area for the wider game, and you can get new units recruited to your cause, as well as gain new armor and weapons at shops and local venues. To me, this is where the games’ genius creeps in, is how despite all these individual stories, they have a connective tissue to them which helps the wider narrative move forward.

Dungeons themselves are also a great addition to the game, giving both Final Fantasy but even classic 90s RPG vibes to them where you clear them of enemies, loot the treaures and try to find hidden passageways to help you get around faster.

For me, Fire Emblem Fortune’s Weave might just be Game of the Year for this moment. We still have some huge titles to come, but this is everything that I could have wanted from the series and more. It benefits greatly being a Switch 2 title, it’s traditional Fire Emblem, more of the same, but also much more besides. And it is the perfect entry point to one of Nintendo’s more niche IPs.

The stories of these characters are some of the best the games have ever told, and the way everything comes together is some of the best work Nintendo has ever done. Whether you’re a veteran, a deep lover of RPGs or just want something a bit different that suits all playstyles on Switch 2, I cannot recommend this beautiful game enough.

Verdict

Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave is a tactical masterpiece, filled with exciting narrative twists and turns, beautifully designed characters in a rich world, with some clever additions that really bolster everything that comes alongside it. You have hours and hours of content to plough through, each one more compelling than the last. It’s a big game, which might even feel too overwhelming for some players, but RPG enthusiasts, series veterans, and those who appreciate Nintendo’s more fringe titles are going to absolutely love every moment of this and appreciate the scope and scale, as well as the benefits being on Switch 2 offers. My favourite Switch 2 game to date!

Pros

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Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave is out now on Nintendo Switch 2

Code Kindly Provided by Nintendo for review purposes