History YMMV / FireEmblemEngage

* HePannedItNowHeSucks: Inverse and [=GamesRadar+=]'s reviews caught some flack from long-time fans for giving the game a 6 and 5[[note]]Specifically, two and a half stars out of five[[/note]] out of 10 respectively because its story, characters and social mechanics were of lower quality than ''VideoGame/FireEmblemThreeHouses'', despite both admitting the gameplay is among the best in the series. Even those who agree with the story criticisms tend not to think it justifies scoring the game that low, especially since both reviews drag the game's overall Metacritic score down.

** The fact the international release heavily [[{{Bowdlerise}} Bowdlerised]] the romance options and S-Supports that were available in the original Japanese translation. While there will most likely be few arguments about this being a necessary change for the two child characters in the game (Lady Anna and Jean, who are both written with a JailBaitWait in mind with the Japanese script), the fact that the game went ''well'' above that and made almost every single S-Support in the game platonic has led to considerable frustration and division. Those in favor of it point out that the series was never built around the romance elements introduced in ''[[VideoGame/FireEmblemAwakening Awakening]]'' and that this was a return to form for the series, while many others pointed out the shipping elements was ''[[NewbieBoom why]]'' [[NewbieBoom they came to the series to begin with]], nevermind the ethics of censorship and the fact that the romantic endings that were in past ''Fire Emblem'' games [[OlderThanTheyThink also had these romantic elements]]. There was also the fact that Alear themself was 17 according to data mining and the only romance options in the game that were left untouched were entirely adults like Chloe; while some were fine with this as that meant the player couldn't project into romancing another minor, others found this hypocritical and ultimately bending so far over backwards to avoid pedophilia that they accidentally make Alear -- a minor themselves -- be in a romantic relationship with an adult anyways. Although others will counter that Alear being 17 is dubious at best (see below).

* GoodBadBugs: If Céline dies in chapter 12, the game mistakenly plays the voice clip of a (male) Solmite [=NPC=] thanking Fogado for saving them in place of her proper final words. Players joke that Céline's voice actress is showing off her range, or that Céline is snarking at Fogado for bringing her into a battle that resulted in her death.

** Unit-wise, Alcryst has gotten this to an extent. Many players praise him as one of the most useful units in the game and even its best archer, especially when promoted to the Tireur d'élite class and engaged with Lyn, dubbing him "All-Crits". This has lead to pushback with some claiming his status as a GameBreaker is exaggerated by fans and that the game's other archers (such as Etie) can be just as good if not better than him when put in the right class and/or engaged with Lyn. Some go as far as to argue he'd be an average unit if not for his exclusive access to [[ArmorPiercingAttack Luna]], which itself is not helped by how Luna's reliability to activate ranges from inconsistent to [[LuckBasedMission luck-based]].

** For all his role in the story, Griss is a pushover when he's fought in Chapter 20, as the sole boss of the chapter [[spoiler:with it being the last time he uses Emblem Celica against you]]. He's presented as one of the most dangerous opponents next to Zephia and Sombron himself. However, he's a mage, and has the least hp and weakest defenses out of the Four Hounds and delivers the worst performance out of any of them. The threat to his encounters often amounts to [[FlunkyBoss the swarms of enemies getting to him.]] Once, he's actually gotten to however, it takes little effort to eat through all of his health bars in a single phase. As long as he doesn't strike a unit he's effective against, his damage output can't threaten even most of the weaker units any better than generic enemy mages. Even when empowered by [[spoiler:Celica's ring]], all it amounts to is harassing units for two turns and running away, then stops doing it. Once you clear a path to him, he's helpless. What's more, if one of his health bars drops to zero, he'll stop teleporting prematurely and just warp back to the end of the map. Meaning that with enough planning you can potentially take out a third of the boss's health on the first turn without taking significant damage. [[spoiler:Though given that he uses Alear's revival of Emblem Celica to confirm that they are a Fell Dragon once he is defeated, it could very well be a case of GameplayAndStoryIntegration]].

** Whether the datamined ages for the characters should be accepted as canon. While it is unanimously agreed that Vander and Saphir's YoungerThanTheyLook designs clash badly with their claimed ages, one side argues there are no contradictions within the game for the datamined ages beyond the character designs (which might have been a result of miscommunications behind-the-scenes), point out some game mechanics play into them[[note]]For example, the S-Support portraits of characters the datamining claims are 17 or younger all consistently have the Pact Ring on their left hand while all of the characters claimed to be older have it on their right hand[[/note]], and accuse those who reject them of just wanting an excuse to sexualize the minors or ship them with adults (not helped by how some were indeed guilty of this). Others invoke GameplayAndStorySegregation and DeathOfTheAuthor, arguing some supports provide information or interactions that make the stated ages questionable (i.e Citrinne and Diamant were childhood playmates despite being eight years apart[[note]]Citrinne's age is especially tricky even if one tries to estimate it solely by supports as hers with Zelkov imply she is not yet an adult, some might chalk this up to the writers [[WritersCannotDoMath miscalculating]], [[DependingOnTheWriter disagreeing]], or miscommunicating on [[VagueAge her age]], etc.) which are sometimes responded to with claims that these are just examples CultureClash or ValuesDissonance the fans are misunderstanding. Finally, others say the ages are good as a baseline but should not be treated as gospel and can be disregarded if character designs or supports give reason for doubt.

** Despite being a child, Engage's version of Anna is dialed-back compared to her other modern incarnations. While still a shrewd businesswoman [[WiseBeyondTheirYears for her age]], it's not exaggerated to the point of a MoneyFetish like the ''[[VideoGame/FireEmblemAwakening Awakening]]'' and especially ''[[VideoGame/FireEmblemHeroes Heroes]]'' Annas.

** To the previous mainline entry in the series, ''VideoGame/FireEmblemThreeHouses'', due to the games falling on opposite ends of the StoryToGameplayRatio. ''Three Houses'' is an experimental ''Fire Emblem'' game that is much DarkerAndEdgier than the series' standard and puts a premium on characterization and narrative through multiple routes and social sim elements, in addition to other unorthodox approaches to classic ''Fire Emblem'' gameplay staples (like removing the weapon triangle's innate bonuses for having a weapon advantage in favor of equippable skills that grant a small bonus for the weapon advantage). ''Engage'', by contrast, is essentially a "back-to-basics" approach, focusing on tight level design and engaging core combat mechanics while sticking to a linear good-versus-evil plot, a LighterAndSofter story, generally broader characterization, and more traditional takes on those same gameplay staples (like the weapon triangle returning as a core gameplay feature with extra focus from the new Break mechanic). Supporters of ''Engage'' tend to PlayTheGameSkipTheStory, decrying ''Three Houses'' for being the tipping point of the franchise's strategy gameplay with its unfun level design and tedious social sim elements exacerbating a poorly handled class system, and a story that was overly ambitious, didn't need StoryBranching, and was [[TooBleakStoppedCaring far too bleak to get invested in]]. Supporters of ''Three Houses'' tend to EnjoyTheStorySkipTheGame, declaring ''Engage'' to have among the worst stories in the franchise with a ClicheStorm plot and a cast of mostly one-note characters, and argue the game lacks replay value in spite of the strong combat (or even that it is [[ItsHardSoItSucks too difficult for its own good]]). Some fans of ''Three Houses'' also have a grudge with ''Engage'' for releasing not long after ''[[VideoGame/FireEmblemWarriorsThreeHopes Three Hopes]]'' and accuse the former of being the reason the latter received no DLC when fans felt it really needed it.
** It's also one to ''VideoGame/FireEmblemFates''. Both games are a case regarded by the fandom of PlayTheGameSkipTheStory, but many ''Fates'' fans who enjoy it and the characters feel singled out by virtue of their game's HypeBacklash that ''Engage'' gets a free pass on, sometimes going on to claim it's a worse story than''Fates''. Part of the divide is over the ''Fates'' concept compared to ''Engage'', as ''Fates'' fans may argue that it actually tried to do something different unlike ''Engage'', while ''Engage'' fans may argue that it owned its cheesiness and cliches, unlike ''Fates''.

** Diamant & Alcryst and Ivy & Hortensia having to fight their zombified fathers? Quite sad since they're giving them a MercyKill. But since these characters have health stones (meaning they have to be ganged up on), it becomes almost funny since you can, in theory, make them fight their zombified fathers ''over and over again''.

** In an example that overlaps with TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter, Lindon and Hortensia's supports reveal that King Hyacinth had an older brother whom Lindon served as a retainer, until the brothers clashed over the throne and Hyacinth's older brother lost, leaving the country behind. How did Hyacinth win the throne? What kind of person was he to initially have Lindon's loyalty? Where did Hyacinth's brother end up going? Those questions are never answered.

** Alear possibly having a dragon form is briefly discussed when talking to Morion, with Alear being unsure about if they can or not, hinting that Alear having a dragon form is something that will be followed-up or resolved. Despite this, and Alear having a dragonstone being revealed later into the game, Alear having a dragon form is never discussed again, and the dragonstone is used for a different plot, with some players wondering why the idea was mentioned only to never get a proper resolution.

** The Emblem Bracelets also don't have any interaction with their own Dark Emblems. While it's understandable for [[VideoGame/FireEmblemHeroes Veronica]], this actually has some potential with Robin and Chrom against [[spoiler:Despair / Grima]], and Soren and [[spoiler:Ashnard - who is actually his true father.]]

* FanartAtFirstSight: Alear's red and blue hair upon their reveal was so striking and controversial that they immediately became the subject of fanart, often pairing them with objects that match their color scheme like toothpaste or Pepsi.

** Whether the datamined ages for the characters should be accepted as canon. While it is unanimously agreed that Vander and Saphir's YoungerThanTheyLook designs clash badly with their claimed ages, one side argues there are no contradictions within the game for the datamined ages beyond the character designs (which might have been a result of miscommunications behind-the-scenes), point out some game mechanics play into them[[note]]For example, the S-Support portraits of characters the datamining claims are 17 or younger all consistently have the Pact Ring on their left hand while all of the characters claimed to be older have it on their right hand[[/note]], and accuse those who reject them of just wanting an excuse to sexualize the minors or ship them with adults (not helped by how some were indeed guilty of this). Others invoke GameplayAndStorySegregation and DeathOfTheAuthor, arguing some supports provide information or interactions that make the stated ages questionable (i.e Citrinne and Diamant were childhood playmates despite being eight years apart[[note]]Citrinne's age is especially tricky even if one tries to estimate it solely by supports as hers with Zelkov imply she is not yet an adult, some might chalk this up to the writers [[WritersCannotDoMath miscalculating]], [[DependingOnTheWriter disagreeing]], or miscommunicating on [[VagueAge her age]][[/note]], Hortensia, Rosado, and Goldmary being classmates despite their wide age gaps, etc.) which are sometimes responded to with claims that these are just examples CultureClash or ValuesDissonance the fans are misunderstanding. Finally, others say the ages are good as a baseline but should not be treated as gospel and can be disregarded if character designs or supports give reason for doubt.

** Whether the datamined ages for the characters ought to be accepted as canon. While pretty much everyone agrees that Vander and Saphir's YoungerThanTheyLook designs clash badly with their claimed ages, one side argues there are no contradictions within the game for the ages beyond the character designs (which might have been error in communications behind-the-scenes) and accuse those who reject them of just wanting an excuse to sexualize the minors or ship them with adults (not helped by how some were indeed guilty of this). Others invoke DeathOfTheAuthor and argue some supports provide information or interactions that makes the stated ages questionable (i.e Citrinne and Diamant were childhood playmates despite being eight years apart[[note]]Citrinne's age is especially tricky as her supports with Zelkov imply she is not yet an adult, some might chalk this up to the writers [[DependingOnTheWriter not agreeing]] or miscommunicating on [[VagueAge her age]][[/note]], Hortensia, Rosado, and Goldmary being classmates despite their wide age gaps, etc.) which are sometimes responded to with claims that these are just examples CultureClash or ValuesDissonance the fans are misunderstanding. Finally, others say the ages are good as a baseline but should not be treated as gospel and can be disregarded if character designs or supports give reason for doubt.

** Many fans freaked out on the reveal of Byleth's Goddess Dance, which can refresh up to four allies, and claimed it would be a total GameBreaker. Four-person dancing is not a new addition on the part of ''Engage'': dancing worked like this by default in ''VideoGame/FireEmblemGenealogyOfTheHolyWar'', and Reyson (while transformed) and Rafiel could do this in the [[VideoGame/FireEmblemPathOfRadiance Tellius]] [[VideoGame/FireEmblemRadiantDawn games]]. Byleth's version [[{{Nerf}} is actually more restricted than either]], as it's limited to one use per Engagement. The only difference this time is that Byleth's Emblem can function as a second Dancer for its use, allowing up to five actions for one character in one turn when Veronica is factored in as well.

** Whether the datamined ages for the characters ought to be accepted as canon. While pretty much everyone agrees that Vander and Saphir's YoungerThanTheyLook designs clash badly with their claimed ages, one side argues there are no contradictions in-game beyond the character designs (which might have been error in communications behind-the-scenes) and accuse those who reject them of just wanting an excuse to sexualize the minors or ship them with adults (not helped by how some were indeed guilty of this). Others invoke DeathOfTheAuthor and argue some supports provide information or interactions that makes the stated ages questionable (i.e Citrinne and Diamant were childhood playmates despite being eight years apart[[note]]Citrinne's age is especially tricky as her supports with Zelkov imply she is not yet an adult, some might chalk this up to the writers [[DependingOnTheWriter not agreeing]] or miscommunicating on [[VagueAge her age]][[/note]], Hortensia, Rosado, and Goldmary being classmates despite their wide age gaps, Clanne and Framme interacting with 17-year old characters as though they were farther apart in age, etc.) which is sometimes responded to with claims that these are just CultureClash or ValuesDissonance the fans are misunderstanding. Still, others say the ages are good as a baseline but should not be treated as gospel and can be disregarded if character designs or supports give reason for doubt.

** Whether the datamined ages for the characters ought to be accepted as canon. While pretty much everyone agrees that Vander and Saphir's YoungerThanTheyLook designs clash badly with their claimed ages, one side argues there are no contradictions in-game beyond the character designs (which might have been error in communications behind-the-scenes) and accuse those who reject them of just wanting an excuse to sexualize the minors or ship them with adults. Others invoke DeathOfTheAuthor and argue some supports provide information or interactions that makes the stated ages questionable (I.e Citrinne and Diamant being playmates despite being eight years apart[[note]]Citrinne's age is especially tricky as her supports with Zelkov imply she is not yet an adult, some might chalk this up to the writers [[DependingOnTheWriter not agreeing]] or miscommunicating on [[VagueAge her age]][[/note]], Hortensia, Rosado, and Goldmary being classmates despite their wide age gaps, Clanne and Framme interacting with 17-year old characters as though they were farther apart in age, etc.) which is sometimes responded to with claims of CultureClash or ValuesDissonance. Still, others say the ages are a good baseline but should not be treated as gospel and can be disregarded if character designs or supports give reason for doubt.

* BrokenBase: The game has proven to be the most controversial ''Fire Emblem'' game since ''[[VideoGame/FireEmblemFates Fates]]'', but two major divisors have appeared over the game itself:

** The fact the international release heavily [[{{Bowdlerise}} Bowdlerised]] the romance options and S-Supports that were available in the original Japanese translation. While there will most likely be few arguments about this being a necessary change for the two child characters in the game (Lady Anna and Jean, who are both written with a JailBaitWait in mind with the Japanese script), the fact that the game went ''well'' above that and made almost every single S-Support in the game platonic has led to considerable frustration and division. Those in favor of it point out that the series was never built around the romance elements introduced in ''[[VideoGame/FireEmblemAwakening Awakening]]'' and that this was a return to form for the series, while many others pointed out the shipping elements was ''[[NewbieBoom why]]'' [[NewbieBoom they came to the series to begin with]], nevermind the ethics of censorship and the fact that the romantic endings that were in past ''Fire Emblem'' games [[OlderThanTheyThink also had these romantic elements]]. There was also the fact that Alear himself was 17 and the only romance options in the game that were left untouched were entirely adults like Chloe; while some were fine with this as that meant the player couldn't project into romancing another minor, others found this hypocritical and ultimately bending so far over backwards to avoid pedophilia that they accidentally make Alear -- a minor themselves -- be in a romantic relationship with an adult anyways.

* BrokenBase: The story's overall quality. Detractors tend to bring it up as the game's chief weakness, calling it a [[ClicheStorm cliched]], [[CaptainObviousReveal predictable]] mess that [[{{Narm}} is impossible to take seriously, even when the story expects you to]]. Fans argue that the story doesn't matter when the gameplay has been improved, that [[NarmCharm it's cheesy but entertaining]] and/or that it's surprisingly good, or at least better than the detractors give it credit for.

* BigLippedAlligatorMoment: The Premonition chapter has been thought of as this. Unlike previous games featuring similar introductory missions (''Fates'' features the part where the routes split, while ''Awakening'' features Chapter 23), ''Engage'''s Premonition [[InNameOnly ultimately never comes to pass in any form]] later into the story, seemingly existing only to tease Elyos' four main royals before they join and spoil Ivy's HeelFaceTurn. However, [[spoiler:beyond showing whom would be Alear's allies, the Premonition Chapter seems to be a dream, based on the actual event of past Alear striking down Sombron as depicted in a late flashback, but shown in a more positive light. Further, in a Bond conversation with Alfred, Emblem Lucina states her ring belonged to Firene in the past (and in the Premonition she is indeed shown with Alfred, i.e. Firene), indicating that the royals we see in the Premonition chapter are symbolic of the four nation's royals who helped Alear fight Sombron a thousand years ago. [[FridgeBrilliance This is all further supported by Past Alear meeting the royals, as well as their present self late in the game,]] thus why they can picture the four royals in their dreams and themselves as the Divine Dragon, even with their amnesia.]]

** Lindon, most pecularly, can't support Ivy. Some interpret this as him ''already'' being close to her, but others think this misses some really good potential.

** For all his role in the story, Griss is a pushover when he's fought in Chapter 20, as the sole boss of the chapter [[spoiler:with it being the last time he uses Emblem Celica against you]]. He's presented as one of the most dangerous opponents next to Zephia and Sombron himself. However, he's a mage, and has the least hp and weakest defenses out of the Four Hounds and delivers the worst performance out of any of them. The threat to his encounters often amounts to [[FlunkyBoss the swarms of enemies getting to him.]] Once, he's actually gotten to however, it takes little effort to eat through all of his health bars in a single phase. As long as he doesn't strike a unit he's effective against, his damage output can't threaten even most of the weaker units any better than generic enemy mages. Even when empowered by [[spoiler:Celica's ring]], all it amounts to is harassing units for two turns and running away, then stops doing it. Once you clear a path to him, he's helpless. What's more, if one of his health bars drops to zero, he'll stop teleporting prematurely and just warp back to the end of the map. Meaning that with enough planning you can potentially take out a third of the boss's health on the first turn without taking significant damage. [[spoiler: Though given that he uses Alear's revival of Emblem Celica to confirm that they are a Fell Dragon once he is defeated, it could very well be a case of GameplayAndStoryIntegration]].
** [[spoiler:Veyle]] in Chapter 21 is your final encounter with this enemy, [[spoiler: and the last battle before Veyle's good side [[DeathOfPersonality kills this personality for good]]]]. They get an even more dramatic EvilCostumeSwitch than usual (complete with horned crown), [[BadassBoast Badass Boasts]] in their dialogue... and they're still a SquishyWizard with few health bars and limited defense against Chain Attacks. Their [[spoiler: Marth]] Engage makes them even less of a threat, as [[spoiler: Lodestar Rush coming off their Strength isn't likely to do much damage, and yet they love to charge forward with it and put themselves in danger.]] The game starts a ZergRush of reinforcements once they're attacked, which only encourages the player to beat them faster. The real challenge is keeping this boss alive long enough to get the S-rank Dagger from the Thief beside them.

** Veyle is a major subject of debate among those who played the game. Depending on who you ask, she is either a likeable and nuanced character living in the shadow of [[spoiler:her father's abuse and her evil SplitPersonality]], or [[spoiler: said SplitPersonality cheaply removes agency from the real Veyle so she can be entirely sympathetic, and is a boring GenericDoomsdayVillain who hurts a potentially much better character]].

** Chapter 24 has a gimmick in which [[spoiler: Past Alear pushes you back with avalanches]]. Not only that, but just about ''every'' enemy has a Break weapon to knock you back further. It's a race against time - and on higher difficulties, the fight proves to be ''quite'' frantic as well.

** A few of the Emblem {{Bond One Liner}}s are ''hilariously unfitting'' on certain characters, but special mention goes to the DLC Soren, whose stone-cold "An obstacle in need of removing" sounds completely hysterical coming from [[BrattyHalfPint Anna]] or especially [[spoiler: Veyle]].

** In the first phase of the final battle, having Alear attack the FinalBoss will have them be [[spoiler: called out on committing patricide]]. Given how (oddly) common this is, it instead comes off as almost like the game is ''parodying its own series'' by this point.

* LoveToHate: As far as the alternate counterparts of the Royals seen in the ''Fell Xenologue'' DLC go, Alternate Fogado earned the fascination of many players [[spoiler: thanks to how FauxAffablyEvil he is, owed to his voice acting and reveling in his status as a Corrupted and intentions to kill the mainline counterparts of his retainers, his sister and even ''himself''. And compared to even his universe's Alcyst or Ivy, who are implied to have had their status as [[CameBackWrong Corrupted]] to blame for their villainy, Fogado instead is implied to have ''always'' been as vile as he is.]]

** Nil is infamously useless in the Fell Xenologue, due to his poor stats resulting in him doing little damage and dying in one or two hits ([[WeCannotGoOnWithoutYou which will result in a game over due to his survival being necessary]]). It's a different story in the main game, but many players have ended up getting frustrated with having to keep him alive during the Xenologue. He can, however, still use Emblem Rings, so most players just make him a SupportPartyMember with Micaiah, Corrin, or Byleth for its duration. [[spoiler: The InUniverse justification for this, being that Rafal was merely faking his weakness all along, only served to make already frustrated players ''more'' pissed.]]

** Some feel this way about Alear being able to S-Support Nel and Nil from the Fell Xenologue, since [[spoiler: they're the offspring of an alternate Sombron, and Alear is Sombron's biological child in the main universe, making them essentially half-siblings.]]

** Chapter 21. [[spoiler: Evil Veyle]] is one of the easier bosses in the game, but the sheer amount of enemies make this chapter a brutal one to get through. You'll first need to get through several generals, snipers, paladins, and bow knights, with two corrupted wyrms near your starting location and one blocking the path forward. Once Zephia and her wyvern knights start moving, a bunch of wyvern knights will spawn right behind you, and when combined with the reinforcements on the left and right sides of the map, they can easily close in on your units. There's also a high priest with an Entrap staff near the boss to beware of. After you enter combat with the boss or one of the enemy units on the big protection tile, every enemy that spawned as a reinforcement will respawn simultaneously. At that point, rushing down the boss is a must before you're overwhelmed.

** The Emblem Bracelets also don't have any interaction with their own Dark Emblems. While it's understandable for [[VideoGame/FireEmblemHeroes Veronica]], this actually has some potential with Robin and Chrom against [[spoiler: Despair / Grima]], and Soren and [[spoiler: Ashnard - who is actually his true father.]]

** Chapter 10 is a fitting climax to the game's first act, featuring five unique opponents- Goldmary, Rosado, Hortensia, [[spoiler:Corrupted Morion]] and Hyacinth- two of whom are Emblem users.

** Diamant&Alcryst and Ivy&Hortensia having to fight their zombified fathers? Quite sad since they're giving them a MercyKill. But since these characters have health stones (meaning they have to be ganged up on), it becomes almost funny since you can, in theory, make them fight their zombified fathers ''over and over again''.

* CrossesTheLineTwice: Diamant&Alcryst and Ivy&Hortensia having to fight their zombified fathers? Quite sad since they're giving them a MercyKill. But since these characters have health stones (meaning they have to be ganged up on), it becomes almost funny since you can, in theory, make them fight their zombified fathers ''over and over again''.

** It's also one to ''VideoGame/FireEmblemFates''. Both games are a case regarded by the fandom of PlayTheGameSkipTheStory, but many ''Fates'' fans who unironically enjoy it and the characters feel singled out by virtue of their game's HypeBacklash that ''Engage'' gets a free pass on, including some truly {{Narm}}-tastic moments that had several people unironically claim it's a worse story than even ''Fates''. Part of the divide is over the ''Fates'' concept compared to ''Engage'', as ''Fates'' fans may argue that it actually tried to do something different unlike ''Engage'', while ''Engage'' fans may argue that it owned its cheesiness and cliches, unlike ''Fates''.

* ContestedSequel: To the previous mainline entry in the series, ''VideoGame/FireEmblemThreeHouses''. ''Three Houses'' is an experimental "Fire Emblem" game that puts a premium on characterization and narrative through multiple routes and social sim elements, in addition to other unorthodox approaches to classic "Fire Emblem" gameplay staples (like removing the weapon triangle's innate bonuses for having a weapon advantage in favor of equippable skills that grant a small bonus for the weapon advantage). ''Engage'', in contrast, is essentially a "back-to-basics" approach, focusing on tight level design and engaging core combat mechanics while sticking to a linear story, broader characterization generally, and more traditional takes on those same gameplay staples (like the weapon triangle returning as a core gameplay feature with extra focus from the new Break mechanic). As a result, there’s a huge divide between those who prefer one style over the other, with supporters of ''Three Houses'' declaring ''Engage'' to have among the worst stories in the franchise and a cast of mostly one-note characters that lacks replay value in spite of the strong combat (or even that [[ItsHardSoItSucks is too difficult for its own good]]), while supporters of ''Engage'' decry ''Three Houses'' for having unfun level design and tedious social sim elements exacerbating a poorly handled class system, with a story that falls short of its lofty ambitions.

* FandomRivalry:
** With the previous entry, ''VideoGame/FireEmblemThreeHouses'', evident in both fans and professional reviewers. ''Engage'' is noted to fall on the opposite end of the StoryToGameplayRatio. Those who enjoyed the Monastery, story, and characters of ''Three Houses'' won't find as much of what they loved here, while those who were disappointed with the strategic gameplay of ''Three Houses'' tend to consider ''Engage'' a return to form in that respect. Story- and character-wise, ''Engage'' is considerably LighterAndSofter while ''Three Houses'' is one of the [[DarkerAndEdgier Darkest and Edgiest]] games in the series. Fans of ''Three Houses'' may find the more linear good-versus-evil plot of ''Engage'' uninteresting, but those who found ''Three Houses'' TooBleakStoppedCaring, or are tired of StoryBranching will welcome the change. Some fans of ''Three Houses'' also have a grudge with ''Engage'' for releasing not long after ''[[VideoGame/FireEmblemWarriorsThreeHopes Three Hopes]]'' and accuse that of being the reason why that game did not recieve any DLC when fans felt like it really needed it.
** It's less present by comparison, but this game has struck some degree of ire with ''VideoGame/FireEmblemFates'' fandom if one looks around on forums. Both games are a case regarded by the fandom of PlayTheGameSkipTheStory, but many ''Fates'' fans who unironically enjoy it and the characters feel singled out by virtue of their game's HypeBacklash that ''Engage'' gets a free pass on, including some truly {{Narm}}-tastic moments that had several people on Twitter unironically claim it's a worse story than even ''Fates''. Part of the divide is over ''Fates'' concept compared to ''Engage'', as ''Fates'' fans may argue that it actually tried to do something different unlike ''Engage'', while ''Engage'' fans may argue that ''Engage'' owned its cheesiness and cliches, unlike ''Fates''.

* ToughActToFollow: One of the reasons this game is somewhat of a ContestedSequel is because it followed up ''VideoGame/FireEmblemThreeHouses'', which was praised for its worldbuilding, storytelling, [[GrayAndGreyMorality no side being perfect]], and its NewGamePlus.

** With the previous entry, ''VideoGame/FireEmblemThreeHouses'', evident in both fans and professional reviewers. ''Engage'' is noted to fall on the opposite end of the StoryToGameplayRatio. Those who enjoyed the Monastery, story, and characters of ''Three Houses'' won't find as much of what they loved here, while those who were disappointed with the strategic gameplay of ''Three Houses'' tend to consider ''Engage'' a return to form in that respect. Story- and character-wise, ''Engage'' is considerably LighterAndSofter while ''Three Houses'' is one of the [[DarkerAndEdgier Darkest and Edgiest]] games in the series. Fans of ''Three Houses'' may find the more linear good-versus-evil plot of ''Engage'' uninteresting, but those who found ''Three Houses'' TooBleakStoppedCaring, or are tired of StoryBranching will welcome the change. Some fans of ''Three Houses'' also have a grudge with ''Engage'' for releasing not long after ''[[VideoGame/FireEmblemWarriorsThreeHopes Three Hopes]]'' and accuses that of being the reason why that game did not recieve any DLC when fans felt like it really needed it.