Summary
Nintendo Switch owners have no shortage of incredible tactical RPGs to play, withUnicorn OverlordandFire Emblem Engagebeing the cream of the crop. Unfortunately, full-priced video games are more expensive than ever. Since both titles cost over $100 combined, which one should you play if you can only pick one?
Despite sharing many similarities, both RPGs offer vastly different takes on the genre. While Alear’s adventure provides exciting new twists to Nintendo’s iconic weapons triangle system, Vanillaware and Atlus introduce many innovative ideas in Alain’s epic journey. Can Unicorn Overlord dethrone Fire Emblem as the best tactical RPG on Switch?
If you want to learn more about Unicorn Overlord,check out our review!
5Story
The RPG genre is known for telling in-depth stories, so each title needs to deliver a gripping narrative. A good fantasy plot is well-paced, original, and features immersive world-building.
Unicorn Overlord’s Story
Unicorn Overlord’s plot will feel familiar to RPG fans. The story follows a young prince named Alain, who flees his kingdom after a coup led by the wicked General Valmore. Ten years later, he must raise an army and reclaim his throne. Frankly, it’s nothing you haven’t seen before.
However, the narrative excels in the game’s side quests, which do wonders for world-building and character exploration. You’ll often come face-to-face with moral dilemmas in which your decisions impact the story. For example, whether you show mercy to an enemy can result in a new ally or a fearsome rival.
Fire Emblem Engage’s Story
In Fire Emblem Engage, you play as the Divine Dragon Alear, who wakes up with amnesia after a 1,000-year slumber. With the help of the spirits of past heroes, Alear must stop the evil dragon Sombron from spreading death and chaos across the world.
If you’ve played previous FE games, this story may give you a sense of déjà vu. The theme of good versus evil hits all the same beats and tropes as games like Awakening and Fates. Nonetheless, there are enough plot twists, betrayals, and thrilling drama to keep you entertained.
Winner - Unicorn Overlord
While Fire Emblem Engage has a slightly more interesting concept, Unicorn Overlord’s world-building and morally gray scenarios provide the most immersive and captivating story.
4Gameplay
Gameplay is arguably the most important aspect of a tactical RPG. The combat must provide opportunities for various strategies and have balanced mechanics, with bonus points for accessibility.
Unicorn Overlord’s Gameplay
Alain’s party is split into squads, each of which can be freely moved around the battlefield. The turn-based fights are automated, with your characters acting based on their skills and location. The strategy comes from where to place each unit within a squad and which conditions to assign to their actions.
The combat providesplenty of room for strategy. For example, every party member has a stamina bar that puts them out of commission until recharged. This makes it impossible to spam your strongest character, forcing you to make the most of every unit.
Fire Emblem Engage’s Gameplay
The iconic weapons triangle system returns, with the titular Engage mechanic to spice things up. You have a series of Emblem Rings that can summon the spirit of a past hero, boosting your stats and granting new abilities. This adds a new layer of strategy and breathes fresh air into a decades-old formula.
The ability to turn off permadeath and rewind time enhances the game’s accessibility while still providing the option to keep things challenging. Outside battles, you’re able to explore a floating island called the Somniel, socialize with your party members, go fishing, and much more.
Winner - It’s A Tie
Both RPGs excel at gameplay in two different ways. Unicorn Overlord’s combat is more innovative and complex. On the other hand, Fire Emblem Engage has a better balance of accessibility and difficulty while being just as fun and strategic.
3Characters
Like recent Fire Emblem games, Unicorn Overlord features social simulation elements that allow you to bond with your party members. But which title has the most memorable cast?
Unicorn Overlord’s Characters
Unicorn Overlord has over 60 playable characters, each with distinct personalities and motivations for joining Alain’s team. These range fromthe proper and strict Ochlysto the crude and laid-back Berenice. The cast is incredibly diverse and imaginative, including an angel, a werelion, and a humanoid owl.
With so many party members, some get more screen time than others. Thankfully, you learn more about their backstories through bond conversations and side quests. Overall, the characters are endearing because you know what drives them and get to witness their stories of redemption, tragedy, and more.
Fire Emblem Engage’s Characters
The cast of Fire Emblem Engage is colorful and quirky, withplenty of memorable designs. It’s hard not to be charmed by characters like the childish Hortensia and the mysterious Ivy. However, the social simulation has been dialed back. You may be disappointed if you’re expecting a deep exploration of each character’s backstory.
The most exciting members of Alear’s team are the spirits of iconic FE heroes. For the first time, fan favorites like Marth, Ike, and Lucina are here with full voice acting. Overall, Engage does a decent job of capturing their personalities.
It’s great to see legendary Fire Emblem characters return, but Unicorn Overlord spends more time exploring each party member, leading to a more three-dimensional cast.
2Graphics
Despite both titles taking inspiration from anime, Unicorn Overlord and Fire Emblem Engage have vastly different art styles. Whose graphics are the most eye-catching?
Unicorn Overlord’s Graphics
Unicorn Overlord’s 2D art design is nothing short of stunning. The game has a hand-drawn look, complemented by a gorgeous lighting engine that captures the calmness of the forest, the intensity of the scorching afternoon battlefield, and the eeriness of the candle-lit dungeons.
While not a one-to-one match, the overworld evokes a similar vibe to Square Enix’s HD-2D art style. The most impressive aspects of the visuals are the beautiful animations. Each character moves smoothly and expressively in battle, bringing a ton of emotion and personality to each fight.
Fire Emblem Engage’s Graphics
Fire Emblem Engage has a beautiful 3D anime art style, with plenty of vibrant colors that make each cutscene and environment pure eye candy. Like Unicorn Overlord, the combat animations are fluid and expressive, making each battle a delight to watch.
What makes Engage stand out from its predecessors are its visual effects. Specifically, the Engage Attacks are jaw-dropping spectacles, each delivering a cinematic cutscene that showcases the Switch’s graphical capabilities.
Fire Emblem Engage is a treat for the eyes, but Unicorn Overlord’s breathtaking art style and gorgeous animations are impossible to top.
Fire Emblem Engage
None
Unicorn Overlord is one of the greatest tactical RPGs on Nintendo Switch. Its innovative combat system, well-written characters, beautiful animations, and stunning visuals combine to create a refreshingly new and exciting experience.
That being said, Fire Emblem Engage proves that certain formulas don’t need to be reinvented from the ground up. After all these years, the weapons triangle system is still fun, and the Engage mechanic adds a thrilling new layer of strategy and fan service. It’s definitely worth your time, just as long as you play Unicorn Overlord first.
