Fire Emblem: Three Houses is a turn based strategy RPG released on July 26, 2019. The game was co-developed by Intelligent Systems and Koei Tecmo. Published by Nintendo, it was the first mainline Fire Emblem title to launch on the Nintendo Switch (the spinoff Fire Emblem Warriors was technically the first).
In Three Houses, you control Byleth, a mercenary turned Professor at Garreg Mach Monastery. There you must choose one of Three Houses, each of which represents a different part of the continent of Fodlan and has a unique set of students. There’s the Blue Lions led by Dimitri, a chivalrous royal with skeletons in his closet. The Black Eagles led by Edelgard, the soon to be Emperor willing to do whatever it takes to achieve her ideals. And then the Golden Deer led by Claude, a seemingly charming noble with a mysterious aura. Depending on the House you choose, the storyline will branch off into wildly different territories with lore details and characters exclusive to a certain route. This creates a lot of replayability. What’s awesome about choosing a House is that, in my opinion, there’s no clear defined good or evil House, and each one has a dedicated fanbase on the internet.
Gameplay in Three Houses is divided into two parts. There’s the turn based that are a signature aspect of Fire Emblem, and the school section unique to Three Houses. When you’re not in battle, you’re exploring the monastery, talking to people and helping your units grow more powerful. This creates a satisfying gameplay loop where you and your allies are constantly growing stronger and learning new skills.
Three Houses is a game that I’ve played constantly throughout this year and has helped me cope with various anxieties throughout. While it’s a sad game full of war and brutality, it’s also full of joy and humanity. My favorite aspect of the title is the characters, who you get to know through the various support conversations. I first got into Fire Emblem with Awakening, but Three Houses made me a fan of the series for life. I highly recommend it.
I’m running a Three Houses werewolf game with my good friend Grumproro right now, and it’s been a blast. Also, I expect people to mistake this for a werewolf thread. :p
If you would like to know more about Fire Emblem, be sure to check out SingingBrakeman’s excellent Franchise Festival of the series.
One more thing, the music is gorgeous. The highlight is definitely the main theme, Edge of Dawn.
Have a great night! Happy posting.
