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Reviews Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes | Review Thread

mazi

picross pundit
Metacritic (81)
OpenCritic (81)


Eurogamer (recommended):
An inventive twist on both the musou formula and the acclaimed Three Houses RPG, Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes is a high point for the genre.

Console Creatures (recommended):
Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes is an excellent 'what-if' scenario of Fire Emblem: Three Houses thanks to the Musou-style gameplay, newcomer Shez, and tighter mechanics all around.

Washington Post (no score):
For what the game is — a sequel to “Three Houses” with real-time Musou combat — it delivers what it promised. There’s a mystery to “Three Hopes” that can only be unraveled with dozens of hours of combat and cutscenes, and the game assumes substantial preexisting knowledge of “Three Houses.” Fans will enjoy reuniting with their favorite characters, but the derivative plot and built-in grind make it a tougher sell to anyone else.

Polygon (no score):
It truly is fine, and all the proper elements are in place, but in many ways it’s also very expected and not particularly innovative. It makes me wonder, not for the first time, how much longer “it’s fine” will be enough in the world of Musou titles.

Digitally Downloaded (5/5):
Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes exists for people that liked Fire Emblem: Three Houses. It takes the narrative and characters of the original tactics RPG and provides an “alternative history” take on events, and that was an inspired way to allow the game to be both familiar while telling its own story. For anyone that fell in love with the characters the first time around, this approach makes this take very hard to put down, no matter how frequently you play the Musou releases. My overwhelming impression of this game is that it exudes confidence. Koei Tecmo's team had a clear vision on how to turn everything that people loved about Fire Emblem: Three Houses and turn it into an action game, and with the exception of one new character that turns out to be a Jar Jar Binks-level misfire, they have delivered on that vision. Or, to put it simply: people loved Three Houses, and for all the reasons that they did love that game, they will also love Three Hopes.

Screen Rant (5/5):
Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes is a stunning and immersive game, offering a satisfying combat system and delightful tactical strategy mechanics.

Comicbook.com (4.5/5):
Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes is not a mainline Fire Emblem title, and anyone expecting a 1-to-1 recreation is going to be disappointed, but it absolutely comes from the same lineage. If losing the cerebral, tactical piece-moving combat doesn't dull your interest – if that's not why you came to Fire Emblem in the first place – Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes has enough of the franchise's DNA to satisfy. And in some ways, zooming across a battlefield while triggering abilities like Assassinate or Nosferatu seems more in line with the chaotic, war-torn battlefields of Fodlan than what came before. I might not go so far as to say that Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes is my ideal for what Fire Emblem could and should be going forward, but it is quite frankly a lot closer to perfection than it has any right to be.

GAMINGbible (9/10):
Being as succinct as I can, Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes is the finest collaboration between Nintendo and Omega Force to date. The life sim elements are masterfully done, feeling identical to Three Houses. The hack and slash action is sumptuous, with plenty of characters and playstyles to choose from. Lastly, the levels of choice are remarkable, adding plenty of replay value. Fire Emblem fans won’t want to miss this gem, and newcomers who would otherwise be put off by the core series’ tactical gameplay are all set for a grand adventure.

Destructoid (9/10):
The more I played Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes, the more i liked it.

God is a Geek (9/10):
Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes takes the game you loved, spins a new yarn, and throws hack and slash combat in for good measure to create a fun, accessible experience that’s incredible value for money.

Inverse (9/10):
As someone that thoroughly enjoyed my 200 hours with Fire Emblem: Three Houses, I never expected Three Hopes to meet, let alone surpass that experience — but it does. Three Hopes’ systems all coalesce into something truly special, and the war-driven story allows the world and characters to shine their brightest. Though it could do with less padding, Three Hopes represents Koei Tecmo firing on all cylinders, and it’s easily another title to add to the growing list of essential Switch games.

Nintendo Life (9/10):
Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes is a thoroughly entertaining mash-up of Musou mayhem, strategy and relationship-building aspects that should more than satisfy fans of both the franchises involved here. It improves upon its 2017 predecessor in several ways, most notably in providing a far more engaging story featuring a narrative that's ripe for several replays. With impressively solid performance on Switch and an action-packed campaign that'll see you blasting your way through tens of thousands of foes for a good 30 hours in a single playthrough, this is right up there with the very best Omega Force has served up thus far.

Stevivor (9/10):
Fire Emblem Warriors Three Hopes feels like a great return to spending time with a gang of characters who drew me in over dozens of hours, but with an all-new tale keeping me on my toes at the same time.

Vooks (4.5/5):
Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes may just be the best Warriors game to date. It’s an utterly flawless fusion of fast-paced hack-and-slash gameplay with methodical, considered strategising, with a returning cast that is as vibrant as its ever been. With a cast as big as it is, it’s not surprising that a lot of characters come off feeling similar in combat, but that’s easy to look past with how fantastic every other aspect of it is.

Nintendo Insider (9/10):
Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes brazenly leaps headlong into battle, delivering tactical brilliance and heroic thrills in equal measure. This is an exceptional standout among the many Warriors games on Nintendo Switch, and perhaps the best to grace the portable home console up until this point – laden with armies to slaughter, heartfelt storytelling and more than enough content to keep you occupied for months on end whether at home or on the move.

Trusted Reviews (4.5/5):
Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes is a fantastic game. While I may have found the beginning to be a little slow, once the battles pick up there are hours of fun to be had. The button-mashing technique is simple but thrilling and will please anyone that enjoys racking up large combos. Hacking and slashing through enemies feels rewarding, and the added strategic element allows for experimentation in how you take on each battle. And ignoring the awkward camera, the style of the game is wonderful to look at, with each playable character having their own distinctive style and aesthetic. This game has ignited a love for Fire Emblem that I didn’t even know I had, and I think this is a great choice for anyone after a new Switch game.

Pocket Tactics (9/10):
Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes is the best musou spin-off to date, offering an unbelievable amount of storytelling that any fan will delight in. Swirling around all this is a cacophony of mechanics that may at first overwhelm, but once they make sense, the game is harmonious and hard to put down. It feels like a mainline Fire Emblem game with more action, which might actually be music to the ears of anyone who’s not tried the series before.

Nintenderos (8.7/10, review in Spanish):
Thanks to its entertaining story and gameplay mechanics, we found Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes to be a very fun and essential game for fans of the franchise. Of course, it has its weaknesses, such as an improvable multiplayer. However, it is really enjoyable as a musou game.

TierraGamer (8.7/10, review in Spanish):
Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes is not just a fun game that combines an unbridled and spectacular combat system with the strategic elements of Fire Emblem. It is a great starting point for the curious who want to get to know this Nintendo franchise and are afraid of how complicated it can be. Although the game's performance is not that stable, the gaming experience is solid and shows that the Nintendo Switch console still has a lot to offer.

Atomix (87/100, review in Spanish):
Needless to say, if you were already a fan of the work of the developer studio and its famous Warriors, here you will find its highest and best achieved point. I can't believe I liked it so much, but boy am I glad I did.

My Nintendo News (8.5/10):
Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes is pure fan-service in the best possible way. It’s a perfect blend of Warriors-style hack-and-slash combat, traditional Fire Emblem JRPG elements, and the established world of Three Houses. Anyone who enjoyed Three Houses will no doubt experience Three Hopes as a beautifully hand-written love letter from Nintendo and Koei Tecmo, and those who haven’t are still bound to find some enjoyment here as well. Graphically impressive, mechanically thrilling, and jam-packed with content, Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes is the best Warriors game yet, making it an easy recommendation for Switch owners.

Checkpoint Gaming (8.5/10):
Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes shines bright in the long lineage of games in the Musou formula. Miles better than its predecessor, this is one of the smoothest Warriors-style games yet. Barring a rare example, its mission and gameplay loop holds up. The narrative does the best it can in a genre not particularly known for stellar stories, but will still remain a little oddly paced from time to time. Provided is a joyous occasion to revisit some treasured familiar faces and engage in riotous combat and a smooth experience not too barred down by menus. If the series continues on this trajectory, it’s all smooth sailing ahead. For Fódlan!

Cerealkillerz (8.4/10, review in German):
If you talked about Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes as the new star in the hack and slay genre, you wouldn't be that far off. The game depth that people have been waiting for a long time is possible this time through new strategic options. On top of that you get a great alternative story with known faces of the series. Gameplay-wise you lose a lot of that mentioned game depth because of the immense amount of missions and also through the lack of real graphical improvements over older games.

Hobby Consolas (82/100, review in Spanish):
If you like strategy and everything that makes Fire Emblem so great, then you are really going to love Three Hopes. Action keeps the same musou formula (for good and for bad), but it's a much deeper and bigger game than it seems on the surface.

SpazioGames (8.1/10, review in Italian):
Omega Force is really upping the ante with their latest licensed musou: Fire Emblem Warriors Three Hopes is a very solid and enjoyable musou-rts-rpg hybrid, and we liked it more than we anticipated we could.

IGN (8/10):
Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes has a lot going on both in combat and camp, and the result is a game that sometimes feels overstuffed but never fails to satisfy.

Game Informer (8/10):
Three Hopes runs a few chapters too long, and some late-game twists don’t carry the impact they should as a result, but my 36 hours were a great time. Three Hopes successfully and expertly integrates everything great about Three Houses into its musou format, both in narrative and in gameplay; it’s been one of my favorite Switch experiences in recent memory as a result. If you like Three Houses, you should play Three Hopes, and I’d recommend it to you even if you aren’t familiar with the musou genre. And if you haven’t played Three Houses, there’s a good chance that’ll be your next game after rolling credits on this one.

Areajugones (8/10, review in Spanish):
Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes proves that musou really does work for the IP. It already worked once with the first game, and now this sequel improves several aspects from a narrative standpoint as well as regarding its technical performance.

Digital Trends (4/5):
While it would be accurate to call the game a spinoff of Fire Emblem: Three Houses, that’s selling it short; it’s a full-fledged sequel, just played in a different key. Three Hopes doesn’t have the series’ signature turn-based tactics, but just about everything else is there amid its flurry of Dynasty Warriors-sized action. With no expenses spared when it comes to the mainline series’ RPG hooks, developer Omega Force creates an action game that still makes players feel like a five-star general.

Gfinity (8/10):
With endlessly stylish and deceptively simple skirmishes at its core, Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes is a surprisingly well-rounded power trip that, needlessly deep systems and sluggish opening chapters aside, should easily captivate franchise fans and anyone looking to finally meet its popular cast of characters. It’s the most genuine fun I’ve had with a story-driven game in ages, and one that’s a great entryway into a beloved franchise.

Nintenduo (80/100, review in Spanish):
The story of Three Hopes expands a lot on the story of Three Houses and that's one of the main reasons it is a must-have for fans of the original game. It also works fine as a musou game, adding some popular Fire Emblem elements correctly to the mix.

NME (4/5):
Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes is a terrific home run for Omega Force. Whether this is your first foray into Fire Emblem or you've spent the last three years romancing every character in Three Houses, this mix of blood-pumping action and thoughtful strategy means you're in for a treat.

TheSixthAxis (8/10):
Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes is another enjoyable slice of Musou action, even if it does little to advance either franchise. Fans of Fire Emblem will adore chatting to the huge cast of returning characters as much as going into battle with them.

Twinfinite (4/5):
Three Hopes serves up a fun story that will definitely please a lot of Three Houses fans, and despite a few character missteps here and there, it's well worth experiencing. Just be careful not to fall to the dark side.

VGC (4/5):
Three Hopes is one of the best musou spin-offs released to date, combining its tried-and-tested gameplay with a level of story depth that was missing in the Fire Emblem Warriors. Its sheer scope may be a bit much for players simply looking for a hack-and-slash action game, though.

Video Chums (8/10):
Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes blends the classic Musou formula with the strategic aspect of its namesake impressively well. Throw in a story that's more immersive than you'd expect and you're left with one great Warriors spin-off.

WellPlayed (8/10):
Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes succeeds admirably as both a spin-off stacked with fanservice that truly understands the source material and as a compelling take on the Warriors format. It's not going to win over any detractors of musou-style gameplay and it starts to buckle under the weight of repetition by the end, but if you're a fan of Three Houses and can handle that, you're in for a treat.

MGG (80/100, review in French):
With its dense gameplay and its numerous progression mechanics, Fire Emblem Warriors 3 Hopes really has everything it takes to make Fire Emblem and mass beat them up fans enjoy themselves. However, it can be criticized for clogging the player with menus, with endless end-of-battle screens and maybe too many things to manage outside the battles. Nevertheless, FEW3H remains one of the most solid and complete musou of the last years, you would be wrong to miss this return to the world of Fodlan.

Guardian (4/5):
Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes gives the series the whirlwind combat that its fantastical story deserves, while still allowing you to lovingly gaze at your favourite anime boy or girl at a picnic. It’s really the best of both worlds.

Shacknews (8/10):
I really feel like anyone who has been through Three Houses would be doing themselves a disservice to skip Three Hopes. The story diverges enough to make each house a new adventure all its own and each of the paths has a vastly different array of battles to fight. Additionally, aspects of strategy, classes, skills, and camaraderie between characters have also made their way over and are implemented well here. I wish characters fought a bit more uniquely and that the game performed a bit better in docked mode, but outside of these complaints, Three Hopes feels like another solid example of what Omega Force can do when Nintendo entrusts its IP to the Musou dev.

Enternity.gr (8/10, review in Greek):
Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes is the most satisfying hack and slash version of Fire Emblem: Three Houses we could have today.

PC Games (8/10, review in German):
Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes feels like a classic warriors game but still requires strategic thinking. It provides little to no innovation regarding the core gameplay, instead it offers quite a few aspects we‘ve already seen and loved in Three Houses. If you miss the characters and want to enjoy some fast-paced combat, it’s worth checking out.

GAMES.CH (79%, review in German):
Fire Emblem Warrior: Three Hopes turns out to be an ambitious sequel to the previous game and is ahead of it in several aspects. However, Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes is not free of criticism. The automatic camera, for example, sometimes behaves a bit strangely in cramped situations, the mission design seems a bit repetitive after a dozen hours and the fact that the audio synchro is again not available in German could also annoy one or the other player.

IGN Italia (7.9/10, review in Italian):
Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes is a musou proudly holding on to the canonical series, which fails, however, to shine due to a backward technical compartment.

Dexerto (7.5/10):
Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes is Omega Force's finest musou yet, with a fun tactical layer added to the sword-swinging gameplay that keeps fans coming back. Three Houses fans will love the chance to spend more time with that game's characters, too.

Jeuxvideo.com (15/20, review in French):
Despite these qualities, Three Hopes is nonetheless a Musô with inherent flaws in this kind of game, such as a certain repetitiveness in the gameplay which will put some people off. As for the technique, if the graphics are simple, the framerate manages to remain stable as a whole, even if it happens to have slowdowns. A pleasant return to Fódlan in itself.

XGN (7.5/10, review in Dutch):
Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes is a fairly solid game. Mechanics from Fire Emblem: Three Houses integrate well with the traditional Warriors-gameplay, and the characters and setting of Fódlan remain interesting even three years after the release of Three Houses. Sadly, the gameplay can get tiresome, as you are always either fighting, or making your troops better prepared for battle. Even though there is a lot of content to discover, we frequently found ourselves wanting to put the game down for a while.

PlaySense (7.5/10, review in Dutch):
A musou as we have come to expect from Omega Force, but the developer transcends the repetitive gameplay by adding the necessary additional elements, making it much more interesting. The story is also very entertaining and there is plenty to do, if only the performance left a little to be desired. Visually, it is also mediocre. Nevertheless, it is an adventure that is worth playing, especially if you have played the previous installment.

Meristation (7.5/10, review in Spanish):
A good spin-off of the Fire Emblem saga that combines unbridled action with strategy and narrative to add a great musou to the catalog of the genre that no fan should miss.

GamesRadar (3.5/5):
Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes rides a great hybrid battle system while barely slowing down for its beloved characters.

Press Start Australia (7/10):
Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes feels tailor made for the relatively small cross-section of people who are both hardcore fans of Musou and Fire Emblem. That isn't to say you won't enjoy this if you liked Three Houses, there's a lot that Three Hopes has to offer on a first playthrough, just be ready for the repetition to set in if you want to see it all through to the end.

GameSpot (7/10):
The Musou games have been on an upward trajectory ever since Omega Force stepped outside of its Dynasty comfort zone. This, along with the recent releases, has shown a stronger willingness to embrace the unique mechanics of the franchises it is borrowing from and Three Hopes is one of the strongest examples yet. The repetitive and sometimes frustrating combat, however, is what makes up the majority of the experience. Even with improvements, the base idea behind the combat still loses its luster quickly. If you squint, though, you arrive at something closer to a Fire Emblem: Three Houses extension as opposed to a licensed spin-off hoping to cash in on recognizable characters and locations, which is a good place to be.

Gamer.nl (7/10, review in Dutch):
The Warriors series can be considered the king of satisfying hack-and-slash action. Three Hopes now tests your patience more than ever with a long-drawn-out story and few developments during combat it is the perfect game to pick up and play whenever.

Metro GameCentral (5/10):
Fire Emblem should be the perfect partner for Dynasty Warriors style action, but this incompetently made crossover squanders its potential on trite fan service and hollow gameplay.
 
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This will review better than AoC. There, I said it.

Not that it matters either way. Curious to read impressions on story and just how meaty the game is content wise.
 
Fuck, it's really good?

I'm so damn behind on this game so I likely won't be playing this any time soon :(

Why did I have to choose the shortest, somewhat-hidden path for my only playthrough of Three Houses lol. I've got soooo much to play to catch up on the lore reveals and such.
 
35/36 hour play time for a single campaign. Damn. I wonder how much repetition there is between routes? Gonna be hard to choose who to go with first but it could be a while before I get back around to the other routes.
 
The demo was really good, so not surprised the game is reviewing well. Really looking forward to sinking my teeth into the game this week.
 
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Will definitely go Blue Lions first, like I did with Three Houses. I will also make sure to recruit the Ashen Wolves asap.
 
I suddenly feel very much validated in my decision to pre-load this game on the eShop. Feels good.
 
Really pleased with the impressions, this is gonna be good.
 
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Luckily I found some GameStop credit behind the proverbial sofa so I guess I know what I'm doing this weekend.
 
Damn, good for Three Hopes! Way above my expectations. The musou genre isn't for me, but I'm glad to hear this is a high mark.
 
Well demo already sold me and I have my copy preordered… hopefully the shipping doesn’t have issues
Will definitely go Blue Lions first, like I did with Three Houses. I will also make sure to recruit the Ashen Wolves asap.
FYI, recruitable characters are gotten by using mission points on plots in the chapters main mission. So make sure you’re scouting and clearing side quests
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Eurogamer : innovative twist on the musou formula
Polygon : it's the same musou game as the others

What ?
I’ve found there’s gonna be people who couldn’t tell you the difference between Samurai Warriors 5 and Dynasty Warriors 8 even though they’re wildly different games, so Musou opinions are generally pretty hard to gauge from mainstream reviewers.
 
so far, better on metacritic and below on open critic by minimal amounts!
To be fair they did a pretty good Kobe of adapting FE’s core elements accurately to a warriors game while using unique and choosable skills to differentiate characters instead of movesets which was a great choice. Meanwhile AOC was fan service the game
 
I suddenly feel very much validated in my decision to pre-load this game on the eShop. Feels good.
Same, same.

On another note -- I wonder if I've read an actually competent Metro GameCentral review thus far. Probably one of those review sites I disagree with most often.
 
I’ve found there’s gonna be people who couldn’t tell you the difference between Samurai Warriors 5 and Dynasty Warriors 8 even though they’re wildly different games, so Musou opinions are generally pretty hard to gauge from mainstream reviewers.
Mouso games also get in general an unfair rap IMO. It’s a specific type of game and you either like the genre or you don’t. I rarely see an in between to be honest.

And I agree, they can vary wildly.

The first Hyrule Warriors was just incredible with the replay value and the side mode.
 
Same, same.

On another note -- I wonder if I've read an actually competent Metro GameCentral review thus far. Probably one of those review sites I disagree with most often.
Their original Fire Emblem Warriors review was terrible. I’m not one to disparage a publication for giving a bad score, but it was blatantly clear that they didn’t e have with the game at all.
 
I gotta say, detaching movesets from characters is a gutsy move that worked really well. I mean everyone still has unique skills(passive and active) that makes everyone different, and some characters have unique movesets. But this is the right way to do “clones”
 
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Same, same.

On another note -- I wonder if I've read an actually competent Metro GameCentral review thus far. Probably one of those review sites I disagree with most often.
Their reviews on musous are especially horrific. They seem completely untaught when it comes to juding that genre in an appropriate manner, cannot emphasize that any further.
 
Great scores!
Tbh the fact that we're getting more fe3h content alone makes this a hit for me already, hearing it's well received by others is just a cherry on top LMAO
 
Great reviews, better than expected actually.

Metro SERIOUSLY needs to stop covering Warriors games though. We get it, you don't like the Musou genre, you don't need to keep torturing yourself and everyone else.
 
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Oh man, wonderful. Barely started the demo, can’t wait to see more.

edit: who is the jar jar binks character lmao
 
Happy to see this reviewing well! I was going to buy it anyway, but it's good to see it's not horribly broken.
Mouso games also get in general an unfair rap IMO. It’s a specific type of game and you either like the genre or you don’t. I rarely see an in between to be honest.

And I agree, they can vary wildly.

The first Hyrule Warriors was just incredible with the replay value and the side mode.
I think Mouso's are a genre that really don't shine under review conditions. If you're crunching to force yourself through then you're going to have a bad time, they're best played in a chill way while half your brain is focused on a podcast imo
 
I read a couple reviews, but didn’t see any details on New Game+ or any post-game content. Do we have any such info?
 
I read a couple reviews, but didn’t see any details on New Game+ or any post-game content. Do we have any such info?
I haven't seen anything yet, there was some text on the datamined sheet floating around that some stuff carries over, I'm hoping it's similar to Three Houses as it made NG+ runs a breeze.
 
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