Hearth Emblem Interact is an pleasant SRPG with extremely polished gameplay mechanics, however is its dear enlargement cross price the additional price? To reply that query, I’d like to speak extra concerning the fourth and closing enlargement pack: the side-adventure Fell Xenologue marketing campaign that duties gamers with diving into an alternate actuality of the FE Interact world the place enemies are pals and you could cross blades with allies in battles to the dying. Fell Xenologue is well worth the value, not solely due to its separate storyline that seeks to attach earlier waves of the enlargement cross into the sport’s mythos but additionally the likable characters at its core and the way it carries over into the bottom recreation correct. Brian Mackenzie wrote in his overview of Hearth Emblem Interact’s base recreation that whereas the story could not impress, the sport mechanics do. Whereas I admire Fell Xenologue’s story barely extra, there’s no denying that Hearth Emblem Interact followers stand to get essentially the most out of Fell Xenologue, because the DLC is basically extra of the identical.
Gamers should buy the complete Hearth Emblem Interact enlargement cross to play via Fell Xenologue. By buying the enlargement cross, you get entry to the added story marketing campaign and open up Divine Paralogues that offer you extra useful gameplay-boosting equipment often known as Emblems, powered by spirits of earlier FE video games’ heroes. These DLC Emblems are in bracelets as an alternative of rings to distinguish them. You don’t have to accumulate these new Emblems earlier than making an attempt to play Fell Xenologue. Nonetheless, they’re a boon should you’re making an attempt the enlargement early and may be useful within the major story marketing campaign if you’re mild on Emblems.
At any price, you could play via the first story marketing campaign’s Chapter Six earlier than buying entry to Fell Xenologue. There can be an Historical Effectively on the in depth Somniel grounds. Strategy it on the appointed time, and the sport gives you a useful immediate about beginning the Fell Xenologue marketing campaign. Fell Xenologue has problem settings, other than the bottom recreation. These problem changes help you tailor your enjoying expertise additional. Other than a small portion of interconnected battles fought in a row through the marketing campaign, you’ll be able to exit out of the Fell Xenologue at any time to proceed your base recreation or Divine Paralogue adventures everytime you see match.
Fell Xenologue begins with the participant character Alear getting summoned to assist an Elyos not not like their world, however completely different in essential methods. On this new actuality, each the Divine Dragon and the Fell Dragon Sombron have already fallen towards each other in fight. Nevertheless, a mysterious and lethal new power is making an attempt to complete what Sombron started by gathering the Emblem bracelets to make use of their energy to plunge this Elyos into smash. Alear, ever the useful type, readily agrees to help Fell Dragon twins Nel and Nil in stopping this calamity, even when it means misunderstandings that power them into battle with earlier allies from their authentic actuality.
The twins aren’t alone in restoring peace to what’s left of their Elyos. On their journey, Alear quickly encounters the 4 Winds aiding them. These characters are useful counterparts to the antagonistic 4 Hounds who frequently battle towards Alear of their actuality: there’s the kindhearted and earnest mage dragon chief Zelestia who serves as merciless Zephia’s reverse; the supportive sage Gregory whose concern of ache is a direct counter to Griss’ love of it; the stalwart, younger knight Madeleine who’s separate personality-wise from the horrifically gleeful Marni; and the loyally direct knight Mauvier who’s truthfully fairly much like his 4 Hounds counterpart save being not fairly as blunt. Together with Alear, Nel, and Nil, these 4 characters take up the lion’s share of the enlargement’s plot. You’ll see acquainted faces throughout the battlefield. Whereas their reasoning for combating isn’t almost as compelling or in-depth as one would possibly hope, how your allies differ of their ordinary personalities on this alternate actuality is at the very least fascinating.
Other than Alear and the brand new Fell Xenologue characters, gamers can entry any recruited characters or Emblems acquired all through their base recreation journey to finish their battle celebration. As a result of Fell Xenologue is a separate marketing campaign, there are variations in the way it approaches battle internationally map. All celebration members have set ranges and courses that you simply can not alter for the fights, no matter what gear you geared up earlier than beginning the DLC marketing campaign or celebration ranges. These restrictions assist streamline the enlargement for everybody no matter once they begin enjoying it. I’d simply began FE Interact and started Fell Xenologue proper when it grew to become out there, so a number of of my celebration members have been at greater ranges and extra superior jobs than they have been within the base recreation. Realizing how these variations of the characters play is an important strategic component to enjoying via the DLC battles.
Just like the informal mode for the bottom recreation, characters who fall in fight in Fell Xenologue fights retreat from battle and can be found for fight through the subsequent battle. Three exceptions exist: Alear, Nel, and Nil should survive most fights. You get an computerized recreation over if one in every of them falls in battle. As a result of these three characters are essential, it is best to watch their well being and enemy vary all through fight, including one other layer of technique to battle.
Fights can typically be extended and grueling in Fell Xenologue, offering a healthy dose of problem, particularly within the extra complicated difficulties. Two of the final battles particularly, one the place you could hold a defenseless Alear who has been separated from the remainder of the celebration alive and the ultimate the place you battle your approach via a sequence of disappearing islands whereas steadily weakening the principle boss, are among the hardest in the whole recreation. Nevertheless, I felt achieved after I found out their profitable methods! Regardless of the restrictions positioned on you thru preset ranges and courses, Fell Xenologue’s gameplay may be very paying homage to what you discover within the base FE Interact recreation, save that helps between characters and bond ranges with Emblems can not stage up whereas combating via the enlargement.
From a storyline stance, except for some occasional rushed pacing to condense the plot right into a handful of battles, the storytelling for Fell Xenologue is stronger than the bottom recreation. The sibling storyline between Nel and Nil is compelling. As a twin myself, I at all times get pleasure from these sorts of plots! Nel’s preliminary reluctance to attach with Alear because of her tragic connection to her world’s model of the Divine Dragon is believably conveyed, and the 4 Winds are likable characters who stand separate from their Hound counterparts. Their discovered household dynamic is surprisingly touching, and the reveal of who Fell Xenologue’s true fundamental antagonist is and the reasoning behind their actions is well-done. The Elyos of Fell Xenologue is a bleak world, so it’s no marvel that the characters leap ship to Alear’s Elyos when given the chance.
On this carryover between the comparatively separate Fell Xenologue and FE Interact, I’m most impressed because the 4 Winds and the Fell Dragon siblings combine seamlessly into the bottom recreation as soon as the gorgeously illustrated ending theme for the DLC rolls. All the Fell Xenologue characters have helps not solely with Alear, a number of of whom can attain romantic S Assist should you’re so inclined, but additionally amongst themselves and different celebration members. Their helps appear written extra extensively total when in comparison with others. Their characters are welcome additions to battles, and I particularly love seeing their reactions to assembly up with their 4 Hounds opposites. Honestly, the DLC characters by no means left my fundamental fight celebration upon becoming a member of up formally as a result of I discovered all of them very helpful!
Along with including extra succesful fighters to your roster, finishing Fell Xenologue additionally grants you entry to 2 new specialty job courses: Mage Cannoneer and Enchanter. Mage Cannoneer is a useful long-range job class that may bodily or magically harm enemies. You possibly can even inflict hostile standing results on enemies from afar. Enchanter is a helper class that not solely boosts stats for all weapons of a selected kind inside vary on the sector (as long as the mentioned weapon is within the Enchanter’s stock) however can even enhance the vary of things and have an effect on a number of characters with their advantages directly. It took some time for me to boost the wanted proficiencies for that job class, however as soon as I had it, my Enchanter Framme by no means left my celebration both, as she grew to become an excellent higher healer than my workers customers.
Visually, I like the general look of Fell Xenologue and the visible novel CG artwork used at instances to assist transfer the plot alongside. FE Interact is undoubtedly a colourful recreation, which stays the case with this enlargement. I notably just like the minute variations within the characters’ designs between the 4 Winds and the 4 Hounds to distinguish between them regardless of their visible similarities. The battle music, notably for FE Interact, is phenomenal and stays legitimate for Fell Xenologue. The English voice appearing is top-notch too. I really like Nel and Nil’s emotional performances and the way their voice cadences modified with differing reveals and later character growth, particularly with Y. Chang’s portrayal of Nil. The voice actors for the 4 Winds do an unbelievable job illustrating the variations in persona between these kinder variations of the characters and the extra menacing 4 Hounds.
I appreciated my time enjoying Hearth Emblem Interact, and including the Fell Xenologue marketing campaign with its endearing characters and new job courses are very important parts of that enjoyment. Nonetheless, the enlargement cross is undoubtedly dear, and I can simply see the place some may be hesitant to select it up on prime of already spending cash on the bottom recreation. Alternatively, the DLC provides welcome additions to a stable SRPG expertise, so I can simply see these already having fun with FE Interact discovering extra to be entertained by with the enlargement cross and enjoying via Fell Xenologue.
