Fire Emblem Engage ally is simply around the corner, set to launch in January. 20. And on Thursday a trailer presented the new hangout spot where you and your allies will spend downtime between actions: Somniel, a verdant floating fortress. In the trailer, the major character with an enormous mane of Colgate-ass red and blue hair runs via Somniel’s lush design, displaying off fun actions. Just like in the last Fire Emblem installments, this one swears fun shenanigans like Wyvern flying, shopping for cute costumes, getting your fortune read — and of course classic bonding movements like sharing meals and going fishing.
Somniel is chock full of sites to ready for your battles. In the game’s plaza, you can purchase armor and other things. There’s a ring room where you can save the rings you’ve gathered and craft new ones a new gameplay feature that lets players boost stats. You can also combat in the auditorium to gain experience, and do a series of wars in the Tower of Trials.
Most significantly, there are a bunch of activities to do with your supporters in Somniel, like sharing meals at Café Terrace to encourage your partners’ stats. You can also perform out together, get your fortunes read, ride a Wyvern around in the sky via a course, and fish (of course). There’s a freakin’ farmyard where you can manage for animals you’ve discovered on your adventures the trailer shows a cat hanging out with a donkey, a beagle, and a camel. There’s also a very cute beast named Sommie who has, “been here since period immemorial,” and will give luck to those who are friendly to it.
The trailer also revealed fashionable customization choices — you can purchase clothes and supplements like different shades for yourself and your partners. You can also take a break by resting in your dank, massive bedroom; but a cute ally of yours might wake you up, sort of like an Animal Crossing: New Horizons villager displaying up at your home.
Fire Emblem fans understand how much of the series’ downtime between fights is spent chatting with partners and doing stupid activities. In Fire Emblem: Three Houses players roamed Garreg Mach Monastery’s hallowed corridors, spending activity points cooking fish skewers and eating what felt like 17 meals a day with students — all in the benefit of bonding with each other before shipping off to fight. You might swordfight with Felix at the training bases, take Dorothea to choir training, or try to wake Lindhart from a nap.
Even Fire Emblem Warriors, the current unmatched take on the franchise, gave players downtime actions to do with their students like tea parties, horseback riding, and dusting.
I can’t wait to meet Fire Emblem Engage’s new allies, and enjoy goofy excursions and actions with them even if it must all come to a head on the battleground.
