Parent's Guide: Fire Emblem Warriors - Age rating, mature content and difficulty

What is Fire Emblem Warriors?

Fire Emblem Warriors is a cross-over game that blends two very different types of games together. With gameplay that fuses the popular turn based strategy series, Fire Emblem, and the hack and slash style battlefield beat 'em up Dynasty Warriors games, Fire Emblem Warriors tells the story of a mixing of the worlds, as characters from several recent Fire Emblem games find themselves coming face to face. With an evil force trying to awaken an ancient dragon, it's up to you to find the "heroes from other worlds", and use their power to charge the titular Fire Emblem shield, as you race to put a stop to the dastardly plan.

How do you play Fire Emblem Warriors?

Each level in Fire Emblem Warriors takes place on a battlefield that's littered with a number of bases, and thousands of enemy soldiers. Although most levels have a few extra objectives or features to help make things unpredictable, almost every level follows a similar basic format, as it's up to you to capture the enemy bases, and eventually face off against the enemy army's commander, without letting the baddies defeat your heroes back at base. With a light air of strategy to the proceedings, it's up to you to fight your way across the battlefield, taking out any important units as you go, before defeating the "base captains" in order to capture each base, and finally getting to lock horns with the enemy commander.

As this is a cross between a Dynasty Warriors game and a Fire Emblem, a number of additional features have been brought over from Fire Emblem, including a "weapons triangle", in which certain weapons are strong against others (so, swords are strong against axes, but weak against spears, etc), and a weakness system, which gives certain weapons huge advantages against particular types of characters - meaning any archers will topple any heroes on winged mounts (like dragons) in only a few shots. You can also issue orders to your heroes using a strategy style map, to ensure you retain control of any bases you capture (and protect any soldiers that get into trouble) - or bring along a second player to help out, in two player co-op! Even better, two player split-screen co-op can be played with no extra controllers, as you'll only need a single Joy-Con each.

How easy is Fire Emblem Warriors to pick up and play?

With a lot to keep an eye on as the battles play out, Fire Emblem Warriors is a game that requires at least a reasonable amount of strategy, and the ability to keep several plates spinning at once. With friendly bases coming under attack, missions objectives that change mid-battle, and some soldiers being incredibly weak against certain types of weapons, there's a lot you'll need to keep abreast of, although the game does do its best to keep you updated. If you're playing in "slow and steady" mode, it'll even pause the game to update you when important things happen, while the ability to issue orders to your heroes, perhaps getting them to attack a certain important enemy, or defend a weak friendly unit, means you can effectively be in two places at once.

With three difficulty levels on offer (both you and your friendly heroes can take much more damage on easy), you can tailor the challenge to suit, while you also have the option of playing on "classic" or "casual" mode to tweak things further. In classic mode, if a hero should fall in battle, they'll be gone for good (or at least until you can afford to cough up the substantial amount of money it costs to bring them back), while on casual, anyone who falls on the battlefield will be back and ready to use at the start of the next battle.

While the story sections are fully voiced, all tutorials, and any mission objectives mid battle are delivered through text only. Sample sentences include:

• While in battle, you'll occasionally see a Stun Gauge appear above an enemy's head. Attack to deplete the gauge and execute a critical hit.
• Seize one of each side's forts!
• Camilla is fighting at a disadvantage!

In terms of mature content, Fire Emblem Warriors contains only mild violence, some slight innuendo, and nothing in the way of bad language.

While you'll fight your way across the battlefield with swords, spears, axes and magic spells, enemies simply flash when hit, with nothing in the way of blood or guts shown. In terms of sexual content, one particular character has a very large chest, and a habit of wearing very low cut outfits, while talking about how other characters have been "naughty boys"

Age Ratings

Format Reviewed: Nintendo Switch