All is quiet when it comes to news on the future of the Fire Emblem series. Ever since the release of Fire Emblem: Three Houses in 2019 -- the best-selling game in the series' history -- developer Intelligent Systems has been silent on their plans for upcoming titles. While an upcoming title is undoubtedly in the works, the continued lack of announcements means that we're likely still a few years off from any release.
This leaves Fire Emblem fans in a tough spot. The series' colorful variety of recruitable characters, grid-based tactical battles and diverse combat classes means it scratches an itch that isn't easily satisfied by even other RPGs. Lists of games similar to Fire Emblem tend to be filled with older titles, such as Final Fantasy Tactics, or those whose characters lack the charm and personality of Fire Emblem's casts, as is the case with XCOM. But despite the lack of a new Fire Emblem title, 2022 has a bright spot for fans in the form of Square Enix's Triangle Strategy, which seems to feature many of the same elements that make Fire Emblem so beloved.
Triangle Strategy is being produced by the creators of Bravely Default and Octopath Traveler, which already gives it a degree of credibility. Both games were positively received by fans and critics alike, although Triangle Strategy will be their first foray into the realm of grid-based strategy RPGs. Even at a glance, the game seems to check many of the same boxes as Fire Emblem, and it wouldn't be a surprise if the developer took some inspiration from the series -- it has a medieval European setting, grid-based combat, branching narrative and a number of uniquely designed characters to recruit.
Players take on the role of Serenoa, the heir to the noble House Wolffort, as he finds himself in the center of political machinations and warring kingdoms. The story seems to feature political intrigue more intensively than many more recent Fire Emblem titles, so the light-hearted tone of Awakening or the marked anime tropes of Fates shouldn't be expected.
Fans who enjoyed the branching narrative of Three Houses should take note of how the game's mechanics emphasize player choice. When Serenoa and his allies are faced with a truly monumental decision, they gather to vote on the path forward. It's up to the player to convince their allies to vote for their favored decision. It's a unique take on player choice, and hopefully there are a number of important decisions Serenoa must make that have a significant impact on the story. Different characters will decide to join Serenoa based on these decisions and their opinion of his moral outlook.
Yet the most important similarity between Fire Emblem and Triangle Strategy is the combat. Players maneuver Serenoa's army on a grid-based battlefield, with each character boasting a class that affects their role in combat. It's unknown so far if character classes are fixed or customizable, though it's unlikely Triangle Strategy will have the same level of class customization as Three Houses. In some ways, this may be beneficial. Fire Emblem: Three Houses passively punished players who tried to be too creative with the classes -- such as making the Lord characters mages -- anyway.
Triangle Strategy's graphics don't seem to be as impressive as that of Fire Emblem, but they're still better than the vast majority of games in this RPG subgenre. At the very least, the now-dated demo hints at a decent variety of battlefield maps, for each map appears too tied to specific plot points to be reusable.
While nothing can quite take the place of a new Fire Emblem game, Triangle Strategy has the potential to be truly appreciated by fans. And with the release just around the corner in May 2022, players won't have nearly as long to wait.