#fw response

Nintendo Life also published a video review. Also distinctly notes many different systems being explored simultaneously by a FE fan. Explicitly uses the word overwhelmed by non-FE fan. Talks about the Valentia–style dungeons as /pos rather than /neg as implied by the above review. I don't think people are picking up FE games for an "ultimate life sim" experience, but I can't deny being that type of gamer overall. At least NL's FE fan does laud the combat, saying it's pleasingly classic fare. He likes that Leda's a support–focused Lord because it's different. He says explicitly Fódlan fans will have a lot to like. Unsure if this is a genuine statement or is just talking about the rehashing/"easter eggs". He does say general FE fans have a lot to like too, using dramatic monologues as an example lol.

GamerSyde Official has posted footage with no-voiceover, covering gameplay and cutscenes. You CAN switch to seiyuu VO!

GameSpot video review of Fortune's Weave is out!! I'm mostly interested in the footage, but he does bring up a few interesting points. Not looking forward to feelings of overwhelm at too much stuff being tried at once. I love exploration, but with the calendar as it seems so far I'm not looking forward to time restraints on it. Hate to have to look up optimal build paths rather than play the game myself.

Skill Up posted a review video as well. It's by a definitive 3H fan who felt Engage was too barebones to be the future of the franchise, finding it weak due to "focus on overcorrection of 3H's flaws". He is also the only one to play all four routes. He finds the ability to swap between to be more player-friendly, in a way that makes me hope for a less factional fan response. All three reviews highly recommend playing the routes simultaneously rather than in succession. He made a spreadsheet master timeline for the events to determine play order, which I kinda wanna see!

"Three of them are complete psychopaths!" MAKES ME VERY EXCITED FOR THE LADIES. Theodora's arm has a timer until it destroys her mind?! Leda pays any price and sacrifices all before her in the name of her murder list?! FABIO IS SEXUALLY ATTRACTED TO DIETRICH?!

Reviewer also notes slightly different gameplay loops for resource gathering (and character abilities, which we knew). Shared systems for recruitment and its various related activities. But.

"So thorough is Intelligent Systems to diverse feeling routes, that they'll actually bring these core systems online at different times and in different ways for each route." This piques my interest! Limiting repetition while retaining playability is going to be crucial here, I think, as someone who has seen White Clouds enough times. Pacing will heavily determine the success of this player experience.

He is intrigued by the dichotomy of Leda's colorful, focus-dominating vibrance contrasted against her eerie and rage-filled emotional journey. Theodora has 4hr of backstory cutscenes to open with (this makes me like her a Lot!). Dietrich keeps getting called good-looking (I guess a half-assed attempt at female gaze?). He's incredibly pleased that each route does not just feel like a checklist to the next cutscene, but an individual experience.

His description is of 33% exploration, 33% combat, and 33% social sim. Says it feels like it really tries to mitigate the gameplay divide people disliked from 3h. Activated autobattle for the rpg segments, notes the multiple ways to farm experience/resources, says that contributes to less repetitive loop, particularly between multiple paths.

Nin10doLand's review summary says it's already better than 3h, due to the emphasis on exploration for growth rather than class structure. You play as Birdie Eshmel for teatime, which I am obsessed with as a bird owner. Only one save file, but you can replay chapters (BIG WIN). Only Theodora has Gambits as far as Chapter 5.

Most importantly: multiple encounter designs.

We can look forward to a more engaging variety of maps, including new objectives and types of puzzle.

(I'm interested in seeing if Jp reviews and players favor Kusakihara's maximalist approach to rpg hub busywork and attention-deficit spread of activities any more— it hadn't been egregious enough for me to look up previously.)