Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes

Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes (ファイアーエムブレム無双 風花雪月, Fire Emblem Musou Fuuka Setsugetsu) is a collaboration title between Omega Force's Warriors IP and Nintendo's Fire Emblem series. It is the second title in the Fire Emblem Warriors line featuring the cast and setting of Three Houses. The game had been announced in the February 9, 2022 Nintendo Direct. The game began development shortly after Three Houses wrapped up development. Originally, the game was conceived as a direct sequel to Fire Emblem Warriors, with a continued focus on crossing over between the series many entries. However, with the success of Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity and Koei Tecmo's familiarity with the world and cast of Three Houses led to the decision to instead make the game a side story to Three Houses.

Plot
The story begins with Shez fighting against Jeralt's Mercenary force. In the ensuing Melee, Shez's own group gets overwhelmed, with Shez deciding to make a desperate assault on the infamous child and lieutenant in Jeralt's forces, the Ashen Demon. However, Byleth proves far too strong for Shez, and they only escape thanks to a strange power (with a strange voice inside their head) awakening within them. This escape leads Shez to eventually encounter the three future heads of the nations of Fódlan. In a scenario that mirrors Fire Emblem: Three Houses, Shez saves the lordlings and they invite them back to Garreg Mach.

At the monastery, Rhea offers Shez the chance to join one of the three classes, effectively choosing which route in the story to take. Scarlet Blaze follows Edelgard and the Adrestian Empire. Azure Gleam follows Dimitri and the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus. Golden Wildfire follows Claude and the Leicester Alliance. Depending on which route is chosen, events will play out differently. Regardless of the choice made, Shez, egged on by Arval, themselves will desire revenge against Byleth.

Gameplay
Gameplay is very similar to Fire Emblem Warriors. Features such as four playable characters (and four NPC characters) at once and corresponding command mechanics, bases and outposts to capture, the classic weapon triangle, etc. all return. Adding to these elements, Three Hopes also further incorporates game play elements from Fire Emblem: Three Houses. Aspects like the ability to change into any class unlocked for a character and a central camp where one can grow character abilities between battle. Other features include:
 * The Pair Up mechanic returns in a slightly altered form as the Adjunct System, which retains the paired attack and defense. This rebranded feature also allows characters sharing at least a C rank bond to impart the skills and combat arts/magic they've learned to their adjunct ally.
 * A new system of Combat Arts/Magic have been added to the game, similar to Samurai Warriors 5's Ultimate Skills. Each character can have two equipped to a Quick Menu One bar, which is accessed by holding the R bumper. This menu is navigated with the four face buttons, with X and Y slots given to the two Combat Arts or Magic spells. The B slot grants access to the self healing items each character carries (Vulneraries, Concoctions, or Elixirs), while the A allows the Awakening state to be triggered when its bar is filled.
 * A second Quick Menu can be accessed by holding the L bumper. This second menu allows players to check a character's move-set mid battle with X, pick up or separate from an Adjunct officer with Y face button, allows characters to dismount or remount if their class has a mount with the B button, and swap between partners in the adjunct system with A.
 * Classes that are mounted on horses, pegasi, and wyverns can dismount during battle. A unit dismounted loses their "effective against" weakness, and have their moveset changed, back towards what they had on the class line before becoming mounted.
 * Dodges and guarding return, with dodging being controlled by the B button and guarding by the LZ trigger. This time around both dodging and guarding have perfect forms, where invincibility frames are granted when successfully dodging or guarding right as the enemy's attack lands. Not only is damage avoided with this improved mechanic, but a brief period of critical damage is granted afterwards.
 * A second weapon triangle is introduced between tomes, bows, and gauntlets. This new triangle gives tomes an advantage against bows, bows an advantage against gauntlets, and gauntlets an advantage against tomes.
 * Classes are not unlocked with appropriate weapon levels, instead relying on mastering the previous class to unlock higher tiered classes.
 * Four tree diagrams divide out the classes, using the four beginner classes as the baseline for each tree.
 * Dancer, Dark Bishop, and Trickster classes are now among the master class tier, while Hero, Dark Flier, War Cleric, and Valkyrie classes were cut from the base game.
 * Motivation is now a three tier bar that affects how strong a character is in battle for the duration of the chapter. Motivation is increased with meals, completing chores, going on expeditions, and giving gifts.
 * Meals combine the effects of cooking and eating a meal from Three Houses, granting increased motivation, improving bonds, and a boost to all characters for the duration of the chapter.
 * Renown returns from Three Houses as a resource earned from completing the main battle in a chapter and completing chores around the camp. It can be spent to unlock secret characters, special weapons, and unique items like the crest stones.
 * New game+ allows players to choose if they want to retain bonds, character levels, and class experience when starting a new file after beating one of the campaigns. Items, weapons, gold, and battalions are also automatically preserved when starting a new game+ file. Both a sprite icon and associated weapon of the lead lord will appear on the file to track which campaigns have been completed.

Modes
Unlike the other spin off titles under Nintendo IPs, Three Hopes combines the free play, side content, and main content all in one main system. Thus the main menu is merely Continue (from a previous saved file), New Game, Extras (where supports, music, voice lines, etc. can be accessed), Change Language (between English and Japanese), and a Copy Save File/Delete Save File options.

Camp
The camp is where character growth and management takes place. Different utilities are offered in the three main campaigns, unlocking between chapters 4-6. These resources allow for temporary bonuses to be gained per chapter, increasing levels and class experience, and purchase items or weapons to further improve characters. Characters unlocked in the campaign will appear about the camp, each with something to talk about, sometimes offering a small bonus to bonds when given a response the character likes. Free play mode can be accessed in this part of the game, by talking to the records keeper, who becomes available in any campaign in chapter 5.

War Map
The war map is where battles for the chapter are chosen. It is displayed on the map of Fódlan, with the base camp displayed as a fortress and battles denoted with army markers. The main battle for each chapter tends to be a distance away from the base camp's location, with several smaller skirmishes in the way. These smaller scale battles take the place of the traditional side mode challenge battles found in the other Nintendo Warriors spin off titles. They have briefer run times and focus on one challenge instead of multiple narratively driven ones like in the main battles. Whenever a chapter has these battles, players have the option to skip several of them on their first play through. In New Game+, renown can be spent to buy Vanguard Whistles. This item allows players to automatically defeat the side battles at the lowest possible rank and reach the main battle faster. Each campaign has fifteen chapters, with a bonus two chapters if Byleth is recruited.

Playable Characters

 * Scalet Blaze (Adrestian Empire)
 * Edelgard
 * Hubert
 * Dorothea
 * Petra
 * Ferdinand
 * Bernadetta
 * Linhardt
 * Caspar
 * Monica
 * Azure Gleam (Holy Kingdom of Faerghus)
 * Dimitri
 * Dedue
 * Mercedes
 * Felix
 * Ashe
 * Annette
 * Sylvain
 * Ingrid
 * Rodrigue
 * Golden Wildfire (Leicester Alliance)
 * Claude
 * Hilda
 * Marianne
 * Leonie
 * Ignatz
 * Raphael
 * Lysithea
 * Lorenz
 * Holst
 * Church of Seiros
 * Seteth
 * Flayn
 * Catherine
 * Shamir
 * Manuela
 * Jeritza
 * Abyss (Ashen Wolves)
 * Yuri
 * Balthus
 * Constance
 * Hapi
 * Miscellaneous
 * Shez
 * Byleth
 * Jeralt
 * Secret Characters
 * Arval
 * Sothis
 * Seiros (Rhea)
 * Gatekeeper

Non Playable Characters

 * Scalet Blaze (Adrestian Empire)
 * Randolph
 * Ladislava
 * Fleche
 * Hanneman
 * Duke Aegir (Ludwig)
 * Count Bergliez (Leopold)
 * Count Hevring (Waldemar)
 * Count Varley (Grégoir)
 * Metoday
 * Azure Gleam (Holy Kingdom of Faerghus)
 * Gilbert
 * Miklan
 * Matthias
 * Rufus
 * Cornelia (Cleobulus)
 * Lonato
 * Gwendal
 * Golden Wildfire (Leicester Alliance)
 * Judith
 * Count Gloucester (Erwin)
 * Acheron
 * Church of Seiros
 * Rhea
 * Alois
 * Cyril
 * Anna
 * Those Who Slither in the Dark (Agartha)
 * Thales
 * Solon
 * Kronya
 * Cleobulus
 * Epimenides
 * Miscellaneous
 * Kostas
 * Pallardó
 * Shahid
 * Nader

Stages

 * Enbarr
 * Fhirdiad, the Kingdom Capital
 * Fódlan's Locket
 * Garreg Mach Monastery
 * Magdred Way
 * Great Bridge of Myrddin
 * Midwestern Riegan Territory
 * Arianrhod, the Fortress City
 * Mateus Territory
 * Brennius Territory
 * Eastern Hrym Territory
 * Fort Merceus
 * Ailell, the Valley of Torment
 * Zahras
 * Near Ailell, the Valley of Torment
 * Western Former Arundel Territory
 * ELidure Territory
 * Western Church Territory
 * Southwestern Lochin Territory
 * Southeastern Hevring Territory
 * Northern Burgundy Territory
 * Derdriu, the Aquatic Capital
 * Gronder Field
 * Midwestern Fraldarius Territory
 * Eastern Ordelia Territory
 * Tailtean Plains

Trivia

 * Due to the passing of Ferdinand's English voice actor Billy Kametz who died from colon cancer in June 9, 2022, this game has become one of his posthumous roles.