First things first: Yes, Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE is censored for the West. That’s the big news coming out of PAX East, now that we’ve all seen the footage and had a chance to take it in. For some, that’s a good thing. For others, it’s a point of frustration. No matter how you feel about it, if you’re a Fire Emblem or Shin Megami Tensei fan, this is probably a game you’re going to want to check out.
It’s fast and frenetic, as you’d expect, and is more or less a Shin Megami Tensei game with Fire Emblem cameos. Newcomers to either series might not comprehend the crossover elements of this game, and that’s okay—to an extent. Gamers have been waiting for this since 2013, so it certainly ups the ante on fan service. Ultimately, the game puts its main characters in the roles of Japanese pop stars in modern-day Tokyo, where an evil force is invading the city after being drawn through an interdimensional portal.
The evil forces are known as Mirages, which characters battle using magic and… uh, J-Pop. Look, I don’t know how else to describe it. Music is magical, okay? Let’s just all admit that and move on.
The PAX East demo showcases the combat style of the game, a bit of exploration, and a dungeon element, which gave a decent overview of the different areas you’ll encounter. In Tokyo, you’ll need to make your way to a portal that sends you into the alternate dimension (of eeevil) known as the Idolasphere. Because, you know, pop idols.
If you’re still with me, let’s agree to accept this and move on. The dungeons in this game are themed with concepts like “fashion photography”—don’t let the giant robots take your picture! Oh no! Fight them instead! Swing your weapon in real-time and start the turn-based battle! If you take a swing at them first, you get to start the battle with the first attack.
Anyone who has played either of the two aforementioned Atlus games will be wholly familiar with the battle style of Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE, and once you’re in combat, the crossover blend of the game will become instantly recognizable. When a main character starts to fight, they can summon a hero, all of which are Fire Emblem characters. The hero that everyone playing the demo seemed to choose first was Chrom (this being a demo, it’s not surprising that Chrom was a favorite).
Within the combat phase, both battle systems from the two series are combined to create a sort-of-familiar combat system with its own quirks—namely, a J-pop element that makes sure your experience always stays true to the theming. I mean, one look at the battleground says it all—there are stands full of cheering spectators…and when the characters are about to put the smackdown on each other, the attacker will sign their autograph mid-air. Yes, you read that correctly.
Here on Nintendo Fire, we cover a lot of Atlus games, so it shouldn’t be a surprise that they’ve come up with a unique and unexpected way to crossover two beloved franchises and create something totally new and engaging. Honestly, it’s the kind of game that doesn’t seem to take itself too seriously and offers players a ton of fun.
Anyone who’s a fan of either Fire Emblem or Shin Megami Tensei should definitely consider this title as they wait for Persona 4, is all we’re saying…!
