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People might look at Unicorn Overlord and think that this is a case of Atlus and Vanillaware making its own sort of Fire Emblem game. That isn’t completely accurate. It’s a similar sort of title in the same genre that is clearly inspired by the Nintendo and Intelligent Systems series in many ways, but it’s very different in ways that might keep someone who likes one not care for the other.
How is Unicorn Overlord like Fire Emblem?
Well, first is that there’s a relatively large cast of characters in a fantasy world where magic is present and there are humanoid characters from multiple types of species. There’s a story filled with political intrigue and a small group of rebels standing up against a villainous empire. The characters on your side all belong to different classes, which can be upgraded, and there is a system in place where certain classes are stronger or weaker against others. (A flying feathersword or gryphon knight will be weak against a hunter’s arrows. An armored hoplite will be weak against a witch’s magic.)
There is also a relationship system in play here. Characters in the same unit will grow fond of each other. If certain people are placed together or interact, you may even see Rapport conversations between them. Alain can also give a Ring of the Maiden to one person, which is something like the ring Alear can give to one ally in Fire Emblem Engage.
Not to mention that, like Fire Emblem, Unicorn Overlord will have some battles that allow certain characters to talk to one another to trigger certain events or recruitment opportunities.
On a sillier note, both Unicorn Overlord and Fire Emblem games have protagonists with blue hair! A critical part of the decision determining if you play a game, I know.
How is Unicorn Overlord different from Fire Emblem?
The big difference is the battle system. Unicorn Overlord is a real-time strategy game, while Fire Emblem is a turn-based strategy game. So while you have all the time in the world to look at the grid-based map, move characters, and explicitly tell them what to do in the moment in Fire Emblem, that isn’t the case in this game!
You set up formations before battles. Each group includes multiple characters, with two in each squad to start. When a battle begins, you deploy from designated spaces. That’s limited by how much valor you have at a time. So when a fight begins, you can typically send out three groups. While you can direct them to places and choose if they use items or Valor Skills, in-battle they rely on active and passive skills you set up in tactics outside of fights.
Not to mention, all battles are timed in Unicorn Overlord. So you’re constantly scouring the field to check characters’ progress toward objectives, pausing to redirect their actions, and moving forward. Also, if someone dies, you can use items to revive them, stop in a town to let them recover, and take solace in knowing falling in battle doesn’t mean death.
Meanwhile, in Fire Emblem you can really take your time to control single characters in the moment. Nothing happens without your direct input. Also, as there are enemy and ally phases, you don’t need to worry about everything happening all at once. Also, depending on the mode you select, there could be permadeath present as an option if a character falls.
Oh, also, Unicorn Overlord has a lot of allies. Like you have a ton of characters who are named and relevant to the story that you can recruit. Plus, you can also hire generic units.
Finally, there’s an open world here. You can choose the order in which you approach battles and how many you do in Cornia at the outset, for example, and wander freely around the overworld map as Alain. Once you reach a certain point, you’ll then be able to choose which of two continents you visit next.
Will I like Unicorn Overlord if I like Fire Emblem?
This depends, really. Why do you enjoy Fire Emblem?
Is it because you enjoy having very direct control over your army, with plenty of time to think about your decisions? If you say yes, then you might not be as big of a fan of Unicorn Overlord. The timer for battles may throw you off your game. The fact that you need to set tactics for each character ahead of time might be a bit much. You also might not like the fact that you need to keep an eye on everything happening on multiple fronts at once, since you can’t really see all units at all time as they’re moving on their paths.
Do you enjoy the complexity of combat Fire Emblem brings, as well as plotting out which classes and units are best for characters? Unicorn Overlord might be appealing then. Especially since you can customize hired units a bit and there is a promotion system in place.
Are you a big fan of the social and political story elements? Unicorn Overlord has quite a bit of character interaction and a Rapport system similar to the Fire Emblem support system. So if that’s your jam, this could be fun for you.
Unicorn Overlord is available for the Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, and Xbox Series X. The most recent Fire Emblem game is Fire Emblem Engage for the Nintendo Switch.
