The Switch has been gaining a lot of traction among Nintendo fans and general console lovers over these last few months. And a big part of that push has been the stupendously good library of video games developed for the portable platform. The latest addition to the stable is none other than Fire Emblem: Three Houses.
This new title takes a new turn with a long-running franchise and does a wonderful job. There’s strategic and enjoyable turn-based, tactical RPG battles that are mixed in with a potent stew of character-driven storytelling. Each of the characters develops a bit of a personal relationship with the player, causing a fair bit of protection to bubble to the surface, making the emotional experiences that much more raw and intense.
All of this framing and character development has led to a pretty hardcore fanbase developing around the Switch title. And despite players very quickly developing a tribal attitude about their favorite characters in the game, there’s a bit of a blowback happening too, one seemingly borne out of jealousy.
The newest big JRPG hit on the Switch has seen its user rating drop to 6.6 amid a torrent of negative reviews. And this may sound really familiar to some people, as the exact same thing is being done to Astral Chain, another Switch title. Critical responses to Fire Emblem: Three Houses have been very positive though, gaining a rather respectable 89 rating from 96 reviews overall.
While the exact reason why Fire Emblem: Three Houses is getting review bombed is unclear, it’s pretty safe to assume that the whole thing is likely some kind of targeted attempt to protest Nintendo and their exclusives strategy. Maybe people are angry about these specific games, although since Fire Emblem is owned by Nintendo, it’s very unlikely it would ever be seen outside a Nintendo domain.
If you want to learn more about this game though, check out a lengthy discussion video on the story, characters and overall experience that is Fire Emblem: Three Houses via the Nintendo Power podcast.
