Byleth is Divisive in New Smash Bros. Ultimate DLC
By Jakejames Lugo
The final character bundle for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate finally released for Nintendo Switch, which included a new character to round off the first Character Season Pass. And while some players were disappointed it didn’t include another third-party guest character, Nintendo fans were treated to Byleth from Fire Emblem Three Houses. It might be yet another inclusion of the Fire Emblem series for Super Smash Bros. that seems tiring at this point, but those who have enjoyed the series will be happy to see the latest of the franchise given a nod. However, Byleth may take some getting used to for players looking to take him/her online.
Byleth comes with a new stage and music based off Fire Emblem Three Houses. There’s a few arrangements for the main theme of Three Houses, but the rest of the music is pulled straight from the game. They sound great and will speak to those who have played it beforehand. The new stage makes frequent transitions between areas that players will recognize from the game, as well as notice a few cameos from the key players from all three main houses. The layout of each section in the stage differs, making the melees and duels you have very tense. There’s not many gaps you can fall into, except during the transitions between areas, so you’ll constantly find yourself trying to push opponents out to the side for knockouts.
Playing as Byleth will be divisive amongst Smash players. Like the other avatar-like characters included from the Fire Emblem series, Byleth has multiple costumes that allow you to switch between male and female versions. They look great and have color variations that represent the three houses from his/her respective game. The move set however is what will keep players discussing the pros and cons of Byleth for a long while. Byleth utilizes the three main weapons featured in Fire Emblem: Three Houses, each of which hit very hard and push opponents back pretty far. It almost feels like a combination of different aspects from characters like Marth, Chrome, and Ike in some ways. He/She can be used as a powerhouse character, but a few attacks within the arsenal allow Byleth to attack quickly. However, many other characters on the roster will be able to outpace Byleth with basic moves, since there’s a bit more startup and lag with Byleth’s attacks. Among the best within his/her move set, the down and side smash attacks are incredibly strong, despite their follow up animations leaving you open to attack if you miss targets.
And this is where most players will feel indifferent about Byleth. Whether it’s the basic attacks or special moves, you better be willing to commit to an attack and be sure it lands on its target. Failing to do so will leave Byleth open to counterattacks and put players in a bad spot. Byleth’s special moves are strong and have their own nuances, with one move giving super armor resistance as it charges a mighty swing that can knock characters out pretty quickly. But that’s the catch. You can’t wildly throw attacks out generously and not expect the cost of missing to be huge. Some players might see this as a major downside that makes Byleth as an inferior choice to other Fire Emblem fighters, while others will see this as a more tedious challenge with an immense payoff. It all depends on how you are individually as a Smash player.
As the final addition to the first season of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate downloadable content, Byleth is a good entry in to the roster. It’s going to take time to see the full potential of Byleth in comparison to the rest of the roster, especially in high-level competitive play. It’s not exactly the big surprise finale that Smash Bros. fans were expecting, but Byleth’s arrival also gives us the confirmation of six more characters being released as downloadable fighters. Who will show up to settle it in Smash is anybody’s guess, but one can’t lie about being excited to see who else will show up next.
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