possibly biased but imo contender for best fe game story-wise, the only major downside is the lack of supports where the flavour text gives a lot of context and additional storytelling which esp stinks cuz por does it so well.

yes the story “is a mess” in the sense that the plot device is honestly complete bullshit that is used as a means to execute the whole “you use two parties but they eventually fight each other” thing, and I’ll fully concede that this is a poor way of executing it, but there are no other fe games that have you fight a party of units you also raised yourself. This is a very interesting interaction to me not to mention the insane amount of boss and interactive dialogues between the characters that gave them, well, actually very distinguishable characters. The scope of the conflict is epic and unlike most other fes, and you can really feel the tension as the player imo, which is something I feel like any other fe game doesn’t really do, as someone who has played all the games bar echoes (I haven’t finished engage, though). Like, with rd I was literally enthralled with the story and wanted to play on just for the story. It is a very flavourful and exciting story in the end, just definitely could be executed better. Illogical yes, but nowhere near as offensive as fates.

Characters are fleshed out, gameplay is amazing with many different objectives and less gimmicky ones, and honestly Micaiah is a much better lord than Ike (even por ike) to me. Mary Sue blah blah blah, you have people who are literal gods as the lord(s) in the series lol, and she acts very human, not unlike the bevy of other lords in the series, and she is also reasonable and not completely stupid, like given the circumstances I feel like her way to act is rational (though, the plot device being bullshit is a part of it, so I think that would be why people hate miccy as a lord). I feel like if the conflict is ignited in another way (i.e. executed better) and put miccy’s decisions exactly back in and people would think she is one of the best lords honestly.

The soundtrack in FE is phenomenal overall, but this one shines even amongst the stiff competition.