Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance

Hi everyone. My name is Louis.

"Hi Louis." [Everyone waves]

I... I don't like to come to these sorts of things, but my psychologist insisted that if I'm to continue living as a normal, healthy gamer, that I must attend until I am cured.

An old man leans forward, hands shaking. His thumbs are covered in blisters. "You can tell us."

I'm a Fire Emblem-aholic.

It starts innocently enough. A battle here, a battle there. Then you wake up one day realizing that you don't even know what day it is. Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance is the third chapter in the engrossing strategy series that, with the help of Advance Wars, started a Game Boy Advance revolution that has spilled over into the Nintendo DS and GameCube.

The major difference between Path of Radiance and the other Fire Emblem games is that the graphics are in full 3D. This does not change the gameplay as it did with other games. Instead the transition to 3D has the same effect it had on RPGs in the late 90s: the characters are more realistic, the battles are more intense, and the worlds truly feel like worlds (as opposed to the square maps of the GBA versions).

Path of Radiance is separated into chapters. The story is developed before and after each battle through text discussions and arguments. The animated sequences are saved for the most important developments, none of which I'm about to reveal. Let's just say that if disaster and sadness are what it takes to pull you into a story and become attached to the characters, this game has what it takes to gain your devoted attention.

The game is still based on grid movement, only this time the worlds are much larger, allowing for a greater number of strategic possibilities. Preferably you'll be the one who's hunting – most of the time you'll be the one who's hunted. Enemies will burn down buildings if you don't protect them. They'll attack in groups and from all angles. This is a strategy game of constant awareness. You have time to think, there's no time limit during your turn. Each character may only move and attack once per turn, making every move just as important as the last one you make. That's because in this game you can never be certain that the move you just made won't be your last.

Whereas the handheld iterations were stuck on using text messages to tell every tale, Path of Radiance features beautiful computer-animated videos that increase the intensity of the story. Players will be more easily attached and more likely to pay attention to characters that can move, talk, and act realistically. The coolest and most original aspect has to do with the character art during these animated sequences, which is absolutely gorgeous. Imagine one of your favorite anime and your favorite 3D RPG character. Meld the two together and you'll get an eye-catching style that is unlike any before it. Other games have combined 3D and 2D character elements together for various effects, but none have done it quite as effectively as this game has.

Path of Radiance, however, is not an RPG. Having turn-based combat the Fire Emblem series has always had a lot in common with RPGs. But the goal has never been to cast the biggest and most powerful spells; the goal is to place your team in the most appropriate location and overwhelm (or destroy) the enemy without losing any units. Units are perishable and cannot be replaced. They don't take advantage of the story possibilities when a character is lost, but when you lose someone he or she is gone forever. You won't be able to use them in battle another time. That's why if the main character dies the grim "Game Over" screen appears. He can't die, and you'll encounter missions where others cannot die either.

You have the option to view a tutorial at the beginning of the game, though it's unnecessary if you've played the previous Fire Emblems. The game is a little surprising at first, and not in a good way: the gameplay is just as slow as its GBA predecessors. I guess I expected it to be faster now that it was on a console. This feeling passed by the end of the first battle. By the end of the second I was getting back into my Fire Emblem addict mode, and by the end of the third I was calling Home Depot to see what it would take to get a toilet installed in my bedroom. Without the Crazy Glue, of course. Not that it mattered; I was going to be mentally stuck there a long time.

Fire Emblem fans will be engrossed in the battles for hours. I don't like losing teammates so I'm constantly hitting the reset button. I'm constantly re-thinking my strategy, trying hard to come up with an effective attack or defense method that will get everyone out alive. It's extremely difficult to do that. The game is set up for the loss of some characters (more later on). As new ones arrive and your team grows, not everyone is needed in battle at the same time. But if you work hard to advance a character, both in battle and in the story, the last thing you want to do is let go.

I urge everyone who loves the Fire Emblem series to make this the next game they buy. I won't say it's better than the GBA versions – those games will forever hold a special place in my heart. But the way things are developed is a definite improvement. The characters are likable, the character art is beautiful, the music is breathtaking, and the battles will turn you into a test subject for future psychologists.

"Louis was a normal gamer," Dr. Bamboo wrote in his journal. "Until he discovered Fire Emblem."

Gameplay: 9.0
Addiction that doesn’t let up. Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance is clever, exciting, and highly enjoyable. The goals of protecting a base while protecting comrades and keeping your characters healthy are often overwhelming. That’s what makes this a true strategy game. It’s like chess – if you make the right moves, you’ll never be overwhelmed. No one will be able to touch you. But learning the strategies, and being able to see beyond the grid that’s placed before you takes a very long time.

Graphics: 7.0
Bland textures and stiff animations kept this one from being beautiful. The spell effects, while faithful in their transition from the GBA’s 2D visuals to 3D polygons on GameCube, have were outdone by numerous RPGs and strategy games that came before it.

Sound: 9.0
As each event unfolds and as each battle is fought, the game fills your ears with the most beautiful Fire Emblem soundtrack yet. The epic, emotional, battle-driven sounds change whenever an enemy is near. The sound quality is amazing. There isn’t much of it, but even the voice acting deserves some praise.

Difficulty: Medium/Hard
Think you can stand to part with your comrades? That’s cool. Go right ahead. It’s very hard to win a battle with every teammate intact, but that’s nothing compared to what will happen when the game overwhelms you because you’ve let too many fighters go. Either way you’re in for a challenge.

Concept: 8.0
Not as much innovation as it is another great execution. Just as deep and challenging as the GBA classics, plus better sound quality (it’s GameCube versus GBA, what’d you expect?), and a much more engrossing story.

Overall: 9.0
Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance radiates with the same wonderful, addictive qualities as the GBA originals. The massive, lengthy battles of the past have been greatly expanded, increasing the length and difficulty that you’ll have to endure. The reward for success is one of great satisfaction. This is also a game of great replay value. Although I hate myself for re-starting battles so many times (but will still do it to protect my favorite characters), playing them again, whether by force or for fun, is always a blast. I know there are still quite a few gamers who haven’t gotten their first taste of this series – if that gamer is you, don’t hesitate to make Path of Radiance your first bite.