"A good game to add to your collection."

Intro
The intro. Everybody's favorite part, right? This is the part where I tell you there are two other American Fire Emblem Games, and I've beaten them both at least twice, so I know what I'm talking about (even when it doesn't sound like it!). Also, this is a spoiler-free review, so no worries there. I hate it when people spoil the game for me so I won't do it for you guys. And remember: this is a STRATEGY game, not an action game, so don't complain about the lack of “real” fighting. Don't like it, don't buy it.

Gameplay - 8
Very easy controls; they didn't take me but two minutes to pick up. This would have gotten a ten, except they never told me that they give auto-class-ups at level 20, so I was stressing out over the fact that I had NO promotion items whatsoever. Also, although it doesn't seem necessary, ALWAYS check the Info at the Base (it'll make more sense if you play the game). I didn't think that was worth it my first time through, because it was just some people talking about nothing important, but on my second run-through I gained a level-8 Sage that way. So trust me, it IS worth it. Sometimes the game does not always explain things, but if you're smart you'll do what I should have done and check wonderful little site called gamefaqs.com for some directions and, of course, some FAQS. Or just pay for a guide if you can't find the perfect FAQ. Obviously these controls are more complicated than the controls for the Fire Emblem games on the GBA, but they're still pretty good.

Playability - 6
And this is the one area in which the game does not triumph. This game can tend to become VERY boring after a while if you're “too good” at it. My characters were totally awesome and powerful, but after a while, slicing through everything in your path over and over again to defeat chapters with the same goal can get a little…repetitious. Soon there seems as though there is no purpose in continuing, and the fact that my GameCube broke down just after a long chapter so I had to restart did not help. However, your GameCube is probably in better condition than mine, unless you throw controllers against in constantly in fits of frustration after your disk can't be read for the hundredth time. Had it not been for the marvelous story (which I will get to in the next section), there would have been nothing to keep me going except to finish the darn thing because I paid $50 for it. The game just doesn't have that “thing” in it that makes you want to keep going, keep moving. Some games have it, some games don't, and this one had anything but that.

Storyline - 9
Wonderful stuff. Plenty of plot twists to wake you up a little, lots of great and believable characters, and even though the nonstop chat between characters can get more tedious than a 300-page FAQ, if you listen it's actually pretty good, for the most part. Sometimes the battle plans seem really drawn out, when you make up the battle plans anyway, but it's not too bad. You can skip through it with either B, to skip that conversation, or START to skip the entire scene (most times). Occasionally, a conversation or mini-movie (yes, they have little movies every now and then) can't be skipped because of high importance, but that means it's worth listening to anyway. The “mini-movies” I'll get into in the next section. Sometimes the storyline can be quite slow for a while, and it'll never seem to move anywhere. But then it will speed back up, and even feel a little rushed and “squished together” at some times. However, it's still a flawless tale. It was most of the reason why I kept playing even when it seemed pointless.

Graphics/Sound – 10
I won't spend too much time on the graphics and sound because they're not as relevant as, say, the gameplay. Like everybody says, “Graphics don't make the game,” but they play a pretty big part in Path of Radiance. Obviously, these graphics are much better compared to the GBA ones. And the mini-movies they had were excellent. I could have sworn I was watching an anime show on TV. Really, it was that good. And it even had voice-overs, of which I am extremely fond of. And these are no Super Mario Sunshine voice-overs, these are REAL voice-overs. The music was somewhat out-of-place in some chapters, where the same pleasant music always seemed to be playing OVER and OVER again, but it was, undoubtedly, GOOD music (although I think I like the first two Fire Emblem's music better personally, this was still pretty nice stuff).

Replayability – 7
It's not replay-able at all if you play it through like you did the first time, but if you set challenges and goals for yourself it can be a real treat. My second time through I decided I would recruit no one unless I had to and that I would get Titania (the best unit, and one you start out with) killed in the very beginning. It was actually kinda fun. But this only gets a seven because once you run out of things to do, which doesn't take very long, or if you don't set any in the first place, it can be extremely tedious since you'll already know the entire story.

Final Section
I'd say buy this game, because it's too long to rent and play in one big session, but if you're not a strategy person, rent it. However, DO NOT pass this game up altogether. I guarantee you'll get SOMETHING out of it, if not satisfaction that you've completed the latest Fire Emblem game and the first one on GameCube. Even if you're not sure, at least give it a good long rent. If you get bored halfway through at least find out the rest of the storyline.

Overall – 8

I hope this review has made your life easier in whatever way it can. =)

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 01/25/06