Path of Radiance sticks to the series roots while still offering a fresh experience for the Nintendo Gamecube.
User Rating: 8.4 | Fire Emblem: Souen no Kiseki GC
Gameplay: The gameplay here is actually one of a kind.... something only Fire Emblem can offer you. Fire Emblem is a strategy game in which your characters are placed on a grid like map, and it is your responsibility to move them around the stage and defeat all of the bad guys. Luckily, this isnt all there is to it though. Some stages mix things up with different objectives, and character customization is great. The one thing I find truly entertaining about Fire Emblem is the sense of realism it brings. When in a village, you can recruit villagers to your band, but if they or any other character die in battle, they are gone for good (other than Ike the main character). The story in the game is definitely another plus to the experience, while CGI cutscenes are far and few inbetween, there is a lot of interesting text inbetween battles to fill you in on what is going on. The only thing I would really say may not be for everyone here, is the linear feel of the game. If you want to explore a lot and find tons of sidequests this game really is not for you, this is an experience that has you stay on course of the main story the entire time. However, if you are a fan of past Fire Emblem games, Advance Wars games, or even RTS games then you will most likely enjoy Path of Radiance to the max.
Graphics: Unfortunately, while the CGI cutscenes are fantastic, the graphics in battle kind of suck. They are polygonal, lack detail, and just seem a bit outdated. Part of this can be expected due to the view point of the game, and for that reason the graphics arent entirely bad. Some things in the game look great, others look horrible.
Sound: Some classic Fire Emblem themes, and loads of new music help make this a pleasure to listen to, as well as play. If only they had added just a few more tunes though...
Value: A lengthy quest and a few sidequests will keep you occupied for hours upon hours. It would be nice to see a few more sidequests and such, but I can't complain seeing as the main quest is so long. This is definitely a game to pick up if your a Cube owner, especially since this was one of the last amazing games to be developed for the Gamecube. 
