Puts all previous Fire Emblems to shame.
The gameplay is basically the same as other FE games, nearly identical to that as the previous two. However the designers managed to add much more depth, giving new actions, skills, and the Laguz. The Laguz are humans who transform into various creatures such as hawks, tigers, and dragons. However, they only transform after a certain number of turns, adding much more strategic depth to the gameplay. As usual anyone who dies, stays dead, forcing you to think much more and much harder than in any other game.
Graphics have good and bad points. Since this is the first FE on the Gamecube, the graphics are for the first time 3D. However, many of the models lack enough detail and textures sometimes overlap or blur. Fortunately, the 2D graphics are amazing as usual and the CG movies are on par with Pixar Studio's early work.
Path of Radiance's sound is excellent, with catchy orchestral music and loud and fitting sound effects. The voice acting is generally great (the Black Knight sounds awesome) but certain characters (Greil) don't sound as good or menacing as they should. I was also a little disappointed that the classic FE music was missing.
The game has more than long enough and filled with extras to be worth the full fifty bucks. The game took me about 25 hours to complete on normal mode. It's quite a bit more challenging then the last two FE games.
Ever since I got FE 7 (the first English one) I have considered Fire Emblem to be the best video game series ever. Path of Radiance has strengthened that conviction into an unbreakable belief.