Fire Emblem: Path Of Radiance (GameCube) Preview

Being a massive follower of the Fire Emblem games since the days of Super Nintendo fan translations beginning to appear of the Internet, and then solidifying my love for the turn-based strategy series when I got my hands on Fire Emblem for the GBA last year (with only Final Fantasy Tactics Advance managing to oust it as the best SRPG for the portable), Path of Radiance was a natural selection for me. In fact, JB himself took a step back from it as he knew I would be eager to drool over the GameCube version after being gutted that Fire Emblem 64 on the Nintendo 64 Disk Drive never came to fruition. At last, a full home version of the sublime series

I had read some reports about how this version was the to be the most visually attractive so far, which may not sound like much considering the power of the GameCube. However, since the previous outings have hardly pushed their respective systems, many thought the GC iteration would be more of the same. Thankfully, Intelligent Systems has squeezed the GameCube so hard that at times I would say this was definitely comparable to the jaw-dropping Zelda: Twilight Princess! I stood back from the gaming pod watching the FMV introductory sequences with complete awe. Emotionally stirring, both in terms of intrigue, action and romanticism.

The action in this game is exactly the same as it has always been. You start an encounter in one corner of the specific field, which was inside a castle in the demo run I played, with your band of merry men (and women). This group comprises of Archers, Horseback Knights, Magicians, Thieves, Fighters and several other types that you will come across throughout the whole adventure. Despite the wonderful cinematic feel to the introduction sequence, general conversations take place in a 2D-anime-slide style, with the character that is currently talking sliding onto the screen. This works just as well as in the past, giving a story-book feel to the proceedings.

You have control over each person in your squad, choosing them one by one and giving them whatever orders you feel like giving them, within their own personal limits. For instance, characters on horses can travel further distances than say some big thug with a heavy axe, yet horses cannot go over rocky terrain particularly swiftly. Then, if next to an enemy (or one square away on the movement grid if a javelin thrower or bowman) you can choose to attack them. Most characters will have more than one weapon, meaning that some thought must go into which would be best for the situation faced at that time. A slow axe will not always be useful against a much faster enemy on a horse, for example, whilst staying a step away and using an arrow will be far more effective in terms of accuracy. What also needs to be taken into consideration is the opponent's weapon strength and speed, as if right next to them it could cause problems. As the action moves to the lovely battle view, they will more often than not counter-attack once your character has automatically lashed out.

The aim in the demo was to manoeuvre from bottom left to bottom right, then gradually move upwards, back left and eventually up to the main throne area to defeat the main boss. Along the way, though, there were opportunities for fast characters to dash into separate rooms to collect items from chests, whilst others fought off the plethora of enemies. The charm of the GBA title is definitely there, with movement along the passageways seeming slow, yet not boring as you become more and more familiar with your range of characters. A nice new addition to the playing field is the option to move the camera around to gain a better view of affairs. Also, as before, you can turn off the battle sequences, as many will see this as boring after a while, slowing down the gameplay too much.