In terms of gameplay, Path of Radiance doesn’t stray too far from previous Fire Emblem games, and considering the traditionally high quality of the series, that is definitely a good thing. For the uninitiated, what this means is that it features selectable difficulty levels, as well as turn-based strategic battles somewhat similar to a chess game in which the pieces can level up and grow more powerful over time. During each battle, the player is prompted to place a certain number of warriors onto their side of the field, and they square off against an opposing force. The conditions of victory can vary. For example, sometimes all enemies must be defeated, sometimes units need to survive a certain amount of time, and sometimes a particular soldier must reach a predetermined destination. This variety is one of the things that definitely make the Fire Emblem series so addictive.
Other series staples are also featured in Path of Radiance. Weapons have a limited number of uses before they break, and permanent death results for any character unfortunately enough to fall in the midst of battle. There are more than two dozen chapters to the game, each containing at least one battle, so there’s easily 30-40 hours of depth here. One new feature that Fire Emblem rookies will appreciate is the addition of bonus experience points, which is awarded following victory and can be distributed to different party members in order to make them more powerful. This feature, combined with the ability to choose an easier difficulty level, helps to make Path of Radiance a good gateway game for those just looking to get into the series.
