Fire Emblem Path of Radiance

Tired of squinting at your GBA, trying to tell if those pixels you're about to attack are a brigand or a mercenary? Give your weary eyes a rest--Fire Emblem is on its way to the (relatively) big screen.

This Cube version of the handheld strategy RPG has the same basic setup as its little brother--turn-based movement, advantages given based on terrain, and a rock/paper/scissors-like weapon hierarchy. Nintendo promises flashier battle effects ('natch), and you can now watch your characters fight on the usual separate combat screen or right on the map itself. Also expect added complexity from expanded stats for each character in your army, including the weight of their items. Let's just hope the graphics improve before release.

If you've played either of the previous two 6BA strategy-RPGs, you already know what to expect from this Cube Emblem: a huge cast of knights, archers, and magicians to recruit and command in turn-based tactical battles. You'll outfit your soldiers with different weapons and evolve them into new classes as time goes on, but the emphasis is on the melodramatic cut-scene-fueled story and careful consideration of your every move in combat.

As a Nintendo rep put it when we asked what was different from the GBA games, "Uh...well...it's Fire Emblem'." Even as fans of the pint-sized versions, we're disappointed by how little is new here--some new skills you can assign to your troops, characters that transform into animals, and that's about it. Despite the added power of a full home console, the cut-scenes are those same-old talking heads and scrolling text windows, and even the 3D characters and backgrounds look dull and lifeless. While we don't doubt the gameplay will be solid, it's sad to see such a lackluster edition of a great series.