PAX 07 hands-on: Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn

by JC Fletcher { Aug 26th 2007 at 4:28AM }

The Wii version of Fire Emblem should be quite familiar to anyone who's played Fire Emblem. The graphics and presentation are basically identical to the Gamecube version. That's not really a complaint-- the semi-cel-shaded style still looks nice. The game doesn't depend on motion controls for anything but cycling through camera views. However, for a turn-based RPG like Fire Emblem, this is a welcome decision.

The demo started me in a town square in the midst of a bandit attack; I took on a group of three or four bandits with swords and magic. Movement is done on a grid, just like before, and attacks zoom into the more cinematic view seen above. After I had taken care of the first bandit, a new character named Leonardo showed up and joined in the fight, allowing me the use of an archer.

People who liked Fire Emblem enough to want another one probably already have their minds made up: this is another one. But people who were afraid that waggle would ruin a strategy RPG have no reason to fear (this time).

Tags: fireemblem, pax07, srpg

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Sean DL @ Aug 26th 2007 4:59AM

Glad to see Nintnedo is following the same a guidelines they have on the DS. That is, not every game NEEDS to use the system's "gimmick" just because it is there.

Genome4824 @ Aug 26th 2007 5:45AM

after playing Shinning Force (VC) I can't wait to play a Fire Emblem with the side-ways wii-mote. I think it's perfect for TBS games.

Purple Haze @ Aug 26th 2007 6:04AM

I think they made the right decision to leave waggle out and this game seems like it'll follow up Path of Radiance nicely. Now if only I knew when it was coming to New Zealand.

t_m @ Aug 26th 2007 9:11AM

I've never played a Fire Emblem game.. but i was under the impression that they played like a turn based, grid based RTS.

As such it would seem like using the wiimote as a pointed would be pretty intuitive. (and in that mode it'd avoid a lot of the reaction-time/gesture recognition issues that have annoyed people in the past. (the waggle if you will...)

ZippyDSMlee @ Aug 26th 2007 9:19AM

I dunno I think the game and story is too simplistic it reminds me of Zone of the enders on the GBA only minus the sci fi, great story but retains the evily repetitive mind numbing game play 0-o

One of the things that would have made ZOE:FOM a damn fine game is if it had area and splash damage,and I think (I can barely recall LOL) Fire Emblem on the GC had the same one hit one target madness.

Kazi @ Aug 26th 2007 9:56AM

I was actually hoping for some wiimote controlling with this game. Just use it as a mouse, really. Feels like IS cut a lot of corners with this one. Corners felt cut in PoR too with the lacking story and a seeming step back in gameplay. I still miss their beautiful sprite work from the 2D games. Oh well, I'll still eat this game right up, just hope for a better story.

Platy @ Aug 26th 2007 6:54PM

totaly agree .. some basic pointing for menu scrolling ... who knows ? maybe they will add that as an option in the final version

Covarr @ Aug 26th 2007 10:41AM

The game is really lucky to be without use of the majority of the Wii's special functionality, but why can't you use the remote to point and click? Some people would prefer to use it like a mouse, so they should at least give that option.

Lack of waggle isn't really something that'll break the game, but I'd still like to have the choice.

3cubed minus 3squared plus1 @ Aug 26th 2007 11:14AM

I never played any of the Fire Emblem games.
Maybe I'll give this one a rent.

hvnlysoldr @ Aug 26th 2007 11:44AM

Nice avatar. I've got too much on my plate at the moment. Paper Mario, Paper Mario: Thousand Year Door, Super Metroid, MP2:E, Bonk's Revenge, Custom Robo Arena, Super Robot Taisen GBA 1&2, and I want MP3:C and LoZ:TP.

3cubed minus 3squared plus1 @ Aug 26th 2007 2:16PM

thanks
I still have to buy LoZTP and plan on getting Strikers or MPC this week.

Mr Khan @ Aug 26th 2007 11:43AM

So they didn't go with the exact translation, then.

But the only reason i can think of that they wouldn't implement pointer support would be battery life. A game you have to play for hours at a sitting, such a factor would be very important. Really, the only thing about the Wii's new technology this game seems to be taking advantage of is disc space. Lots of characters this time around, virtually all playables return from Path of Radiance in some parts of the game, and they're introducing a lot more

too bad it comes out in November, even if i had a mind to, i wouldn't be able to put in NEAR the time necessary to finish this game before Galaxy, NiGHTS 2, and Brawl (i'll put this one off to MLK Jr. Day)

flameofdoom666 @ Aug 26th 2007 12:23PM

Between Battalion Wars 2 (October 29th), Fire Emblem (November 7th), and Mario Galaxy (November 12), they are putting to make AAA titles 1 week apart. I want all of them, but there is not time to play them all.

Mighty Shockwave @ Aug 26th 2007 12:45PM

Wow. Metroid, Mario, Fire Emblem, and Brawl. If these titles were spaced out a little then the Wii wouldn't have to worry about anything for 2008.

theLoneYoshi @ Aug 26th 2007 1:09PM

Sure, I'm glad they left out "waggle" controls for this game, but this is a game that could be sped up by "point and click" using the IR sensor of the controller.

I mean, they could have it as an option for those who might like it, and they could have classic controls as well. There are already a LOT of games that use more than one type of control on the Wii, and I just think Fire Emblem is one of those games that should have multiple types of control.

Triforceowner @ Aug 26th 2007 1:25PM

I've been playing a lot of Sacred Stone, and I would appreciate a high resolution 2D Fire Emblem game. I think that would be really cool.

GreatHeroRift @ Aug 26th 2007 1:43PM

Yeah, I got a chance to play this on the PAX show floor, and I must say, people have been understating the visual boost of this game in comparison to Path of Radiance on the Gamecube. You can really tell that Intelligent Systems learned quite a bit from the previous game and improved the engine... A lot of the animations look a lot more natural and less stiff, and with a bit of added cel shading, everything looks more stylish and more fitting to their 2D Fire Emblem style. It also seems that they spent quite a bit more time on the individual character models, making them look more like their actual portraits than just the generic characters with different colors. Not to mention that the cutscenes are just GORGEOUS and really well done.

Gameplay wise, it's still the awesome Fire Emblem we know and love, and the premise of the story seems like a very interesting setup for the game.

*excited* :D

Mr Khan @ Aug 26th 2007 3:26PM

I've noticed the added animations and more varied textures, i just didn't find it as much of a talking point

Path of Radiance was my first FE, so i didn't find the action scenes as halting and stiff as people used to the fluid 2D animations (going back and looking at it, i do, but my basis for FE is PoR)

Seroth @ Aug 26th 2007 3:34PM

I really don't see why they couldn't have put IR controls in the game...I think I'm still waiting for that game which'll just let me sit there and point at the screen to do everything.

doogles @ Aug 26th 2007 5:38PM

This game not being called Goddess of Dawn is a crime, but whatever. Just keep the awesome Japanese boxart. (Like that'll happen.)

Liking how the FMVs don't look so crappy and the animation looks a bit more fluid. I'm still not sure I'll like the battle animations so I might have to turn those off (they suck in Path of Radiance).