Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn

 Wii
User Score
8.9

Generally favorable reviews- based on 308 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 262 out of 308
  2. Mixed: 35 out of 308
  3. Negative: 11 out of 308
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  1. LORDTIKIDCANCER
    Mar 17, 2023
    10
    SAFETY PIN
    tactis lore rpg hot anime girls with dragons orc demons all this is fire emblem
  2. frederik1478
    Jan 29, 2023
    10
    The problem with the game is that it is one of the greatest fire emblem games to replay and the first time you played it's gonna be really weird and a slug, but it's so fun to replay and makes ready-to-use and find out which character to use this time.

    game does good feeling of being an underdog in the beginning and slowly getting to see many perspective of a war it has a really    The problem with the game is that it is one of the greatest fire emblem games to replay and the first time you played it's gonna be really weird and a slug, but it's so fun to replay and makes ready-to-use and find out which character to use this time.

    game does good feeling of being an underdog in the beginning and slowly getting to see many perspective of a war it has a really interesting story and way of showing the consequences of the path of radiance game

    The difficulty is a big Fu** not because it's too hard, but because it's mislabeled in the Japanese version it's normal hard and maddening .when in the West version it is easy normal hard.

    The ad style the story it works, so we'll till an interesting story in looks so good the only problem is that if you're playing this on wii hardware then there's no speed up button and they is sometimes you have a lies in the so many enemies that it takes forever to become your turn again.

    It is one of the more interesting fire emblem games to play and it is at least in my top 3 now.    … Expand
  3. S3XU4LH34L1NG
    Jun 21, 2021
    8
    this is a pretty good sequel to path of radiance. If you liked the first one you will probably like this one too.

    Like in the first game the characters and the story are great, the visuals are sufficient and there are some pretty nice animated cutscenes. The lacking RPG elements which i critisized in the first game are still pretty meh but at least theres a pretty nice skill system now.    this is a pretty good sequel to path of radiance. If you liked the first one you will probably like this one too.

    Like in the first game the characters and the story are great, the visuals are sufficient and there are some pretty nice animated cutscenes. The lacking RPG elements which i critisized in the first game are still pretty meh but at least theres a pretty nice skill system now. Also playing in support groups is pretty immersive at times.

    What i didnt like this time around is the amount of enemies in later levels, the engine and this style of game is simply not that great for that much combat (and these really long turn times). I honestly still dont like the lacking character avaliability it makes playing this game really annyoing at times.

    In summary i would say it is a good game and a good sequel but its a shame they only iterated so slightly.    … Expand
  4. Phuz
    Apr 8, 2019
    10
    I sold this game after playing it twice. Why 10/10? It was challenging, fun, addictive and I spent so long on it over those two nights I knew it would be detrimental to my time to keep it. If you like chess you will definitely like this.

    The position of this game in top Wii games by critic score and the **** that comes above it goes to show that critics were as useless in the 00's as they    I sold this game after playing it twice. Why 10/10? It was challenging, fun, addictive and I spent so long on it over those two nights I knew it would be detrimental to my time to keep it. If you like chess you will definitely like this.

    The position of this game in top Wii games by critic score and the **** that comes above it goes to show that critics were as useless in the 00's as they are in the 10's and 20's.    … Expand
  5. RatTheBrave
    Sep 25, 2020
    10
    Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn is my favorite Fire Emblem game and it it certainly the game I have replayed the most in the series. The strategy is brilliant and the map designs are the peak of the series (Elincia's Gambit/Blood Contract ftw). All the little details of the strategy (using the terrain to your advantage, keeping track of biorhythms, using careful judgement as to where to placeFire Emblem: Radiant Dawn is my favorite Fire Emblem game and it it certainly the game I have replayed the most in the series. The strategy is brilliant and the map designs are the peak of the series (Elincia's Gambit/Blood Contract ftw). All the little details of the strategy (using the terrain to your advantage, keeping track of biorhythms, using careful judgement as to where to place your characters) make the game addictingly fun and replayable. The game is hard, but I find this to be a strength of the game because I find it pushes you to use your brain and consider each turn incredibly carefully. Additionally, the game has my favorite story. Like the strategy and gameplay, it's the little details about the story that make it great. I love that you get rewarded for 100%ing the game because you get extra details about the inctricate story.

    The game isn't for everyone, but if you're a hardcore strategist who likes good stories, this game is for you.    … Expand
  6. sammich822
    Sep 6, 2020
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Well, I got an actual physical copy of Radiant Dawn at the beginning of 2020, and it was a new one, at that. I’m gonna say it plain, FE10 is one of my favorite video games of all time. The story is pretty good, the only flaw being the stupid blood contract. The characters are likable and entertaining, though the lack of support conversations hurts characters exclusive to Radiant Dawn. It’s a great sequel to Path of Radiance and fulfills a lot of questions left by its predecessor. The gameplay was fun and the objectives were extremely diverse. One of my favorite FE chapters of all time is the Part 2 Endgame chapter called Elincia’s Gambit. It’s challenging but not unfair. The unit balance in this game is pretty wonky, but just about anyone can end up being really good with enough investment.… Expand
  7. weskergamer
    Jul 26, 2020
    10
    This is basically the best Fire Emblem game ever made, great story, gameplay, characters. When i played this game 5 years ago i just felt in love more with the franchise becoming one of my favorite franchises of all time.
  8. Sunshadow87
    Jun 4, 2020
    9
    Una gran secuela del FE de la GameCube, pero que personalmente esta un poco por debajo en historia y personajes. Eso sí, introduce nuevas mecánicas con respecto al anterior y es uno de los FE más difíciles para los que les gusten los retos.
  9. Sapient2k7
    May 28, 2020
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Radiant Dawn continues the story of Path of Radiance for the Game Cube. It is only the second game that is a direct sequel to a previous Mainline installment. This installment definitely improves upon the previous installment in a lot of subtle ways. The graphics are improved in some areas but look similar to the older game cube installment in others. This is by no means a bad thing as the game is beautiful to look at and play. The animations are improved over the predecessor and look great. For veteran gamers the option to have map only animations works wonderfully as those are animated well and cuts down on the time.

    The GOOD:
    - Story is definitely one of the strong points of this game. It expanded upon the PoR story in a lot of ways , providing deeper insight in the psyche and reasoning of the antagonists
    - second play though allows you to see certain key points in different ways and allows recruitment of 2 hidden characters that fleshes out the story even more. I really liked how it basically shows both versions , the first play through with no choice and the second which allows you to see the what/if scenario essentially. I can't describe how it felt. A really high point of the story for me.
    - The game play is excellent and improved upon over PoR. Bonus EXP feature has been retained and is really a welcome addition.
    - Forging is a new favorite activity and is unlimited (as long as you have money) whereas POR limited to once per chapter.
    - Import of PoR: almost all characters from PoR return and the game save import allows you to have the whole team imported with their current stats (plus some to account for the 3 years in between the 2 games). This makes the game feel so much better as playing without a save file feels really different.
    - Second tier promotions: Getting a second tier promotion really makes it feel like your characters have improved. The second tier is where characters like Astrid really start coming into their own.
    - Scale of battles: By far this has the biggest scale in any FE game, it really looks like the team intended for the player to get the scale and magnitude of the war.
    - Cut scenes and STILL to COME: I loved the cut scenes implemented in this game as there are a lot more than PoR and seem to be much longer than before. I was really surprised by the Still to Come aspect of the different parts as it shows a mixture of cut scenes and maps of the upcoming chapters at the end of each part. I thought it was an excellent idea implemented really well.

    The BAD:
    - Difficulty spikes: Due to the nature of story telling in this game the viewpoint shifts from one protagonist to another in quick succession and that can cause difficulty spikes. I feel that the developers have tried to implement features in the game to circumvent the problem but you should be forewarned that the first time this happens it will feel horrible.

    Just to elaborate a bit; there exists one faction (the one you start with ) that is comprised of mostly base tier characters. While you do spend more time with them in the beginning they do not get enough experience to get to second tier ranks. Also, unless you are reading in forums and walk-throughs you are not aware that the viewpoint will shift. I feel the Bonus exp system was put in place for exactly this reason and also why BEXP actually has hard coded 3 guaranteed stat upgrades while on the field RNG determines how many upgrades happen (min is 1, same as PoR which is an improvement over older FE games where RNG could screw you with no stat upgrades).

    Overall I feel that the difficulty spikes can be mitigated with the BEXP as it was clearly intended for this reason. This does take some getting used to but it wouldn't be an FE game if you didn't have a few surprises midway through the chapter :)

    VERDICT:
    This was one of the best games I have played and I feel that it didn't get the recognition it deserved. Radiant Dawn got a bad rep for its difficulty spikes and sold less than PoR or any other FE released in the west. I think it is a hidden gem that shouldn't be missed by fans.    … Expand
  10. Ydun79
    Feb 11, 2019
    10
    I love this game. This was my first fire emblem game and I have played a lot more since. The characters are so memorable and the story is so epic. I love the combat, i love the perma-death. No hand holding in this one ... perfect.
  11. calanga
    Nov 6, 2018
    10
    Great ending of this story, all of it design, music, player, scenarios are all of them perfect
  12. Cyanurea
    Jul 5, 2018
    9
    An SRPG for SRPG nuts. Some of the best balancing and map design in the series. The plot is a lovely work about kindness vs practicality, loyalty to loved ones vs principles, preservation of life vs what makes life worth living. In all respects--gameplay, presentation, plot--it can be dense, so I couldn't recommend it to anyone who isn't a fan of the genre, but ultimately its denseness isAn SRPG for SRPG nuts. Some of the best balancing and map design in the series. The plot is a lovely work about kindness vs practicality, loyalty to loved ones vs principles, preservation of life vs what makes life worth living. In all respects--gameplay, presentation, plot--it can be dense, so I couldn't recommend it to anyone who isn't a fan of the genre, but ultimately its denseness is richness.… Expand
  13. Wake_loms
    Apr 27, 2017
    10
    El juego de Fire Emblem por excelencia, le ayuda mucho estar en la consola de sobremesa wii, es el mas desafiante, con una historia maravillosa y unas animaciones increibles que no se encuentran en ningun otro juego de esta franquisia
  14. leonardo2360
    Mar 25, 2016
    10
    uno de los mejores juegos rpg de todos los tiemposssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss
  15. TharosTheDragon
    Sep 27, 2015
    9
    I love this game, but then again I love all Fire Emblem games. The level design is impeccable and the strategy gameplay is deeply involved. Unfortunately, I thought I could count on a Fire Emblem game to have a standalone story. I didn't realize this was a sequel to the Game Cube Fire Emblem which I haven't played. Yet. So anyway, I often find myself confused about which characters I'mI love this game, but then again I love all Fire Emblem games. The level design is impeccable and the strategy gameplay is deeply involved. Unfortunately, I thought I could count on a Fire Emblem game to have a standalone story. I didn't realize this was a sequel to the Game Cube Fire Emblem which I haven't played. Yet. So anyway, I often find myself confused about which characters I'm supposed to recognize and which are new.… Expand
  16. VonSeux
    Dec 17, 2013
    9
    Many improvements on Path of Radiance; specially the skill system. But fells short on the story. With 3 branches, the game got too big and sometimes confusing. Still a beast to dive a hundred hours in. New characters like Sothe and Micaiah are very special, I love them!
  17. OmnipotentGamer
    Aug 5, 2013
    9
    This is the game that got me in to fire emblem, the tactical combat is great, I'm a huge fan of the story, but the few voice acted scenes leave a bit to be desired, however they are beautiful. A must have for Wii owners.
  18. TerribleFate
    Jul 17, 2013
    9
    Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn is the first game that I play of the Fire Emblem series and I didn't know what to expect from this game, because I didn't know it. Surprisingly I found that this game is amazing, it has a fun gameplay, an entertaining story, nice graphics (obviously for wii standards), amazing sound and an addictive formula that will keep you entertained. If you have a wii, youFire Emblem: Radiant Dawn is the first game that I play of the Fire Emblem series and I didn't know what to expect from this game, because I didn't know it. Surprisingly I found that this game is amazing, it has a fun gameplay, an entertaining story, nice graphics (obviously for wii standards), amazing sound and an addictive formula that will keep you entertained. If you have a wii, you MUST buy it; it's one of the best games on this console and one of the best SRPG of all times.
    Graphics: 8/10
    Sound: 9/10
    Gameplay: 9/10
    Presentation: 8/10    … Expand
  19. MrZlayerX
    Jul 13, 2013
    8
    The game its very fun, and make you think on strategic choices. But the game have a lot of characters and you need to play with ones and forget the others
  20. uxya
    Jun 22, 2013
    9
    This is easily one of the greatest Wii games of all time IMHO, although that is a title that is not hard to aim for. Even having not played all of Path of Radiance, I found the difficulty to be engaging, the story to be compelling, most of the major characters to be rather fleshed out, and the RPG elements to be on par.

    The FMV cuts are gorgeous, even if a bit sparse, and the lack of    This is easily one of the greatest Wii games of all time IMHO, although that is a title that is not hard to aim for. Even having not played all of Path of Radiance, I found the difficulty to be engaging, the story to be compelling, most of the major characters to be rather fleshed out, and the RPG elements to be on par.

    The FMV cuts are gorgeous, even if a bit sparse, and the lack of voice acting in the major dialogue scenes can get rather tiring, but this is a minor complaint.

    The only reason why this doesn't deserve a ten is a few gameplay gripes. The graphics clearly could have been better, especially when you're on the map playing. The battle music has little variation and gets old quickly. The inability to repair forged weapons easily makes the game even more difficult beyond the actual strategy. Ranged units rarely are ranged enough (would it have been hard to make damage fall with distance and let the archers actually be archers!?), there are too many Condition: Rout battles, and the difficulties in distributing EXP and making certain units as useful as they should be just make the game hair-rippingly difficult in the second half of the third chapter and all of the fourth.

    However, the relatively deep strategy for a console game, simple controls, wide variation in unit types, functions, and strengths, the great story, and the slightly-more-than-passing-thought RPG elements easily makes this one of the best games on this console.    … Expand
  21. WyattTheAwesome
    May 31, 2013
    9
    A fantastic strategic turn based RPG and it's one of the best the Wii has to offer. It provides 40+ hours of gameplay and you control over 80 characters. The only downside, it is very easy for certain units to be underpowered because of the amount of times you switch from group to group. Overall, go dust off your Wii and play this game.
  22. CoolBeans
    Feb 27, 2013
    9
    Unreal game. Gripping story, addicting game-play and an awesome score. While not perfect it is worth your time, as to me it stands as the single greatest turn-based strategy game on the market.
  23. McSkittle
    Dec 1, 2012
    9
    Greatest fire emblem yet. This makes you feel like your in a world war of RPG. I like how you can make a real dragon Lord. No RPG gamer should miss out on this. My only complaint is graphics and we need more voice acting.
  24. OcilaytonFanboy
    Oct 29, 2012
    10
    To start off, this might just be the best strategy game you'll ever play. One critic stated that it was not in the same league as disagea or ff tactics. It isn't, only because it's miles better. It's difficult to explain what makes FEs gameplay amazing. Is it the weapon weakness triangle? Partially. Is it the fact that you know each characters strengths intimately? Partially. Is it theTo start off, this might just be the best strategy game you'll ever play. One critic stated that it was not in the same league as disagea or ff tactics. It isn't, only because it's miles better. It's difficult to explain what makes FEs gameplay amazing. Is it the weapon weakness triangle? Partially. Is it the fact that you know each characters strengths intimately? Partially. Is it the brilliant level design? Again partially. You see it's strength comes in that is the culmination of many MEANINGFUL game mechancs. By meaningful i mean mechanics that have a substantial effect on your descicions. Far too often i find in strategy games many BS mechanics that i might use once if ever. All of FEs mechanics are simple but meaningful and make for a great strateg experience. And the gameplay is only half the the game! It also has a great storyline and epic memorable music. Definetly pick this one up if you like strategy games or just rpgs in general. You wont be disapointed.… Expand
  25. EmptyPockets
    Jul 19, 2012
    10
    Radiant Dawn is a direct sequel to Path of Radiance, one of the few of its kind in the Fire Emblem series. While graphics tend to be a non-issue for Fire Emblem games, especially to fans, they are still appealing, and this is one of the better/best looking titles on the Wii. The gameplay is fun, and the story is engaging and deep. This is also one of the longer Fire Emblem games, and thusRadiant Dawn is a direct sequel to Path of Radiance, one of the few of its kind in the Fire Emblem series. While graphics tend to be a non-issue for Fire Emblem games, especially to fans, they are still appealing, and this is one of the better/best looking titles on the Wii. The gameplay is fun, and the story is engaging and deep. This is also one of the longer Fire Emblem games, and thus will keep you occupied for plenty of time. It is the first Fire Emblem game to allow for a save game carry-over, allowing you to benefit from having played through Path of Radiance. Gameplay ranges from "Inviting for beginners" to "Unforgiving" based on the selected difficulty, and thus caters to a wide audience. The permanent death mechanic is very unique, shared by few if any other games outside the Fire Emblem series, and adds a layer of depth and challenge. You can't simply expend your "pawns" as you will eventually run out, and will also be missing out on certain characters. The very wide selection of characters gives variety, so a player that likes mages can field an all-mage army, or perhaps the player wants to use cavalry and knights, which would work just as well. Surprisingly, the wide character selection does not detract from the personality of each individual character. All the characters have deep personalities and character development, as in most Fire Emblem games, and it is one of this games best features. The gameplay can finally be described as easy to learn, but daunting to master. It is incredibly satisfying when you can breeze through the game on the hardest difficulty on levels that gave you trouble back in normal mode, and the incredible depth to the characters adds great replayability. I would highly recommend picking this game up if you have any interest in strategy or tactics. Also, as an added bonus, this is one of the few Fire Emblem games with Dark Magic in it, which is the best kind ;D… Expand
  26. Regal4point1
    Jul 15, 2012
    8
    A fantastic strategy game that is hard at its core, and created for its audience thus. An underrated treat that deserves far more recognition. Although not contemporary by any means, it makes up for it with a large (yet not forgettable) cast and elongated storyline. The death feature also makes things extremely personal.
  27. Teliiii
    May 27, 2012
    8
    Great sound and story, but I felt the game was a little inconsistent. One level it would be really easy, and then the next, it would be ridiculously hard. Also the three-tier system is a cool addition, but I felt it would have been better if the game was longer. Also, the absence of support conversations is a let-down, but on the positive side there are cool base conversations that you canGreat sound and story, but I felt the game was a little inconsistent. One level it would be really easy, and then the next, it would be ridiculously hard. Also the three-tier system is a cool addition, but I felt it would have been better if the game was longer. Also, the absence of support conversations is a let-down, but on the positive side there are cool base conversations that you can use to learn about character's personalities.… Expand
  28. Kirisoul
    Nov 23, 2011
    10
    This game is underrated. The gameplay is absolutely fantastic, with difficulties to accommodate newcomers and long time veterans alike. It is by far the most challenging game I've played in awhile on hard mode. The story isn't particularly special, but it's original enough to keep you interested. Character list is massive, and customizing as well as strategy is top notch. Replayability isThis game is underrated. The gameplay is absolutely fantastic, with difficulties to accommodate newcomers and long time veterans alike. It is by far the most challenging game I've played in awhile on hard mode. The story isn't particularly special, but it's original enough to keep you interested. Character list is massive, and customizing as well as strategy is top notch. Replayability is also through the roof, as second play through even gives you perks. The only complaint I have is the low poly graphics on the maps, but the competent battle scenes as well as exquisite music more than make up for that.… Expand
  29. Aarvex
    Nov 22, 2011
    9
    This game is addicting. Fire Emblem has always been about the turn based strategy concept and the formula works yet again. The story is compelling and ties together the prequel to it but you do not need to have played the former Path of Radiance to enjoy this game. The battles get repetitive but even easy mode will challenge you. If you want to be challenged then try out hard mode. TheThis game is addicting. Fire Emblem has always been about the turn based strategy concept and the formula works yet again. The story is compelling and ties together the prequel to it but you do not need to have played the former Path of Radiance to enjoy this game. The battles get repetitive but even easy mode will challenge you. If you want to be challenged then try out hard mode. The character level ups, weapon choice, and position all become so crucial that they must be perfect to achieve victory. The story is long and will take over a day straight to complete in its entirety.… Expand
  30. SKULLbrgr7
    Aug 11, 2011
    10
    The greatest strategy RPG of all time, bar none. The only problems are subpar graphics (there are quite a few stunning battle animations, however) and some of the story can be a bit difficult to understand if you didn`t play Path of Radiance. If you didn`t play this game yet though, you are not a real strategy RPG fan. Play it now and bask in its wonderful story and gameplay. :-)
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Awards & Rankings

12
#12 Best Wii Game of 2007
10
#10 Most Discussed Wii Game of 2007
6
#6 Most Shared Wii Game of 2007

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
78

Generally favorable reviews - based on 36 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 24 out of 36
  2. Mixed: 11 out of 36
  3. Negative: 1 out of 36
  1. RPG Fan
    88
    Even though this is not the definitive strategy RPG of our time, like some have labeled games such as Shining Force, Final Fantasy Tactics, or Disgaea, it's pretty damn close.
    Read full review
  2. Gamer.nl
    80
    Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn makes its Gamecube predecessor even more perfect on the Nintendo Wii. Nothing has really changed, but even on the Wii the game is still fun to play. With 38 missions, 72 characters and one hell of an in-game challenge this game really is worth the trouble. Especially if you like tactics.
    Read full review
  3. Maxi Consolas (Portugal)
    80
    It’s one of those cases that could easily pass for an expansion of previous titles, but those similarities are also one of its stronger points. There are some highly challenging battles here, especially if you want to keep all of the party members alive. [Apr 2008]
See all critic reviews »