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Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn wii Game Reviews
Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn
Critic Score
Metascore: 78 Metascore out of 100
User Score  
8.9 out of 10
based on 32 reviews
Read critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
based on 34 votes
Read user comments
Rate this game

Three years have passed since King Ashnard of Daein invaded neighboring Crimea and, in doing so, almost doomed the world by awakening the slumbering goddess of chaos. Now, the fires of war burn bright once again, and a band of freedom fighters unites to break the foreign chains that bind their homeland. As this new war spreads, Ike and the Greil Mercenaries find themselves caught up once again in events that threaten to awaken powers that will judge the world - and find it wanting. A goddess' judgment could threaten once again to bring ruin to all of Tellius. [Nintendo]

PUBLISHER: Nintendo
DEVELOPER: Intelligent Systems
GENRE(S): Role-Playing Game, Strategy
PLAYERS: 1
ESRB RATING: E10+ (Everyone 10 and Older)
RELEASE DATE: November 5, 2007

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

95
Nintendo Power
It's the best it its class, and motion-control or not, it's only on Wii. [Dec 2007, p.80]
90
1UP
Radiant Dawn is one of the best strategy games you'll find on any console, with a crazily addictive strategic core that more than makes up for the subpar visuals.
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90
GameSpy
One of the best strategy games released this year.
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90
ZTGameDomain
The learning curve is not very steep, and newcomers to the series shouldn’t have any problems grasping the gameplay, especially if they listen to Anna.
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88
RPG Fan
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.
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88
Kombo
The main problem in Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn is that the game has no Wii-specific features, and it certainly doesn't have that next-gen presentation that many might expect from a Wii title.
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88
Electronic Gaming Monthly
Just sucks this head-scratcher will probably get lost inside Mario's galaxy this winter. [Holiday 2007, p.67]
85
Da Gameboyz
Hardcore RPG/strategy gamers should love Fire Emblem Radiant Dawn. Along with some stylized visuals the game has simple and streamlined gameplay including very basic control which really makes the game easy to pick up and play.
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83
Game Revolution
In spite of its weaknesses, Radiant Dawn delivers where it counts: Engaging characters, an interesting storyline, and above all, terrific strategic gameplay.
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82
Cheat Code Central
The plot is great, the gameplay, while mundane, is entertaining. The graphics are a bit of a drawback, but real Fire Emblem fans will be able to overlook it.
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81
n-Revolution Magazine UK
Fire Emblem fans will adore it. [Issue#21, p.82]
80
Gameplayer
A decent addition to your collection, but it hasn’t evolved.
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80
Gamer.nl
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.
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80
Maxi Consolas (Portugal)
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]
80
IGN
If you’re looking for an entertaining, challenging, traditional strategy game, look no further, as Fire Emblem is as good as it gets. Just don’t expect anything more than GameCube presentation, visuals, and control for $50.
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80
games(TM)
Ultimately, Intelligent Systems is giving Fire Emblem fans precisely what they want: more (much more) of the same. [JPN Import; May 2007, p.106]
80
GameDaily
It satisfies, even if its basic set-up doesn't make specific use of the Wii. The graphics are fantastic and the soundtrack, from Yuka Tsujiyoko, is a must-listen. This series has never burned brighter.
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79
Game Positive
The heart and soul of this title lies in both the amazing storyline and the many creative battles. It never grows stale, which is a fairly amazing feat considering the number of hours packed within.
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78
Official Nintendo Magazine UK
A finely honed and perfectly balanced strategy RPG this may be, but it could've been so much more had it made better use of the Wii hardware. [May 2008, p.78]
75
PALGN
Hardcore strategy wrapped up in candy coloured clothing. If you can get past the dreadful storytelling and focus on the tactical battles and RPG aspects, you'll have fun.
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75
NGamer UK
So what if it's the same old Fire Emblem? The score's for non-Japanese speakers - the UK version will likely do much better. [JPN Import; May 2007, p.45]
73
GameTrailers
The game has a solid set of mechanics and challenging gameplay, but it doesn’t make much of an effort appeal to casual fans looking to get a taste of meticulous tactical maneuvering. If you’re thirsting for a challenge, you’ll find it. If you’re hesitant to join up, this isn’t your war.
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72
IGN AU
The old-school controls and clumsy menus are even more evidence that not a lot of thought went into this sequel.
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70
NZGamer
It's a Fire Emblem game, which means, yes, while it's diabolically hard, the gameplay is solid. More than solid – it's worthwhile.
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70
EuroGamer
Radiant Dawn's core of creamy white strategy nougat does shine through its horribly drab exterior, but only just. We've seen it all before, and this can't help but seem like a wasted Wii opportunity.
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70
Game Informer
Little effort has gone into crafting a game that belongs on the Wii – very few upgrades distinguish it from the graphical quality you’d see on that earlier system.
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68
Games Master UK
Fans of the series add 10%; newcomers to the genre should start elsewhere. [June 2008, p.67]
65
GameZone
Those who have stuck with the franchise for a long time will likely consider this score to be too low; and more power to you. But my judgment is coming from someone fresh to the series, and I found only little enjoyment out of playing it.
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60
GameSpot
With a terrible plot and an unforgiving difficulty level, Radiant Dawn is best left alone by anyone but the most hardcore of strategists.
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58
The Wiire
All in all, Radiant Dawn is a worthwhile entry in the venerable series - it just could have been far more. Hopefully the developers will try again and put more of Wii's abilities to some use.
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50
Destructoid
The plot’s weak, the characters blab on too much, and the whole deal’s very last-gen, but for the truly dedicated, it’s playable, I guess. Rent it if you're a tactical geek -- everyone else should forget it.
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40
Video Game Talk
If you are looking for a game experience similar to recent Final Fantasy games, you will ultimately be disappointed with Radiant Dawn. However, if you craved focused gameplay and a story without embellished full voice acting or tons of FMV cut scenes, then Radiant Dawn fits the bill.
Read Full Review

What Our Users Said

Vote Now! The average user rating for this game is 8.9 (out of 10) based on 34 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

D McIntyre gave it a7:
OK, first off, I'm not afraid of a little challenge, but the difficulty curve of this game and the punishments (perma-death) are driving me to drink. Visuals aren't much of an issue, it's a TRPG, what do you expect? Actually I really liked most everything about FE:RD, everything except for the unforgiving difficulty. In a game where they field you in one map with most of your units being flying oriented and then proceed to give every enemy AI unit some kind of FU damage against flyers, it gets to be a little much. If you are a super hard-core TRPG fan who can't get enough of that kind of stuff, then this is right up your alley. However, if your tastes lean to the more casual FFT modes of gameplay, then looks like you'll have to sit this one out, as you're liable to put your Wiimote through something.

Matt K. gave it a10:
Fantastic game! Excellent, well rounded gameplay with lots of extras and characters to unlock. Playing the game repeatedly is very rewarding.

Alex S. gave it a6:
The game has a great, complex story, but a number of drawbacks. I'm a huge fan of RPG's and turn-based strategy games, but this game doesn't carry it out exceptionally well. There's no free form play to the game at all, so you don't have the option to explore the world, which I think is one of the hallmarks of a good RPG. The game has an in-depth tutorial too, but it doesn't cover everything and the instruction booklet covers absolutely nothing. it would have been helpful to actually have a listing of what weapons do and who can use them instead of going into to battles blindly equipped with whatever weapons I thought might be best. Maybe I didn't like it, because I've never played any other Fire Emblem games, but one would think the publisher would want new players, so why would they make this one kind of inaccessible to new players.

Zachary H. gave it a10:
Don't be mistaken, despite Nintendo's recent moves, this is a game for the very core of the hardcore gamers, and I fully approver. Not to say this is a bad point to jump in, it is a bright point in a completely blinding series, though the difficulty can be a little much for newcomers. And even if you are a seasoned strategy gamer, I'd advise away from the "normal" difficulty setting. Anyway, it has an engaging plot and intriguing characters. Some have complained of the lack of motion controls, but for a game like this they'd be simply ridiculous. And so, 10/10 for me, but in all fairness I'm in love with the series.

David S. gave it a10:
I've never played this series before. It's fantastic. It bugs me that all the critics could see is that the graphics weren't jaw dropping. Maybe I'm just too old school, but the game looked great to me. This game delivers in everything it tries to. Most engaging story in a war game I've played, and I think it's the first actually hard strategy game I've played in a very long time.

Alex gave it a10:
After paging through some of the reviews, I found a lot of them to be completely nonsensical. Please, let me know how you integrate meaningful motion controls in a turn-based strategy/rpg. Moving on, the game's story drew me in and kept me there(as FE games tend to) and the gameplay and challenge was everything I expected. In short, another excellent Fire Emblem experience.

Jeremy J. gave it a10:
Fire Emblem perfection, plain and simple. If you liked it before, you'll love it now. Just don't expect anything new.

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