Marth botches his audition for the new Shaft movie.

Make one false move in Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon and a good part of your afternoon might be shot. That is, unless you're comfortable with treating your team of knights, archers and mercenaries as disposable heroes. Character death is one of the defining features of the Fire Emblem series. There's no Phoenix Down to breathe life into fallen allies. They don't faint like Pok?mon or retreat. When a unit's health drops to zero, it's a goner. And it won't go quietly -- each character will give one last gasp, begging for forgiveness or bemoaning their dire fate. It's hard to let these fleshed-out characters go, especially if you've worked hard to develop them from wet-behind-the-ears rookie to seasoned vet or grown attached to their smartly written lines.

But these are the kind of tough decisions you've got to make as a tactician playing Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon -- because the game's battles aren't trivial. These brawls are time-intensive. There's a complex pre-fight ritual to undergo, where troops are equipped with fresh gear and upgrades. Classes can be changed and weapons forged to gain better stats. Then, when the actual battlefield maneuvers begin, there's much to think about.

"You men go Northwards. You men go Southward. I'm going to run here around in a circle."

Weaker characters must be protected so they can't be surrounded and cut down by agile enemies. Long distances must be closed before the day is done. If the road were clear it would take a half-dozen, if not more, rounds just to make the journey. But these lands are filled with enemies, each imbued with a unique talent for ruining your day. Pirates can move across land rendering chokepoints like bridges useless. And some weapons are tuned to decimate -- like the Ridersbane, a spear that destroys mounted men. The weaknesses and strengths of every unit must be considered. Another Fire Emblem tradition, the weapon triangle, further complicates matters. Lances, with their long reach, beat swords. The sword bests the axe. And the axe cuts through the lance's length. So, yeah, there's quite a bit to think about when you find yourself on the battlefield with 10 units deployed and as many more bearing down on you.


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"Ye Olde Shoryuken!"

More than a few concessions have been made in Shadow Emblem, a remake of the very first Fire Emblem game, to make the going a bit less rough. Epic battles now provide a couple save points strategically positioned around the landscape, giving you the opportunity to start over midfield. Players can loan units to friends via wireless, giving their pals a leg up during particularly nasty battles. There's also a Wi-Fi shop that provides new, sometimes rare, gear every day. Upgrades go right to the save file, letting you equip new weaponry and apply that fresh gear the next time you take a pass at conquering a tricky chapter. And, as usual, Marth -- the do-gooder lead in this epic -- can chat up and recruit certain enemies, sometimes instantly adding the unique character to your ranks.

Call Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon a kindler, gentler entry in the series. It's still punishing. But that cuff across the jaw now comes greased with a dollop of love.

This review is based on a retail copy of the game provided by the publisher.