This game's biggest issue is how bland it is compared to the rest of the series. The Super Abilities very quickly start feeling more like a chore than a bonus, and the level design has an annoying tendency of giving the player abilities immediately before they're needed, which both reduces the levels' challenge and forces the player out of any favorite abilities they may have. The game's normal abilities have a fairly expansive moveset, which is appreciated, and the overall gameplay is nice, but the game lacks an oomph that ultimately makes it unremarkable.

Path of Radiance is an incredible game. It's home to some of the best characters in the series, including my favorite 'lord', and introduces several aspects that set Tellius apart from even the later games.

There's a lot of interesting mechanics that weren't as established in the previous games. Some things like partner units and the skill system greatly improve the game by giving it some more depth and choices, but I feel some of the more cycle-based mechanics -- like biorhythm, and even the laguz transformations -- just end up slowing the game down and forcing the player to stall. The game has some alternate win conditions here and there, which adds some variety to all the seize and rout to be done. It's also complemented by some of the side objectives that give bonus experience as a prize, though most of these is just turn limits.

Both mechanically and story-wise, the chapters feel a lot more like you're maneuvering an army than some of the previous entries, especially towards the latter half of the game. The introduction of laguz and beorc add a lot to the story, creating room for character growth and plot points that would be difficult to have otherwise. It's also helped by the introduction of base conversations, that make it possible to see interactions that wouldn't necessarily fit the chapters' plot or support conversations.

Overall, it's far from a flawless game, but its features and especially its innovations more than make up for any issues it has.