GS underrates it. The players reveer it. A great game, indeed.
As previous installments, death is permanent. It's sometimes frustrating, since you're gonna miss on some off-battle conversations which can lead you to get some cool (and free) items, but if you plan right, you can kick ass while chewing bubble gum.
The battles are kind of slow-paced, and you'll find yourself resetting the game a lot (there's no in-battle load option) so you can kill that goddamn unit before it crushes your healer or captain, so you'll spend A LOT of time in each scenario.
All in all, it's a GREAT game. It's not going to bring you anything NEW to your life, but still, if you liked games such as Shining Force, the previous Fire Emblems and Final Fantasy Tactics, don't be shy. Bet on this one.