Kong
06-12-2009, 10:38 PM
Shining in the Darkness (http://retrouprising.com/game-menu/game/3530/) » Genesis (http://retrouprising.com/game-menu/genesis/)
"The King of Thornwood is beside himself with worry. His daughter and his most trustworthy knight, Mortred, have disappeared. You, as the son of Mortred, must unravel the mystery!"
- from the Shining in the Darkness box.
Shining in the Darkness was the first in Sega's Shining series of games. It was released in 1991 for the Sega Genesis. The style of gameplay is quite different than that of the later Shining games, with the exception of Shining the Holy Ark for Sega Saturn.
Shining in the Darkness sees you as the young son of the brave Knight, Sir Mortred. While accompanying Princess Jessa to the Queen's Shrine, your father and the Princess strangely vanish, and it is your quest to discover their whereabouts. As you wander through the dungeons (1st person perspective) and converse with the King and his associates in the castle, the mystery will start to become a little clearer. Battling through hoards of evil monsters, you strive to become a Shining Knight to defeat the evil Dark Sol and avenge your father.
An epic tale, this game will last you quite some time, with it's tough riddles, seemingly endless labyrinths and involving storyline. A absolute 'must' for all Shining fans!
Shining Force - The Legacy of Great Intention (http://retrouprising.com/game-menu/game/3528/) » Genesis (http://retrouprising.com/game-menu/genesis/)
"You are the leader of a group of warriors and sorcerers, fighting to save your homeland from an ancient evil! Choose your party from over 25 characters you'll meet while traveling through the worlds of Rune. Realtime action meets Role-Playing strategy in Shining Force!"
- from the Shining Force box.
Following the success of Shining in the Darkness in 1991, Shining Force: The Legacy of Great Intention was released and eagerly purchased by fans of the former. The games have their similarities, but on the whole the style of Shining Force's gameplay is very different than it's predecessor. This was one of the first (although not the first) console games to utilize it's now classic tactical overhead turn-based battle system. Many purists do not consider Shining Force to be an RPG, due to it's strategic nature, and instead call a Strategy or Tactical RPG.
In Shining Force you don't just control one, two or even three characters - your army includes 12 members, out of a possible 30 to recruit during the game. While the story is far from unique (the evil guy - in this case, Dark Dragon - is coming back to take over the world, and it's your job to stop him), the graphics are sweet and the sound is catchy. Various comedy moments in the game make this an absolute classic that's not to be missed.
Shining Force Gaiden (http://retrouprising.com/game-menu/game/7595/) » Game Gear (http://retrouprising.com/game-menu/game-gear/)
Only released in Japan, but saw a form of release in the rest of the world as the first book of Shining Force CD.
The game takes place 20 years after the original Shining Force. Anri is now the Queen of Guardiana, and some of the original Force (or their children) still dwell nearby, although many have returned to their homes in other parts of Rune.
You play the role of Nick, a young man whose true identity is unknown until later in the game. The Guardiana Shining Force must travel to the Kingdom of Cypress to rescue Queen Anri...
Since the game is on an 8-bit system, the graphics aren't great by comparison to the other games (but quite spectacular as Game Gear graphics go!). All three of the Gaidens, and even Shining Force CD lack towns - all towns are the same and are more like the one in Shining in the Darkness than in Shining Force. A single shop, and HQ, that's it. No roaming around plundering houses... the game is battle upon battle with some cut scenes of story in between. Still great fun though, and great for those who get tired of spending an hour in town trying to figure out what to do next.
This version is in Japanese so you will miss the story but since it is just one battle after another you can still enjoy it.
Shining Force Gaiden II: Sword of Haija (http://retrouprising.com/game-menu/game/3529/) » Game Gear (http://retrouprising.com/game-menu/game-gear/)
"The peaceful kingdom of Cypress has suddenly been disrupted by the corrupt ambition of the evil King Iom. Terror rampages across the land. The Castle of Cypress is invaded and the magical Sword of Hajya is taken! It will take strength, courage, agility and your keen sense of strategy to defy this ominous power."
- from the Shining Force: Sword of Haija box.
The game takes place just after Gaiden 1. After rescuing Queen Anri, Prince Nick and the Cypress Troops join forces with Guardiana to prevent Iom's evil plan.
Shining Force Gaiden III - Final Conflict (http://retrouprising.com/game-menu/game/7586/) » Game Gear (http://retrouprising.com/game-menu/game-gear/)
Although Final Conflict was released after Shining Force II, it's actually set between Shining Force and Shining Force II. There are a number of cross-overs in the characters (which I won't spoil for you here!) and the plot is fantastic.
Officially only released in Japanese but some dedicated fans have translated it to English.
Rather like the first two Gaiden games, Final Conflict also lacks towns to roam around. The graphics, however, are significantly better than the previous Game Gear Shinings, and the music is a trimmed down version of that from Shining Force II
Shining Force II - Return of the King (http://retrouprising.com/game-menu/game/4797/) » Genesis (http://retrouprising.com/game-menu/genesis/)
"An ancient evil has broken free, and is spreading over the land of Rune. You must lead the Shining Force into battle to recover the stolen jewels and seal the Door to Darkness. The Kingdom of Granseal is depending on you!"
- from the Shining Force II box.
Shining Force II is more free-roaming than the original Shining Force, as it doesn't use chapters. You're free to go back to any town during the game, assuming you have a way to get there and that there are no obstructions. It doesn't follow directly from Shining Force as far as storylines go, in fact it's really a story in it's own right. That being said, the story is connected to that of the original Shining Force through various aspects of Shining Force Gaiden Final Conflict.
You play Bowie, a young swordsman who must prevent the evil Zeon from awakening and rescue Princess Elis from the mad King Galam. The story is somewhat stereotypical, but the graphics, sound, comic moments and oodles of gameplay more than make up for that!
It's especially nice to be able to backtrack through the game. Although this can lead to confusion as to where you should be going next.
The game introduces a few new features, such as the Caravan, in which you can story many items, you can have less than 12 members in your team if you want to, and finally you no longer have to select the "talk" option to talk to someone - just walk up to them and press C.
Other releases not online
Shining Force CD
Shining Wisdom
Shining the Holy Ark
Shining Force III
Shining Soul
Shining Soul II
Shining Tears
Shining Force Neo
Shining Road to the Force (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Shining_Road_to_the_Force&action=edit&redlink=1)
Shining Road II (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Shining_Road_II&action=edit&redlink=1)
Shining Force EXA
Shining Wind
Shining Wind X (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Shining_Wind_X&action=edit&redlink=1)
Shining Force Feather[/URL]
[URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Shining_Force_Cross&action=edit&redlink=1"]Shining Force Cross (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shining_series#cite_note-0)
"The King of Thornwood is beside himself with worry. His daughter and his most trustworthy knight, Mortred, have disappeared. You, as the son of Mortred, must unravel the mystery!"
- from the Shining in the Darkness box.
Shining in the Darkness was the first in Sega's Shining series of games. It was released in 1991 for the Sega Genesis. The style of gameplay is quite different than that of the later Shining games, with the exception of Shining the Holy Ark for Sega Saturn.
Shining in the Darkness sees you as the young son of the brave Knight, Sir Mortred. While accompanying Princess Jessa to the Queen's Shrine, your father and the Princess strangely vanish, and it is your quest to discover their whereabouts. As you wander through the dungeons (1st person perspective) and converse with the King and his associates in the castle, the mystery will start to become a little clearer. Battling through hoards of evil monsters, you strive to become a Shining Knight to defeat the evil Dark Sol and avenge your father.
An epic tale, this game will last you quite some time, with it's tough riddles, seemingly endless labyrinths and involving storyline. A absolute 'must' for all Shining fans!
Shining Force - The Legacy of Great Intention (http://retrouprising.com/game-menu/game/3528/) » Genesis (http://retrouprising.com/game-menu/genesis/)
"You are the leader of a group of warriors and sorcerers, fighting to save your homeland from an ancient evil! Choose your party from over 25 characters you'll meet while traveling through the worlds of Rune. Realtime action meets Role-Playing strategy in Shining Force!"
- from the Shining Force box.
Following the success of Shining in the Darkness in 1991, Shining Force: The Legacy of Great Intention was released and eagerly purchased by fans of the former. The games have their similarities, but on the whole the style of Shining Force's gameplay is very different than it's predecessor. This was one of the first (although not the first) console games to utilize it's now classic tactical overhead turn-based battle system. Many purists do not consider Shining Force to be an RPG, due to it's strategic nature, and instead call a Strategy or Tactical RPG.
In Shining Force you don't just control one, two or even three characters - your army includes 12 members, out of a possible 30 to recruit during the game. While the story is far from unique (the evil guy - in this case, Dark Dragon - is coming back to take over the world, and it's your job to stop him), the graphics are sweet and the sound is catchy. Various comedy moments in the game make this an absolute classic that's not to be missed.
Shining Force Gaiden (http://retrouprising.com/game-menu/game/7595/) » Game Gear (http://retrouprising.com/game-menu/game-gear/)
Only released in Japan, but saw a form of release in the rest of the world as the first book of Shining Force CD.
The game takes place 20 years after the original Shining Force. Anri is now the Queen of Guardiana, and some of the original Force (or their children) still dwell nearby, although many have returned to their homes in other parts of Rune.
You play the role of Nick, a young man whose true identity is unknown until later in the game. The Guardiana Shining Force must travel to the Kingdom of Cypress to rescue Queen Anri...
Since the game is on an 8-bit system, the graphics aren't great by comparison to the other games (but quite spectacular as Game Gear graphics go!). All three of the Gaidens, and even Shining Force CD lack towns - all towns are the same and are more like the one in Shining in the Darkness than in Shining Force. A single shop, and HQ, that's it. No roaming around plundering houses... the game is battle upon battle with some cut scenes of story in between. Still great fun though, and great for those who get tired of spending an hour in town trying to figure out what to do next.
This version is in Japanese so you will miss the story but since it is just one battle after another you can still enjoy it.
Shining Force Gaiden II: Sword of Haija (http://retrouprising.com/game-menu/game/3529/) » Game Gear (http://retrouprising.com/game-menu/game-gear/)
"The peaceful kingdom of Cypress has suddenly been disrupted by the corrupt ambition of the evil King Iom. Terror rampages across the land. The Castle of Cypress is invaded and the magical Sword of Hajya is taken! It will take strength, courage, agility and your keen sense of strategy to defy this ominous power."
- from the Shining Force: Sword of Haija box.
The game takes place just after Gaiden 1. After rescuing Queen Anri, Prince Nick and the Cypress Troops join forces with Guardiana to prevent Iom's evil plan.
Shining Force Gaiden III - Final Conflict (http://retrouprising.com/game-menu/game/7586/) » Game Gear (http://retrouprising.com/game-menu/game-gear/)
Although Final Conflict was released after Shining Force II, it's actually set between Shining Force and Shining Force II. There are a number of cross-overs in the characters (which I won't spoil for you here!) and the plot is fantastic.
Officially only released in Japanese but some dedicated fans have translated it to English.
Rather like the first two Gaiden games, Final Conflict also lacks towns to roam around. The graphics, however, are significantly better than the previous Game Gear Shinings, and the music is a trimmed down version of that from Shining Force II
Shining Force II - Return of the King (http://retrouprising.com/game-menu/game/4797/) » Genesis (http://retrouprising.com/game-menu/genesis/)
"An ancient evil has broken free, and is spreading over the land of Rune. You must lead the Shining Force into battle to recover the stolen jewels and seal the Door to Darkness. The Kingdom of Granseal is depending on you!"
- from the Shining Force II box.
Shining Force II is more free-roaming than the original Shining Force, as it doesn't use chapters. You're free to go back to any town during the game, assuming you have a way to get there and that there are no obstructions. It doesn't follow directly from Shining Force as far as storylines go, in fact it's really a story in it's own right. That being said, the story is connected to that of the original Shining Force through various aspects of Shining Force Gaiden Final Conflict.
You play Bowie, a young swordsman who must prevent the evil Zeon from awakening and rescue Princess Elis from the mad King Galam. The story is somewhat stereotypical, but the graphics, sound, comic moments and oodles of gameplay more than make up for that!
It's especially nice to be able to backtrack through the game. Although this can lead to confusion as to where you should be going next.
The game introduces a few new features, such as the Caravan, in which you can story many items, you can have less than 12 members in your team if you want to, and finally you no longer have to select the "talk" option to talk to someone - just walk up to them and press C.
Other releases not online
Shining Force CD
Shining Wisdom
Shining the Holy Ark
Shining Force III
Shining Soul
Shining Soul II
Shining Tears
Shining Force Neo
Shining Road to the Force (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Shining_Road_to_the_Force&action=edit&redlink=1)
Shining Road II (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Shining_Road_II&action=edit&redlink=1)
Shining Force EXA
Shining Wind
Shining Wind X (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Shining_Wind_X&action=edit&redlink=1)
Shining Force Feather[/URL]
[URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Shining_Force_Cross&action=edit&redlink=1"]Shining Force Cross (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shining_series#cite_note-0)