Shining Force review - Sega Megadrive

I haven't been so glued to a game since the time when I first bought my Megadrive almost four years ago! Everything that I look for in a game - stylish graphics, great music, atmosphere and irresistible playability are all present here. The situation is made all the more outstanding for me because Shining Force is an RPG and I usually shy away from such games as they are often too long-winded and very tedious to watch. What makes the game so extra special is that there is a real sense of control over the combat sections. Consequently I find myself wincing at every blow that my comrades take and cheering heartily at every fallen foe. It sounds crazy but then play the game for yourself and see if you don't do the same! Though the graphics appear quite basic at first they certainly improve as the Shining Force progress and earn themselves promotions. Every member of the team is a true individual and have their own trademark methods of attack. As the characters' skills advance so their moves become more intricate making it all the more entertaining as a hero pirouettes then swipes an enemy out of action with just one blow! Exploration of the towns is very compelling too and often very funny - some of the locals who live in these places are flipping mental! As the game is divided into chapters this prevents the story from becoming stale, especially when the presentation helps tie the ends up so well. With the cart boasting 12 megs of swordplay and adventure I have no doubt in recommending this to anyone, and that's coming from one of the converted too, so bear that in mind! Go for it! Definitely!

In the ancient land of the Megadrive, the tribe of Sega had been long in wait for a new RPG. And then cam Shining Force, and there was much joy! This is fab stuff: the sort of game to make you stay up way past bed time, just to get to the next town, or learn a new spell. It works because it's perfect blend of strategy and adventuring. Instead of stupid 'random encounters' that make most RPGs a chore to play, you are allowed to see your enemies in advance, and devise battle tactics using all of your band. Combat becomes as interesting as the moseying round cities. The adventuring is just as much fun, with a brilliant plot, cleverly unraveled, and some killer punchlines delivered by some of the in-game characters. Playing it for the second and third time reveals secrets missed on previous occasions. There's just something about Shining Force that makes it a classic game. Perhaps it's the excellent standard of graphics and the sensible presentation. Whatever it is, it makes it a highly desirable purchase.

After the false-start that was Shining and the Darkness, Shining Force struck me as a massive improvement.

The same excellent art style remains, but in place of the awkward combat found in SitD there's fantastic grid-based RPG action. The visual style is very basic in places, but in others it's stunning - the 'battle' cutscenes never fail to impress.

The game provides weeks of enjoyment and once you start playing it's hard to stop - there's always another mission to complete, or another character to level up and promote. The 'town' sections inbetween missions are nice, but to be perfectly honest they slow things down and Shining Force is about combat, not exploration.

This was recently updated for the Gameboy Advance, and as good as the conversion is they've messed around with the original game to a degree and as a result the Megadrive version remains the one to play.