Game Review - Shining Force
I think a person's first Role Playing video Game (RPG) holds a very special place in their heart. These types of games are able to captivate our minds and engross us in a rich visual storyline. This is especially true when we are younger and have all the time in the world. It is easy to dive into the fable of Cloud in Final Fantasy VII as he progresses his way through the many twists and turns that is his adventure. Similarly, I believe Sega have successfully emulated Shining Force on the iPhone allowing me to easily lose myself into its rich world whenever I sit down on the bus. And the story of Shining Force is well worth reviving.
For me, the love of RPG's began with the classic Shining Force II. I played this game to death on the Sega Genesis and this recent port of the original Shining Force has brought all the memories vividly back. This time we take on the role of Max, a kid with a sword in one hand and boredom in the other. After an incident involving the King, he gathers a ragtag group and sets off to vanquish the evil Darksol. It isn't long before you and your gang (The Shining Force) are defending the innocent and fighting off a whole host of monsters from centaurs to zombies. The comprehensive and balanced battle system allows you to tactically use each of the members to their strengths, from Tao's impressive magic to Luke's strength. It is an addictive game by nature which will see you spend many hours exploring and questing the land of Rune.
When I was a child, books seemed to be given a lot of stigma as being used by old people in dusty libraries or as conversational pieces by middle aged couples in dinner parties. However RPG's filled the hole that I needed for my imagination to grow in these mystical worlds. You empathise with the characters and try to help them through their journey. From the mystery of the ancients to the cruelty of the hordes of Runefaust, this game holds true to its storytelling roots. There is something drug-like about this enthralling computer game which will have you glued to the screen waiting for the plot to unfold and to find out the fate of your charismatic gang in this fantastic world.
The many battles you will be facing throughout the game are formed into a turn based strategy. You will be in control of your small gang of heroes as you try and tactically place them against the scattering of various enemies on the battlefield. As the famous Sun Tzu once said, “If you know the enemy and know yourself, your victory will not stand in doubt; if you know Heaven and know Earth, you may make your victory complete”. So try and take everything into account when in a battle, from the layout of the land to predicting the enemy’s actions. As with most RPG's, the more you use a member, the more experience they get and the stronger your force will become. Annoyingly, whenever Max dies in a battle, you are transported back to the nearest church and you must replay the entire battle from the beginning. This can be quite frustrating as the computer tends to gang up on poor Max in battle. You can use this to your advantage however but I will leave this up to the reader’s discretion. Remember it is turn based so settle your horses and take your time.
The controls are shown as a simulated Sega controller which is overlaid onto the iPhone screen. This worked very well for me as the areas that my stubby fingers were blocking never had anything good in them anyway. It is also visually impressive on the clear iPhone compared to playing Shining Force II on a 10inch CRT when I was younger. Making this vintage game portable combines the ease-of-use that has made Apple so popular with the beauty and simplicity of Sega games. This is not the first nor will it be the last time we see a nostalgic game brought to life in a new and inventive way.
This game is cram packed with content from whimsical and entertaining interactions with townspeople to fascinating tactical battles, so enjoy the trip. I am not sure how this 2D turn-based RPG will go down with the young ones of today but it definitely satisfied my retro blood and will for a long while. I didn't mind being called 'gramps' on the bus while playing this classic tale and eating my Werther's Original and neither should you. Those kids just don't know what they are missing.
Gameplay: 4.5
Accessibility: 5
Replayability: 3.5
For me, the love of RPG's began with the classic Shining Force II. I played this game to death on the Sega Genesis and this recent port of the original Shining Force has brought all the memories vividly back. This time we take on the role of Max, a kid with a sword in one hand and boredom in the other. After an incident involving the King, he gathers a ragtag group and sets off to vanquish the evil Darksol. It isn't long before you and your gang (The Shining Force) are defending the innocent and fighting off a whole host of monsters from centaurs to zombies. The comprehensive and balanced battle system allows you to tactically use each of the members to their strengths, from Tao's impressive magic to Luke's strength. It is an addictive game by nature which will see you spend many hours exploring and questing the land of Rune.
When I was a child, books seemed to be given a lot of stigma as being used by old people in dusty libraries or as conversational pieces by middle aged couples in dinner parties. However RPG's filled the hole that I needed for my imagination to grow in these mystical worlds. You empathise with the characters and try to help them through their journey. From the mystery of the ancients to the cruelty of the hordes of Runefaust, this game holds true to its storytelling roots. There is something drug-like about this enthralling computer game which will have you glued to the screen waiting for the plot to unfold and to find out the fate of your charismatic gang in this fantastic world.
The many battles you will be facing throughout the game are formed into a turn based strategy. You will be in control of your small gang of heroes as you try and tactically place them against the scattering of various enemies on the battlefield. As the famous Sun Tzu once said, “If you know the enemy and know yourself, your victory will not stand in doubt; if you know Heaven and know Earth, you may make your victory complete”. So try and take everything into account when in a battle, from the layout of the land to predicting the enemy’s actions. As with most RPG's, the more you use a member, the more experience they get and the stronger your force will become. Annoyingly, whenever Max dies in a battle, you are transported back to the nearest church and you must replay the entire battle from the beginning. This can be quite frustrating as the computer tends to gang up on poor Max in battle. You can use this to your advantage however but I will leave this up to the reader’s discretion. Remember it is turn based so settle your horses and take your time.
The controls are shown as a simulated Sega controller which is overlaid onto the iPhone screen. This worked very well for me as the areas that my stubby fingers were blocking never had anything good in them anyway. It is also visually impressive on the clear iPhone compared to playing Shining Force II on a 10inch CRT when I was younger. Making this vintage game portable combines the ease-of-use that has made Apple so popular with the beauty and simplicity of Sega games. This is not the first nor will it be the last time we see a nostalgic game brought to life in a new and inventive way.
This game is cram packed with content from whimsical and entertaining interactions with townspeople to fascinating tactical battles, so enjoy the trip. I am not sure how this 2D turn-based RPG will go down with the young ones of today but it definitely satisfied my retro blood and will for a long while. I didn't mind being called 'gramps' on the bus while playing this classic tale and eating my Werther's Original and neither should you. Those kids just don't know what they are missing.
Gameplay: 4.5
Accessibility: 5
Replayability: 3.5
Comments
Post a Comment