Shining Force

 iOS
  • Publisher: Sega
  • Release Date: Jul 23, 2010
  • Also On: PC
Metascore
84

Generally favorable reviews - based on 4 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 4
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 4
  3. Negative: 0 out of 4
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  1. GamePro
    Feb 14, 2011
    90
    As I said in last week's roundup, this is one of my favorite games ever, and I hope that more people -- perhaps some from the younger generation of iPhone owners -- will discover one of Sega's best now that it's available on such a popular and accessible format.
  2. Destructoid
    Feb 14, 2011
    85
    It's not like Sega did a lot of work to put this out on the iPhone, but that doesn't change the fact that Shining Force was a fantastic game. It still is, and for only $2.99, it's a no-brainer.
  3. 148Apps
    Feb 14, 2011
    80
    Shining Force is an underappreciated classic, and while its age sometimes shows, it is a good port by Sega to iOS, and a great representation of a strategy RPG worth checking out to this day, at a fair price.
  5. Gamer Limit
    Feb 14, 2011
    80
    The throwback gameplay and easy-to-learn mechanics make for a smooth, enjoyable experience during the 15 or so hours you'll get out of this game.

Awards & Rankings

59
#59 Best iOS Game of 2010
35
#35 Most Discussed iOS Game of 2010
2
#2 Most Shared iOS Game of 2010

User Reviews

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User Score
7.3

Mixed or average reviews- based on 30 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 23 out of 30
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 30
  3. Negative: 7 out of 30
  1. Daniel_N
    Mar 2, 2021
    8
    Shining Force: It’s not as good as it’s sequel, but still enjoyable! 8/10.
    Shining Force 2: One of my favorite SEGA games, good graphics and    Shining Force: It’s not as good as it’s sequel, but still enjoyable! 8/10.
    Shining Force 2: One of my favorite SEGA games, good graphics and nice music. “Peaceful story.” 10/10
    Shining in the Darkness: The game itself is confusing, I can’t pass the dungeon. It’s not as nice as the other two. 5/10.

    Average score: 8/10    … Full Review »
  2. GrowlerCat
    Aug 20, 2020
    9
    Overview:: Control the hero Max, and his allies in a turned based tactical strategy RPG. Shining Force switches between exploration, andOverview:: Control the hero Max, and his allies in a turned based tactical strategy RPG. Shining Force switches between exploration, and battles whilst rewarding the player for doing so. Exploring towns and talking to people may reward your with various treasures and additional soldiers. Battles executed successfully will reward the player with experience points, gold, and an occasional item drop from a downed opponent.

    Gameplay: As stated above Shining Force is a turn based strategy RPG. Before entering battle you will have the option of exploring various towns that span across 8 chapters in the game. During this time you can find or buy items, and maybe even recruit a few additional friends. After your preparations are completed in the town it's now time to engage the enemy out on the battlefield. Battles take place in various settings such as towns, forests, caves, and more. Battlefields have different terrains and different units react to these terrains in various ways. Once battle commences you will command up to 12 non-generic units to combat the enemy. How to go about this is completely up to the player. Conditions for victory usually are by defeating the leader of the enemy team or just wiping out the entire enemy army. The units the player may control range from knights, mages, archers, and much more. A unit's job class may be upgraded once the unit reaches level 10 at least. Doing this can be performed in towns. Defeating enemies will yield the player EXP and Gold. Gold may be used to not only buy items and weapons but to also revive fallen teammates. Unlike Fire Emblem (A similar game) Death is not permanent in Shining Force. The player will lose the battle if the main character, Max, falls in battle. The penalty for losing is losing half of your gold. All items, and EXP obtained during the lost battle will still be with the player. This game is well known for having a "cinematic" look to it once opposing forces clash and commence a battle screen. A simple but impressive (for its time anyway) animation will occur. This really makes Shining Force stand out.

    Plot: Typical save the world story. This game is infamous for being poorly translated. The story remains simple, but back then that was the normal anyway. It's a product of the time and should be seen as such. Don't expect a gripping story to have you at the edge of your seat. This game shines (pun intended) in exploration and combat instead. However the game does have a couple twists and turns that are sure to surprise the player.

    Controls: Moving around town is tile based. You cant move in a diagonal fashion. Same goes with battle. All other movements are controlled via menu. Navigating the menu can be a bit tedious, but you get used to it. This is one of the reasons as to why this game isn't a ten for me. Inventory and jank menu controls are fixed in the sequel, which is far superior in every way.

    Graphics: 16 bit goodness here. Two types of screens to look at. First is the overworld screen that shows your units and enemy units (or villagers if you are in town) Second screen is the battle screen that plays a simplistic animation from given commands from the player or enemy. Very innovative for the time.

    Sound: Probably not the best, but it gets the job done. There are some pretty fun sound effects and a few good songs as well. (My favorite is when you siege the fort before going into the Balbazak fight) but I digress. Don't expect compositions that are Phantasy Star IV worthy or Final Fantasy 6 worthy. Not happening here. Still some good and memorable tracks though. Unfortunately the cutscene music is the same for player characters, enemies, and bosses. This gets fixed in the sequel.

    Difficulty: There is definitely a learning curve, and certain ways to build characters before upgrading their class. This in turn can make battles easier or harder depending on the route you go. The games difficulty is also increased depending on your choice of characters put in battle. Some characters are just really weak and not a good choice. Figuring this out is trial and error...or you can just cheat using the internet. Your choice. Either way, there is definitely some good challenge to be found here, and anyone who is new to these types of games will most certainly taste defeat several times. That's not a bad thing though. As stated before even if the player dies they will still retain any levels or EXP gained. So you will always go in a bit stronger than before after failing a battle.

    Conclusion: This game isn't for everyone, but if this review piqued your interest then you should check it out. A simple story that has lots of characters to experiment with. The game also has two sequels. No need to play previous installments to follow the plot either. The second game is superior in every way. A true classic and perfect 10. Part 3 isn't bad either, but that game is a hot topic, and sort of a mess. Hope this review helped!    … Full Review »
  3. LeGlove
    Mar 29, 2020
    10
    My first J-RPG ever ! Shining Force is the first game of my favourite video game franchise ever !
    I ve crossed its eight chapters maybe a    My first J-RPG ever ! Shining Force is the first game of my favourite video game franchise ever !
    I ve crossed its eight chapters maybe a hundred times and i ll do it again... and again, and again...
    (the A.I in the second was better than this one, the third is one of the greatest games ever because of its three screenplays crossing each other and its great fights but the first one is the start and whats more beautiful than a beginning ?)    … Full Review »
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