Shining Force
Shining Force: The Legacy of Great Intention, more commonly referred to as Shining Force, is a 1992 turn-based strategy role playing video game for the Sega Genesis console. While primarily a traditional fantasy-themed game, it contains some steampunk elements.
(If you are looking for information on the Shining series in general, please see Shining Force Series)
Game Info
While the game is the first in the Shining Force series, it is technically the second game released in the greater Shining series, which began with Shining in the Darkness. The transition from Shining in the Darkness to Shining Force was a major change, with few elements between the two games being shared, save for the names of certain items and spells. The villain of the first game, Darksol, reappeared throughout many of the following games in the series. Another significant change was in gameplay. Shining in the Darkness was a dungeon crawler in first-person perspective, while Shining Force was a third-person strategy/RPG game.
The game was first released in 1992 in Japan, and 1993 in North America and Europe. It's been re-released in 1999 for "Sega Archives form USA" (Japanese), in 2000 for Sega Smash Pack 2 and Sega's Greatest Hits 2, both for PC, in 2001 for "Sega Smash Pack for Dreamcast", and again in 2002 for "Sega Smash Pack Twin Pack" for the PC.
The game was remade in 2004 for the Game Boy Advance under the title Shining Force: Resurrection of the Dark Dragon. The changes included three new characters and the addition of "cards" allowing a certain character to use these special bonuses and abilities in battle.
Plot
As the game opens, the following is shown on screen:
In ages long forgotten... Light fought Darkness for control of the world.
Dark Dragon led the evil hordes of darkness.
The Ancients fought back with the Powers of Light.
Dark Dragon was defeated and cast into another dimension.
The Lord of Darkness vowed to return in 1,000 years.
Time passed, and Dark Dragon was forgotten by all.
Ten centuries of peace ruled the land of Rune.
Until the kingdom of Runefaust brought war to Rune.
Hordes of evil creatures ravaged the land.
Here and there, strongholds of Good still held out...
awaiting a Hero who could wield the Powers of Light!
Chapter 1
The game opens in the Kingdom of Guardiana, in the land of Rune. You play as a Swordsman whose name you choose (default is Max, that is what will be used through the rest of this article.) Max is a disciple of the famed knight Varios, who is called upon when a force from Runefaust is seen at the Gate of the Ancients. Varios chooses to send Max to investigate, so as not to scare the townsfolk with a large force. At this point you are joined by 5 other characters, and given 100 gold.
After 2 battles, you've returned to Guardiana to discover that while you were busy, Runefaust has attacked Guardiana. You arrive just in time to see Kane, one of the generals (and a boss you fight later) kill Lord Varios. The King of Guardiana tells you to stop Runefaust, and find his daughter Anri, who is away at a school for magi, and then immediately dies.
You travel to Alterone, and soon find out that Kane is pulling the King of Alterone's strings. After breaking out of the prison, you defeat the invading force, and the king apologises to you and tells you of a secret passage. You go through the passage and Chapter 1 ends.
Chapter 2
You've made your way to the town of Rindo, and you need a boat to follow Kane any further, but the mayor of town only has one boat left which he refuses to part with. You go to Manarina, and find Princess Anri, who joins the force, and meet Otrant (who is an adviser now and then again in Chapter 7) who sends you to retrieve the Orb of Truth, which allows you to meet the Spirit of the Holy Spring.
You learn from the spirit that Runefaust is trying to free Dark Dragon (mentioned in the opening credits) and are sent to go stop them by retrieving the manual of the seal (a book which has the incantation to free Dark Dragon.)
You then return to Rindo, to discover that while you were gone, the mayor's grandson has gone missing. The mayor promises that if you find him, he will give you his last boat. You meet Mishaela, another one of the game's bosses, who turns you over to one of her subordinates. This battle can be argued to be the first boss fight. When you win, the mayor's grandson comes out from behind some crates, and heads home. The mayor does as he promised and turns over his boat, however as soon as you board it, Mishaela appears and sets fire to it.
Since there are no more boats in Rindo, you head north to Shade Abbey, where another of the game's bosse, Darksol, is reanimating the dead, and has turned a birdman to stone. After defeating the zombies, the birdman and his wife offer to guide you to the town of Uranbatol to find another boat, and Chapter 2 ends.
Chapter 3
You begin Chapter 3 in the town of Bustoke, where Runefaust has forced all the men to work in the quarry looking for a weapon called "the laser eye". You also find out about the insane Zylo, who you are given a side quest to cure. After rescuing the men and curing Zylo, you continue on to Pao bridge and fight a battle against the laser eye (and others). Winning this battle ends the chapter.
Chapter 4
You're now in the travelling town of Pao, where you talk to a general of the Runefaust army, Elliot, who doesn't like the current state of affairs, but is loyal to his king. In the next battle, when you defeat him, he begs you to free Runefaust from Darksol's clutches.
The town of Pao has traveled and come back to where you are, so you re-enter it and rest and re-arm before heading to Uranbatol.
You will fight two battles in Uranbatol, the second a boss fight against Balbazak, who turns the ship over to you just before Darksol appears and kills him for his cowardice. Darksol laughs and says you wont live through the trip, but you still head out undeterred, and the chapter ends.
Chapter 5
As expected, you are attacked while en route, and the ship is damaged. You meet a mermaid from the land of Waral, and follow her back to get the ship repaired. While wandering around town, (in part on a small boat) you get knocked out after an acident, and wake up on one of the smaller islands.
You pass through a strange passage, to wind up foiling the plans of a Runefaust force trying to use the Shining Path (a mystical shortcut between lands). However, when you defeat them, the leader of that force seals the Path so you can't use it either, and are forced to take the long way of physically travelling.
You return to the main island, and the King says that the repairs are free, as a token of gratitude. You leave the island and are attacked and damaged again. The boat drifts off course as the chaper ends.
Chapter 6
You wake up in Rindo, where children run the town, and find out more about the manual of the seal, and then make your way to Dragonia, where the manual is guarded by the last of the sacred dragons. After the dragon joins you, you finally fight Kane, to discover that he was a hero who was being controlled by Darksol by means of a magic mask.
When the mask breaks, Kane is wracked with guilt, and tries to help you. The two of you find the manual, but arrive just in time to see Darksol take it. Kane pushes you out of the room, and fights Darksol alone. They both diappear for the time being.
You return to Rindo, and they suggest you should go to skull castle. You fight your way to the castle, and then fight Mishaela inside. You take the Sword of Light from her, and the chapter ends.
Chapter 7
You've arrived in the town of Prompt, where you are almost immediately imprisoned by a paranoid king. For some reason he decides you're trustworthy once you break out of prison, and he tells you that his forces that he sent to fight Darksol are failing. Kane is recovering from his battle with Darksol in the castle, and he regains consciousness just long enough to convince the King to let you go fight.
You fight your way into the tower of the ancients, and are again just in time to discover Darksol, this time retrieving the key to the seal. Kane appears, and Darksol kills him easily, but lets you live as he's on a tight schedrule.
You return to Prompt, and Otrant re-appears to tell you about the Chaos Breaker, a sword which might be able to re-seal Dark Dragon, which is made from the Sword of Light which you have, and the Sword of Darkness which Kane left in the care of the King of Prompt. You use the Shining Path and travel to Metapha, where you fight against the robot boss Chaos.
The spirit of the spring puts in another appearance and teaches you how to make the Chaos Breaker and tells you that she has used all her power to help you, and can't do any more. You return to Prompt and then travel to the gates of Runefaust.
Chapter 8
Having defeated the army guarding Runefaust, you make your way to King Ramladu's castle, where you fight two battles, the second a boss-fight against the King himself. As he dies, he tells you that Darksol was controlling his mind, and tells you to hurry, as Darksol is about to perform the rites to release Dark Dragon.
You raise the castle of the ancients from the ocean, and travel to it through Runefaust's gate of the ancients (which is the pair to the one where you fought your first battle) and are immediately are challenged by Colossus, a three headed creature. After beating him, you enter the final battle against Darksol.
As soon as you defeat Darksol, he completes the rites and Dark Dragon is freed. Darksol gives the last shreds of his power to Dark Dragon and dies. You immediately have to fight the three headed Dark Dragon (without being given a chance to revive dead players, but you do get a full heal.)
Epilogue
When you defeat Dark Dragon, he doesn't die, until you stab him in the heart, which reseals him in another dimension. You cast your Egress spell, which normally transports everyone to safety, but this time saves everyone but you. The other characters watch as the castle of the ancients sinks back into the water, and Max is officially Missing In Action, presumed dead. After the credits, theres a small scene where Max is shown talking to a farmer in a far away land, who invites him to come live in their village. Max agrees, and the game ends.
3:33 AM
(If you are looking for information on the Shining series in general, please see Shining Force Series)
Game Info
While the game is the first in the Shining Force series, it is technically the second game released in the greater Shining series, which began with Shining in the Darkness. The transition from Shining in the Darkness to Shining Force was a major change, with few elements between the two games being shared, save for the names of certain items and spells. The villain of the first game, Darksol, reappeared throughout many of the following games in the series. Another significant change was in gameplay. Shining in the Darkness was a dungeon crawler in first-person perspective, while Shining Force was a third-person strategy/RPG game.
The game was first released in 1992 in Japan, and 1993 in North America and Europe. It's been re-released in 1999 for "Sega Archives form USA" (Japanese), in 2000 for Sega Smash Pack 2 and Sega's Greatest Hits 2, both for PC, in 2001 for "Sega Smash Pack for Dreamcast", and again in 2002 for "Sega Smash Pack Twin Pack" for the PC.
The game was remade in 2004 for the Game Boy Advance under the title Shining Force: Resurrection of the Dark Dragon. The changes included three new characters and the addition of "cards" allowing a certain character to use these special bonuses and abilities in battle.
Plot
As the game opens, the following is shown on screen:
In ages long forgotten... Light fought Darkness for control of the world.
Dark Dragon led the evil hordes of darkness.
The Ancients fought back with the Powers of Light.
Dark Dragon was defeated and cast into another dimension.
The Lord of Darkness vowed to return in 1,000 years.
Time passed, and Dark Dragon was forgotten by all.
Ten centuries of peace ruled the land of Rune.
Until the kingdom of Runefaust brought war to Rune.
Hordes of evil creatures ravaged the land.
Here and there, strongholds of Good still held out...
awaiting a Hero who could wield the Powers of Light!
Chapter 1
The game opens in the Kingdom of Guardiana, in the land of Rune. You play as a Swordsman whose name you choose (default is Max, that is what will be used through the rest of this article.) Max is a disciple of the famed knight Varios, who is called upon when a force from Runefaust is seen at the Gate of the Ancients. Varios chooses to send Max to investigate, so as not to scare the townsfolk with a large force. At this point you are joined by 5 other characters, and given 100 gold.
After 2 battles, you've returned to Guardiana to discover that while you were busy, Runefaust has attacked Guardiana. You arrive just in time to see Kane, one of the generals (and a boss you fight later) kill Lord Varios. The King of Guardiana tells you to stop Runefaust, and find his daughter Anri, who is away at a school for magi, and then immediately dies.
You travel to Alterone, and soon find out that Kane is pulling the King of Alterone's strings. After breaking out of the prison, you defeat the invading force, and the king apologises to you and tells you of a secret passage. You go through the passage and Chapter 1 ends.
Chapter 2
You've made your way to the town of Rindo, and you need a boat to follow Kane any further, but the mayor of town only has one boat left which he refuses to part with. You go to Manarina, and find Princess Anri, who joins the force, and meet Otrant (who is an adviser now and then again in Chapter 7) who sends you to retrieve the Orb of Truth, which allows you to meet the Spirit of the Holy Spring.
You learn from the spirit that Runefaust is trying to free Dark Dragon (mentioned in the opening credits) and are sent to go stop them by retrieving the manual of the seal (a book which has the incantation to free Dark Dragon.)
You then return to Rindo, to discover that while you were gone, the mayor's grandson has gone missing. The mayor promises that if you find him, he will give you his last boat. You meet Mishaela, another one of the game's bosses, who turns you over to one of her subordinates. This battle can be argued to be the first boss fight. When you win, the mayor's grandson comes out from behind some crates, and heads home. The mayor does as he promised and turns over his boat, however as soon as you board it, Mishaela appears and sets fire to it.
Since there are no more boats in Rindo, you head north to Shade Abbey, where another of the game's bosse, Darksol, is reanimating the dead, and has turned a birdman to stone. After defeating the zombies, the birdman and his wife offer to guide you to the town of Uranbatol to find another boat, and Chapter 2 ends.
Chapter 3
You begin Chapter 3 in the town of Bustoke, where Runefaust has forced all the men to work in the quarry looking for a weapon called "the laser eye". You also find out about the insane Zylo, who you are given a side quest to cure. After rescuing the men and curing Zylo, you continue on to Pao bridge and fight a battle against the laser eye (and others). Winning this battle ends the chapter.
Chapter 4
You're now in the travelling town of Pao, where you talk to a general of the Runefaust army, Elliot, who doesn't like the current state of affairs, but is loyal to his king. In the next battle, when you defeat him, he begs you to free Runefaust from Darksol's clutches.
The town of Pao has traveled and come back to where you are, so you re-enter it and rest and re-arm before heading to Uranbatol.
You will fight two battles in Uranbatol, the second a boss fight against Balbazak, who turns the ship over to you just before Darksol appears and kills him for his cowardice. Darksol laughs and says you wont live through the trip, but you still head out undeterred, and the chapter ends.
Chapter 5
As expected, you are attacked while en route, and the ship is damaged. You meet a mermaid from the land of Waral, and follow her back to get the ship repaired. While wandering around town, (in part on a small boat) you get knocked out after an acident, and wake up on one of the smaller islands.
You pass through a strange passage, to wind up foiling the plans of a Runefaust force trying to use the Shining Path (a mystical shortcut between lands). However, when you defeat them, the leader of that force seals the Path so you can't use it either, and are forced to take the long way of physically travelling.
You return to the main island, and the King says that the repairs are free, as a token of gratitude. You leave the island and are attacked and damaged again. The boat drifts off course as the chaper ends.
Chapter 6
You wake up in Rindo, where children run the town, and find out more about the manual of the seal, and then make your way to Dragonia, where the manual is guarded by the last of the sacred dragons. After the dragon joins you, you finally fight Kane, to discover that he was a hero who was being controlled by Darksol by means of a magic mask.
When the mask breaks, Kane is wracked with guilt, and tries to help you. The two of you find the manual, but arrive just in time to see Darksol take it. Kane pushes you out of the room, and fights Darksol alone. They both diappear for the time being.
You return to Rindo, and they suggest you should go to skull castle. You fight your way to the castle, and then fight Mishaela inside. You take the Sword of Light from her, and the chapter ends.
Chapter 7
You've arrived in the town of Prompt, where you are almost immediately imprisoned by a paranoid king. For some reason he decides you're trustworthy once you break out of prison, and he tells you that his forces that he sent to fight Darksol are failing. Kane is recovering from his battle with Darksol in the castle, and he regains consciousness just long enough to convince the King to let you go fight.
You fight your way into the tower of the ancients, and are again just in time to discover Darksol, this time retrieving the key to the seal. Kane appears, and Darksol kills him easily, but lets you live as he's on a tight schedrule.
You return to Prompt, and Otrant re-appears to tell you about the Chaos Breaker, a sword which might be able to re-seal Dark Dragon, which is made from the Sword of Light which you have, and the Sword of Darkness which Kane left in the care of the King of Prompt. You use the Shining Path and travel to Metapha, where you fight against the robot boss Chaos.
The spirit of the spring puts in another appearance and teaches you how to make the Chaos Breaker and tells you that she has used all her power to help you, and can't do any more. You return to Prompt and then travel to the gates of Runefaust.
Chapter 8
Having defeated the army guarding Runefaust, you make your way to King Ramladu's castle, where you fight two battles, the second a boss-fight against the King himself. As he dies, he tells you that Darksol was controlling his mind, and tells you to hurry, as Darksol is about to perform the rites to release Dark Dragon.
You raise the castle of the ancients from the ocean, and travel to it through Runefaust's gate of the ancients (which is the pair to the one where you fought your first battle) and are immediately are challenged by Colossus, a three headed creature. After beating him, you enter the final battle against Darksol.
As soon as you defeat Darksol, he completes the rites and Dark Dragon is freed. Darksol gives the last shreds of his power to Dark Dragon and dies. You immediately have to fight the three headed Dark Dragon (without being given a chance to revive dead players, but you do get a full heal.)
Epilogue
When you defeat Dark Dragon, he doesn't die, until you stab him in the heart, which reseals him in another dimension. You cast your Egress spell, which normally transports everyone to safety, but this time saves everyone but you. The other characters watch as the castle of the ancients sinks back into the water, and Max is officially Missing In Action, presumed dead. After the credits, theres a small scene where Max is shown talking to a farmer in a far away land, who invites him to come live in their village. Max agrees, and the game ends.
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