Shining Force EXA

UPC: 010086631128

Platform: PlayStation 2

Publisher: Sega of America, Inc.

Developer: CRI

Category: Role-Playing

Style(s): Third-Person 3D Action RPG

Synopsis: The most distinguishing feature of the "EXA" edition in Sega's long-running Shining Force series may be its Fortress System, included to add tension and new aspects of strategy to the classic, console-style role-playing. The game's main story follows two young heroes, Toma the warrior and Cyrille the sorceress, who live in a land marred by decades of unending war. The heroes embark on an epic journey, to reach their destinies and return peace to the land. Yet even as they travel the realms, gaining allies and defeating evil, they must also see to the protection their greatest asset of all: their home base fortress. When monsters attack this base, players will have a chance to defend it through tactical combat. The fortress may come under attack at any time, even when the main heroes are busy questing far from home, so leaving a few trusted party members behind seems wise. As the game progresses and the fortress is successfully held, it will develop to become more powerful, larger in size, and better armed to stave off future invasions. ~ T.J. Deci, All Game Guide

The game's manual, while adequate, seems to just scratch the surface. Thankfully, the game provides useful tutorials and in-game hints as well.

Very pretty, light graphics, especially if you're a fan of anime.

The Shining series has enjoyed a cult following ever since its debut on Sega Genesis back in 1991 with Shining in the Darkness. It encompasses an unusually broad variety of genres ranging from dungeon crawler to turn-based tactical strategy to action RPGs -- all with bright, cheerful anime graphics. Shining Force EXA, the series' latest iteration on the PS2, falls squarely in the action RPG camp, a genre the series has yet to perfect. Shining Force EXA puts you in a swords-and-sorcery world where humans, demons, centaurs, werewolves, and other mythic races live side-by-side. Two kingdoms, the Noswald Empire and Fylandt, dominate the world, with both seeking "Shining Force," a near-mythical weapon that supposedly will give control of the world to whomever possesses it. Two main characters, Toma, a young boy who wants to be "king of the world," and Cyrille, a young magic user with a shadowed past, seek and eventually find Shining Force, setting off a conflict between the two kingdoms and their desire to posses Shining Force. Controlling either Toma or Cyrille, you wander across the two continents in a top-down perspective reminiscent of Diablo. You can also have up to two AI-controlled companions with you as you adventure across the countryside for support. Toma and Cyrille use a variety of weapons and/or spells to defeat the hordes of creatures that head their way, but there isn't much variety or skill needed in these encounters. Just mash the buttons and if you're strong enough, you'll emerge victorious. The combat, which is the centerpiece of the game and its main activity, unfortunately becomes a chore, especially given the paltry variety of enemies. Thankfully, there's another aspect to EXA -- managing your "Geo-Fortress." In the course of the game, you become master of a huge, once-powerful floating fortress. As the game progresses, you have the opportunity to build up your fortress, and can even invite certain characters into it, eventually turning it into a bustling little town. Your fortress periodically gets attacked by scads of wandering monsters, forcing you to either rush back, or let the character you left at home take up the defense. EXA also gives you an impressive array of customization in terms of weapons, armor and character attributes. So many, in fact, that you may feel overwhelmed by the choices, until you realize that it doesn't really matter, because button-mashing will carry the day regardless. As action RPGs go, Shining Force EXA delivers a deep experience in terms of customization of your fortress, characters and equipment, not to mention pretty anime graphics and cut scenes. Sadly, it's hampered by repetitive, tedious combat, a problem that the Shining series has not yet managed to solve with its action RPGs.

Not one that you'll want to replay, but there's a good 50 hours or so of gameplay in it on the first run-through.

A classically influenced score. Having full-voice on some scenes is a nice touch, but why not the whole game?

Great for the first ten hours or so, then the repetitive combat takes its toll.