shinig force

[trickey]

has anyone ever played shining force one or two for the gennesis? If so , what one do you think was better?


ps. i like number 2 alot more

[FrustratedPoet]

These are two of the best RPG's I've ever played.

Well done for making a thread about them ... even if you did spell the name wrong in the title.

I've played through both of these games several times and I suppose I prefer #2 best, but they are both awesome.

The scene in SF1 where you first meet Balbaroy (with all the scary undead people) and the fight with the Kraken in SF2 are two of the best RPG moments ever IMHO.

[trickey]

the fight with the kraken in sf2 has got to be one of the most challenging battles in RPG history. haven't played sf1 as much, but if it has one thing better that sf2, i think its the characters.

how do you spell the name?

[SnowFire]

Don't know. I popped Shining Force 1 into an emulator for the first time quite recently (this year), knowing that it has gotten universally good reviews from Genesis fans. I'm starting to think that it was just because they had nothing else, though. Or maybe I've just been totally spoiled by FFT, Front Mission 3, Vanguard Bandits, etc.

Anyway, the AI is just beyond brainless, and there didn't seem to be too much strategy at first- then again, maybe I just don't have all the late game options just yet.

I've heard that SF3 was the best in the series, actually, but since it was released on Saturn nobody played it (and certainly not me).

Would you recommend skipping 1 and going straight to 2, or should I try toughing 1 out? As in, does 2 offer signigicant gameplay improvements?

[FrustratedPoet]

It is pretty basic, true, but they are VERY old games, especially Shining Force 1.
My opinion of them is probably driven by nostalgia more than cold consideration since these were the first two RPG's I ever played and they hooked me on the genre. The turn-based combat system they use is still my favourite battle system (although FFX's remixof the Active-Time system comes close).

Snowfire, you may well have been spoilled by FFT (although I didn't much like Front Mission 3 ... dunno why). If you're not enjoying SF1 then I would recommend you give SF2 a try. The gameplay is not significantly different, but I believe that the game is generally (story, music, graphics, character design) better enough in every way to warrant a chance.

I've never played SF3 either ... it was released in 3 parts and only Part One got released over here. I suspect a second-hand Saturn (PAL version) with a copy of Shining Force 3 Part 1 would be fairly cheap now since the Saturn is so old and rubbish ... I've never been able to find one, though. I'd love to play Shining Force 3...

[trickey]

I dont like sf1 near as much as sf2, so maybe you should jeut skip sf1.

Shining force 3 is out only in japanese, but you can get on a rom at

http://shining.zophar.net/shf2/shining_force_ii.html

that site is by FAR the best site for the seris. i just dowloaded the rom agian and im giving it another go!

[FrustratedPoet]

You're right trickey. that is easily the best SF site on the net. Moogie (the gal who runs it) has done a great job.

[FrustratedPoet]

I don't think the SF3 rom is there ... only the Shining Force Gaiden 3 one, which is a different game (for the Game Gear IIRC).
Shame.

[trickey]

ooops! my bad, sorry. Moogie did do a graet job. There is a lot of sf game out there. I thought it was just 1,2, and 3.

[SnowFire]

Though hardly an expert, I've read people's reviews of SF3, and it sure looked like it was in English to me... I also don't know of any Saturn emulators, so...

[trickey]

yeah its in english, i got it mixed up with sf final conflic, sorry.

[trickey]

its in english, i got it mixed up with sf final conflic, sorry

ooops, double post.

[Vlad Antlerkov]

Originally posted by FrustratedPoet
The scene in SF1 where you first meet Balbaroy (with all the scary undead people) and the fight with the Kraken in SF2 are two of the best RPG moments ever IMHO.

Balbazak. They don't name villians like that anymore.

SF2 was one of the best stratRPGs I've seen. (IMO, Tactics Ogre was better, but not by much.) Haven't played SF1, so I can't give any opinion on it.

[Felch]

In terms of the time period the games were excellent. It's true that Tactics and other later games are generally better, but those got to where they are by building on Shining Force and other early tactical RPGs.

SF2 is way better than the first one. It's not remarkably different in any single way, but they just improved on a remarkable number of minor issues, and made a great game even better.

[trickey]

i just got the rom and its really p*ssing me off. the A.I almost ALWAYS GETS SECOND ATTACKS and they slaugter me. Does anyone know if this is a rom bug?