Shining in the Darkness

"The reason I started playing RPGs"

Shining in the Darkness

A bit of a secret as far as RPGs (Role Playing Games) are concerned, shining in the Darkness was overlooked by most people. Perhaps this was because the Genesis had fewer RPGs than it's rival, the Super Nintendo, (Super Famicom in Japan) mostly because the Super Nintendo was highly supported by Squaresoft... a company known for their high quality RPGs. Because of this, the Genesis was not usually purchased for such RPGs. Also, the Genesis had a few ''Higher Profile'' RPGs that managed to cover up the beautiful Shining in the Darkness, examples are Shining Force and Phantasy Star.

You are plunged into a world of knights, kings and castles as the son of the bravest and most loyal knight Mortred, after the princess Jessa and your father have disappeared while en route to the local village's shrine. The King is horribly worried and summons you to his throne, where he asks you to go and find his daughter and your father. You then face the task of finding them in the enormous Labyrinth, which was once a training ground for young knights, while fighting off the forces of darkness.

The Graphics of Shining in the Darkness are some of the Best, and most unique found on the Genesis. While not truly '3-D' the developers have managed to simulate 3D environments through manipulation of 2-D technology. This is not a platformer, you walk around the Labyrinth in a first person perspective. You can even see the effects of the spells you cast on your enemies in full motion and color. The downside to the first person perspective is the lack of control, while the game is made for this (meaning it doesn't make it any harder to play), it could cause some frustration for those gamers used to action titles with a lot of jumping, running and shooting (of which this title has none of). The traditional ''leveling up'' system found in so many RPGs also finds a home in Shining in the Darkness, you get experience points for defeating enemies which can accumulate to a level up. The higher your level, the higher your physical stats are... meaning- the more powerful you are, and the more butt you can kick. You can also spend the gold you receive from defeating enemies on equipment and items with restorative/indirect effects. Like Angel Feathers, which ''teleport'' you out of the Labyrinth and back to the safety of the town. (Tip: ALWAYS carry an Angel Feather with you if you plan on deep exploration of the Labyrinth, as it can double the distance you can travel without dying!)

Sound in Shining in the Darkness is nothing to write home about... after about 5 hours of the same EXACT music in the Labyrinth or Town, you pretty much want to rip your ears off- Which is fine, because it is in no way important to the story. There are no voiceovers (not surprising, seeing as my baby brother could count the amount of games including voiceovers for the Genesis, so there is no turndown there!) and no clue-giving sound effects, so don't feel bad if you want to mute it and stick on your favorite band's CD to listen to instead.
The gameplay is great as well. While not focusing on how fast you can press buttons and run up and down on the screen, but more on tactics regarding what exactly to do with your turns. Cast an attack spell, or use a healing herb? It all depends on how much punishment you think you can give and take! This game is a great choice if your thumbs are sore from button mashing, and the Labyrinth makes you think about what exactly you need to do... (Tip: Pay attention to the name of the section of the Labyrinth you are in, it will help you decide what to expect!) The story is also pretty good, while not quite like the latest novel from the bookstore, it will still keep you playing to see what happens next! If there was one thing that I didn't like, it would be the repetitive nature of the gameplay, you are always fighting a group of enemies while in a dark hallway, listening to the same old heroic music. There are some things done to help stop the repetitive feeling- The colors of the enemies change as well as there names, even though there are more enemies than images of enemies (meaning the developers palette-swapped what the enemies looked like a lot.) There are at least a few new looking enemies at each new area though, and they always surprise you with a different attack or spell... just to keep you on your toes! And the walls change over the course of the game too, so you can see, a lot was done to help make the game a bit more unpredictable- and more enjoyable.

What I liked especially:
-I really liked the feeling that I didn't always know what was to be seen around the next corner, would I find a chest? A new Enemy? Or maybe the Princess herself...?
-The constant quest to find new and more powerful weapons, the more money you manage to acquire, the more options you have at the shops!

What I didn't like:
-The repetitive nature of the game, while suppressed, can get to those who aren't loving the gameplay.

-That music can really tempt you to break your speakers... Don't listen! Resist the song of the sirens!
~Final Breakdown~
Scores on a scale of 0-10, with 10 being Mind blowing, and 0 making you want to blow your mind up... There is a retro score, which compares the game to others of its day, and a modern score, which compares this game to those of today

Graphics: Retro Score- 9.5 (1991) Modern Score- 2.5
It is rather dated now by the coming of more powerful consoles like the Playstation 1 & 2 where 3-D worlds are now a complete reality. However, it was a great step toward 3-D worlds in its time, the start of utilizing cartoons also opened doors to future great games like Xenogears (PSX) from Squaresoft, which was also a rare gem.

Sound: Retro Score- 7.0 (1991) Modern Score- 1
Please, don't get me started again, it was great for putting you in the mood the first hour of play, but after that... The mute function of your TV seems like the best invention since sliced bread. As for those that played it in 1991, it was probably a welcome change from the classic Mario soundtrack, which is comparable to the music of shining in the Darkness in that both were extremely repetitive.

Gameplay: Retro Score- 9.0 (1991) Modern Score- 5.0
Great stuff, you didn't get many games like this back in the days of the Genesis, a leap away from speed and action, with a successful landing. Compared to some of the poor games of today, I would MUCH rather play this game... Fantastic Four, anyone?

Overall: Retro Score- 9.0 (1991) Modern Score-5.0
If I were to calculate this by average, it really wouldn't be fair, as I don't believe sound is anywhere near as important as gameplay. At any rate, it can easily be bypassed by-passed with a good CD or tape, and isn't at all essential, plus, there really weren't that many games with great sound back in 1991, now were there?

Final Word: A game that could easily be considered one of the first great RPGs... It still stands in some people's minds that this game is capable of reaching the list of the top 30 RPGs of all time. A great achievement in the least. This game was the reason I started playing RPGs!

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 08/02/02, Updated 08/02/02