Shining Force: The Sword of Hajya

"A Shining glory for the first back-lit handheld."

Shining Force: The Sword of Hajya is a marvelous game for the Sega Game Gear portable video game system. It is one of the best RPGs that doesn't tether you to an entertainment center. The variety of characters and specialties, as well as the strategy involved in several pivotal battles, make this a challenging and engaging battlefield epic.

Like the other games in the Shining Force series, it offers a wide variety of enemies and bosses, and uses terrain conditions to determine the efficiency of attacks and spells. Some monsters have elemental strengths and weaknesses, while others are neutral with strong physical capabilities. Characters may also suffer from several inflicted side-effects, such as Sleep or Poison. Your army may be greatly outnumbered, requiring excellent foresight and resource management. The war will be won or lost on your ability to plan.

The playable characters are diverse in statistics, equipment, and appearance. They may be Humans, Elves, Centaurs, or any number of other possible incarnations. Weaponry includes swords, bow and arrows, axes, gloves, staves, and two types of pole arms: lances for short-range combat and spears for long-range combat.Some characters are physically powerful (such as Gladiators and Paladins), while others are better versed in the magical arts (such as Wizards and Heals). Their base statistics reflect these specialties, as does their equipment.

The story is of an injured young man found near the evil empire known as Iom. He was found just after Prince Nick and his army departed on a quest to defeat Iom. What few forces remained at the castle were attacked in the Prince's absence, and their holy relic, the Sword of Hajya, was stolen. The sword is said to grant the one who holds it unspeakable power; a power that Iom wants more than anything else. The young man leads the small group of forces after the thief, adding new allies along the way. The party eventually catches up to Prince Nick in the final battle to save the world from certain destruction at the hands of Iom. The story is as imaginative as the characters themselves.

This game has everything one could want from a video game: action, intrigue, and hours of entertainment. The replay value is enormous, and the battle system is reason enough to love this game. I recommend this game to anyone, especially RPG nuts like me.

Overall Rating: 10/10

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 03/27/03, Updated 03/27/03