Shining Force: The Sword of Hajya

"By far, the best GameGear game."

Out of all the GameGear games that I have played, Shining Force: The Sword of Hajya is the best game out of them all. It may be long, but the time that it takes to complete this great game is well worth it. I have not played the previous Shining Force games, but if they are like this game, then the Shining Force series is great.

~Gameplay~
This is the best part of the game. You will easily adapt to this game and be attached to it for hours on end. If you have not played a game like this, it is very easy to learn how to. Almost anyone can play this game due to how easy the gameplay is to learn. The difficulty isn't too hard but near the end of the game, gameplay gets very hard. The controls are very easy, and can be learned within a few simple minutes.

~Story~
Shining Force: The Sword of Hajya has a good story, but not the best. It is very clear what the quest of the game is though after a little gameplay. Unlike most RPGs, Shining Force doesn't have a huge story, but the gameplay of this game definetly makes up for the loss of story (which is very little.)

~Graphics/Sound~
You can expect what you always expect from hand held games in this section. Even though the graphics aren't perfect, they are defenitly good and possibly ahead of their hand held time. The scenery and such in the battle field isn't great, but the battle sequences are definetly good for a game for a handheld game. Plus the fact that it has color is definetly a plus. the sound is ok at first, but after a while the music gets annoying. Sound effects are ok, but you will want to turn off the volume after a little while.

~Play Time/Replayability ~
The play time for Shining Force is increbibly great for a handheld game. You will be spending quite a bit of time trying to complete this terrific game. Even though it is long, you will not lose intrest in it. Although the Play Time is great, the Replayability isn't. After you complete this game, you will not want to play it again because it is so long. Unless you really like RPGs, you might want to give this one a spin again.

~Final Recommendation~
I highly recomend Shining Force: The Sword of Hajya to all people who like to get involved into a good RPG. Seeing how it is an old game, it will probably take a good search to find it, but it is definetly worth it.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 03/28/04