[quote=“Kimimi”]“Killed Shining Force”? Surely that comment should be levelled at Shining Soul, as that’s what started Sega on the slippery slope towards ARPG-dom - so why not hate that game too? Who’s to say that all this talk over the series isn’t going to reinvigorate it (any publicity is good publicity, right?) and eventually bring about a return to the sequels roots? Comments either way (they will/won’t make a "real"SF) are pure conjecture, as none of us have any idea what goes on inside Sega Japan.
As for the score, there was a time when I wouldn’t even look at a game unless it had multiple 90%'s or 9/10’s in various magazines. I’ve learnt my lesson since then, and discovered that it’s the personal experience that counts over everything else, and if I enjoy playing a game deemed to be “average” then so what? [/quote]
Shining Soul didn’t attempt to cash in on Shining Force’s name recognition. The only thing that I liked about it was Tamaki-san’s artwork which was somewhat reminiscent of the first two Shining games. If we ever do see a new Shining Force Strategy/RPG for a home console (which is a big if now), I will stand corrected. However, we all know the casual masses simply don’t have the patience for such a game. They obviously want to shake free from the oppression of turn-based shackles! Let’s try to keep reading to a minimum for them too, because we all know how much of a struggle that can be.
I think Gamespot perhaps under-rated SF Neo, but in this case I’m not complaining; I simply don’t want it to sell. Sega needs to be taught a lesson; this isn’t the next step in SF’s evolution that Sega of America is portraying it to be.
I’m too pessimistic now to expect the best to happen.
One of the horrors of working in videogame retail is that the lowest common denominator is not low enough…
People really won’t buy games if you can’t explain it to them in five words, or if it isn’t like Need for Speed/GTA/Tekken/Final Fantasy. I really do try my best everyday to sell stuff like Rez (oh, a shooting game. So is it like Timesplitters then?, ICO (Adventure games are either like Jak & Daxter or Tomb Raider) and Phantom Brave (to the casual gamer, all RPGs are "not as good as Final Fantasy X).
To be honest if we look at the big picture Sega has always been progressive with SHINING FORCE than with PHANTASY STAR. Sega so far has gone the multiformat route with it’s biggest RPG franchises. But while PHANTASY STAR has only experienced ports the SHINING FORCE series has enjoyed a unique version on each of the current gen hardware it has graced. PS is now available on four formats three(Xbox GC and PC) which had ports of the same game with bonus material, one that had an exclusive follow up(NGC) two with a new PHANTASY STAR game(PC and PS2) and two which have a collectors edition modified or ports of the original(Ps2 and GBA) which of course does not include the rumoured X360 version of PSU and the rumoured port of PSO on the NDS. The only other formats that PHANTASY STAR has yet to reach is the mobile phone one.
Now if you look at SHINING FORCE as a franchise it also has reached multiple formats but only three. GBA,PS2 and various mobile phone formats of which five of the games released are original games and one which is a modified port while two of the SHINING FORCE CHRONICLES are simply ports of the GG originals. It seems SHINING FORCE majority wise SF is getting a unique game on various formats. I wonder if Sega intends to publish a SHINING FORCE which is exclusive to that format and not a port of the previous ones. Sega has always been more explotative with SHINING FORCE then they ever were with PHANTASY STAR and Sega intends to make this another blockbuster RPG series for them. I’m saying that if the rumours of a SRPG may be true that it might not even appear on the ps2 but on the NGC.Why not Sega isn’t known for making wise decisions are they? and the NGC will still be around for another year or two. It depends when or If development started on such a game.The same happened on the sega systems. SF got a new entry with each of Sega’s hardware(apart from the MS) and one bonus collection. PS only had two exclusive games that never appeared on any other format which was the Game Gear versions. All the PHANTASY STAR games have appered either ported(The original PS was released on MD in Japan) and collected (the Saturn) If Sega is repeating the same pattern which it looks like they are than there maybe an exclusive SHINING FORCE game heading towards the NGC.
[quote=“Geoffrey Duke”]7/10 is virtually average by Gamespot’s standards. I didn’t expect the game that killed Shining Force to be rewarded with a much higher score. What really sets this game apart from other games in its genre? Anime cutscenes and cartoony graphics. That’s about it.
I’d have to play through the game from beginning to end before deciding whether or not it is truly deserving of that score. However, Sega cannot bank on scores like that if it hopes to turn the Shining series into its flagship series of RPGs.[/quote]
7/10 is actually a good score for gamespot proportions
but sf neo being realtime just kills it completely
