One of the last great SATURN RPG titles released, and we only get to experience 1/3 of it... so sad really...
GAMEPLAY ~
If you are new to the Shining series you'll never see it coming. The SF series played out like a tactics game the basic map movements, different towns, one real straight objective. The battle systems worked the same, one objective, and a multiple amount of ways to gain victory. What set SF3 apart from the rest was the extra exploring.
When on the battle field thee were "ruins" in the areas you can explore to gain more powerful items, or a more needed experience boost for certain characters. But during these excavations it's a race against the clock, or bandit. If you don't reach the item(s) in time, they will acquire it an run for the hills! So be hasty!
The other battle additive was the "buddy system" as I like to call it! If your characters progress closely with each other, they will gain friendships an in turn increase a perimeter or some other goodies by staying just as close. This became helpful when using archers next too melee attackers. Protect the weak and get a bonus!
Everything else is basic SF fanfare. Explore the town, meet in HQ equip new items. The standard practice, it's what we've come to know an love with the series.
STORY ~
Sadly I can't remember the story... it's been awhile since I’ve last played the game, an it's pointless to write out what little I know when I only got a 1/3 of it all! Cliffhanger!
GRAPHICS ~
sadly enough this wasn't the greatest aspect of the game, nor of the series. Sure the worlds were large, but the character sprites on and off the field were horrendous! They looked like blobs! Gelatinous blobs who when in deep conversations start wiggling, like if having a seizure! I can't say enough on how this was bad, but lets not look at what’s on the top, lets look deeper... The field maps were huge and had a nice lush environment for your blobs to progress through. As did the great 3D look of the towns an other exploratory areas! The battles were nice too! With your blob becoming a 3D warriors an viciously attacking the localized enemy! It was nice! Too bad basic sprite design wasn't enhanced or I could have given this part a better score.
SOUND ~
I should really pop this baby back in an give it another whirl, since I only own two games for this system, I might as well go back an enjoy some of the great tracks! In which I can't remember! I bet they were good filled with valor and qonderful arrangements! The SATURN was a CD based system... so I'll give it a good score...
REPLAYABILITY ~
The game progresses, there is no turning back once you move on! So if you missed a character, you missed them... too bad! As mentioned the ruins added in a new way to experience a SF battle with a whole separate team tackling a ruin, but that is again a one time run through, once you gain the treasure (or lose it!) the ruin crumbles... sooo sad... too bad! Besides that there is a few hidden characters to obtain, and alot of nice battles to enjoy whilst you do so... sorry, the replay is kinda low... and even at around 30 to 40 hours of good gameplay, the replay is kinda low...
OVERALL ~
The only Shining Force game for the SATURN and it does the series justice! Now all SEGA has to do is give this game a sprucing, add in the other 3 titles an release them in a collectors edition!
WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS!!! IN ENGLISH!!!
Besides that it’s a nice fun run through which will give you some time to think on why this series wasn’t released in all it’s glory…