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Phenomenal! Intensely engaging

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 5 / 5
Date: May 11, 2004
Author: Amazon User

I rented this game with my cousing while we were looking for some decent rpg's on the Genesis about 10 years ago. After getting no sleep for three days, and consuming mass quantities of Dr. Pepper and Coke, we had gotten about half-way through the game. Previously playing an RPG with two people turned into quite an adruous and strickly regulated task, but with this game it was almost as fun to watch as to play.

**For fantasy enthusiasts this game excels on many, many, levels.

**Use of races in the plot line is not Tolkeinesque in is complexity, but fascinatingly diverse in battle and roaming scenarios.

**The development of characters throughout the game is sooo satisfying: twerpy girls develop into smokin' women, teenagers come of age into warriors, and the protagonist kicks some serious ass.

**The pace of the game is both epic and fast moving, only a couple of battles take too long, otherwise the difficulty level is strategically perfect. The scale of the game isn't too large, yet at the same time has incredible map twists.

**I love buying weapons. I love it. You find plenty of towns and buy plenty of character specefic weapons. (Not to mention that you forge your own near the end.) There is sweet magical development and balanced capabilites.

**The music is sweeping and epic, especially for its time and capabilities. The graphics are artistic and not annoyingly stylized. There is actually a trove of quality art throughout the game.

BOTTOME LINE: For those of you who love classic Fantasy: Tolkein, Robert Jordan, Terry Brooks, Jacques, any of those guys, you will love this game. Older guys might have to be more tolerant, but for you youngsters, this game is hot as hell.

I don't care about x-box or gamecube (for a brief time) when it comes to this game there is no excuse not to play it. It is the most satisfying RPG I have ever played. (And it dosen't take 2 months to beat!!)

Buy it, and play it. It is soooo worth it.

An excellent, highly underrated game

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 5 / 6
Date: September 19, 2003
Author: Amazon User

The Sega Genesis is a system usually remembered for its arcade-style action games, and not those of other genres. In fact, I'm sure there are several people out there who have no idea this game (or any other Genesis RPG) exists. Released in 1993, Shining Force was one of the system's many underrated masterpieces. Read on for my review of the game.

PROS:
-It's an RPG for the Genesis!
-Unlike most consular RPGs, this one isn't that hard to learn.
-Your characters get experience points for every attack they perform, making it easy to build levels.
-There is an excellent cast of characters and an intriguing storyline to hold your attention.
-The game is straightforward, meaning you probably won't get lost or stuck.

CONS:
-The straightforward gaming style may not appeal to the casual RPG fan who is used to being able to explore an entire world at his/her own pace.
-The characters seem to be imbalanced in many ways.
-The "tactical RPG" style may confuse veterans of standard RPGs.
-The graphics are just weak next to those of the Super Nintendo.

OVERALL:
-If you have a Genesis, then by all means purchase this game. I strongly suggest playing it, as it is one of the finest titles to have ever existed in the RPG genre.

A great RPG that is usually forgotten

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 3
Date: March 29, 2003
Author: Amazon User

Long before Final Fantasy Tactics and Arc the Lad, there was Shining Force 2. This one has an excellent story and great characters. The battle system is essentially the same used in Tactics but not nearly as complex. The music is also very good and memorable and light years better than the previous installment. The graphics are also top-notch.

One of my friends introduced me to this game via the Sega channel many years ago. It's a great RPG and it's sad that it goes usually forgotten (I noticed many people tend to remember the first one more than this one, which is a shame because this one beats the first one hands down).

If you happen to come across this game in a pawn shop or gaming store, I HIGHLY suggest picking this up. It's a great game and possibly the best RPG for the Sega Genesis. A classic.

It really was a Shining Force...

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: March 07, 2002
Author: Amazon User

Shining Force 2 is, without a doubt, the best Genesis game ever made. I first played it on the short-lived Sega-channel, and since then, I've never put it down. After I bought it, I think I played through it at least five times. In fact, it was the first RPG I ever played.

Shining Force 2 is a tactical RPG, with game play akin to that of Fire Emblem or Front Mission(which I also enjoyed). It is quite the challenge, and the highest difficulty (ouch!) can give you a run for your money, especially in the later battles. The primitive though still involved combat system was further boosted by a simple experience and leveling up system. The final touch to the combat, which really puts Shining Force over the edge, was the attack cut scenes. For the time this game was made, they blow me away.

The overall storyline is rather generic, but for me it took a backseat to the combat. Some of the different battles and specific elements of the story were very original, however, and added a certain extra little flavor (I dread the chessboard battle to this very day). One minor complaint is that most of the characters aren't important to the story and join you for no reason. It isn't too important, but most of the characters seemed cool enough they should have had their own backstory at least, and some involvement in the game other than combat.

All in all, Shining Force 2 is a classic RPG. It is long (I would estimate 30 hours), with nice graphics, a pretty good soundtrack (as good as you can get for electronic beeps), and very entertaining game play. I highly recommend it to anyone who has an interest in RPG's.

SF2

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: November 02, 2002
Author: Amazon User

Although Rare and Expensive, Shining Force 2 is the best game for Sega Genesis and is Better than the first version, I own this game and cost me a lot to buy. This Time Zeon the evil god is striking and it's up to the force to stop him and will be tough. This 1994 game is incredible with awesome graphics and build up to 30 characters and raise them to be strong ferocious warriors and defeat devils all throughout the game

Shining force 1 and 2

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: May 23, 2002
Author: Amazon User

Amazing game, Great story line 2nd was much longer than the first. There are no two better RPG's in existance.

A Great Roleplaying Game

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: August 14, 2003
Author: Amazon User

Shining Force 2 is simply an incredibly fun game to play. With an enormous cast of charactors, a long involved storyline, loads of cool interesting towns, and awsome monsters this game is among my favorite RPG's ever. Perhaps the most interesting, innovative part of the game is the overhead Final Fantasy Tactics style battle engine which requires tremendus stratagy to achieve success along with the stregth of one's battle party. Highly recomended to RPG fans.

Best ... Game ... EVER!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: January 01, 2006
Author: Amazon User

What you're expecting more? Read someone elses review!

It really is the best game ever!

I love this game

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 2
Date: October 13, 2003
Author: Amazon User

This game may actually be the best game ever made. The way it keeps your attention with plot twists and numerous new characters keeps this game head and shoulders above the rest.

Shining Force 2

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 1 / 3
Date: February 20, 2002
Author: Amazon User

Yes I think this game is pretty fun. If you like roleplaying games. Now this is classic role playing game you got the hero then you have to defeat the person that is trying to destroy the world.

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