Round Table: Who would you want to see reboot Shining Force franchise?

Shining

 Shining Force franchise was one of my favorites back in the day when Camelot Software was in charge of it in the 90’s, now-a-days SEGA has given other developers chances to reboot the franchise and the games have been received poorly by critics (and fans). Regardless of this, I still think that Shining Force franchise has the chance to comeback and do pretty well. This week on the round table we will discuss which developers should reboot Shining Force and release a classic game that this franchise deserves!

Ben

RoundtableBen

I’m coming to this as a person who has never once played a Shining Force game. Yup, I’ve never experienced this RPG series in any aspect, aside from the the small batches of screenshots I’ve seen on the internet, or even the bits and pieces of impressions I’ve read from SEGA fans throughout the years.

But if there’s one thing that’s clear, it’s that the Shining series has been on the wrong path. It’s sacrificed many of the RPG elements and strong storytelling that people have long praised it for. If Shining Force was to be rebooted, and I’d say it’s a necessity if it hopes to survive, there’s one SEGA studio who I’d trust it with, and that studio is Overworks. 

Shining Force is known by many as a classic RPG series. Skies of Arcadia was a modern RPG that was also not afraid to retain its traditional RPG roots. It delivered an experience that felt both brand new but also quite retro, almost in equal measure. It had all the trappings of a modern RPG but still featured traditional gameplay, a bright atmosphere that didn’t try hard to appear “cool”, and it also happened to take place in one of the coolest worlds I’ve ever explored in the genre. 

Knowing what little I do about the Shining Force series, I can’t get much more specific. But Overworks knows RPGs. And there aren’t many internal (or, come to think of it, external) studios who I could think of that I’d trust the series in the hands of. Overworks is the studio I’d look to, without a doubt, to take SEGA’s classic RPG series and re-capture that magic. 

Barry the Nomad

RoundTableBarry

 I’ve only been able to play the Shining Force titles recently, by way of emulation. I initially missed out on the series in part due to my age, I was eight when the series hit the Genesis. During the late 90’s I learned more about the franchise, but by that point the Dreamcast was taking all my money and used copies of the Shining Force games were hard to come by and expensive. In any case, having finally played them I see now what all the fuss was about. They are truly fantastic titles with unique characters, an awesome art style and addicting gameplay. Unfortunately, recent Shining titles lack much of the series charm, and most of the new titles don’t even make it to America to begin with.

Should the franchise be revived to match the glory days, I’d love to see Sega Wow Overworks developing new titles. The Valkyria Chronicles games, from what little I’ve played, are fantastic. If Wow Overworks can create a great tactical role-playing game, I’m certain they could develop a turn-based strategy game equal to or greater than the original Shining Force titles. Of course, the art style is also an important “must”, and given how great Valkyria Chronicles looks, I’m sure they could pull it off.

Kori-Maru

RoundTableKoriMaru

Back in the day when Sega marketed their games on the PC during the mid-late 90’s, Shining Force happened to be my first RPG experience from Sega. The game had a addictive style to it with a great cast of characters from humans, elves and to animal beings, the artwork designs, the medieval settings and turned based gameplay. I remember inviting my cousin over to play some Shining Force with me by taking turns to experience the game together (Couldn’t get past the zombie part however.) I haven’t actually had the chance to play the other titles after Force however it’s still one of my favorite Sega franchises.

If Sega plans to reboot the Shining Force series, I would like to see Sega WOW Overworks have a take on the franchise as Barry stated. WOW Overworks are a experienced developer when it comes to turned based strategy games such as Sakura Wars, Skies of Arcadia and Valkyria Chronicles. After my experience from playing through Sakura Wars was like a blast from the past. In conclusion, I would also like to see Shining Force remade in some way similar to Phantasy Star.

George

RoundTableGeorge

I think we have established that Sega WOW Overworks is a great developer that would do this title justice. Of course I totally agree with the above writers that stated that. But since it would be sort of a ‘echo in a room’ article if we all just agreed, I’ll name another developer that I think could do a epic Shining Force game (given the direction and funding).

Nippon Ichi Software! You are probably going to start complaining, but the company has been doing SRPG games these last two generations with deep fighting systems. The only issue is that I don’t think their art style and game tone is what Shining Force franchise needs. They did games like Phantom Brave, Disgaea series and a ton of other Disgaea spin-offs. 

I think if Nippon Ichi Software worked with SEGA to reboot the Shining Force franchise in the vain of Shining Force III, that they could have a big hit on their hands. Of course, if I had a choice I would choose a in-house developer like Sega WOW Overworks. 

I also would love to see Camelot Software Planning (the original developers) stop wasting their time at Nintend0 (they are developing Mario Golf: World Tour for 3DS, come on!) and come back to SEGA so they could do Shining Force IV already.

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14 responses to “Round Table: Who would you want to see reboot Shining Force franchise?

  1. Billy says:

    I personally think Tri-Ace should do it. They have made nothing but great JRPGs.

  2. peachlife says:

    Like everyone else I think overworks will be able to it justice. Tri ace could work to, resonance of fate is awesome!

  3. Zhen says:

    Tri ace sounds good. Tony take can go f himself btw

  4. Trippled says:

    In a way Overworks already works together with Media.Vision to do the PSP Shining games…VC3 was mady the same way.

    It’s just Tony that needs to go away, and that Shining Producer. I think the Art done for the Arcade games looks nice enough…they should hire that Artist.

    But IMO in my mind Shining only existed when Camelot was around. I’d say just drop it.

  5. Cool Z says:

    My choice among all devs would be the already overworked by a NINTENDO Intelligent Systems.

    No matter who:
    If it would be a grind-fest with no strategy(FFT A2 ) and at not try to be quirky rather than Anime stereotypical. Then do not want.

  6. cactus says:

    Camelot and Overworks are the only one that can reboot the franchise.
    And please, make it turn based.

  7. Gelloh says:

    Remake part 3, all 3 chapters. Add bonus hidden characters from Phantasy Star for fan service fun.

  8. Sigma says:

    Definitely Wow Overworks. They are kings as far as turn based strategy(SRPG) games go.

  9. Great timing! I was just thinking of playing the Shining Force games, starting with #1, then 2 then CD, then 3-1 for the Saturn, since I finished Magic Knight Rayearth.

  10. Andy C says:

    Camelot Software Planning should be approached to develop this. No one else. They crafted the series and gave it the unique style and charm that fans of the classic series still remember it for.

    I love Valkyria Chronicles, and do see it as a spiritual successor of sorts to the SF series, but in my view, they couldn’t do Shining Force in this style. A new instalment has to be like the classic games, or they should just leave it alone. The Shining series has taken enough hits already.

  11. SeanNOLA says:

    So bummed I missed this when it was new! I’ve been saying that SEGA should make nice with Nintendo to get a new Shining game from Camelot ever since Sonic Advanced hit the GBA! Camelot’s visual style and UI design is what made the Shining games great, and they’re the *only* ones that can recapture that. There’s more to Shining than turn-based strategy, too. Shining in the Darkness, Shining the Holy Ark – they all shared a common DNA that linked them to Camelot. If you want to know what a new Shining game would be like, look no further than Golden Sun. It fits the universe much better than any of the PS2 or GBA games. Like Andy C said – I love Valkyria Chronicles, too, but it’s not a Shining Game, and there’s nothing to it that makes me think that Wow could make one.

    I would LOVE to see an HD version of Shining Force 3, or even a Shining Force 4, but the fact of the matter is that we’ll never see it unless Sega and Nintendo shake hands and agree to it.

  12. matty says:

    Isn’t NIS’s future baking on Disgaea 5’s success?

    Anyway, as long as they keep Tony Taka’s designs, they can reboot all they want!

  13. MaxGokuCloudAang says:

    Square-Enix/Squaresoft,Capcom(because Breath Of Fire),Tri-Ace,Sega,Any decent,retro-respecting Company that will do it justice!!

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