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Shining Force Classics

64%Game Brain Score
gameplay, story
monetization, stability
80% User Score Based on 2,432 reviews

Platforms

TabletAndroidPhoneiPadMobile PlatformiPhone

About

Three episodes of SEGA’s Shining series hit SEGA Forever in one single app!

Shining Force Classics screenshot
Shining Force Classics screenshot
Shining Force Classics screenshot
Shining Force Classics screenshot
Shining Force Classics screenshot
Shining Force Classics screenshot
Shining Force Classics screenshot
Shining Force Classics screenshot
Shining Force Classics screenshot
Shining Force Classics screenshot
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80%
Audience ScoreBased on 2,432 reviews
gameplay15 positive mentions
monetization236 negative mentions

  • The Shining Force games are nostalgic classics that many players cherish, bringing back fond memories of childhood gaming.
  • The gameplay is engaging, with strategic turn-based battles and a rich storyline that keeps players invested.
  • The option to save anywhere using ads is a convenient feature, allowing players to pick up where they left off easily.
  • The controls, particularly the D-Pad, are often unresponsive and can lead to frustrating gameplay experiences.
  • The save feature is unreliable, frequently leading to lost progress and requiring players to watch ads to save or load their games.
  • The app crashes frequently, making it difficult for players to enjoy the game without interruptions.
  • monetization
    253 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The monetization strategy of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players expressing frustration over the intrusive nature of ads, even after purchasing the ad-free version. While some appreciate the option to play for free with ads, others criticize the requirement to watch ads for basic functions like saving and loading, which can lead to a frustrating experience. Overall, the pricing for ad removal is seen as reasonable, but the implementation and persistence of ads, particularly Sega's ads, have left many players feeling dissatisfied.

    • “No ads and no lost save slots.”
    • “Might work okay if you pay for no ads.”
    • “Pretty great if you cave in and pay for no ads.”
    • “The game forces you to watch ads to make use of basic features like saving and even resuming the game, but then after watching the ads they don't work.”
    • “I'm used to ads in games that are free-to-play, but what isn't cool is that you literally force people to watch ads to save and load the game.”
    • “Ridiculous that you have to buy the game and still have ads all over the place.”
  • stability
    56 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The stability of the game is heavily criticized, with numerous users reporting frequent crashes, freezes, and issues with the save feature, particularly when casting spells or connecting to Google Play. Many players experience significant loss of progress due to these stability problems, rendering the game nearly unplayable for some. While a few users noted improvements in stability, the overall consensus indicates that the game requires urgent fixes to address its persistent bugs and performance issues.

    • “No glitches and I am using the ad-free version.”
    • “I have played all the way through SF 1 and 2 with this app, no glitches, no problems with saves.”
    • “As long as the crashing stays fixed, it runs great.”
    • “Purchased the ad-free version through Google Play, but the game constantly signs out, crashes/freezes, forcing me to reload and losing progress.”
    • “The game frequently freezes during the saving process, forcing you to revert back to previous saved states.”
    • “Every time I try to use magic, the game freezes, making it unplayable. Please fix this issue.”
  • gameplay
    36 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, the gameplay is praised for its engaging mechanics and nostalgic experience, particularly on mobile devices, with smooth controls and minimal interruptions from ads. However, many users report significant issues with saving progress, including glitches that erase hours of gameplay, which detracts from the overall experience. While the turn-based gameplay is generally well-received, the lack of reliable save options and occasional crashes are notable drawbacks.

    • “The controls are a little touchy, but overall the gameplay is great.”
    • “Excellent stories, great gameplay, memorable characters, and an awesome soundtrack, now in the palm of your hand.”
    • “Fun vintage gameplay!”
    • “The problem is that when I tried to save before quitting, the game glitched and rebooted, erasing hours of gameplay.”
    • “Just lost about 3 hours of gameplay because the save option decided to malfunction.”
    • “The game crashes after only a few minutes of gameplay.”
  • story
    27 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's story is praised for its depth and engaging character development, allowing players to immerse themselves in a rich narrative reminiscent of classic RPGs. Reviewers appreciate the blend of strategic turn-based combat with a compelling storyline, highlighting its nostalgic 16-bit graphics and memorable music. While some note the pacing is intentionally slow to enhance character attachment, the overall consensus is that the story is well-crafted and enjoyable, making it a standout feature of the game.

    • “It is a near perfect blend of strategic turn-based battles, story, characters, and those timeless 16-bit era graphics.”
    • “Let's you fall in love with the characters and the story.”
    • “Wow, these titles bring back memories, graphics are sharp and crisp and the storyline is quite interesting with twists and turns, music is awesome like usual, no complaints whatsoever.”
    • “The story is slow but it's by design.”
    • “Fun gameplay for its time and personally, well balanced story and adventure.”
    • “Wish someone would use the programming to make a similar game with different characters and new spells and a new story.”
  • graphics
    15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game evoke nostalgia with their classic 16-bit style, appealing particularly to older gamers who appreciate the retro aesthetic. While some players feel that enhancements for realism could improve the experience, many praise the sharp and crisp visuals that maintain the charm of the original. Overall, the graphics are seen as a fitting tribute to the past, complementing the engaging gameplay and story.

    • “It is a near perfect blend of strategic turn-based battles, story, characters, and those timeless 16-bit era graphics.”
    • “Just like the days of olde with improvements such as resolution choices and graphics upgrade.”
    • “Wow, these titles bring back memories, graphics are sharp and crisp and the storyline is quite interesting with twists and turns, music is awesome like usual, no complaints whatsoever.”
    • “I think the graphics must be enhanced to make the game a bit more realistic.”
    • “It's just like a ROM on your phone, same graphics and plays like the original.”
    • “All these years and no one can update its graphics or remaster it?”
  • grinding
    10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players express significant frustration with the grinding aspect of the game, citing tedious login requirements and unreliable save systems that often result in lost progress after hours of effort. The inability to consistently save or load games undermines the enjoyment of leveling up characters, leading to a negative experience overall. While the opportunity to play underrated titles for free is appreciated, the technical issues surrounding grinding detract from the overall gameplay experience.

    • “How can you feel confident in grinding your team when you can't reliably save your progress.”
    • “Frustrated after grinding to get everyone's levels up together for at least 4 hours, only to sign in the next morning, load the saved game and it starts me at the freakin beginning of the game in the church!”
    • “Just lost hours of grinding due to the 'connecting...' screen getting stuck.”
  • optimization
    8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, the optimization of the game is generally well-received, with most users reporting smooth performance and improved visuals. However, some players have noted issues with the control interface, particularly on touch screens, and occasional stuttering or input inaccuracies. While the game runs well for many, there are calls for better control optimization and features like offline saves.

    • “I admit that the control UI is a little annoying to work with, but with tweaks over a couple of hours of gameplay, I have it perfect and it runs smoothly.”
    • “The game runs smoothly, and the only issue I have found is when utilizing the rewind function.”
    • “No complaints about the app, runs smoothly.”
    • “Unacceptable performance if you ask me.”
    • “Awesome port, but it feels like it's running on an emulator. The controls are not optimized for touch screen. It would be great if it could support offline saves, especially for those who paid for ad-free.”
    • “The game plays decently enough, but the D-pad is hard to use at times, going in a different direction than what I pressed, and there are small stuttering issues here and there.”
  • music
    8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game is widely praised for its nostalgic quality and ability to evoke fond memories from players' past experiences. Reviewers highlight the excellent soundtrack as a standout feature that complements the engaging gameplay and storyline, enhancing the overall enjoyment of the game. Despite some technical issues, the music remains a consistent point of appreciation among players.

    • “If you like great music, fun strategy turn-based combat, and a fantastic world and storyline to forget the real world, look no further.”
    • “Game runs pretty smoothly and looks great along with the same great soundtrack I knew and loved.”
    • “Excellent stories, great gameplay, memorable characters, and an awesome soundtrack, now in the palm of your hand.”
    • “The games are great, of course, I love Shining Force, but in order to force you to watch ads constantly, they disabled the normal save system in the game. The only thing is that they failed to mention this... so I played for a couple of hours, talked to the dude that saves your game, it even played the little saving music, but nope, no saves made whatsoever. I wasn't too happy the next time I launched the game and found that out...”
    • “I enjoy the gameplay, but the first game Shining Force keeps freezing and the music keeps playing.”
  • emotional
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game is praised for its charm and emotional depth, creating a compelling experience for players. However, the unreliable save function detracts from the overall emotional impact, leading to frustration.

    • “It is very charming and even emotionally compelling.”
  • replayability
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game is praised for its exceptional replayability, remaining engaging and enjoyable even after many years.

    • “Amazing game that has excellent replayability and holds its own after decades.”
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3h Median play time
3h Average play time
2-4h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 6 analyzed playthroughs
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