Shining Force II: The Sword of Hajya
Encyclopedia
is a 1993/1994 tactical role-playing game
for the Sega Game Gear
console. It is not to be mistaken with Shining Force II
for the Mega Drive/Genesis
, as it is the sequel to the original Shining Force Gaiden
for the Game Gear, not Shining Force
for the Mega Drive/Genesis.
. The player progresses through a series of turn-based tactical battles interspersed with short cutscenes. Between cutscenes the player is allowed to save the game, promote characters, resurrect fallen characters, and sometimes buy and sell weapons and healing items. As with most strategy RPGs, the battlefields are divided up into a grid where player characters and enemies take turns moving, attacking, casting magic and using items. Player characters gain experience by battling enemies, and may choose, once they reach level 10, to upgrade their class into a more powerful one.
and takes place just two months after. Shining Force Gaiden I tells how the war between Cypress and Iom began, how Nick befriended Mayfair, how his arm was turned to stone, and several other major plot points. Gyan, Ruce, Woldol, Randolf, and others all originally appeared in Shining Force Gaiden I.
Shining Force CD
, in turn, contains a scenario which takes place just a few months after Shining Force: The Sword of Hajya and features most of the major characters.
The hidden characters Hanzou and Musashi (mistranslated in the game as "Higins" and "Rush") previously appeared in Shining Force I
.
Tactical role-playing game
A tactical role-playing game is a type of video game which incorporates elements of traditional role-playing video games and strategy games. In Japan these games are known as , a designation which might seem peculiar to native English speakers...
for the Sega Game Gear
Sega Game Gear
The was Sega's first handheld game console. It was the third commercially available color handheld console, after the Atari Lynx and the TurboExpress....
console. It is not to be mistaken with Shining Force II
Shining Force II
, is a tactical role-playing game for the Mega Drive/Genesis console developed by Sonic! Software Planning in 1994. The storyline is not directly connected to the original Shining Force, although a Game Gear title Shining Force Gaiden: Final Conflict links the two games' plots.The game is much...
for the Mega Drive/Genesis
Sega Mega Drive
The Sega Genesis is a fourth-generation video game console developed and produced by Sega. It was originally released in Japan in 1988 as , then in North America in 1989 as Sega Genesis, and in Europe, Australia and other PAL regions in 1990 as Mega Drive. The reason for the two names is that...
, as it is the sequel to the original Shining Force Gaiden
Shining Force Gaiden
is a 1992 tactical role-playing game released only in Japan for the Sega Game Gear, though it was later released as an enhanced remake for Shining Force CD in Japan, North America, and Europe. It takes place 20 years after the second Shining series game, and is the direct predecessor to the fourth...
for the Game Gear, not Shining Force
Shining Force
Shining Force, known as in Japan, and otherwise known as Shining Force: The Legacy of Great Intention, is a 1992 turn-based strategy role-playing video game for the Mega Drive/Genesis console...
for the Mega Drive/Genesis.
Gameplay
Shining Force: The Sword of Hajya uses gameplay mechanics identical to those of its predecessor, Shining Force GaidenShining Force Gaiden
is a 1992 tactical role-playing game released only in Japan for the Sega Game Gear, though it was later released as an enhanced remake for Shining Force CD in Japan, North America, and Europe. It takes place 20 years after the second Shining series game, and is the direct predecessor to the fourth...
. The player progresses through a series of turn-based tactical battles interspersed with short cutscenes. Between cutscenes the player is allowed to save the game, promote characters, resurrect fallen characters, and sometimes buy and sell weapons and healing items. As with most strategy RPGs, the battlefields are divided up into a grid where player characters and enemies take turns moving, attacking, casting magic and using items. Player characters gain experience by battling enemies, and may choose, once they reach level 10, to upgrade their class into a more powerful one.
Differences in USA version
The USA release of Shining Force Gaiden II made drastic alterations to the spells Blaze level 3 and Freeze level 3, more than doubling the damage they inflict while increasing the radius of their effect from two to three squares. This results in mage characters being overpowered compared to other playable characters. More importantly, it makes enemies with level 3 magic absurdly dangerous, as any one of them can kill several characters at full health in a single move.Story
The story revolves around Deanna and his companions, young soldiers in the army of Cypress. Nick, the Prince of Cypress, has left the castle in order to defeat Iom, an aggressor nation. He leaves, however, without the powerful Sword of Hajya due to his inability to wield it - his arm has been turned to stone. Deanna and his friends are left behind to defend the castle and the Sword, with Prince Nick's friend Mayfair placed in charge of them. When forces from Iom attack and steal the sword, Mayfair directs the young soldiers to pursue them in order to regain possession of the sword.Shining Series continuity
Shining Force Gaiden II/Shining Force: The Sword of Hajya is a direct continuation of the story of Shining Force GaidenShining Force Gaiden
is a 1992 tactical role-playing game released only in Japan for the Sega Game Gear, though it was later released as an enhanced remake for Shining Force CD in Japan, North America, and Europe. It takes place 20 years after the second Shining series game, and is the direct predecessor to the fourth...
and takes place just two months after. Shining Force Gaiden I tells how the war between Cypress and Iom began, how Nick befriended Mayfair, how his arm was turned to stone, and several other major plot points. Gyan, Ruce, Woldol, Randolf, and others all originally appeared in Shining Force Gaiden I.
Shining Force CD
Shining Force CD
Shining Force CD is a 1994 remake of the Game Gear RPGs Shining Force Gaiden and Shining Force Gaiden II for the Sega Mega-CD console. The game is divided into four Books that can be played sequentially or separately. The first two Books contain adapted versions of the original Game Gear games...
, in turn, contains a scenario which takes place just a few months after Shining Force: The Sword of Hajya and features most of the major characters.
The hidden characters Hanzou and Musashi (mistranslated in the game as "Higins" and "Rush") previously appeared in Shining Force I
Shining Force
Shining Force, known as in Japan, and otherwise known as Shining Force: The Legacy of Great Intention, is a 1992 turn-based strategy role-playing video game for the Mega Drive/Genesis console...
.
External links
- Shining Force: The Sword of Hajya on The Shining Wiki