is an action role-playing game

Action role-playing game

Action role-playing games form a loosely defined sub-genre of role-playing video games that incorporate elements of action or action-adventure games, emphasizing real-time action where the player has direct control over characters, instead of turn-based or menu-based combat...

 developed by Nextech and Amusement Vision and published by Sega

Sega

, usually styled as SEGA, is a multinational video game software developer and an arcade software and hardware development company headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, with various offices around the world...

 for the PlayStation 2

PlayStation 2

The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...

, and the 18th game in the Shining video game series. It was released on May 17, 2007 in Japan. The game is the sequel to Shining Tears

Shining Tears

is an action role-playing game co-developed by Nextech and Amusement Vision and published by Sega in 2004 for the Sony PlayStation 2 video game console as a part of the Shining Force video game series. It tells the story of a mysterious boy named Xion. An anime adaptation for the game was announced...

. The main characters from Shining Tears appear in Shining Wind as well. An anime

Anime

is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....

 adaptation of the two games, called Shining Tears X Wind

Shining Tears X Wind

is a Japanese anime based on the PlayStation 2 games Shining Tears and Shining Wind. Shining Tears X Wind presents an adapted version of Shining Winds story, seen through Souma's perspective. It is directed by Hiroshi Watanabe and produced by Studio Deen. The series started airing in Japan on April...

, began airing in early April 2007. Like Shining Tears, the game is illustrated by renowned artist Tony Taka

Tony Taka

, also referred to as just Tony, is a Japanese manga artist, video game artist and character designer.-Biography:Upon graduating from art design college, he first began working on advertisement designs, but in 1998 subsequently changed careers to become a manga/anime style artist...

.

Real World

Soul Bladers

/

Demonic Alchemy Empire Baelgard (Elven Kingdom Astraea)

Holy Kingdom Philias

United Trading Nation Seiran

Mercenary Knighthood Weissritter

Zero (Formerly Xion)

Others

/

Music

• "Heart-shaped chant"

  Lyrics by: Nana Mizuki

  Composition and arrangement by: Noriyasu Agematsu

  Noriyasu Agematsu

  is a Japanese composer and founding member of group Elements Garden.He composed and arranged tracks on Nana Mizuki's singles Massive Wonders and Eternal Blaze, "Brave Phoenix" on the single Super Generation and the track "Tears' Night" on the album Alive & Kicking, composed the track Shin'ai and...

  
   (Elements Garden

  Elements Garden

  Elements Garden is a Japanese group of music composers, or a "music production brand" as they call themselves. They generally produce music for video games, anime and recording artists...

  
  )

  Song by: Nana Mizuki

  Nana Mizuki

  is a popular Japanese singer-songwriter and voice actress. She was born and raised in Niihama, Ehime, Japan, Mizuki was trained as an enka singer. She made her debut as a voice actress in 1998; however, she released her debut single "Omoi", under the King Records label on December 6, 2000...

  
   (published in the single "SECRET AMBITION

  Secret Ambition

  Secret Ambition is the fifteenth single from Japanese songstress Nana Mizuki. Secret Ambition saw a massive change in Nana Mizuki's music style, dramatically changing from pop and powerpop to an explosive rock sound....

  
  ")

Reception

The game was released on Japan on May 17, 2007, and sold over 78 thousand units in four days, becoming the top selling game in the country in that week.

According to the 2006 hands-on preview from IGN

IGN

IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...

, the game runs at constant 60 frames per second.

Other media

A game OST

OST

- Music :* Original Soundtrack, the soundtrack of a movie, TV series, or video game.* Open Source Track, a licensing and distribution model for music initiative* The alias of electronic musician Chris Douglas- Science and technology :...

 was released on May 31, 2007. It features the theme song, Heart-Shaped Chant, by Nana Mizuki

Nana Mizuki

is a popular Japanese singer-songwriter and voice actress. She was born and raised in Niihama, Ehime, Japan, Mizuki was trained as an enka singer. She made her debut as a voice actress in 1998; however, she released her debut single "Omoi", under the King Records label on December 6, 2000...

.