Shining Force
Shining Force: Legacy of the Gods (シャイニング・フォース 神々の遺産, Shainingu Fōsu Kamigami no Isan) is a strategy role-playing game developed by Climax Entertainment and Sonic! Software Planning and published by Sega for the Mega Drive in March 1992 in Japan. The Japanese game's English title, Shining Force: The Legacy of Great Intention, was reused for the game's English localization, released in July 1993 in North America and Europe.
A remake titled Shining Force: Resurrection of the Black Dragon (シャイニング･フォース 黒き竜の復活, Shainingu Fōsu: Kuroki Ryuu no Fukkatsu) was codeveloped by Amusement Vision and Climax and published by Sega for the Game Boy Advance in April 2004 in Europe and August 2004 in Japan.[1] Atlus published the game in North America in June 2004. The game was renamed Shining Force: Resurrection of the Dark Dragon for its Western releases. The remake features a rewritten script by original Shining Force story writer Masaki Wachi and new artwork from returning series artist Yoshitaka Tamaki.
The story of Shining Force centers on Max and his company's efforts to learn the secrets of the Legacy of the Gods, the military conflict between Runefaust and the other countries of the Runic continents, and Dark Sol's plot to resurrect Dark Dragon.
Game Title Translation
Japanese does not have anything akin to the indefinite and definite articles found in English, i.e., "a" or "the". As such, the most conservative English translation would be "Legacy of Gods", but as kamigami (神々, "gods") is used in the game to refer to a definite group of people, i.e., "the Gods", it is logical to use this style in the game's title.
The title uses the possessive construction kamigami no (神々の), with its sense typically rendered as "Gods' [. . .]" or "[. . .] of Gods". The word isan (遺産) is given as "Legacy" in the English title The Legacy of Great Intention, but also more broadly refers to "inheritance", "bequest", or "heritage", and could be presented as such in English. However, the word "legacy" works well given its use in the story to refer broadly to that which was left behind by the Gods.
In-Game Titles
The title of the game is always given in Japanese as Shainingu Fōsu: Kamigami no Isan (シャイニング・フォース 神々の遺産, "Shining Force: Legacy of the Gods"), but it is also printed as Shining Force: The Legacy of Great Intention in English on the Japanese box art and in Japanese publications. The Japanese version of the game also displays The Legacy of Great Intention as its subtitle on the game's title screen.
The title Shining Force: The Legacy of Great Intention is used in the published materials for all English-language versions of the game.
Yoshitaka Tamaki's Doom Blade: Shining and the Darkness Gaiden, a comic that connects Shining Force to Shining and the Darkness, introduces the concept of an entity called the Great Intention as a metaphysical force.
Game Development History
Translation Resources
Introduction
Character and Location Names
- See: Shining Force Names
Classes
Items
- See: Shining Force Items
Translation Patch
Editors of the Shining Lore & Translation Wiki have translated Shining Force's original Japanese script into English and patched it into the game to provide a closer adaptation of the game's Japanese story. The first draft of the patch is currently undergoing testing and revisions. The patch has not yet been released.
Magazine Coverage
Western Box Art
References
- ↑ Product page, company website, Climax Entertainment, Climax.co.jp. [Archived] December 28, 2007.
- ↑ "Video Games and Pop Culture", McGinty.com. [Archived] October 3, 2023.
- ↑ "Art Appreciation: The Sega Genesis Box Art of Mick McGinty", PsychoAndy.Com. September 20, 2021. [Archived] October 23, 2021.
Game Directory
| Shining Games | |
|---|---|
| Mega Drive | Shining and the Darkness・Shining Force・Shining Force II: The Ancient Seal・Shining Force CD |
| Game Gear | Shining Force Gaiden・Shining Force Gaiden II・Shining Force Gaiden: Final Conflict |
| Saturn | Shining Wisdom・Shining the Holy Ark・Shining Force III Sc. 1・Shining Force III Sc. 2・Shining Force III Sc. 3・Shining Force III PD |
| Game Boy Advance | Shining Soul・Shining Soul II・Shining Force: Resurrection of the Black Dragon |
| PlayStation 2 | Shining Tears・Shining Force Neo・Shining Force EXA・Shining Wind |
| Mobile | Shining Road to the Force・Shining Road 2 |
| PlayStation Portable | Shining Hearts・Shining Blade・Shining Ark |
| Nintendo DS | Shining Force Feather |
| Arcade | Shining Force Cross・Blade Arcus from Shining |
| PlayStation 3 | Shining Resonance・Blade Arcus from Shining EX |
| PlayStation 4 / Switch | Shining Resonance Refrain・Blade Arcus from Shining Rebellion |
| Related Games | |
| PC-88 | Fangs: The Saga of Wolf Blood |
| Mega Drive | Land Stalker: The Emperor's Treasure・Ragnacënty |
| Super Famicom | FEDA: The Emblem of Justice・Lady Stalker |
| Saturn | FEDA Remake!・Dark Savior |
| PlayStation | Alundra・FEDA 2: White Surge the Platoon・Alundra 2 |
| Dreamcast | Climax Landers |
| Game Boy Advance | Golden Sun: The Broken Seal・Golden Sun: The Lost Age |
| Nintendo DS | Golden Sun: Jet Black Dawn |