Shining Soul II

The Game Boy Advance is a platform to be reckoned with where quality RPGs are concerned. Nintendo loyalists can generally expect to receive a high-profile RPG on the Game Boy Advance before the GameCube, as fans that are suffering through the RPG dearth can attest. Shining Soul II is another title vying to join the masses of great RPGs on Game Boy Advance, a follow-up to the rather mediocre and widely overlooked Shining Soul.

Shining Soul II is an RPG that is seeking to build upon its predecessor in numerous ways, which is definitely the direction that any developer should want to take with their sequels. The first Shining Soul received a lot of criticism for many of its features and shortcomings, including the complete lack of story, the similarity of the character classes, the straightforwardness of the game, and the lack of replayability. One of the things that the game was lauded for was its introduction of a multiplayer mode, which allowed gamers to link their Game Boys and take on the fantasy world together. Apparently, the developers listened, and they corrected the faults and enhanced the game's assets.

The original Shining Soul had only four character classes. The most original was the dragonute, which was a sort of dragon-man hybrid. The other three classes were the standard RPG staples of the archer, warrior, and the wizard. The sequel will effectively double that number, adding a brawler, a dark wizard, a priestess, and a ninja class. The developers have also promised that the difference in classes will be more noticeable than they were in the original Shining Soul, where the gaming experience seemed to be the same despite what class gamers chose for their main character.

The developers have also promised to flesh out the story this time around, and even to throw in side quests to add to the replayability and the game length. There will also be more variety in the locations as well. The graphics have improved as well, with a bright, colorful, cartoony style that is indicative of the Shining Force series.

One of the more anticipated features of the title is the multiplayer mode. Gamers will be able link with up to four friends and play the game together. They will also be able to trade items between each other, and even battle each other or the computer in an arena mode for rare items! Another advantage to linked play is the ability of gamers to combine their СForce Links' with other players to create a "Shining Force", the ultimate weapon within the game.