Shining Soul

Shining Soul
Information
Developer(s)	Nex Entertainment
Publisher(s)	Sega (JP/EU) Atlus (US)
Genre	Action, RPG
Platform(s)	Game Boy Advance Wii U
Rating(s)	CERO: All Ages ELSPA: All Ages ESRB: All Ages
Release Date(s)
GBA Japan: 2002-03-28 Japan: 2004-05-20 (Bargain Edition) Japan: 2006-02-02 (Value Selection) Europe: 2003-03-07 North America: 2003-09-23 Wii U (Virtual Console) Japan: 2016-02-17

Shining Soul is a hack n' slash strategy role-playing video game for the Nintendo GAMEBOY Advance console.

Gameplay

Gameplay is an action RPG, comparable to Diablo.

Prontis

Acts as a hub city, offering players access to a variety of different services including shops, identification for items, and storage.

Battles

Battles take place in real time, even if the player pauses the game to view their inventory, status, and window options. (In single-player or multiplayer mode) they can still get attacked by enemies. The player can equip up to 3 weapons and 3 items at a time on a character that the player can cycle through by pressing the L and R respectively without having to pause the game.

The Dragonute walking over to a dropped herb.

Players cannot progress until all the enemies or boss(es) have been defeated in the area. When all enemies have been defeated a door (sometimes a cave or stairs) will appear allowing the player(s) to progress to the next area.

Inventory & Storage

Every character has a 5x5 inventory grid (or 25 inventory slots). Equipment that isn't equipped to the characters, and all other items take up one inventory slot, with the exception of Gold (which still takes an inventory slot but can stack). If a player fills all their inventory slots, they will not be able to pick up any new items. At any time, however, the player can drop an item from the Inventory screen, which drops right underneath the character. This allows players to share items with the other players or drop unnecessary items.

Storage can be found in Prontis. The storage first offers a shelf, which has a 3x5 grid (15 slots) that player can use to store items and equipment. The player can go and buy more shelves, up to 5 total, giving the player a maximum of 75 storage slots.

Soul

Main Article: Soul

A mechanic that is first introduced in Shining Soul and later it's sequel, Shining Soul II. Beyond regular equipment, a "Soul" item can also be equipped; it is charged by defeating enemies, and when unleashed it inflicts massive damage to nearby enemies. They come in various elemental types and levels of effectiveness. There are 9 souls in total:

• Yogurt's Soul
• Penn's Soul
• Golem's Soul
• Phoenix's Soul
• Zephyrus's Soul
• Prosrepina's Soul
• Tanato's Soul
• Tiamat's Soul
• Thor's Soul

Leveling Up

As is most common for RPGs, characters gain experience points (EXP) by defeating enemies, which allows them to gain levels. When a character gains a level, they are awarded four stat point, which can be used to increase a character's STR(Strength), effects attack and equipment; DEX(Dexterity), effects it and evasion rate; INT(Intelligence) effects SP and damage; VIT(Vitality), effects HP, and one skill point that the player may distribute among the character's various stats and skills they choose. A character can reach a maximum of 99 levels.

Multiplayer

up to four player co-op is allowed via link cable on the Gameboy Advance and if the other player owns a copy of Shining Soul as well. However, for the party to progress to another section of a dungeon, all the players must be at the same point on the map or a combination of player(s) waiting and player(s) dead.

Plot

The game starts the options of choosing four different characters: a knight, a wizard, an archer, or a dragonute. After naming the chosen character, the game will start with a nameless, pink-haired girl elf reading a thick book out loud. She looks up and sees the player. The player cannot say anything you can only guess what the conversation is about. The girl suggests giving you a cup of coffee as you wait for her grandfather's return, and she gives you, her book. You read the book and there is where the game's story begins.

The story explains that an evil Dark Dragon, scorched the fertile lands of Runefaust into wastelands. With the help of his Five Generals of Darkness, they nearly destroy Runefaust until the Four Warriors of Light appear. After the narration of the book, your chosen character appears in a rural town in front of a centaur named Noah. Noah says that you are their hero and after a little explaining, you are allowed to leave town and start your journey to destroy the Five Generals of Darkness, then the Dark Dragon himself.

Characters

The playable cast of Shining Soul

Playable Characters

• Warrior
• Wizard
• Archer
• Dragonute

Allies of the Force

• Adam
• Chaos

Bosses

• Beast King
• Colossus
• Bulzome
• Mishaela
• Iom
• Zeon
• Darksol
• Dark Dragon