Shining Force 3 Scenario 1 #BestOfSaturnGold

Unleashed in December 1997 in Japan, and subsequently in mid-1998 in the West, Shining Force 3 Scenario 1 is the beginning of what is perhaps Camelot’s magnum opus. Arriving late in the Saturn’s Western shelf life, it’s the only scenario from the trilogy to receive an official localization — though a decades-long fan translation effort is ongoing, with the entire trilogy fully playable in English.

Take the role of Synbios of the Aspinian Republic as all hell breaks loose at a peace conference between Republic and Empire. You must lead your army out of the chaos and escort the Republican King back to Aspinian lands, battling your way through imperial armies and bands of masked religious fanatics, all while trying to work out who’s pulling the political strings behind the scenes. With storyline connections to Shining the Holy Ark and a conclusion that leaves you salivating to know more, the game’s story is exquisitely crafted to keep you engaged through the intense battles.

In game, the player assembles a force to tackle the game’s strategy RPG battles. Availing yourself of physical attacks, magic spells, a friendship support system and a promotion system, it is easy to become invested in each character’s growth as battles progress. Battles are ended when all enemies are defeated or some special objective is met, but can also end early if the enemy commander is destroyed. Characters that die in battle can be revived at the next church (for a small fee!), but should Synbios himself fall, it’s game over.

The in-town and battle maps are fully 3D, with the battle sequences offering gorgeous light sourcing and smoothly animated 3D models. Coupled with a great Motoi Sakuraba score and that engrossing storyline, the game makes hours and hours go by in what seems like minutes. It was a special tragedy that only this first part was officially localized, but the fan translation team continues the Lord’s work so that the entire trilogy can be enjoyed as originally envisioned. The game is pure gold.

	Peter Malek
		A Saturn fan since the beginning, Peter plays Saturn almost exclusively. For Peter, Saturn represents a moment in time where 2D games were at their best, 3D was just rising, and fascinating gaming 'firsts' were commonplace.  There are very few Saturn games that Peter cannot find some enjoyment in!