Shining Wisdom

Lore & Background

Shining Wisdom differs from its predecessors in the Shining series in that it was the first to employ an action-adventure style of gameplay. Players control one character whose attacks rely on speed and skill, rather than controlling a group of characters who engage in turn-based combat sequences and increase their stats as the game progresses. The gameplay is similar to that of The Legend of Zelda series. Shining Wisdom has a unique system of attacks based on a combination of acquired items and 'orbs.' The graphics employ CGI-rendered sprites, and a top-down camera angle.

In the land of Odegan, orphaned squire Mars is employed at Odegan Castle on the strength of his father's great reputation. A series of lies and deceptions on his part unexpectedly places him as the foremost obstacle to the schemes of the dark elf wizard, Pazort. Pazort and his followers intend to destroy the world by summoning the Giant, Seeega (referred to as 'the Dark Titan' in the North American translation), and to do so they first must use Princess Satera to get at an orb held by King Odegan. It is up to Mars to redeem his lies and failures by thwarting the mighty wizard's plans.

Shining Wisdom takes place on the continent of Parmecia just a few years after Shining Force II, and some of its plot points follow from that game. Sarah and Kazin, who were playable characters in Shining Force II, are roaming the continent in a hunt for Zeon's remaining henchmen. Pazort, the main villain of Shining Wisdom, is a former follower of Zeon, and Sarah and Kazin aid in the fight against him. There are also several references to the hero of Shining Force II, Bowie, though he does not actually appear anywhere in the game. A book refers to the setting of Shining in the Darkness, Stormsong (referred to in English versions as 'Thornwood'). Due to the various name changes and omissions of the North American translation, none of the above connections to the Shining series are apparent in the USA version of the game and they can only be seen in the Japanese and European versions.

Reader's Guide

Shining Wisdom holds a unique place in the Shining series as the only entry to abandon the multi-character RPG format entirely, instead offering a single-character action-adventure experience. Originally designed for the Genesis/Mega Drive and hastily adapted for the Saturn, its 2D graphics and mechanics were widely criticized as outdated for a 32-bit system. Reception was mixed: some reviewers panned it for mediocrity and lack of originality, while others acknowledged its massive length and in-depth RPG action as making it a decent holdover title. The game is notable for its strong ties to the story continuity of previous Shining entries, particularly Shining Force II, though these connections were obscured in the North American localization by Working Designs, which took creative liberties with names and character relationships. The European translation by Sega Europe kept the original storyline intact. Shining Wisdom was the last Shining series game scored by longtime composer Motoaki Takenouchi.

Did You Know?

• Shining Wisdom was originally designed for the Mega Drive and adapted for the Sega Saturn at the last minute.
• It is the only game in the Shining series to abandon the multi-character RPG format entirely.
• The North American translation by Working Designs changed character names such as Kazin to 'Parn' and Sarah to 'Salah' due to copyright restrictions.
• The game's main villain, Pazort, is a former follower of Zeon from Shining Force II.