Shining in the Darkness

Short description: 1991 video game

Shining in the Darkness

North American box art by Greg Martin

Developer(s)| Climax Entertainment
Publisher(s)| Sega
Director(s)| Kan Naito
Producer(s)| Hiroyuki Takahashi
Writer(s)| Hiroyuki Takahashi
Composer(s)| Masahiko Yoshimura
Series| Shining
Platform(s)| Sega Genesis
Release|

* JP: March 29, 1991[2]
* NA: October 1991[1]
* PAL: November 11, 1991[3]

Genre(s)| Role-playing
Mode(s)| Single-player

Shining in the Darkness[lower-alpha 1] is a 1991 role-playing video game developed by Climax Entertainment and published by Sega for the Sega Genesis. It is the first game in the Shining series.

In 2007, the game was re-released on the Wii Virtual Console. The game also appears in Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, as well as Sega Mega Drive and Genesis Classics on PC.[4]

## Contents

* 1 Gameplay
* 2 Plot
* 3 Development
* 4 Reception
* 5 Legacy
* 6 Notes
* 7 References
* 8 External links
* 9 Features
* 10 History
* 11 See also
* 12 References
* 13 External links

## Gameplay

Gameplay screenshot

Shining in the Darkness is a "dungeon crawler" role-playing video game that puts the player in control of the main character and two friends (Pyra and Milo) as they explore 3D dungeon mazes with turn-based battles. The game consists of story line interaction, dungeon exploration, random monster fights, and predetermined 'boss' fights. The combat in this game operates similarly to role-playing video games of the era such as Dragon Quest (or, more specifically, Wizardry). Additionally, the dungeon contains three characters in need of rescue. Rescuing any or all of the three is optional, and the story changes depending on whether or not the player locates and returns each of these characters to safety. Another key innovation is its icon-based menu system. This is used for battles in dungeons, equipment management, and character interactions in town.[5]

## Plot

Shining in the Darkness is set in the Kingdom of Thornwood. The king's daughter and the main character's father have vanished, while the evil sorcerer Dark Sol (not to be confused with his father, Shining Force villain Darksol) has appeared to threaten the kingdom. The main character is charged to find the Arms of Light, rescue the princess and his own father, and stop Dark Sol.

In Software:Shining Force Gaiden: Final Conflict, it was revealed Dark Sol is the son of Darksol and Mishaela, the villains of Shining Force: The Legacy of Great Intention. After the final defeat of Darksol, the child Dark Sol was whisked away by Oddeye, the foremost Greater Devil of Darksol's archenemy, Zeon. Therefore, Dark Sol's role in Shining in the Darkness places its entry in the timeline sometime following the events of Shining Force II. This revelation also supported by a possible reference to Darksol, when Theos mentions "a Dark Wizard" who once wielded the same Dragonbreath spell as Dark Sol.

## Development

Sega allocated the bare minimum budget offered to out-of-house developers for the creation of Shining in the Darkness. In a 2009 interview, Hiroyuki Takahashi (credited for "writing" and producing the game) recalled:

> Because we were on such a tight budget, apart from the programming and graphics, I did nearly all of the work on [Shining in the Darkness]. I suppose the basic concept behind Darkness was 'realism'. I thought it would be exciting if the player could actually travel to a fantasy world and walk around, exploring old houses, dungeons and other places. It was in essence a continuation of the sense of excitement you'd get from moving through the dungeons in older games such as Wizardry. By 'reality' I'm not talking about true realism – I mean the feeling that you really are progressing through actual houses and dungeons, and the same thing applied to the battles.[6]

The game was re-released on the Wii Virtual Console in North America on August 13, 2007, and in Europe on September 7, 2007.[7]

## Reception

Contemporary reviews

| Review scores

Publication| Score
Dragon| 4/5[8]
Famitsu| 8/10, 9/10, 8/10, 6/10[9]
Sega Force| 90%[10]
Sega Pro| 93%[5]
Retrospective reviews

| Aggregate score

Aggregator| Score
GameRankings| 70%[11]
Review score
Publication| Score
AllGame| 2.5/5[13]

Sega Pro reviewed the game in 1991 and gave it a 93% score, describing the dungeon crawler as "superior to all other RPGs of this style", praising its detailed "background preparation", detailed graphics (including scaling sprites and water effects), character conversations, sound design (especially around taverns), replayability ("Every game is different"), and its innovative icon-based menu system.[5] Peter Olafson of Computer Gaming World compared Shining to Dungeon Master and Speed Racer, and favorably cited the combat and animation. The magazine concluded that the game was a "hack-and-slash adventure" that is "not the full-blown CRPG that many gamers were hoping for" but "a decided step" in that direction.[14] Dragon reviewers praised the game's smooth interface and gave it four out of five stars, saying that it "combines the icons and combat of Phantasy Star III, the first person perspective of Phantasy Star I, and the great close-up graphics of Phantasy Star II."[8]

Mega placed the game at #28 in their Top Mega Drive Games of All Time.[15] In 2017, GamesRadar ranked the game 32nd on their "Best Sega Genesis/Mega Drive games of all time."[16]

By late 1991, over 300,000 copies of the game had sold and paved the way for the new game project Shining Force.[17]

## Legacy

Shining in the Darkness is considered by many gaming historians to be a pioneer of Japanese console RPGs, especially in Europe, which would not see a Final Fantasy game until more than six years after the Darkness made its mark in the region.[18] One of the game's key innovations was its introduction of an icon-based menu system,[5] possibly inspired by fellow Sega RPG Software:Phantasy Star III: Generations of Doom (1990).[8] The game also marked the beginning of the successful Shining series.

The second game in the Shining series, Shining Force, diverged greatly in gameplay; however, many stylistic parts are reminiscent of Shining in the Darkness, including music and art. Other features such as the distinctive menu system, the use of priests for saving games and resurrecting characters, and several magic spells that would continue to be used in every game in the series up to and including Shining Force III, with the notable exception of Shining Wisdom. These games also all share story continuity, even Wisdom.

A Shining game with similar gameplay, Shining the Holy Ark, was released for the Sega Saturn in 1996.

## Notes

1. ↑ Released as Shining and the Darkness (シャイニング&ザ・ダクネス, Shainingu & Za Dakunesu) in Japan

## References

1. ↑ "Fact File: Shining in the Darkness". Electronic Gaming Monthly (26): 118–119. September 1991. https://archive.org/details/Electronic_Gaming_Monthly_26/page/n117/mode/2up. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
2. ↑ "Software List (Sega Release)" (in ja). Sega Corporation. https://www.sega.jp/history/hard/megadrive/software.html.
3. ↑ "The Release Schedule". Computer Trade Weekly (Opportunity Publishing) (362): 27. 11 November 1991. https://retrocdn.net/images/d/dc/CTW_UK_362.pdf. Retrieved 25 February 2025.
4. ↑ Review for Xbox 360 version of Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection , IGN.
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 "Shining in the Darkness". Sega Pro (1). November 1991. http://www.outofprintarchive.com/articles/reviews/MegaDrive.html. Retrieved 29 January 2012.
6. ↑ (November 2009). "Behind the Scenes: Shining Force", GamesTM (90): 136–41.
7. ↑ McFerran, Damien (August 12, 2007). "Shining in the Darkness Review (Mega Drive)". https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/2007/08/shining_in_the_darkness_virtual_console.
8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Lesser, Hartley; Lesser, Patricia; Lesser, Kirk (February 1992). "The Role of Computers". Dragon (178): 57–64.
9. ↑ Famibo, Tofuya; Mizuno Tenchō; Morishita, Mariko; Taco-X (April 5, 1991). "新作ゲーム クロスレビュー" (in Japanese). Famicom Tsūshin (127).
10. ↑ Osborne, Ian (January 1992). "Reviewed: Shining in the Darkness". Sega Force (1): 52–3.
11. ↑ "Shining in the Darkness for Genesis". CBS Interactive. https://www.gamerankings.com/genesis/586454-shining-in-the-darkness/index.html. Retrieved 24 October 2018.
12. ↑ Musashi (1999-04-18). "Shining in the Darkness". RPGFan. http://www.rpgfan.com/reviews/shininginthedarkness/Shining_in_the_Darkness.html. Retrieved 8 February 2012.
13. ↑ "Shining in the Darkness Review". http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=11750&tab=review.
14. ↑ Olafson, Peter (February 1992). "Sega Sets a Shining Example". Computer Gaming World (91): 22, 24. http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/index.php?year=1992&pub=2&id=91. Retrieved 24 November 2013.
15. ↑ "Mega review". Mega (Future Publishing) (1): 76. October 1992.
16. ↑ GamesRadar Staff (2017-06-21). "Best Sega Genesis/Mega Drive games of all time" (in en). https://www.gamesradar.com/best-sega-genesis-games-all-time/.
17. ↑ "News from USA - Programmer Profile Yasuhiro Taguchi". Sega Pro (Paragon Publishing) (2): 15. December 1991. https://www.smspower.org/Scans/SegaPro-Magazine-Issue02?gallerypage=15.
18. ↑ Day, A (2008). "The History of Shining Force", Retro Gamer (58): 66–73.

## External links

* MobyGames is a commercial database website that catalogs information on video games and the people and companies behind them via crowdsourcing. This includes over 300,000 games for hundreds of platforms.[1] Founded in 1999, ownership of the site has changed hands several times. It has been owned by Atari SA since 2022.

## Features

Edits and submissions to the site (including screenshots, box art, developer information, game summaries, and more) go through a verification process of fact-checking by volunteer "approvers".[2] This approval process after submission can range from minutes to days or months.[3] The most commonly used sources are the video game's website, packaging, and credit screens. There is a published standard for game information and copy-editing.[4] A ranking system allows users to earn points for contributing accurate information.[5]

Registered users can rate and review games. Users can create private or public "have" and "want" lists, which can generate a list of games available for trade with other registered users. The site contains an integrated forum. Each listed game can have its own sub-forum.

## History

Logo used until March 2014

MobyGames was founded on March 1, 1999, by Jim Leonard and Brian Hirt, and joined by David Berk 18 months later, the three of which had been friends since high school.[6][7] Leonard had the idea of sharing information about computer games with a larger audience. The database began with information about games for IBM PC compatibles, relying on the founders' personal collections. Eventually, the site was opened up to allow general users to contribute information.[5] In a 2003 interview, Berk emphasized MobyGames' dedication to taking video games more seriously than broader society and to preserving games for their important cultural influence.[5]

In mid-2010, MobyGames was purchased by GameFly for an undisclosed amount.[8] This was announced to the community post factum , and the site's interface was given an unpopular redesign.[7] A few major contributors left, refusing to do volunteer work for a commercial website.{{Citation needed|date=June 2025} On December 18, 2013, MobyGames was acquired by Jeremiah Freyholtz, owner of Blue Flame Labs (a San Francisco-based game and web development company) and VGBoxArt (a site for fan-made video game box art).[9] Blue Flame Labs reverted MobyGames' interface to its pre-overhaul look and feel,[10] and for the next eight years, the site was run by Freyholtz and Independent Games Festival organizer Simon Carless.[7]

On November 24, 2021, Atari SA announced a potential deal with Blue Flame Labs to purchase MobyGames for $1.5 million.[11] The purchase was completed on 8 March 2022, with Freyholtz remaining as general manager.[12][13][14] Over the next year, the financial boost given by Atari led to a rework of the site being built from scratch with a new backend codebase, as well as updates improving the mobile and desktop user interface.[1] This was accomplished by investing in full-time development of the site instead of its previously part-time development.[15]

In 2024, MobyGames began offering a paid "Pro" membership option for the site to generate additional revenue.[16] Previously, the site had generated income exclusively through banner ads and (from March 2014 onward) a small number of patrons via the Patreon website.[17]

On February 13, 2025, Freyholtz stepped down as the site lead to move onto new projects, leaving operations to Tracy Poff, a veteran coder on the site, and Atari staff.[18]

## See also

* IGDB - game database used by Twitch for its search and discovery functions

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Sheehan, Gavin (2023-02-22). "Atari Relaunches The Fully Rebuilt & Optimized MobyGames Website". https://bleedingcool.com/games/atari-relaunches-the-fully-rebuilt-optimized-mobygames-website/.
2. ↑ Litchfield, Ted (2021-11-26). "Zombie company Atari to devour MobyGames". https://www.pcgamer.com/zombie-company-atari-to-devour-mobygames/.
3. ↑ "MobyGames FAQ: Emails Answered § When will my submission be approved?". Blue Flame Labs. 30 March 2014. http://www.mobygames.com/info/faq7#g1.
4. ↑ "The MobyGames Standards and Practices". Blue Flame Labs. 6 January 2016. http://www.mobygames.com/info/standards.
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Miller, Stanley A. (2003-04-22). "People's choice awards honor favorite Web sites". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
6. ↑ "20 Years of MobyGames" (in en). 2019-02-28. https://trixter.oldskool.org/2019/02/28/20-years-of-mobygames/.
7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Plunkett, Luke (2022-03-10). "Atari Buys MobyGames For $1.5 Million". https://kotaku.com/mobygames-retro-credits-database-imdb-atari-freyholtz-b-1848638521.
8. ↑ "Report: MobyGames Acquired By GameFly Media". Gamasutra. 2011-02-07. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/report-mobygames-acquired-by-gamefly-media.
9. ↑ Corriea, Alexa Ray (December 31, 2013). "MobyGames purchased from GameFly, improvements planned". http://www.polygon.com/2013/12/31/5261414/mobygames-purchased-from-gamefly-improvements-planned.
10. ↑ Wawro, Alex (31 December 2013). "Game dev database MobyGames getting some TLC under new owner". Gamasutra. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/game-dev-database-mobygames-getting-some-tlc-under-new-owner.
11. ↑ "Atari invests in Anstream, may buy MobyGames". November 24, 2021. https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2021-11-24-atari-invests-in-anstream-may-buy-mobygames.
12. ↑ Rousseau, Jeffrey (2022-03-09). "Atari purchases Moby Games". https://www.gamesindustry.biz/atari-purchases-moby-games.
13. ↑ "Atari Completes MobyGames Acquisition, Details Plans for the Site's Continued Support". March 8, 2022. https://www.atari.com/atari-completes-mobygames-acquisition-details-plans-for-the-sites-continued-support/.
14. ↑ "Atari has acquired game database MobyGames for $1.5 million" (in en-GB). 2022-03-09. https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/atari-has-acquired-game-database-mobygames-for-1-5-million/.
15. ↑ Stanton, Rich (2022-03-10). "Atari buys videogame database MobyGames for $1.5 million". https://www.pcgamer.com/atari-buys-videogame-database-mobygames-for-dollar15-million/.
16. ↑ Harris, John (2024-03-09). "MobyGames Offering “Pro” Membership". https://setsideb.com/mobygames-offering-pro-membership/.
17. ↑ "MobyGames on Patreon". http://www.patreon.com/mobygames.
18. ↑ "An update on MobyGames leadership". 2025-02-13. https://www.mobygames.com/forum/3/thread/269628/an-update-on-mobygames-leadership/#post-269628.

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Shining

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* Shining in the Darkness
* Force
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Related articles|

* Project X Zone
* Tony Taka

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