Dragon melodies.
There are not a ton of Japanese-style RPGs on Xbox One. So when one does drop, it seems to have more impact for the console. The Shining franchise has been around a while, but it has been ten years since the last entry graced consoles. Shining Resonance Refrain is actually a remaster of a game that was released only in Japan on the PlayStation 3. With some new bells and whistles this version comes in with all the standard components one would come to expect. Sadly, it doesn’t do much else to set itself apart from the pack, making it a solid if not standard addition to the genre.
There is a lot to unpack here. This version of the game comes with two options for the campaign. One is the original story, while the other offers up a different take. For anyone who never played the original, stick with the core campaign. The secondary one is definitely full of spoilers from the original. There is also whimsical abound. Weapons are based on instruments adding to the charm, and there are a host of costumes from the beginning that allows players to don their buxom heroines in swimsuits. Yeah, it is that kind of game.
MSRP: $49.99
Platforms: XB1 (reviewed), PS4, Switch, PC
Price I’d Pay: $39.99
There is also a relationship mechanic that involves dating members of my party. While on the soft side as far as fan service goes, I did enjoy the ability to reply to team members during normal play. Ignoring them hurts the relationship, while responding opens up more of the world. Sure it is goofy at times, but the mechanic is neat nonetheless.
The story revolves around the characters and dragons. While it sounds cliché that’s because…well it kind of is. There are plot twists throughout, and as I mentioned the second campaign allows for a new perspective, but Shining Resonance Refrain tasks players with digging to get to the best bits of the story. There is a ton of ground to retread, and while it can pay off, it is exhausting. I found myself invested in the world thanks to the somewhat decent voice acting. Most of the time English voices in JRPGs are grating at best, however this game pulls it off. I just wish it was a bit more brisk with its pacing.
Combat reminds me of Bandai Namco’s Tales series. It is all in real-time, with characters diving into a combat arena whenever an enemy is touched. The world combat encounters are more of a chore than anything else, but the boss battles are taxing. Each boss seemed to have at least one move that could wipe out my entire health bar. This leads to a ton of grinding in the game. This may be par for the course to most JRPG players, but it takes its toll in a game relying so much on combat. I found it exhausting at times. Combined with the retreading of the world to advance the plot Shining Resonance Refrain can become a chore to play.
The most interesting piece of the combat is the B.A.N.D. mechanic. This powers up over time in combat. Once full I could activate it creating a band around my hero and thus increasing their attack abilities. It is a neat system that fits in the theme of music the game conveys. It was also necessary in the extremely challenging boss battles.
The updated visuals look great. Taking advantage of the power of Xbox One X it runs at a brisk pace and the resolution is sharp. This is a very colorful game. This makes some of the grinding more tolerable. Each area is interesting even if the map is hard to navigate most of the time. Better markers and a more consistent fast travel system would have done wonders for the pacing here. Still, it is hard not to marvel at the world and the characters that inhabit it. Also yes the females are exactly what I have come to expect.
Shining Resonance Refrain is a good, albeit predictable JRPG. There are a few neat mechanics stored within its walls, but for the most part it simply exists. While PS4 (and even Switch owners) are used to these types of games though, Xbox One owners simply are not. So this is a solid entry for that console. It is also cool that Sega is bringing a game that was lost in time to the US back from the dead. I enjoyed my time with this game, warts and all, and I think anyone who is a fan of the genre will too.
Review copy of game provided by publisher.