Labyrinth

Game: Shining in the Darkness
System: Sega Genesis
Release date: August 6, 1991
Developed by: Sonic Software Planning
Published by: SEGA

The great thing about video game anthologies is that very often one will find a hidden gem nestled among the more famous "greatest hits." In Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection, players can choose from almost 50 games which originally appeared on the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive, including several Phantasy Star, Streets of Rage and Sonic the Hedgehog titles. Overlooked among those superstar games is Shining in the Darkness, a very early Genesis RPG and the progenitor of the Shining series.

Shining in the Darkness takes place in the kingdom of Thornwood, where an evil magician has abducted the king's daughter and the greatest knight in the realm. As the son of the captured knight, you are pressed into service by the king and his advisors and asked to venture into the labyrinth, a five-story maze filled with treasure, traps and loads of deadly monsters. Joining the hero, whose name is determined by the player at the outset of the game, are two friends, Pyra and Milo.


Action in Shining in the Darkness is confined strictly to the labyrinth. As the three heroes obtain treasure and defeat bosses, more levels of the giant maze open up. The game includes no map feature, so navigating the labyrinthine tunnels and corridors can become tedious and frustrating. Players must either rely on a good memory or on a homemade map made independently of the game. Luckily, Pyra can learn a spell which allows the party to view their position in the labyrinth along with adjacent rooms and hallways.

Outside of the labyrinth, players can either visit the castle or the town. In the castle, the hero can interact with the king and his advisors, gaining useful information; in the town, players can save their progress, hear gossip at the tavern and buy all manner of armor, weapons and magical items. Should the entire party perish in the halls of the labyrinth, all will be resurrected at the temple in town.

Although its not nearly as good as the greatest RPGs of the early 1990s, Shining in the Darkness is a well-designed and challenging experience with an easy-to-use combat system, a few unexpected twists and a fair difficulty curve. It was followed by two dozen titles (many available only in Japan), including Shining the Holy Ark and Shining Force III.

Score: 83/100