Shining Force II

Shining Force II (シャイニング・フォースII 古えの封印, Shainingu Fōsu Tsū: Inishie no Fūin; lit. "Shining Force II: The Ancient Seal") is a 1993 tactical role-playing game developed by Sonic! Software Planning and published by Sega for the Sega Genesis. Its storyline is not directly connected to the original Shining Force, although the Game Gear title Shining Force Gaiden: Final Conflict links the two games' plots. The game is much longer than Shining Force, and contains more free roaming. There is no chapter system, so the player can return to previously visited parts of the world. There are also two different ways of promoting certain characters. Shining Force II was met with positive reviews and acclaim during its initial release, with critics citing it as superior to its predecessor for its straightforward storyline and charming characters. Amongst critics, the game is often regarded as one of the best RPGs of all time, and a highlighted title for the Sega Genesis. After the game's initial release, Shining Force II saw re-releases and remasters on consoles and PCs. It was released on the Wii Virtual Console in Europe on October 3, 2008, and in North America on October 6, 2008, and on the Nintendo Classics service on April 21, 2022. The game was also released for iOS and Android devices in October 2018, and for Microsoft Windows in 2011. It also appears in several game compilations, including Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 and Sega Genesis Classics for the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.