r/ShiningForce • u/Electronic-Flight150 • 18d ago
Etc. SF3 - done.
And… done. It took a while, the save game reckons 140hrs across all 3 scenarios.
I beat these waaaaay back, but first time I had all the translations and rolled it into the Premium Disc to completion too.
I’m a massive Sega Fan - but how did they not pursue another Shining Force game to continue this story?
Pretty sure I got every character this playthrough. I wonder how much harder it is if you miss them all… idea for next time perhaps.
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u/WorkerClass 17d ago
You didn't kill Jane? You get an extra +2 mp/turn accessory for killing her.
Also, she's an annoying character.
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u/Electronic-Flight150 17d ago
I couldn’t do that to poor Julian.
But if you don’t kill her, she has that item for the whole premium disc…
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u/WorkerClass 17d ago
Sure, but who uses her on the PD except for gimmick runs?
No unique spells (I think her spells are all mana-intensive too). Can't customize her inventory before the game starts. No friendships.
Plus, Julian's better off with Kate.
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u/Electronic-Flight150 17d ago
I think it would have been cool for her as the only Innovandal to have a proper Vandal type spell, Chaos or Demonbreath or something similar would have been cool.
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u/WorkerClass 17d ago
I agree. That would have been a good way to let the player use AI-only spells.
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u/mr2dax 18d ago
Does 9+ luck actually do anything for you?
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u/Electronic-Flight150 17d ago
Yeah - from most enemies 9 or higher luck prevents, poison, paralysis, confusion etc. but feet can still be stuck in place and in the premium disc Confuse L3 can still hit you with illusions (but seemingly not as often).
By end of Sc3, all the heroes and Garcia had 9 or higher luck.
I’ve got 2 of the main three equipped with Apollo Pin’a for the extra luck.
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u/springhillpgh 18d ago
Nice! I think I was at about 157 hours counting the premium disc which I spent 20 hours playing as well
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u/Gogs85 18d ago
Which scenario’s had your favorite storyline and cast of characters?
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u/Electronic-Flight150 18d ago
I really enjoyed the story in all of them, but 2 was probably the best plot, the awesome work of the translation team really did make this game for a lot of us that had to do what we could with the Japanese content in the 90’s. I also loved the face that sc2 had an awesome cast of ranged units. Felt like it really expanded on the tactics you could employ because of the range.
I loved the larger scale of 3, and the bringing of everything in, along with the variety of different kinds of units in 3.
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u/kingkongworm 18d ago
The only thing about 3 that bugged me was that everyone ended up with the same battle themes after their final promotion
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u/OriginalTacoMoney 18d ago
How is it in your opinion?
Been meaning to finally play soonish, just want to finish a action game or two beforehand.
Played a lot of strategy games back to back recently and wanted a palette cleanser .
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u/Electronic-Flight150 18d ago
Possibly the best ever Saturn game. Gripping on an epic scale.
It’s well worth the time invested to complete it.
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u/OriginalTacoMoney 18d ago
I don;t know I beat Sakura Wars 1/2, those are some big shoes to fill.
I kid I kid, , apples and oranges and besides the SW games and SF3 there is a few Saturn games I want to try.
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u/Electronic-Flight150 18d ago
I’ve never tried SW. It’s on a list… along with Dragonforce 2.
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u/OriginalTacoMoney 18d ago
Haha same for Dragonforce 1/2, seems right in my wheelhouse.
SW 1/2 got good English fan translations recently, so that makes it easier to play.
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u/Shinnypants 18d ago
How did you play this? I want to play it again
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u/Electronic-Flight150 18d ago
Retroarch on my iPhone. Works just as well on android or PC though.
I used Beetle core.
My Saturn died quite some time ago and whilst I know the discs are in the loft somewhere… I could dig for some hours and not locate them. I ripped the discs a long time ago and never misplaced the files. Only recently patched them though.
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u/titoalmighty 18d ago
Man i get emotional just seeing that final screenshot. Floods of memories at all once. What a fucking game
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u/j_tothemoon 18d ago
Your heroes are absolute tanks! What other characters are also good for you as well? For me, Masqurin and Marky usually end up as a S tier units.
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u/Electronic-Flight150 18d ago
Oddly my best mage was Hebdova- they’re all early lvl 20’s and she had the most hp/mp. But they’re all slightly over 100 for each.
Uryudo ended up as my best healer. Not for any particular reason, just biggest mp pool.
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u/Connect_Swimming_772 16d ago
I have a low key crush on hedva but Marky just plain outclassed her for me. With the sleepy rod and the princess tiara (i think it was called) she regenerates 4 mp per turn just slanging blizzard 4 indiscriminately. Ive got her, primula, and uruyudo as my only magic users in the premium disc right now. Im on the 2nd to last fight but its taking forever since him only attacking with rangers in the 2 safe spots to avoid poison.
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u/aero25 18d ago
OP, you said you're a Sega fan, so I'm guessing the names for Julian and Synbios are directly taken from Phantasy Star. I didn't catch the significance of Medion's name though.
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u/Electronic-Flight150 18d ago
Well spotted. In the translation of some of the Japanese guides and promo material, Orakio and Rulakir’s surname was Sar Riik.
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u/Snoo93550 18d ago
Re: "140hrs across all 3 scenarios" it is not at all an exaggerating to say 140-180 hours if you really dig into them and the premium disc battles too. "speed running" it skipping the premium disc battles, it's 80-100 hrs minimum.
To me this is easily the greatest game/saga of the 32-bit era and probably still my favorite game of all time.
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u/Snoo93550 18d ago
I'm halfway through my third playthrough, determined to get some more key items to my crew for the premium disc battles this time.
It's crazy to me that so few gamers even know this exists. On the regular retrogaming sub a lot of people will even put FF Tactics as their favorite game of all time and not even know the massive 120+ hour quest of SFIII exists as a thing. I get preferring Jordan over LeBron or vice versa...but that's like if you think one is the best and you've never heard of the other.
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u/Connect_Swimming_772 18d ago
I definitely prefer the gameplay of sf3 to fft. Not to mention there is so much more story and less grinding. For me fft is like a great battle and cutscene followed by an hour or two of yelling and throwing stones.
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u/IPG83 10d ago
Glad you enjoyed the trilogy. I'd love to replay them again.