Shining Force III is a tactical role-playing game developed by Sonic! Software Planning and published by Sega for the Sega Saturn.
Released in 1997 in Japan and 1998 in North America and Europe, it represents the final installment of the classic Shining Force series on Sega hardware.
The game is known for its deep tactical gameplay, intricate political narrative, and a unique three-scenario structure that tells a single story from multiple perspectives.
Set in the continent of Parmecia, Shining Force III follows the story of Synbios, a young noble and military commander who becomes entangled in a continent-wide conflict driven by religious manipulation, civil war, and ancient technology.
While only the first scenario (Synbios’ story) was officially released outside Japan, the full experience includes three interconnected scenarios—each with a different protagonist and viewpoint, revealing the full scope of the narrative.
The gameplay is turn-based and played on grid-based battlefields where units are moved individually.
Players command a growing squad of characters with unique classes, stats, and abilities.
Combat strategy revolves around terrain, positioning, and turn order, and players can promote characters to advanced classes for greater power and flexibility.
The game also features rich town exploration, shops, NPC interaction, and hidden secrets.
Shining Force III uses fully 3D battle maps and polygonal characters, marking a graphical evolution from the 2D sprites of its predecessors.
Battles feature cinematic close-ups during attacks and spellcasting, adding a dynamic flair to the combat.
The soundtrack, composed by Motoi Sakuraba, blends epic orchestral scores with atmospheric tracks that enhance both storytelling and gameplay.
Though only partially localized, Shining Force III is hailed as one of the Sega Saturn’s finest RPGs and a landmark title in tactical role-playing.
Fan translations have since made the entire trilogy accessible, allowing players to experience the full, nuanced story.
Technical Details:
- Developer: Sonic! Software Planning
- Publisher: Sega
- Release Year: 1997 (Japan), 1998 (North America and Europe – Scenario 1 only)
- Platform(s): Sega Saturn
- Genre: Tactical Role-Playing Game (SRPG)
- Mode: Single-player
- Engine: Proprietary tactical RPG engine with full 3D support
- Graphics: Fully 3D environments and polygonal character models
- Camera: Isometric with rotational control and cinematic battle views
- Input: Sega Saturn controller