Reasons why Shining Force is better than Shining Force II

[DarkDragon]

List all the ones you can come up with. Right off the top of my head:

Shining Force has the better and more varied character roster. Max > Bowie, Bleu > Peter, Adam > Zynk, Zylo > Gerhalt. SF II character designs are more cutsier and anime-like which I dont like.

No backtracking. If you like backtracking then you don't agree but I don't and I like that SF doesn't have it.

Shining Force has the better story and ending.

I know SF is more linear, no side quests, back tracking or open exploring BUT the characters in SF II are just not as good and thats more important to me.

[sheath]

Honestly, I can't remember any differences between the two. I finished one of them and I have no idea which one it was.

[DarkDragon]

Honestly, I can't remember any differences between the two. I finished one of them and I have no idea which one it was.

SF II is a little more non linear and also some characters have 2 different promotion options. SF II you can do the battles over and over again to build experience which a lot of people probably like. I just dont think the SF II characters have as much charm as they did in SF. SF II improved a lot of things in terms of options and gameplay but didnt improve in the story and character dept.

[NeoVamp]

SF II improved a lot of things in terms of options and gameplay but didnt improve in the story and character dept.

I pretty much feel the same way, SFII is an amazing game but the first one was pretty dark when it came to the story.

I like the more mellow SFII though, makes it quite relaxing to play through.

[DarkDragon]

Who were the cool SF II character besides the Rat guy ?

[Black_Tiger]

I covered a lot of this in the latest fav game thread. SF has a perfect aesthetic style and is dark like Landstalker and SitD. SFII uses gaudy colors (way too much red/warm tones). SFII also has some pretty cheesy characters like Peter, Slade and Lemon. SFII's music is more generic happy orchestral, while SF's music matches the darker gothic theme. SF has cool major villains. SFII's are kinda goofy in comparison. SFII's leveling is balanced too tight and your stats don't vary much with each level gain. SF has wildly varying stats per level, both in the range of points per stat as well as the number stats that can gain points with any given level up. SF's similar looking characters have cooler attack animations than SFII.

[DarkDragon]

I covered a lot of this in the latest fav game thread. SF has a perfect aesthetic style and is dark like Landstalker and SitD. SFII uses gaudy colors (way too much red/warm tones). SFII also has some pretty cheesy characters like Peter, Slade and Lemon. SFII's music is more generic happy orchestral, while SF's music matches the darker gothic theme. SF has cool major villains. SFII's are kinda goofy in comparison. SFII's leveling is balanced too tight and your stats don't vary much with each level gain. SF has wildly varying stats per level, both in the range of points per stat as well as the number stats that can gain points with any given level up. SF's similar looking characters have cooler attack animations than SFII.

Good analysis, man. Cant disagree with any of that. I had to make this thread because some dude said SF II was his favorite Genesis game and I wanted to show him its not even the best SF game. Its still a good game but its not better than the first.

[cheaterdragon1]

I find it unnecessary to even argue which is better. Shining Force, and Shining Force 2 are both A+ titles. Same with Shining Force CD.

[DarkDragon]

I find it unnecessary to even argue which is better. Shining Force, and Shining Force 2 are both A+ titles. Same with Shining Force CD.

If SF is a A+ SF II is a A- and SF CD is a B+.

[StarMist]

I covered a lot of this in the latest fav game thread. SF has a perfect aesthetic style and is dark like Landstalker and SitD. SFII uses gaudy colors (way too much red/warm tones). SFII also has some pretty cheesy characters like Peter, Slade and Lemon. SFII's music is more generic happy orchestral, while SF's music matches the darker gothic theme. SF has cool major villains. SFII's are kinda goofy in comparison. SFII's leveling is balanced too tight and your stats don't vary much with each level gain. SF has wildly varying stats per level, both in the range of points per stat as well as the number stats that can gain points with any given level up. SF's similar looking characters have cooler attack animations than SFII.

Pretty much all this, though there are some elevated songs in II such as the area music for the sleeping/enchanted forest (somewhere like that--haven't replayed the game since it came out). SFII is much harder, hence I think the customary approbation, though it's a poor means of balancing the kiddie art style. The dialogue/story is overall cheesier. Its improvements are far too slim.
@DarkDragon = I believe every character in SFII has special/secret promotions; about a year ago I dug up a strategy guide thinking I'd replay the game and despite its being very thorough (from RPG Shrine) found it lacking certain promotions and wrong about when they could be effected, which is quite early.
SFI's construction also lends better to developing late gotten characters known to be inferior, a plus for replay value and personalising, whilst SFII's are more in the nature of miss or mandatory hit (the final knight character eg). And whilst it never struck me as anything like dark its brightness is not of the forced variety II's is.

[NeoVamp]

Yeah SF-CD was good but the whole no towns thing was a bad move if you ask me.

I loved hanging around the towns and talking to people, made it more of an RPG for me then the 100% tactical game that CD is.

[Baloo]

Yeah SF-CD was good but the whole no towns thing was a bad move if you ask me.

I loved hanging around the towns and talking to people, made it more of an RPG for me then the 100% tactical game that CD is.

Shining Force CD were ports of the first two Game Gear games, Shining Force Gaiden and Shining Force Gaiden II (Shining Force: The Sword of Hajya here in the States) so that's really why there is no towns. The Scenarios of 3 and 4 I believe are exclusive to SF CD.

I still have yet to play Shining Force, Shining Force II, or Shining Force CD (Though I own the last one) and I'm still on the prowl for copies of the first two. I've only seen gameplay of the first game, which looks very reminiscent of Shining in the Darkness and the Shining Force Gaiden games. Interesting to read everyone's opinion on the games!

[Nobi]

I also liked the first one better, but I'm not really sure why, just something about the second one just doesn't seem as good to me.

No towns in CD sounds appealing to me. Not a big "walk around and talk" kind of a guy.

[netpredakonn]

I like SF II better, mainly because the music is great and the game is longer. But I have to agree that the darker SF is a great game as well. They both are great and I really wish the series were still going on.

[bultje112]

I can't believe reading this. imo shining force 2 improved upon anything with shining force 1. shining force 1 had a much more simplistic storyline and the options were much more limited. in both shining force games the characters aren't that incredible. that only starts with shining force 3(all 3 scenarios) where they come out with one of the greatest storylines in any entertainment form