Shining Resonance Refrain
OpenCritic Rating
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Critics Recommend
Shining Resonance Refrain Trailers
Shining Resonance Refrain Story Trailer
The Dragon’s Power Awakens in Shining Resonance Refrain
Meet the Heroes of Shining Resonance Refrain
Critic Reviews for Shining Resonance Refrain
A horribly generic Japanese role-player that has no glaring flaws but fails to offer a single interesting new idea or character of its own.
Shining Resonance Refrain is a triumphant return overseas for an iconic JRPG series. It has solid foundations in the usual JRPG business of fantasy kingdoms and amnesiac warrior boys, but it builds off of that foundation with charming characters and gorgeous art to create a pretty unique identity for itself. While some aspects of the game are a little unpolished, it's still a standout JRPG worth standing alongside any of the other big players in that genre, and worth checking out by anyone who calls themselves a JRPG fan.
It's not gonna put in trouble the most complex and tactical JRPG's fans, but Shining Resonance Refrain deserves to be played and enjoyed.
Review in Italian | Read full review
An interesting RPG experience full of dragons, action and a little repetitive playability that makes the game look a little aged... but it still has tons of hours of fun.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Shining Resonance Refrain might be outclassed by modern JRPGs, but if you judge it on it's own merits, you'll quickly find that there is a lot to enjoy.
Shining Resonance Refrain isn't a terrible game, it's just riddled with incredibly poor decisions which almost overshadow a great combat system.
Shining Resonance Refrain is an entertaining adventure through a somewhat cliche story, but it contains its own unique aspects that keep you engaged. Combat is easy to learn, but there's a decent amount of depth to it. Dragonshift and B.A.N.D. sessions are wonderful combat mechanics that add more charm to the game. The relationship building and dating also adds a cute slice of life portion to the adventure.
On the surface, Shining Resonance Refrain is a largely unremarkable Japanese RPG, but dig a little deeper and fans of the genre will find an accessible adventure that comes together surprisingly well. Cliche characters and predictable plot elements prevent the story from really taking off, but there's an endearing quality to how the game presents itself. Combat's fun, progression is straightforward and rewarding, and dating sim elements add a certain charm. Refrain's like a quick and easy summer anime -- it's certainly not a classic, but it's good fun while it lasts.
