Shining Resonance Refrain Reviews
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 isn't a terrible game, it's just riddled with incredibly poor decisions which almost overshadow a great combat system.
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 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.
Shining Resonance Refrain is a good, albeit predictable JRPG.
Shining Resonance Refrain is a very cliched role-playing game, too boring and predictable for 2018. Biggest fans can spend around 30 hours on romance activities and silly dialogues with gothic lolitas, but for everyone else there are enough great games for deeper immersion out there.
Review in Russian | Read full review
Shining Resonance Refrain plays like a pretty standard yet extremely solid JRPG. Despite the slow beginning, the story is interesting and extremely well thought out. The characters are likable and the graphics are beautiful. And it has a good combat system that's easy to pick up and yet varied enough to keep the player's attention along with a whole new added story with Refrain mode.
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.
A great addition to the Shining franchise. Refrain is a fun title with good combat, interesting characters, and some great voice acting accompanying a great translation.
All in all, Shining Resonance Refrain is a solid effort that ticks off a lot of JRPG checkboxes. Admittedly, it has a by-the-numbers feel and doesn't have that uniqueness seen in heavy hitters such as Persona 5. Its fetchy, repeating side quests also feel a bit long in the tooth. At the same time, I appreciate the game being brought over to our shores, which is hopefully a trend that continues as the genre sees a resurgence. The more JRPGs make it to the West, the better it is for fans.
Shining Resonance Refrain performs well on certain elements, such as its characters, the amount of content available and the simple but competent battle system. Unfortunately the game is not that inviting to explore and the clichés all around its plot mean that it does not have a lot going for it that can set it apart from other RPGs, especially as this is a game of a previous generation being adapted to the Nintendo Switch.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Well, why did Sega decides to port Shining Resonance to our European consoles instead of Valkyria Chronicles or Phantasy Star Online 2, no one will ever know. However, what we do know is that Shining Resonance is your average J-RPG with your average team of anime-looking main protagonists fighting with the power of songs and friendship. An enjoyable but quite forgettable experience.
Review in French | Read full review
Shining Resonance Refrain feels like a filler game. If you've been aching for a 3D action-RPG to sink some time into now that we're entering the summer months that are often a lull in the game industry then this totally fits the bill, but it'll do very little to surprise you.
Shining Resonance Refrain feels very much like a budget RPG. While it does some things really well such as well-written characters with excellent voice acting and awesome music, there are plenty of things that just don't really work. Combat is clunky and dull, the sidequests are mostly repetitive, and the game world feels surprisingly small. Unfortunately, this is a game that's unlikely to stick around in anyone's memory for very long.
Outside of the sometimes stupid allied AI, Shining Resonance Refrain doesn't do anything “wrong,” it just doesn't excel at much either. There's little that gives the game a unique identity or sets it apart from the wealth of JRPGs available.
Shining Resonance Refrain is the kind of game that can put on a solid performance, but it's also abundantly clear that it doesn't quite have the pipes to hit the high notes; it's a good game, but not a great one. A fascinating setting, live action combat system, and eye-catching cel-shade visuals are all balanced by a slightly dampening feeling of mediocrity that never seems to go away. Fans of RPGs will find plenty to love here, it's a well-rounded, content-rich game that understands its audience well, but it's also a very safe RPG. We'd ultimately give Shining Resonance Refrain a recommendation, especially if you're a newcomer looking for a good RPG to show you what the genre is all about, but veterans may be a bit disappointed with the final product.