Genesis/Mega Drive

Shining in the Darkness

This is a story-driven console-style RPG, and is the first in the three game Shining series for the Genesis (followed by Shining Force and Shining Force 2). The Kingdom of Thornwood has been invaded by Dark Sol's men, and it is your job to vanquish them. You will need the Arms of Light to do this. The game is a first person RPG, with turn-based combat and cartoony graphics. The dialogue is displayed via dialog bubbles appearing above the characters speaking, although the protagonist never speaks. There are no sub-quests - the secrets in the game involve the location and use of special metal for forging esoteric items. There are about 25 to 30 hours of gameplay to be found here, before the fi...

Genre: Role-Playing (RPG)
Year: 1991
Developer: Climax Entertainment
Publisher: SEGA of America, Inc.
Players: 1

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P2P Netplay available on compatible cores

Achievements

18 achievements · 235 total points

Best Be Wary, Mercenary Rescue Gila in the Cave of Strength
10 pts
Powerful Warrior Complete the Trial of Strength
10 pts
Bravery Lies Beneath Complete the Trial of Courage
10 pts
Thief Practice Open every chest on the first floor of the Labyrinth
10 pts
Honesty Is the Best Policy Complete the Trial of Truth
10 pts
Don't Live Up to Your Name... Rescue Dai in the Cave of Wisdom
10 pts
Subterranean Sage Complete the Trial of Wisdom
10 pts
Clash of Mortal Men Defeat the Dark Knight on the fourth floor of the Labyrinth
25 pts
Burly Treasures Open every chest and defeat every Chestbeak in the Cave of Strength
10 pts
I Ain't 'Fraid of No Mimics! Open every chest and defeat the Chestbeak in the Cave of Courage
10 pts
Stealing with Honor Open every chest and defeat every Ghost in the Cave of Truth
10 pts
Paranormal Knowledge Open every chest and defeat every Ghost in the Cave of Wisdom
10 pts
Proper Plundering Open every chest on the second floor of the Labyrinth
10 pts
Blackbone's Booty Open every chest on the third floor of the Labyrinth
10 pts
Five-Finger Viscount Open every chest and defeat every Handeater on the fourth floor of the Labyrinth
10 pts
The Shining Knight Awaken the Spirit of Light on the fifth floor of the Labyrinth
10 pts
Legendary Looting Open every chest and defeat every Handeater on the fifth floor of the Labyrinth
10 pts
Hiro of Thornwood Defeat Dark Sol on the fifth floor of the Labyrinth
50 pts

Shining in the Darkness leaderboard

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Shining in the Darkness frequently asked questions

How do I play Shining in the Darkness online with a friend?

Shining in the Darkness (Genesis/Mega Drive) can be played online with friends using Etera's P2P netplay. Create a room in the launcher and invite your friend, who joins through the invite. Step by step:

Download the Etera launcher for Windows or Linux and create your account.
Ask your friend to do the same and add them to your friends list.
Pick the game in the library and create a netplay room.
Invite your friend: they accept the invite and join the room.
The launcher keeps dependencies on the same version for both players, avoiding desync.

How do I play Shining in the Darkness on PC?

Download the Etera launcher (Windows or Linux), find Shining in the Darkness in the Genesis/Mega Drive library and click to download. The launcher handles the emulator and setup for you.

Does Shining in the Darkness netplay lag?

Etera uses a direct P2P connection between players, which usually means low latency. Results depend on each player's internet quality.

Does Shining in the Darkness have achievements?

Yes, Shining in the Darkness has 18 achievements worth 235 points. Achievements are counted and saved to your history and the leaderboard for subscribers and during the trial period.

Can I play Shining in the Darkness for free?

Yes. Every account gets a 5-day trial with premium features. After that, the free plan allows 3 new games per day and 1 netplay session per day. Premium raises those limits.

Play Shining in the Darkness on Etera

Download the launcher for Windows or Linux, find this game in the library and play solo or with friends.