Shiness: The Lightning Kingdom

It's never easy to create an entire world from scratch. That's why a lot of RPGs are continuations of popular franchises. To develop something new and unique is no simple task. Shiness: The Lightning Kingdom doesn't just deliver on this; it does so in a way that feels like you're actually a part of an epic adventure unfolding in front of you. From the animated style of the characters to the martial arts action to the mystical plot, Shiness is an anime experience brought to life. And whether you're following the main story or fulfilling any of the numerous side quests, you always feel like you're accomplishing something and you're curious to see what happens next. The only drawback here is that, much like in a really good series, it feels like it ends too soon. From start to finish, you should be able to finish the story in less than 20 hours.

The game seamlessly transitions from the RPG exploration into arena combat when you encounter enemies. Even so, the combat itself can be a little frustrating. While it's a fluid control scheme overall, there's still a lot to learn. Switching from melee attacks to ranged spells to recharging your mana to parrying or dodging incoming attacks all require precise timing. This is especially true when it comes to deflecting enemy attacks. You'll easily get pummeled early on until you get the hang of the timing. Thankfully, you're never really outnumbered, as enemies take you on one at a time. Plus, you'll usually have plenty of ways to heal after a battle. There are also plenty of checkpoints where you can save your progress and heal up as well, so even if you do need to restart, you're never too far off from where you were. All in all, Shiness: The Lightning Kingdom is a fresh yet familiar adventure that's bursting at the seams with style and personality.