Shining Blade’s Link Attack System Lets Players Pull Off Team Attacks

New details about Shining Blade’s battle system come from this week’s issue of Famitsu. Unlike other Shining titles, this isn’t a strategy RPG or a traditional RPG like Shining Hearts. The PSP game uses an action combat system that’s similar to Valkyria Chronicles. Right above your HP meter, there’s a force gauge, which is tied to special attacks. Each character has several Force Attacks, which utilize the gauge.

Characters can also team up for Link Attacks. This makes a cross menu pop up with faces of the four characters in your party. Each one is assigned to a different button (circle, cross, etc.) and when you press it you can do a combination attack. The conversation choices you make during sub-event scenes affect Link Attacks.

Shining Blade is slated for release on March 15 for PSP.