The official page offers a vague 2009 spring release window for Shining Force Feather, but Sega is returning the Shining Force series to its roots before then. Japan is scheduled to get Shining Force Feather on February 19.
While Shining Force Feather is a tactical RPG it is far from classic Shining Force. First, you don’t have a grid to move on. All characters freely move on a the battlefield as long as they have enough walking energy. Think Phantom Brave. Combat is different too since the game switches into a 2D combat where different attacks are mapped to the face buttons when you encounter an enemy. Think Namco X Capcom. It’s an interesting combination that I hope doesn’t get lost in the great Nintendo DS RPG surplus we’re still swimming in. Mario & Luigi RPG 3, Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time, and Phantasy Star Zero prelude Shining Force Feather. Infinite Space, another Sega published DS RPG, is on target to come out shortly afterwards too unless Sega decides to hold it in their stables.
Images courtesy of Sega.
