Shining Hearts

Shining Hearts (シャイニング・ハーツ, Shainingu Hātsu) is a role-playing video game published by Sega. It is the first game of the series to be released for PlayStation Portable and the third with characters designed by Tony Taka. Other games include Shining Tears and Shining Wind. The game was adapted into an anime miniseries, Shining Hearts: Shiawase no Pan.[1]

Shining Hearts
Developer(s)Studio Saizensen
Publisher(s)Sega
Artist(s)Tony Taka
Composer(s)Hiroki Kikuta
SeriesShining
Platform(s)PlayStation Portable
Release
  • JP: December 16, 2010
Genre(s)Role-playing
Mode(s)Single-player

Gameplay

The player controls four characters that can be encountered throughout the game. The player can perform special team attacks with party members.[2] The ocean is a major part of Shining Hearts. The game puts the base of operations on a ship called "Home Ship". It serves both as a home and as means of transport. While the ship starts off in a ragged state, the player can build it up with new functionality. It allows the ship to travel through other islands.[2] When not out at sea, the player can roam Wyndaria. The player can take part in a variety of activities. The player can progress through story missions, or take on side quests to help out villagers. The player can collect materials for baking bread, forging weapons, and go fishing around the island.[2] The player can work through the story and help villagers for quests, to collect Hearts. These can be given to Kaguya to help her return her emotions. As her emotions come back, Kaguya's spirit stone will release "Heart Keys." These can be used to open doors to new worlds, leading to new developments in the story.[2] Hearts are a parameter indicating how people feel about the main character. In response to the main character's actions, people will release Hearts of varying color. The different colors represent feelings: Red Heart: Happiness; Green Heart: Kindness; Yellow Heart: Anger; Blue Heart: Sadness; Black Heart: Hatred.[3] By collecting Hearts, the player can bring about changes to the game's island setting and world, and expand the jorney to new areas. Hearts can also be used in battle. It is possible to use Hearts when preparing bread at the bakery.[3] One method for collecting Hearts is through the Mind Over Emotion System. During conversation, the player can select a response under constraint of time. Depending on the selection, the conversation partner will release Hearts indicating their reaction. Their favor for the main character will change accordingly.[3] There's more than one MOE System in the game, and one of them being the "Battle MOE" System.[4] Battle MOE is a group attack system. Every now and then, the player will be given the chance of pairing up with one of the battle members for a group attack. Depending on the selections, the player will get different moves. Some group attacks result in heal spells, some in group attacks, etc.[4] The feelings of the party members towards the main character will change during combat.[2] The character that the player selects to perform the team attack will be more pleased with the player and will release Red Hearts, indicating happiness. The characters will be angry if not selected and will release Blue Hearts, indicating sadness.[4]

Plot

Story

A mysterious girl named Kaguya was washed ashore the island of Wyndaria after the storm. She encounters Rick, a swordsman who works at the island's bakery. Apparently, Kaguya is suffering from having lost her memories and emotions. In addition, the usually peaceful Wyndaria is now swarming with pirates who came seeking for the special spirit stone Kaguya is wearing. Knowing the situation, Rick and the girls plan to bring peace for the island and restore Kaguya's memory.[2]

Characters
  • Rick (リック, Rikku): A male swordsman who has drifted to the island of Wyndaria. He lives and works alongside a trio of sisters at the bakery.[2]
  • Airy (エアリィ, Earii), Amil (アミル, Amiru), Neris (ネリス, Nerisu): A trio of sisters working in the bakery, they have a unique style of baking.[2]
  • Kaguya (カグヤ, Kaguya): A mysterious girl who was washed ashore the island of Wyndaria after the storm. She suffers amnesia and along with them, her emotions. Soon after meeting Rick, pirates came after her seeking the special spirit stone that is worn around her neck.[2]
  • Rufina (ルフィーナ, Rufīna): Princess of Wynderia. She is kind and gentle, and due to her interest in tea and herbs, she appears in the palace garden. She takes a great interest in Rick and his party.[3]
  • Ragnus (ラグナス, Ragunasu): Prince of Wynderia, and is Rufina's elder brother. He can often be seen dealing with herbs in the palace garden. He'll serve as a guide for the main character on the player's quest.[3]
  • Rouna (ローナ, Rōna): Rufina's maid, and a chef. She belongs to the beast race. She is an expert with blades, and she keeps a good store underneath her dress and in her bag.[3]
  • Xiao-Mei (シャオメイ, Shaomei): A fickle black cat pirate and a member of the beast race. She runs an antique shop, but she is also a thief who refers to herself as "Black Tail."[4]
  • Alvin (アルヴィン, Aruvin): One of the forest elves with the ability to control spirits. After hearing the warning of an approaching change in the world, he meets Rick. In battle, he makes use of bows, arrows and magic. Alvin is meant to be a support from the back line. He has great pride.[4]
  • Melty (メルティ, Merutei): A ice witch living in a mansion near the village. because she is not too fond of people and likes the night, she stays inside. Rick ends up in the company of Melty as he searches for the ingredients for creating "extreme ice cream." In battle, all Melty's special attacks are ice cream based. She can also make her familiar spirit, Sorbet, absorb her damage.[4]
  • Sorbet (ソルベエ, Sorubee): Melty's familiar spirit.[4]
  • Dylan (ディラン, Deiran): The head of a pirate group, Arc Buccaneers.[2]
  • Mistyral (ミストラル, Misutoraru): A female pirate.[2]
  • Maxima Enfield (マキシマ, Makishima)[5]
  • Hayane (ハヤネ, Hayane)[5]
  • Queen (クイーン, Kuīn)

Development and release

The background music for the game is composed by Hiroki Kikuta.[6] The game was released on December 16, 2010 in Japan. The song, entitled "Kokoro ni Todoku Uta" (心に届く詩), sung by Lia,[7] was released on December 15, 2010.[8] The soundtrack was released on January 26, 2011.[7]

Anime adaptation
Main article: Shining Hearts: Shiawase no Pan

References
  1. "Shining Hearts TV Anime Titled, Dated". Anime News Network. 2012-02-09. Retrieved 2012-02-10.
  2. Anoop Gantayat (August 5, 2010). "Shining Series Set for PSP Through Shining Hearts". Andriasang. Retrieved November 24, 2010.
  3. Anoop Gantayat (August 19, 2010). "Shining Hearts Has The "MOE" System". Andriasang. Retrieved November 24, 2010.
  4. Anoop Gantayat (September 6, 2010). "Shining Hearts Has Witches, Cats, Elves and More Moe". Andriasang. Retrieved November 24, 2010.
  5. 水樹奈々さんらの役名が明らかに！ 『シャイニング・ハーツ』 (in Japanese). Dengeki Online. November 25, 2010.
  6. シャイニング・ハーツ 公式サイト (in Japanese). Sega.
  7. "SEGAゲームソフト「シャイニング・ハーツ」主題歌｢心に届く詩｣がリリース！" (in Japanese). November 10, 2010.
  8. 『シャイニング・ハーツ』の主題歌『心に届く詩』は12.15リリース (in Japanese). Dengeki Online. November 26, 2010.
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