Sega's excellent Shining and the Darkness, a first-person dungeon crawler. Deep, polished, one of the console's best Western-style RPGs.
Your verdict
Category
RPG1 player12+
Description
Hero Pyra explores the Thanatos labyrinth to defeat demon Elliot in this Sega Mega Drive RPG. Published by Sega, released in Japan in March 1991. Real-time dungeon-crawler RPG with exploration of dark dungeons, equipment to find and demonic bosses.
Shining and the Darkness review
3/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Polished"
3/5
Music
★★★★★
"Memorable"
3/5
Story
★★★★★
"Solid"
Gameplay
"Solid"
Fun
"Mild"
Addictiveness
"Engaging"
Difficulty
"Difficult"
Lifespan
"Long"
Technical info
💾0,6 MB📅15/03/1991
Published by Sega
Shining and the Darkness (Mega Drive) price, value & rarity
Is Shining and the Darkness still worth playing in 2026?
The first milestone of the Shining series, Shining in the Darkness is a first person dungeon crawler where the hero Pyra explores the labyrinth of Thanatos to face the demon Elliot. The turn based battles, the gradual mapping and the oppressive atmosphere of the dungeons make up a demanding, immersive RPG, faithful to the genre's roots. The polished art direction and the varied bestiary appeal. The methodical progression demands patience and a taste for exploration. For a fan of retro dungeon crawlers or someone curious about the origins of the Shining saga, the title keeps a real charm and depth.
