Shining Resonance Refrain Download PC

The game was announced in May 2014 as Shining Resonance, as the newest title in Sega's Shining series. The game was developed by Media.Vision, and featured illustrations by longtime series character artist Tony Taka. The game received a Japan-only release later in the year on the PlayStation 3. In November 2017, a remaster, Shining Resonance Refrain, was announced for PlayStation 4. The remaster was at 90% complete at the time of the announcement, and while an English language release was not announced, Sega did note that they were considering a worldwide audience for the series, a departure from most of the recent entries in the series, which had stayed in Japan. In February 2018, Sega announced that the game would receive an English language release of the PS4 version, and that an additional release would be made for the Xbox One and Nintendo Switch platforms. The game is scheduled for release in July 2018.

The remastered version on PlayStation 4 and Switch contain multiple new additions to the core of the original PS3 game. The game contains a "Refrain Mode" which tells a new "what-if" side story separate from the main story. It does not need to be unlocked - it is available prior to even starting the main game, though the developers state that while the side story doesn't affect the main story, it makes more sense if the main game is played first. Two additional party members, Excela and Jinas, are added as well; they were present in the prior game, but not playable. Over 150 pieces of downloadable content (DLC) from the PS3 game are included in the remaster as well.

Reception

Shining Resonance Refrain received "generally mixed" reception, according to review aggregator Metacritic. The PlayStation 3 version of the game was the fifth best-selling game in its release week in Japan, selling approximately 67,000 copies.