Line #14 VideoGame/ShiningTears


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/191039_shining_tears_playstation_2_front_cover.jpg]]
2
3	''Shining Tears'' is a 2004 video game released on the Platform/PlayStation2. It's the first game in the VideoGame/ShiningSeries released on a non SEGA home console as they stopped making consoles in 2001 with the Dreamcast, and it uses the ActionRPG format rather than the turn-based one. It managed to get released in English, even though the sequel wasn't as lucky.
4
5	The game centers around an amnesiac boy named Xion, who's found washed up on the shore by the elf Elwyn in front of the Heroes Hearth inn. On his hand is a pair of rings called Dragon Rings, if equipped in two people, they grant great power. On the other hand, that also changes Xion's personality. He's an insecure wimp when no one's wearing the ring, he's a serene, noble hero if his pair has a dark soul, and he's a taunting battle crazed maniac when his pair has a light soul. As he tries to uncover his memories, he ends up joining the newly formed mercenary group Weiss Ritter, alongside Elwyn, Doctor Pios; who nursed him back to health; [[{{Miko}} Priestess]] Ryuna, (literal) Dragon knight/guardian Lazarus, Ice witch Blanc Neige, Wolfkin merc boss Volg, and CatGirl {{Ninja}} Mao, against the Runegeist kingdom who sought to subjugate the whole land. They are later on joined by a wandering swordsman named Keiner, and an elvish bard, one of the past heroes of the age, named Cupido.
6
7	While there is an English version and voice acting was provided, [[BadExportForYou they're rather minimal while the Japanese version has voice acting in cutscenes]], but otherwise it is still a solid game on its own. It also has an anime or sorts in ''Anime/ShiningTearsXWind'', crossing over with the next game, ''VideoGame/ShiningWind''.
8
9	!Tropes associated with Shining Tears
10	* AloofBigBrother: Keiner [[spoiler:for Blanc Neige. They're ''also'' Aloof Elder Siblings for Galahad.]]
11	* AnIcePerson: Blanc Neige. Not only with her MeaningfulName, the first thing she introduces herself as is "Ice Witch".
12	* AnOfferYouCantRefuse: Mao only agreed to be a spy for Rune Geist because Galahad promised her that he would give her leads on where her father was.
13	* BadassCrew: The Weissritter, of course.
14	* BloodKnight: Dark!Xion is a bit too wee happy about fighting and chopping up his enemies.
15	* CainAndAbel: [[spoiler:At first it sets up like this for Keiner (Cain) and Blanc Neige (Abel). But then, they are the Abels compared to their psycho little brother Galahad.]]
16	* CaptainErsatz: Keiner looks like a dead-ringer to [[VideoGame/TheKingOfFighters K']], minus sunglasses, plus katana.
17	* CatGirl: Mao, as her mother was a regular human and her father is a Beastman. She's also the only one shown in game.
18	* DarkIsNotEvil: Those with Dark souls aren't evil people, they are just pretty aloof.
19	* DefeatMeansFriendship: After defeating him twice in different stages, Keiner will officially join the heroes' side and he can be used as a partner.
20	* DefrostingIceQueen: Blanc Neige is at first very standoffish and aloof, but once her past and relations are revealed, she shows signs of defrosting and warms up to the others, sorta. [[spoiler:If you get her ending, she'll give her very first smile.]]
21	* EasyLevelsHardBosses: The levels aren't all that challenging, but the final boss will always be at least five levels higher than the lowest leveled enemies, making the levels feel like they're easy.
22	* EvilPrince: Prince Galahad of Rune Geist is cackling mad and starts the whole things, although things are far more complex than it eventually seems...
23	* FaceHeelTurn: Not in a traditional sense, but [[spoiler:Lazarus starts out with a Light soul, but after he returns from his HeroicSacrifice, he has a Dark soul. Considering what 'dark' here entails, it wasn't so bad.]]
24	* FallenPrincess: [[spoiler:As it turns out, Blanc Neige ''was'' the Princess of Runevale before Galahad took over and turns the kingdom into Runegeist and also attempting to kill her, forcing her to enter the life of a common ice witch for hire, and making her overall bitter. Her brother Keiner is also a male version, ending up in a life of a wanderer.]]
25	* FullNameBasis: In the original Japanese, they always refer Blanc Neige with full name, while in the English version, she's just called 'Neige'. [[spoiler:Subverted later that her ''real'' full name is Ira Blanc Neige Gardenias, and she's never called with such full name on regular basis.]]
26	* GlassCannon: Volg might be fast and powerful, but he can get taken out with just a few hits without gear with high defense. Unlike Mao and Keiner, he's unable to increase his evasion with skill points unless you equip with with something that increases it.
27	* GuideDangIt: Good luck with attempting to obtain all 276 enemy cards. Not only is the drop rate random depending on the enemy [[note]] if the player manages to get a Medal of the Heavens from clearing the Tower of Heaven on the regular difficulty, the rate increases slightly [[/note]] most enemies will appear on one specific stage, some of the stages being the ones that are only available before the player clears the main story stages.
28	* HeelFaceTurn: Also again, [[spoiler:once Mao discovers her Princess lineage, she goes from Dark soul to Light soul]]. Also, as of the normal one, Keiner is at first the enemy, then he later joins you.
29	* HeroesPreferSwords: Xion and his broadswords. The one who wields katana is Keiner.
30	* HeroicSacrifice: [[spoiler:Lazarus eventually sacrifices himself in a huge explosion to save the party from the masked mage. He got better though.]]
31	* LadyOfBlackMagic: Blanc Neige, a cold, intelligent ice sorceress and [[spoiler:Princess of Runevale Ira]].
32	* LevelGrinding: The boss at the end of each stage will be at a much higher level than any of the enemies you encountered during a stage, meaning that if you want to stand a chance against them, you'll have to do a bit of grinding.
33	* LightningBruiser: Volg is the fastest character you can choose in game and he can deal the most damage with the right equipment. He even has a skill that increases his movement speed.
34	* LoadsAndLoadsOfLoading: This game is pretty infamous about the loading time. While in some cases, it can end up being around 10 seconds, in other cases, the loading time can take more than half a minute.
35	* LukeIAmYourFather: At the end of the 2nd last stage, it's revealed that after searching for him for so long, [[spoiler: Diocles, the king of Bestia is Mao's father she had looked searched for so long.]]
36	* MeaningfulName: So any wonders someone named Blanc Neige ("Literature/SnowWhite" for French) is going to be your local ice mage?
37	* TheMedic: Ryunna's primary ability besides defeating undead enemies is to heal herself and the player. One of her skills even increases the hit point regeneration speed.
38	* MightyGlacier: Lazarus moves very slowly, but he hits like a truck and he has the best defense out of all the other characters.
39	* MosesInTheBulrushes: The game starts with Elwyn finding an unconscious Xion stranded in the shores near Heroes Hearth inn.
40	* NonIndicativeName: "Heroes Hearth" inn. It's just a name of an inn, but Ryuna at first thought it's a [[GoodGuyBar place where heroes gather]], so she came expecting to find heroes. In a way, she did find 'heroes' to help her there regardless.
41	* OurDragonsAreDifferent: Lazarus. A tanking, axe-wielding, and all around noble dragon.
42	* OutsideTheBoxTactic: Normally, it's hard to know whether or not the player has enemy cards of certain enemies. But if the player is surrounded by enemies, they can pause the game, select system and them select war info. Not only will it display the name of the mission and the objective, but it will also display the enemies. If the player has an enemies info card, they can view their stats. Without a card, it'll just display their name but show that the character needs to obtain their info card.
43	* OverlyLongName: [[spoiler:Ira Blanc Neige Gardenias.]]
44	* PermanentlyMissableContent: Certain enemies will only appear on stages that are used to get more experience to level up characters. After clearing a story mission, the enemies will be different and in order to obtain enemy cards of those specific enemies, they'll have to clear the game in order to reach the stages again.
45	* RelationshipValues:
46	** There are 8 endings, and it's decided by who do you take to battle the most. In one mission, the one closest to you [[spoiler:will be kidnapped by monsters]]. That party member will likely be the person you get the ending for, unless the player were to use another player more frequently until the end
47	** Also, if the player has a high relationship with certain characters, they will get exclusive cutscenes and friendship missions that will have new enemies.
48	* SiblingMurder: Averted. [[spoiler:Galahad attempted to kill his sister, Neige, but she managed to avoid getting killed with the help of Cupido.]]
49	* SplitPersonality: Xion and the effects of Twin Dragon Rings. He has about 3 personalities.
50	%% * SpoonyBard: Cupido
51	* TurnUndead: Ryunnas' main ability is to deal more damage than usual against undead. Undead skeletons come back to life after a little bit and the best way to keep them from respawning is to use her Turn Undead spell that kills them for good once they've fallen.
52	%% * WhenSheSmiles: [[spoiler:The ending with Blanc Neige]]
53	* WhiteMage: Ryunna's main strength other than having great power over the undead is the ability to heal both her and her partners' hit points, while also having a spell that increases the attack and defense of the two members.

Context VideoGame / ShiningTears