Shining's co-developer Camelot Software Planning launched a new project of their own (and their first RPG in 4 years) with Golden Sun, one half of an ambitious story that indirectly felt like a tribute to the 16-bit era. Its colorful, lively sprites and animations update the classics for the 00s, while its characters & storytelling cover the genre's usual repertory (elements, town substories, meaningless choices, etc.). That being said, its real value lies elsewhere. First and foremost in the Psynergy mechanic, which falls halfway between Zelda tools and field skills: A handful of non-battle abilities that run the gamut from pushing objects around to raising platforms, from reading the minds of NPCs to clearing blockades, perhaps one of the best examples of puzzle-solving and secret hunting in JRPGs. They also deliver what is basically FF's Espers on steroids with the Djinn system, that spices up their basic but snappy combat with all sorts of possible options and combos.

Camelot tends to indulge in lengthy, wordy filler scenes at times, but their flair for creative scenarios peak when they graft it to Psynergy-led puzzle sections, leading to fun, brainy and inventive moments that add variety between the typical litany of travels and battling (including an especially innovative take on tournament arcs). Ultimately, it's the subtly complex gameplay that towers over everything else, a powerful blend of Breath of Fire, Lufia II and Final Fantasy VI.