Shiness: The Lightning Kingdom trailer talks battle systems, RPG mechanics

Wes first covered Shiness: The Lightning Kingdom—a successfully crowdfunded hybrid RPG-action endeavour that echoes the charm of PlayStation 2-era role-playing adventure games—back in June and, if you’re a fan of the somewhat forgotten genre, I bet it piqued your interest.

Personally, the vibrant landscapes, whimsical characters, and enchanting score captured everything I love about these games, and I was keen to see more beyond the impressive 15 minutes Wes himself spent roaming around its world.

Enigami has now released a behind-the-scenes trailer, within which the developers discuss what makes the game, its systems and its combat mechanics tick. Interestingly, the original idea for Shiness was born from manga drawings penned by creative director Samir Rebib two decades ago at just seven years old.

As you can see there, not only is Shiness battle system fast-paced, getting a handle on blocking, dodging, parrying and laying down combos is key to success. I’m most interested to see how the different playstyles and special abilities of its five characters come together—both in battle and when solving puzzles outwith.

What’s more, Shiness has its own language. “Created in full just for this mythical universe—this intricate language helps players feel totally immersed in the world of Shiness,” reads a statement from publisher Focus Home. “The orchestral soundtrack, composed entirely by Enigami director Hazem Hawash, only enriches this extraordinary world even further.”

Shiness: The Lightning Kingdom is due December 8 via Steam, where it’ll cost £24.99/$29.99 full price. If pre-orders are your thing, it has a 15 percent discount until then.