If you've played a Shining Force game before, chances are it was not The Sword of Hajya. A surprisingly rare Game Gear release from 1994, The Sword of Hajya is a somewhat watered-down version of the Sega-exclusive tactical RPG franchise, but one that keeps all of the core mechanics of the series. The end result is a fun but predictable strategy RPG, which should appeal to fans of the Fire Emblem series.

If you've never played a Shining Force game, here's a synopsis: It's Fire Emblem without permadeath. While the console Shining Force games included between-battle exploration segments, those are missing in the handheld version, which makes the game feel even more like Fire Emblem. The game hops from battle to battle, interspersed with small in-game cut scenes to drive the story. The story isn’t really even worth mentioning, as it’s completely unmemorable. Even so, the characters are likable and you'll find yourself developing favorites.

The other major difference between Shining Force and Fire Emblem is that your units do not move as a team. Instead, all units, including those on the enemy team, have a statistic that determines their battle turn order. It's always difficult to know for sure whether or not an enemy in range will be able to attack one of your units before you have a chance to move another unit in to assist. It adds a bit of unpredictability and tension to the game, but it can be frustrating as well.

While the graphics aren't particularly noteworthy, they do make for a decent Game Gear approximation of the colorful style of the Genesis games. It's never hard to tell what's going on, and the portraits are actually pretty well drawn. The music is similarly catchy, but not memorable. 

In all, Shining Force: The Sword of Hajya is a pretty good Virtual Console release that should hit home with fans of Fire Emblem looking for a similar experience without breaking the bank.