These are versions of the game that have been released to the public. There are of course other releases such as pirate copies/compilations and preview/demo copies in which various aspects of the game may be different, some of which may be found listed in the Collectables section.

"The King of Thornwood is beside himself with worry. His daughter and his most trustworthy knight, Mortred, have disappeared. You, as the son of Mortred, must unravel the mystery!"
  - from the Shining in the Darkness box.

Shining in the Darkness was the first in Sega's Shining series of games. It was released in 1991 for the Sega Mega Drive (or Genesis for those of you in the USA). The style of gameplay is quite different than that of the later Shining games, with the exception of Shining the Holy Ark for Sega Saturn.

Shining in the Darkness sees you as the young son of the brave Knight, Sir Mortred. While accompanying Princess Jessa to the Queen's Shrine, your father and the Princess strangely vanish, and it is your quest to discover their whereabouts. As you wander through the dungeons (1st person perspective) and converse with the King and his associates in the castle, the mystery will start to become a little clearer. Battling through hoardes of evil monsters, you strive to become a Shining Knight to defeat the evil Dark Sol and avenge your father.

An epic tale, this game will last you quite some time, with it's tough riddles, seemingly endless labyrinths and involving storyline. A absolute 'must' for all Shining fans!