Sega of America has announced today that the next chapter in the legendary Shining series, entitled Shining Force EXA, is headed to US shores exclusively for the PS2.

Following on the heels of last year's overlooked Shining Force Neo, Shining Force EXA is an action-RPG (with strategy elements) that tells an all-new story that will put players in the roles of two characters, a male warrior named Toma and a female sorceress Cyrille, on a quest to return peace to their war-ravaged homeland torn about by two warring nations.


Shining Force EXA's main addition to the series is an innovative new Fortress System that will have players managing the growth and defense of a home base known as a Geo Fortress. This Fortress System brings offensive and defensive strategies to the gameplay experience, as players will both venture away from their Geo Fortress on various quests and missions while also maintaining a defensive force back at home base to protect it from attack, switching back and forth between both parties as needed. According to the press release, each player's Geo Fortress will evolve over the course of the game to match their style of play.

"The Shining franchise has provided deep plotlines and exciting gameplay throughout its long running history," said Scott A. Steinberg, Vice President of Marketing, SEGA of America, Inc. "New innovations such as the Fortress System and enhanced party commands add a new layer of strategic gameplay to Shining Force EXA that delivers a compelling experience for today's gamers."

As of this time, Sega has not revealed a single strand of info regarding a possible US release date, so we'll all just have to sit back and wait until they give the official word to find out more. For now, be sure to check out the provided screenshots Sega released with the announcement for an early look at the game's striking art style.