Snippet of the Article... Read the whole thing in the above link said:
What makes Shiren so addictive is this give-and-take design, the constant drive to go forward even though you're constantly pushing your character to the brink of defeat. You can't play Shiren like a typical RPG; hoarding items is folly, because you need to use them to survive, and if you don't survive you lose them anyway. You can't count on always finding the gear you need when you need it. You can't count on the enemies always behaving exactly as you predict, because while they have clearly-defined abilities the game features ample randomization that affects their relationship to the (ever-changing) environment and to the player. And sometimes the game unexpectedly throws you for a loop -- not every situation you find yourself in is winnable. That's where much of the frustration with Shiren comes in, I think, but the point of Shiren isn't to win every time you play. It's impossible. Rather, the goal is to learn from your mistakes, learn to anticipate what the monsters will do, learn how your equipment can be used to your advantage. Learn the game, keep trying, and eventually when all your ducks line up, you'll be able to utilize your good fortune to the fullest. Shiren embodies the premise of an interesting article Gamasutra recently published; like Mega Man 9, Shiren is an experience that focuses on betterment of the player rather than of the player's in-game avatar.
Unfortunately, most gamers aren't interested in self-improvement, and Shiren tanked, so we won't be seeing its (even better) sequels. Personally, I'm just glad Sega was willing to take a chance on publishing this one in the U.S. to begin with -- it's easily one of the most compelling (and brilliantly designed) games to see release this year. Never mind that it was originally released 15 years ago on Super NES; great design is timeless.
