Choose Shining Resonance Refrain
Choose Shining Resonance Refrain if you want an Adventure experience. Shining Resonance Refrain launched in 2018.
Shining Resonance Refrain vs CRYSTAR
Shining Resonance Refrain and CRYSTAR both land in RPG on Steam, which is why they keep getting compared. The comparison below is built from each game's Steam metadata — release year, genres, categories, Steam Deck status, price, and review score — refreshed daily by imho.run's scraper. Headline differences: Both are RPG games on Steam. Shining Resonance Refrain (2018) is 1 year older than CRYSTAR (2019). CRYSTAR scores higher on Steam reviews (80.3% positive) than Shining Resonance Refrain (70.8% positive). No login or purchase needed — scroll for the full table, the verdict FAQ, and links to ranked similar games for both titles.
Which should you pick?
Choose CRYSTAR
Choose CRYSTAR if you want an Action experience. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 80.3% positive across 456 reviews.
Both Shining Resonance Refrain and CRYSTAR sit in RPG on Steam, so either pick lands in the same broad neighborhood. Use the side-by-side table for the feature view, or follow the "Games like" links below to see ranked alternatives for either title.
Side-by-side comparison
 Shining Resonance Refrain |  CRYSTAR | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2018 | 2019 |
| Genres | Adventure, RPG | Action, RPG |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Deck Verified |
| Price | 5.99 USD | 1.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 70.8% positive (383 reviews) | 80.3% positive (456 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | SEGA | FURYU CORPORATION |
Side by side
- Both are RPG games on Steam.
- Shining Resonance Refrain (2018) is 1 year older than CRYSTAR (2019).
- CRYSTAR scores higher on Steam reviews (80.3% positive) than Shining Resonance Refrain (70.8% positive).
- CRYSTAR is currently ~67% cheaper on Steam than Shining Resonance Refrain (1.99 USD vs. 5.99 USD).
- Both are Deck Verified.
Shining Resonance Refrain vs CRYSTAR — FAQ
- Which is better, Shining Resonance Refrain or CRYSTAR?
- On Steam reviews CRYSTAR scores higher (80.3% positive) than Shining Resonance Refrain (70.8% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, CRYSTAR is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play Shining Resonance Refrain or CRYSTAR first?
- If you want chronology, Shining Resonance Refrain (2018) came out before CRYSTAR (2019). If neither is a sequel to the other, order doesn't really matter — start with whichever fits your current mood, since both share enough on Steam to make either a reasonable opener.
- Are Shining Resonance Refrain and CRYSTAR similar?
- They overlap on RPG on Steam, so the catalogue groups them together — but "similar" depends on the specific mechanics. Use the genre + category rows above to decide whether the overlap matches what drew you to the one you've already played.
- Do Shining Resonance Refrain and CRYSTAR both run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — both are Steam Deck Verified, meaning Valve confirms they run with full controller support, legible text, and default settings out of the box.