Square Enix is well known for their amazing RPGs and the impact they have had. We all know about Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest, but the Mana series holds a special place as well. These games were action RPG classics but sadly the third game was never released in the west….until now that is.
Stealth released at E3, the Collection of Mana has come west and brought the first three games with it. I have fond memories of Secret of Mana, but didn’t really know what to expect from Trials of Mana (the new name for Seiken Densetsu 3) and was eager to try it.
Before I start with Final Fantasy Adventure (Seiken Densetsu 1), I will note that the collection has an excellent music player mode for each game, so you can experience the excellent sounds from the series. It is a nice touch, especially for Secret and Trials, which had some of the best music on the SNES.
Final Fantasy Adventure was the first game in the series and its…not good. It is not exactly bad, but it definitely hasn’t aged well. It is a nice introduction to the series and was an ambitious Game Boy game, but the controls are off at times. I do not want to come ass as just dumping on the game, but considering that this was not the original idea for Seiken Densetsu, but a replacement game after the original was unfeasible at the time. It plays sort of like a Zelda game but lacks the charm of the next two entries. I would have lowed if the GBA remake Sword of Mana had been included, because that was a remake that managed to feel like the rest of the series.
Secret of Mana is a legendary action RPG that is fondly remembered by SNES players. It had three player action in an RPG, which was unheard of at the time, and an art style that has aged beautifully. The gameplay and music have few equals, and any flaws from the first game are gone. Now with a good story beyond just a generic fantasy tale, we were thrown into a quest to save the world and stop an evil empire. The game touched on surprisingly dark themes for the time and pushed the boundaries of what would be allowed. With a unique ring system menu, the game was innovating ahead of its time and still plays well now.
Trials of Mana is the highlight of this collection and the one game we have longed to play for years. I said before that Secret of Mana improved on all the flaws from Final Fantasy Adventure, and Trials of Mana improves on any flaws from Secret of Mana. More refined gameplay, better controls and improved combat are a highlight here, as are the improved visuals. It is no exaggeration to say that Trials of Mana may have the best sprite work of any game on the SNES.
Trials of Mana mixes up the character dynamic by having you choose which character you want as your main character, and which 2 as supporting characters. This gives a ton of replay value, as you can get a very different experience each time you play with either a new party or a new main character. The story is once again vastly improved, and this time serves as both a deconstruction of RPG ideas and a reconstruction of them at the same time. We see why character archetypes would be terrible in reality, but then the game shows they can be made to work better. The characters are all fully realized and likeable and definitely stand with the best of Square Enix RPG protagonists, thats for sure.
The day and night system is another great touch and makes the world feel more alive and unique. The NPCs and enemies behave differently and it provides more of a challenge. The class system plays a role in the story this time and as such feels more fulfilling.
This is a classic we would have loved in the west. The music is much better than the already amazing music in Secret of Mana, and overall everything just feels more epic. It is great to have this finally localized for the west, and now I am extremely eager to try out the remake when it launches next year. If it is half as good as the original, we are in for a treat.
Bottom line: If you love RPGs then this collection is for you. The price is a little high though, which may put some people off. I think its worth getting, but if you are unsure still, then I suggest waiting for a sale or the physical release.