The World of Mana series from Square Enix is a beloved RPG series, with entries like Secret of Mana and Trials of Mana holding a special place in the hearts of gamers. The fourth game in the series is Legend of Mana, which while not as well known is perhaps the most inventive. This game debuted on the PlayStation and a mixed reaction at first but has since become a fan favourite title among enthusiasts. This new remaster gives a new audience a chance to see what it has to offer, and why it is considered unique in a good way.
General Overview
Legend of Mana is quite different from the previous entries in the series, and that is not a bad thing at all. The game sees you pick one of two characters, select equipment, and then begin the journey by placing an object on the world map to create that location. You will consistently get different artifacts throughout the game, and these are used to place new locations on the map to explore and take on new quests.
This is rather different than the established world map like in the previous games but works out to this game’s benefit by giving new ways to explore in the style you want. One thing that helps Legend of Mana is that the quests in each area are not too long, and some can be completed in around 20-30 minutes. This is great for those who only have a short time in which they can play a game, as it provides a nice short burst of gameplay that they can come back to later.
Each section will find you taking on new quests and encountering new characters, some of whom will join you on your way. You can have one follower at a time and each follower will have their own storyline and interactions in the various areas on the map. This helps incentivise replaying the game with multiple different routes and characters in order to get the full story. Legend of Mana also gives you the option to recruit a monster you can raise or tame as a follower, or even build a golem to assist you.
Presentation and Mechanics
Legend of Mana is a great looking game, and the remaster has helped it look even better than it first did. The hand drawn backgrounds already looked like something out of a storybook, and now shine with detail here. The sprite work is also touched up here and there, giving the game a smooth appearance that helps Legend of Mana stand out even among modern games.
Legend of Mana has one of the deepest crafting systems even seen in an RPG. Players will need to refer to guides more than once here, as it can be a bit confusing at first due to the overwhelming options and how obtuse some things can be. If you take your time and figure things out though, you will have a great time here mastering the different options.
What Is New
The remaster comes with a few new options that new players will appreciate. The original soundtrack is included, but a re-arranged version of the soundtrack is also here along with the ability to choose between the new and original music. You cannot go wrong with either, as the game has some of the best music from an RPG in the 32-bit era. There is also the inclusion of the Ring Ring Land minigame, something that was previously only available to players in Japan.
Combat
The remaster also allows the ability to turn off combat encounters in an area, but this is entirely up to the player to decide on. Combat in Legend of Mana involves using light and heavy attacks for combo moves, while also learning special abilities and spells. Different weapons give different special abilities and using skills assigned to the other buttons will help unlock more.
The game gives you skills to assign to help in combat, such as pushing, jumping, back dashing and more. Using the right combination will unlock more skills for you to use and find a combat style that works best. Combat in general is mostly well done here, with the only real flaw being that you will sometimes get locked into attacking in one direction too easily.
Conclusion
Legend of Mana is an excellent game that not enough people have played, possibly due to how different it was at the time. Looking at it now through the remaster though, it is clear that Legend of Mana is something special and a game that is worth playing for any fan of the Mana series or RPG fan in general. The modern touches help a classic hold its own and stand up with the best of modern video games. It is highly recommended.
Disclaimer: A review key was provided.
reviewed on Nintendo Switch. Also available on PS4 and Steam.
Images taken from Nintendo.com