The Secret of Mana remake launched last week, to a somewhat mixed reaction. It still retains the charm and adventure that made the original such a classic, but a lot of people aren’t too pleased with the switch to 3D graphics and voiced dialogue. I’ve only played a little bit so far, but I’m inclined to agree: it’s a beautiful, bright, colourful game, but the 3D models lack the unique feeling and even the level of detail of the original 2D sprites. Worse still, the remake uses the old 2D maps for the mini-map—a nice throwback to the game’s origins, but also a move that constantly invites comparison between the two.
Those superficial elements aside, Secret of Mana is still very much the same game, and that’s a good thing. It’s a relatively simple action JRPG, filled with interesting characters, creative level design, and fantastic boss fights. This probably isn’t a game that needed to be remade so much as simply re-released, but it’s a very enjoyable game nonetheless.
I’ll have a review on the way once I’ve had a chance to play the game in full, but for now, here’s some footage of the first half hour or so, from the beginning of the game up until meeting Sage Luka at the Water Palace. Enjoy!
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCE4Y3S9GC0[/embedyt]
Secret of Mana is developed and published by Square Enix. It’s available now for PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, and PC.
A press copy was supplied by the publisher for this review.