Legend of Mana Remastered

Legend of Mana remains as a peculiarity that can feel disconcerting and confusing, especially at the very beginning due its open structure. Definitely, one of a kind game based on activating and solving quests that as a whole feel somewhat dull. Still, each one is a small story, an arc that teaches you a little more about who each character is, what they are looking for and their place in the world. The latter gives Legend of Mana a unique meaning. Everything, added to the beautiful art, the excellent work of M2 and the atmosphere that the Yoko Shimomura soundtrack brings to the game, makes Legend of Mana a unique experience that is worth trying and that, for better or worse, will become memorable for all players.

One of the Squaresoft classics and unpublished in European territory arrives and has been translated into Spanish. Legend of Mana provides a good amount of hours with an entertaining real-time combat system and a multitude of enemies to defeat. Build the world at your own pace and measure by using artifacts. A mechanic that on paper sounds pretty good but the absence of clues or guides makes it very difficult to advance quickly in the story.

The Legend of Mana Remaster is a strong return for the classic title. Even if some elements haven’t aged well, it still maintains its novelty all these years after its release. So long as you have the patience to look past said flaws – and a walkthrough handy for all the points where its design isn’t clear – you won’t be disappointed with this touched-up fantasy adventure.

It might be a bit obtuse, but Any fan of 2D JRPGs must experience Legend of Mana. It was released when they were at their zenith, a time when it seemed like every month Square Enix was dropping a new banger. Hopefully, if these continue to do well, we’ll see games like Threads of Fate and (dare I say it) Chrono Chross get another chance to shine. These remasters are a way to go back to one of the golden ages of gaming, and they can keep them coming.

Legend of Mana Remastered is a production worthy of respect, a must especially for those who love the series and have loved the re-editions seen in recent years.

I’m excited for a whole new generation to give the world of Fa’Diel a look. I appreciate that in recent years, Square Enix is giving their other franchises like Mana and SaGa time back in the spotlight. My best advice to take advantage of all that Legend of Mana has to offer is to use guides while playing, especially if you plan to tackle New Game+ and the post-game content! Now, hopefully, we will hear about a brand new Mana game before too long.

While it feels like Legend of Mana’s issues could've been easily ironed out with a low budget remake rather than a remaster, the game was still a delight to play through and is still the hidden gem of the Mana series.

Legend of Mana is all about the memories you make from the moment you start playing to the credits. Every new area created is a new adventure waiting, and every character met provides a unique perspective on storytelling. Its non-linearity allows it to stand out in the series, but it comes at the expense of a few confusing quest lines. The remastered backgrounds improved loading and attack animations, and additional options make it such a charming RPG to play over and over.

For the most part, the changes that the new HD remaster brings are welcome ones. Not only because these changes add and improve upon what makes Legend of Mana a good game, but because they also make the game accessible to both new and returning players. Not only that, the game also gives you the choice to play it however you'd like, be it the orthodox way using no autosaves, or by utilizing the new QoL changes. These changes are more important than any other combat system revamping, or inclusion of a new skill system because, at the end of the day, Legend of Mana's strength isn't in its combat or game systems. It's in the characters, the locations, and the stories that it's been telling, and will tell for years to come.

All these years later it's a treat to revisit the world of Legend of Mana in any form, much less through an HD modern lense. It's still unlike just about anything else out there.

Legend of Mana is a beautiful game that, despite its flaws, creates a sense of adventure that few other RPGs can match.

Legend of Mana is a beautiful game that anyone who appreciates creative gaming experiences will absolutely love. Those who prefer more structured adventures may be put off by it but there's no denying just how gorgeous of a game it is on nearly every level.

Classic JRPG fun with a unique world-construction feature; suffers from imprecise controls and an absent main plot.

Legend of Mana is back on modern consoles after more than 20 years, and it's still quite enjoyable despite some gameplay wrinkles.

Legend of Mana is a very divisive game, and this remaster is not going to change that. You might love or hate the game, but this is a solid update of the classic that also includes localization to several languages.

The Legend of Mana Remaster plays things a bit too safe with its combat system, but this action RPG still proves to be a worthwhile experience. Any old-school Mana fan will not be disappointed.

Legend of Mana did not age up very well but it is still one of the bravest and creative games in Square Enix history.

Older fans of the Mana series will surely be delighted to revisit the world of Fa' Diel and play this remaster, unlike newcomers who will have to deal with the age of the game that is evident in every aspect.

Legend of Mana never reaches any grand heights with its gameplay or storytelling, but there’s enough going for it to keep you invested. It has an undeniable charm thanks to its gorgeous visuals and great soundtrack. It's a solid adventure that's been wonderfully updated to please new and old fans alike.

Legend of Mana Remastered rounds out the 90s Mana titles to be brought onto modern consoles in a true-to-form remaster. Updated visuals and new features are certainly a nice touch, even if the narrative can be a challenge to earn. While the game shows its age in places, fans of the genre and Mana series as a whole will love returning to the world of Fa’Diel, or experience it for the first time.

Legend of Mana is vibrant and flexible in all the right ways for my preferences today, and I certainly fancy the game personally. The sheer slowness and obtuse nature of it may be too much for some players. There's a lot to see in Legend of Mana, but the experience never feels fleshed out. Fa'Diel is beautiful and enticing and hard to forget, but not because of the gameplay that binds it together.

For better or for worse, Square Enix wanted to make sure the Legend of Mana HD remaster was as close to the original as possible. Thankfully a beautiful world and good story help make up for the lack of guidance or varied combat. It may not be the most welcoming to newcomers, but fans of the original are in for a wonderful trip down nostalgia lane.

Legend of Mana will continue to divide, but if you haven't, now might be the time to let yourself be wowed by its enchanting art direction and endearing world.

Fans of the Mana games will enjoy many staples of the series developed in original ways in Legend of Mana Remastered, and newcomers will encounter a beloved classic that includes an unconventional adventure and a remarkable soundtrack. I love the game and recommend it without hesitation, but there’s always going to be a sense of a missed opportunity for Square Enix to have given it the full remake treatment, with the voice acting, 3D visuals, and a more-polished battle system that Trials of Mana received.

The Legend of Mana of 2021 is as close to the original version as you could hope for while still bringing this classic original PlayStation JRPG into the modern era. The sprite work is timeless, and the newly redrawn widescreen backgrounds are just perfect. Legend of Mana is a game I just want to look at and absorb into my eyes as much as I want to play it… maybe even moreso, because while combat holds up, the old-school structure of its story makes it a little tougher to recommend unless you’re going to play with a walkthrough guide open on your phone the whole time. I enjoyed my time with Legend of Mana, don't get me wrong, but wandering through its world from one unconnected quest to the next makes reaching the end feel like a very long guessing game – and there’s little or nothing that can be done to remedy that without fundamentally altering the DNA of Legend of Mana.

Legend of Mana is back from the first PlayStation era with hi-res backgrounds and some minor changes to gameplay. It's not as good as it was back in the days but still it's an enjoyable JRPG experience.

The remastering process didn't address the shortcomings of the gameplay of Legend of Mana. Yet, its vibrant world, full of memorable characters drawn to life by astonishing visuals and new orchestral scores, is as good as ever.

A timeless classic marred by conflicting visual identities and a disjointed formula, Legend of Mana is an experimental PS1-era title that planted the seed for many of Square's greatest RPGs to come in future years.

A collection of small quests, no story is given the attention it deserves, the one glaring fault of a beautiful game with a clear desire to innovate. [Issue#4, p.80]

Needless to say, you probably won't be playing Legend of Mana for the plot, but there's a charm to how carefree the game feels. You'll stumble across character-driven side quests that open up new paths through the world, and there are loads of different locations to discover and explore. Honestly, it's a difficult game to explain in just a handful paragraphs, but know that there's fun to be had in its lack of structure.

Ultimately, Legend of Mana presents a fun and enchanting world to explore. The gameplay is simplistic and clumsy, but the tedium is alleviated somewhat by M2's modern additions. If players avoid getting bogged down by the unnecessary side systems, they may be able to capture Legend of Mana's lost spirit of adventure.

Legend of Mana is an intriguing curio that still feels original. Its open structure and focus on vignettes over epic adventure are brave decisions and a clever departure from tradition, while the visual overhaul in this remaster gives it a modern sharpness. It remains, however, a very difficult game to find your footing in, with deliberately confusing quests and poorly explained systems. And the combat never grows with the complexity you might expect for an action RPG. A good remaster of a game that really needed a more comprehensive remake to deliver on its promise.

It’s hard to fully condemn Legend of Mana Remastered, because the original game’s choices are unusual, and some players will certainly find merit in its hands-off approach to steering the gameplay. Others, however, will undoubtedly find the lack of direction infuriating. So, Legend of Mana Remastered won’t be for everyone then. Its combat and lack of engaging narrative holds it back, but its soundtrack – both the original and rearranged version – is truly a standout feature.