Legend of Mana Remastered

 Switch
Legend of Mana Remastered Image
Metascore
71

Mixed or average reviews - based on 25 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
7.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 17 Ratings

Your Score
0 out of 10
Rate this:
  • 10
  • 9
  • 8
  • 7
  • 6
  • 5
  • 4
  • 3
  • 2
  • 1
  • 0
  • 0
  • Summary: Create your World. In ancient times, the world was saved from destruction by sealing locations and events within magical artifacts.
    Now, you have the chance to recreate this world as you desire by discovering artifacts, placing them, and exploring the mysteries inside.
    > Construct a    Create your World. In ancient times, the world was saved from destruction by sealing locations and events within magical artifacts.
    Now, you have the chance to recreate this world as you desire by discovering artifacts, placing them, and exploring the mysteries inside.
    > Construct a unique world map and story by carefully placing artifacts
    > Explore areas in any order, encountering nearly 70 different gameplay scenarios
    > Battle enemies in real-time with special attacks and customizable controls
    > Control every aspect of your new world: raise faithful pet monsters, create powerful golems, forge mighty weapons, and refine magical instruments
    > Adventure with a friend by having tyem importing their Legend of Mana character from a MEMORY CARD, or take control of an NPC    … Expand

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 13 out of 25
  2. Mixed: 11 out of 25
  3. Negative: 1 out of 25
  1. Digitally Downloaded
    Jun 29, 2021
    90
    In effect, Legend of Mana is less interested in being a JRPG as it is a story of immersion. You’re given these truly beautiful, art gallery-worthy environments to explore, these eclectic, memorable characters to interact with, and a narrative that is broken up into a series of vignettes that keeps the overall game feeling vibrant and energetic. Perhaps the best comparison I can draw with Legend of Mana is to that of the most beautiful picture book version of Aesop’s Fables you could imagine. Without being religiously heavy-handed, this game has a way of sharing wonderful little stories of morality and humour, and it’s certainly going to be rolling around in my head for some time to come entirely because of the quality of those stories.
  2. Nintendo Enthusiast
    Jun 22, 2021
    80
    This Legend of Mana remaster features beautiful visuals, amazing music from Yoko Shimomura, and a lot of quirky old-school weirdness. Mileage will vary with its over-designed mechanics, but the game is charming, unique in its storytelling, and offers some solid quality-of-life additions.
  3. Nintendo Insider
    Jul 13, 2021
    80
    Out of all the Mana games I’ve played this is easily the best one. There are so many reasons to revisit it thanks to how open progression is. Your natural curiosity is rewarded around every turn, and your choices actually shape the world. I can see how my playthrough could differ greatly to that of someone else’s, and I’m excited to continue to revisit it throughout the years. I hope this is the template Square is basing their next console Mana game on, because this is truly something special. Even if it isn’t though, I’m happy enough that the bar for remastering sprite-based games has been raised once again.
  4. Gaming Age
    Jun 22, 2021
    75
    While I can’t wholeheartedly suggest Legend of Mana to everyone, I would say it’s worth a look if you’re willing to sink time into understanding the mechanics of the game and don’t mind a little aimless exploration. Or, if you’re like me and already knew what to expect going in, you can have a little peace of mind that Square Enix and M2 did a really solid job of bringing Legend of Mana back to life on modern hardware.
  5. IGN
    Jun 22, 2021
    70
    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.
  6. Game World Navigator Magazine
    Dec 15, 2021
    66
    A faithful remaster of a game two decades old, with all its ups and downs. Poor controls, bad UI and pixelated characters will definitely take some time getting used to, but in return you’ll get a true old-school experience with some very interesting puzzles. [Issue#257, p.62]
    All this publication's reviews
  7. Screen Rant
    Jun 22, 2021
    40
    There are some interesting and fun moments in Legend of Mana, but they can get lost in a product that tries to do too many things at once.

See all 25 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 7
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 7
  3. Negative: 0 out of 7
  1. Maspain8707
    Jul 12, 2021
    10
    It's a quirky classic, but one that I absolutely adore, and will be playing for a while to come. I wholeheartedly recommend this.
  2. Legrand
    Aug 22, 2021
    10
    Un gran remaster de un un RPG poco más que decir le ha venido bien el lavado de cara
  4. LastResource
    Jan 14, 2023
    10
    worth it and glad to play this game again. so much memories and nostalgia within this spin off game in the series.
  5. keatto
    Dec 9, 2021
    9
    Completely remastered, options to turn off encounters or swap between arranged OST and original, graphic remastering for a game that stillCompletely remastered, options to turn off encounters or swap between arranged OST and original, graphic remastering for a game that still holds up graphically. The soundtrack and art are gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous!

    Pros: It's a gorgeous unique arpg title very much like secret of mana in a Choose your own adventure sort of fashion. The medium isn't limited to 'big bad beat him up' but you solve mysteries, reunite families, learn an invented language to sell lamps. It's so absurdly quirky and fun from a time where every NPC could be talked to multiple times for more flavor text. Endless special abilities and regular abilities as you combine things like Lunge and Jump to do somersaults.

    Cons: While the weapons/armor and magic and golem and smithing and monster raising systems are all so comprehensive, there's almost no need for them when the combat is reduced to 'press x to slowly kill'. It's the biggest shame of the mana series that all their games are simplified to just mash button to win in an age where dodge rolling and learning patterns would make this game top tier.
    For old fans, they still have the bunny house two player PC mode!

    if you like the mana series or want a unique experience (non combat related) then you'll love this title, there's enough extra content to make it a wonderful weekend game.    … Expand
  6. Method__Man
    Jun 27, 2021
    9
    A masterpiece today as it was on the ps1. In a day of FAR to linear RPGs, this game is incredibly refreshing. The story is told you in pieces,A masterpiece today as it was on the ps1. In a day of FAR to linear RPGs, this game is incredibly refreshing. The story is told you in pieces, with little subplots making up the game. Finally, a game without some big bad super evil that wants to dominate the world. The game is what you make of it, and each play through is different. Dozens and dozens of quests are available, yet the combination of land placement may lock or unlock some. Crafting is complicated yet rewarding. Pet taming and training is a fun side that yields great companions. The music and art of the game are truly beautiful. They stood out on the PS1, and the remaster has made them pop even more. Controls are a tiny bit clunky as they were on the ps1, but it’s not a big deal. The battles aren’t too demanding of precision, rather you need to learnt the enemies patterns.

    An incredible non linear game with in depth customization. And yes it can be hard at times.

    A true breath of fresh air, deviating from the boring linear gameplay we have become accustom to. Heck, you may even need to look up a guide from time to time. How fun.    … Expand
  7. HiddenGemsHunt
    Jun 26, 2021
    9
    Nothing else like this game on the market - great, interesting, charming and innovative. It is game that gives you a world to explore, lot ofNothing else like this game on the market - great, interesting, charming and innovative. It is game that gives you a world to explore, lot of short stories and side-content. Yes, it does not have a main story in traditional sense, yest it is action RPGwith grid-based movement, however it is a really interesting mix.

    Lore is great, there is coop mode, monsters, crafting, and gardening. Music is charming.
    In this release by M2, you hav 16:9, 2 soundtracks, ability to remove encounters (on & off) and save everywhere feature. Great port of great game.    … Expand
  8. Nintendopost24
    Jul 6, 2021
    8
    Concluding and summarizing on the proposition offered by Legend of Mana is not easy. The game is to be considered as a poetic spin-off, with aConcluding and summarizing on the proposition offered by Legend of Mana is not easy. The game is to be considered as a poetic spin-off, with a little dry gameplay and sometimes dubious hitboxes, but which becomes really pleasant after a few hours of play. Already fascinating in 1999, Legend of Mana offers us a French translation of quality and a remaster that showcases these wonderful 2D sets, initially drawn by hand. The OST offers us an orchestral rearrangement that counts among the most outstanding musical proposals of this year, a formidable melodic success that remains in our heads. Square Enix offers us a very successful tribute to one of the best action-Rpg in Psone!

    Full review, in french, on my blog Nintendo Legacy. You can follow me on Twitter @NintendoLegacy1    … Expand

Current Switch Games

Full List »
95 The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
94 Metroid Prime Remastered
92 Xenoblade Chronicles 3: Expansion Pass Wave 4 - Future Redeemed
90 Persona 4 Golden
87 Melatonin
87 Theatrhythm Final Bar Line
86 Fuga: Melodies of Steel 2
86 The Legend of Heroes: Trails to Azure
86 Rakuen: Deluxe Edition
86 Mario Kart 8 Deluxe: Booster Course Pass - Wave 4
85 Octopath Traveler II
85 A Space For The Unbound
85 Paranormasight: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo
84 Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster: FF35th Anniversary Edition
84 Lil Gator Game
84 PowerWash Simulator
84 DRAINUS
84 DREDGE
83 The Excavation of Hob's Barrow
83 Labyrinth of Galleria: The Moon Society
All Current Games »