Legend of Mana Reviews
Legend of Mana is an experimental game, with lots of ideas and concepts mixed together in one product. The lack of a proper tutorial, as well as a number of smaller annoyances, make it an overall frustrating experience. 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.
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.
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.
It's easy to see why this was such a polarizing title upon release. There's a lot to love here, but Legend of Mana can be tiring in how much it likes to play 'hard to get'. All the ingredients and individual pieces of a strong, impressively innovative RPG are present, but it feels like the developers simply tossed all these ideas in a bag and shook it vigorously, rather than taking the time to lay out all those ideas in a coherent and curated fashion. We'd give this one a recommendation, but only to fans of the genre, specifically those who prefer more experimental titles. If that doesn't describe you, there's still a good chance you'll find something to like about Legend of Mana, but just be aware it may be more of a mixed bag.
This HD Remaster of Legend of Mana is a strange experience, somewhere in-between : with beautiful and wide landscapes, and a brilliant musical score, the game also offers some old and sometime repulsive gameplay mechanics, especially for newcomers. Legend of Mana is still a good '90s game, but it clearly needed more reflexion to match today's standards.
Review in French | Read full review
You'll have to get used to the combat system as well, which does feel very dated. It's not bad, but it's incredibly basic and, by today's standards, clunky. It boils down to running away from enemy attacks, and then running back into the fray to unleash simple combos. Special moves are available once your super meter is full, but actually landing them can be frustrating, since enemies can waddle out of the way while the animation plays. Again, it's clunky, but there are a range of weapon types to play around with, and companion characters (who can be controlled by the AI or a second player) add spice with their own abilities.
To a certain type of player, Legend of Mana is likely to be considered the perfect remaster. It touches up the visuals, but not too much. It makes quality-of-life changes, but preserves the original design and difficulty – warts and all. Some may find that preservation detrimental, with this twenty year-old game showing its age – but it does also make this the new definitive way to experience a classic.
WORTH CONSIDERING - Legend of Mana is a confusing and, at times, clunky mess of a game that is carried by its beautiful visuals and a stellar soundtrack.
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.
If you are one of the gamers who want to deal with older games that had a significant course in the world of video games, Legend of Mana Remastered offers the right tools to transform Fa'Diel world tour into something beautiful and fun, but carrying on his back and some elements that look a little dusty and outdated.
Review in Greek | Read full review
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.
Square Enix’s Mana series, like the SaGa series, is finding new life and respect in recent years, what with the Secret of Mana remake, Collection of Mana localization, and Trials of Mana remake. It’s an opportunity for new appreciation. Fortunately, that means Legend of Mana is getting its own moment on the Switch, PS4, and PC with a remaster. While it doesn’t exactly address every issue present in the original game, it looks amazing and includes some features that might ease frustrations.
Although this version includes new saving options, improved graphics, rearranged music, and the option to turn on and off enemy encounters, it’s curious the developer didn’t decide to fully remake the game as it did with the two previous entries. Nevertheless, two decades after its original release, Legend of Mana continues to be a fine game that will bring back fond memories to veteran players as well as interest newcomers.
Legend of Mana is a game with wasted potential. For the old-school gamers it could be awesome, but newcomers to the series may not enjoy the experience as much.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Legend of Mana is as it's always been: an alluring puzzle of an RPG.
Back to life another gem from squaresoft stable. Legend of Mana Remastered was on track to shine again, but a few shortcomings don't allow the PS4 game to spread its wings as it deserves.
Review in Polish | Read full review
Legend of Mana Remastered is a decent entry level action RPG for children thanks to its easy combat and seemingly wholesome setting. The various dialects characters speak in make for amusing reading with kids and the simple co-op action is easily understood. Since the plot is so light and focuses on short sub-stories, the scenarios are easily followed and digestible.
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 returns twenty years after its initial release, without much having really changed for those who had the chance to try it at the time We have a game still as beautiful now adapted to current standards, an immediate grip and beautiful music. In addition, this is the first time it has been released in Europe. Too bad, however, that the absence of a real scenario is felt, as well as some features that today smell of dust.
Review in French | Read full review
On the surface, this game has all the ingredients to make a great RPG. The graphics are gorgeous, the soundtrack is infectious, the combat is approachable yet complex, and there’s a ton of replay value. Unfortunately, the disparate pieces don’t hang together quite right. Without a strong central narrative, you’re left bouncing around for the whole playthrough. And without a comprehensive walkthrough, you’ll be doing so for quite a long time. There’s a serious barrier to entry, but I still managed to enjoy myself in spite of all this. If you read all that and still want to dive in, then don’t hesitate to do so. Despite all the strange roadblocks, Legend of Mana has a lot to offer any action RPG fan with a little patience and perseverance.