Secret of Mana HD Reviews
A remake only makes sense when it truly enhances the original game. Guess what? This is not the case. For lack of a better option, it's best played on a Super Nintendo Classic Mini. The best way to describe this remake is "unnecessary", and it could be worth your time only if you don't have any other way to play the original.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Why on Earth would you keep the gameplay totally intact when it's so terribly flawed?
Secret of Mana was an amazing game in 1993 and is a "must play" for all JRPG fans. It features diverse world, memorable bosses, dynamic combat system, great atmosphere and a simple, but interesting plot. And it's really sad that remake turned out not so good. Strange innovations, cheap three-dimensional graphics and bugs spoil the final impression. You can still buy it, but at half price or so.
Review in Russian | Read full review
Secret of Mana fails with its slew of technical issues and unimpressive graphic design.
Secret of Mana's remake is fun because Secret of Mana was fun. However, Square could have done a lot better, especially with a beloved classic such as this.
Although the technique is functional and some elements have been made worse, the remake of the remake still looks like the original.
Review in German | Read full review
I hate to be a downer on a classic RPG, especially when Secret of Mana can be so charming and it's still clear why it was such a well-loved game. Yet this remaster doesn't work.
It honestly pains me to say this as someone who continues to be a big fan of the original. The problem with Secret of Mana HD doesn’t lie in what the developers changed as some might believe. It’s what they did not change. I almost hate myself for saying this but one of the key parts of Secret of Mana — its combat — just don’t hold up as well today. I’m still a big fan of the game. But my view of it is now a more tempered one as opposed to the blind devotion I had for it before I replayed the original game and played its new HD version as well. It’s still a solid game but also feels a bit more flawed.
By chosing to apply a 3D mask taken from any random mobile game on the 1993 original, Secret of Mana delivers a remake that will satisfy no one. None of the bugs has been fixed, even though this translation finally gives us a closer glimpse of the scenario. But with such a price, its lazy artistic direction and wrong remixes will crush your childhood memories for good.
Review in French | Read full review
This remake of Secret of Mana allows us to enjoy one of the classic RPGs from the SNES once again. But at the end, it feels like a missed opportunity of what could have been the definitive version of the game.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Unfortunately, everything is wrong with this remake of the classic SNES game. From shoddy voice work and pedestrian graphics to janky combat, the experience is nearly ruined, and a classic game's reputation is forever soiled.
While there's plenty to love about the original Secret of Mana, this remake manages to kill off most the game's charm while failing to modernize the parts of the game that actually need updating. Awkward animations, impenetrable menus, slow combat, and repeated random crashes add up to a game that, with 25 years of technological improvements under its belt, may actually be worse than the original.
There is a lot wrong with this remake and a lot of missed opportunities in terms of updating a game for the modern age, but at its core, it is still Secret of Mana and that is a game that everyone should play at least once.
This transition from 2D to 3D feels clunky and uninspired, but it still has a few bright spots.
This time Square failed in making a remake - we've got castrated mechanics, many serious bugs, ugly graphics and terrible remixes. If the original NES version wasn't so hard to get, I'd recommend ignoring Secret of Mana on PS4 altogether.
Review in Polish | Read full review
All in all, this Secret of Mana HD remake is a mixed offering.
If you can get your hands on a Super NES Classic, you may be better off playing the original instead.
Secret of Mana is a monumental JRPG that deserves your respect—just not your time.
Secret of Mana's remake doesn't fix everything wrong with the original game, but it's still a charming adventure that's worth your time.
This new version of Secret of Mana doesn't add anything important to this timeless classic, presenting the same strenghts and weaknesses of 25 years ago. It can still be fun with a couple fo friends on the same couch, but we won't recommend it over the Snes Classic Mini version of the original.
Review in Italian | Read full review