Secret of Mana HD Reviews
Curiously lean on the magic that made Secret of Mana a seminal classic, this remake is serviceable in a pinch, but revisiting the original is probably a better use of time.
Nostalgia purists wanting to play Secret of Mana in 2018 are recommended to pick up a SNES Mini and enjoy the original in glorious HD. There’s not enough in the way of improvements in this remake to warrant the attention of the old guard.
This won't be remembered as a particularly good remake, and it's tragic, because by itself, outside of the shadow of the game it's a remaster of, Secret of Mana has its charms.
As a fan of Mana series, this remake is a huge opportunity to try the old title in a new fashion. But as a fan of RPG genre, few players can survive this lengthy, shallow experience.
Review in Persian | Read full review
The Secret of Mana Remake is an overpriced and carelessly implemented remaster of a timeless classic with a terrible art style and soundtrack selection. If you wanna enjoy the best version of this classic, get a SNES Classic Mini.
Review in German | Read full review
A couple of additions are nice, but the original game is easy to play via digital sources today and delivers mostly the same experience.
Secret of Mana's remake doesn't add as much as it could and, if anything, removes some of the magic of the original.
Review in Italian | Read full review
It's no secret: This remake disappoints
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
The original SNES classic deserves better than this overpriced and undercooked remake, which fails to recreate the original's '90s charm.
Unwanted and unasked for, Secret of Mana does the bare minimum you'd expect from a remake, and when you consider the original's beloved status, the fact that it's been given such a lacklustre treatment is stupefying.
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
Secret of Mana is an entirely skippable remake of a game that was the progenitor for a number of JRPG conventions. That's a shame. The greater failing, however, is what happens when fans will inevitably pick this title up in the hopes of recapturing some of the feelings of grandeur the original game contained so much of. They, like me, might end up realizing that a game they had placed on a pedestal for decades is actually rather ordinary by today's standards, and any magic that made it a lasting impression on those who played it has long since been left behind by the cruel, inexorable march of time.
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.
It's better to play an SNES version and forget about this poorly executed so-called remake.
Review in Russian | Read full review
Those attempting to play for the first time are going to be dealing with the archaic systems on top of a presentation that feels more like a mobile port than a full-fledged console release. On the other hand, returning players will probably find themselves disappointed with the remixed soundtrack and lack of any work done to polish the rough edges. Nostalgic gamers should just stick to the SNES original, newcomers really don’t even need to bother.
Ultimately, Secret of Mana is a letdown that the series doesn’t deserve, and nor does its fans. The remake has lost some of the charm that made the original have such a cult following since 1993, due to its bland transition into 3D and certain gameplay mishaps. The experience isn’t entirely for naught, but it’s sure to rub some fans the wrong way. For newcomers, it’s best to steer clear and stick with the classic version, especially for the steep asking price of $39.99. Perhaps it’s best to keep the remake a secret and pretend it didn’t happen.
Secret of Mana was a groundbreaking game in the 90's. But considering the advances even in top-down RPGs in the recent years, the game had so much potential. What has been made feels like a quick cash grab that seems to lose the appeal of a port and disappoints, as a remake. This is definitely a game to wait for a drop in price, or spend a little more money on an SNES classic and enjoy the original alongside more titles.
Secret of Mana presents great environments with a traditional history when it comes to JRPGs. However, it feels like a lost opportunity to present a different experience, due to the lack of new elements and relying too much on the original material. For fans of the saga, it is surely an acquisition to consider, however there are better options on the market for those who simply want to spend a few hours playing an action JRPG.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
A flimsy remake of a flawed 16-bit favourite that exacerbates all the original's problems while failing to recapture its strengths.