Secret of Mana HD Reviews
A flimsy remake of a flawed 16-bit favourite that exacerbates all the original's problems while failing to recapture its strengths.
Secret of Mana HD has retained its charm after all these years however some of its dated gameplay needs to be overhauled in order to make it one of the better remakes released by Square Enix.
Secret of Mana is a strange title. On one hand it has so many missteps in its redesign that it's easy to quickly dismiss it, but it remains a rewarding gaming experience upon playing.
Conventional wisdom would say the new Secret of Mana isn't a great remake. It doubles down on the stuff that already works while leaving the original game's most glaring flaws mostly untouched. That said, I still enjoyed this new package. Secret of Mana was always about charm and personality over polish. Yes, the game remains a bit of a mess, but that special spark at its core burns brighter than ever. If you loved the original game, or are just in the mood for something light and quirky, this remake strikes true.
The magic of Secret of Mana seems to have faded during its transition to HD assets. Beyond a graphical upgrade that will certainly not please everyone, it is especially the old rhythm of the combat and lack of difficulty that make the adventure much more bland than the original. If you played the original, I would advise not to tarnish your memories with this so-called upgrade.
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
This Secret of Mana remake is a solid new way to relive the classic although the original is clearly the better of the two options.
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.
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.
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
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.
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
When breaking down a product such as this remake it's important to look at the game through the lens of the two different audiences. If you're an established fan then this remake is a mixed bag, it refines and improves the game in some ways, but is a backwards step in others. If you're new, then you're a small purchase away from experiencing one of the truly great JRPGs of all time, not carrying the baggage that others bring with them.
A bewildering assortment of bad updates and very few good ones makes this an unnecessary and disappointing remake of a beloved SNES classic
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.
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
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.
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.
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