So, a few months ago, I heard that Square Enix was remaking the classic Secret of Mana from the ground up. Now, at the time, I actually felt a bit positive about this decision, for a couple of reasons. Number one, the idea of a “remake from the ground up” had really grown since I last heard it, mainly thanks to the stupendous Shadow of the Colossus, which is easily one of my favorite games of the year. But, most importantly, it would give a SNES classic a second chance at exposure, as if the, ahem, SNES Classic Edition didn’t do that enough already.
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But then I began to hear about things that were being piled into the game, including new features and…English voice acting? These aren’t really necessities, especially when all you’re trying to do is pay homage to a game that didn’t have them. And now that I’ve played the final product, I can honestly say…well, this is not Shadow of the Colossus, as much as I was wishing it was in terms of treatment.
The game follows a young hero who suddenly gets a great deal of attention when he pulls a sword out of a stone, unknowingly unleashing a dangerous force that could very well consume his land. I won’t go too much into detail, but he grows quite a bit over the course of his journey, and invites some allies to tag along for the ride, in the hopes of restoring his world to prosperity before it’s too late.
Changes, and Not Entirely For the Better
The original SNES game stood out because of its style and grace – and having the ability to include a pair of friends for three-player action never hurt either. But this PlayStation 4 version feels a little bit off – which is weird, considering that Square has already proven it could handle games in classic territory with its previously released World of Final Fantasy.
First of all, while the gameplay is good, there’s some stuff that hasn’t been improved upon. The combat is tactical and still feels as good as ever, as you hack away at smaller enemies and eventually improve your skills to take on some of the bigger, badder ones. But, by the name token, some of the enemies come across as complete dummies. It’s like their AI had been simply programmed, and all you need to do to get around a problem is to avoid slow attacks and move in for the kill. This is a bizarre thing to run across, since the original game posed more of a challenge. (Oh, but for some reason, they’re still temporarily invulnerable when you hit them. Okay.)
For that matter, the local multiplayer actually serves as a benefit in some cases, because somehow your AI-controller partners can act even worse, consistently bumping into walls or, worse yet, getting hit by enemies cheaply because, apparently, they don’t know how to stop. So, yeah, if you can rope some friends in for this one, you’ll be far better off. You don’t even need a Multitap.
Graphics Are a Mixed Bag
Also, is there a particular reason the wheel system is still ancient? You can still select stuff just as you did in the original, but I would think with all the changes that Square Enix was making, this would be at the top of the list. Alas, it didn’t happen.
Otherwise, if you can look past these shortcomings, Secret of Mana still has some pretty good gameplay, and the boss encounters are just as much fun as they used to be – when your partners aren’t stupid enough to die, that is.
The game’s graphics are a mixed bag. While some of the renders are great to see in 3D, there are some that just don’t translate as well. For instance, some of the characters just look bad, instead of being designed simply. I’m not sure if this was a decision by Square Enix as part of the overhaul process, but it just comes off as a bit strange. At least the words are articulately designed, and resemble some of the cool places from the SNES game. Again, though, I think I would’ve preferred a simple HD touch-up, instead of “let’s make this boy 3D!”.
I think the fact that cutscenes are a bit lazy didn’t help either. None of the characters’ mouths really move, and it comes across like they’re trying to mumble through their lips. They’re decent to watch (you can blast through them if you prefer), but I would’ve liked Square Enix to maybe finish the job they started here. These appear rushed.
A Tale of Two Soundtracks
As for the audio, it too has its ups and downs. The English voice acting is average at best, and atrocious at worst, with some characters screeching to the point of pure insanity. Fortunately, there’s a Japanese voice option, and it’s far better – and a bit authentic considering the material.
Now, soundtracks. On the one hand, the classic SNES soundtrack is superb, sounding as wonderful as it ever has. But then you have the remixed soundtrack, which should be an improvement. Note the word “should”. It isn’t. It sounds like it was instead cobbled together by interns and then just put into the game for laughs. If you can, stick with the old-school tracks. They’re way better.
A couple more notes to go through here: while the multiplayer is a great option to have, it’s local only, which means you can’t online and play with your buddies. I was a bit sad over this, as I know a couple of folks in L.A. that this would’ve been perfect to play with. Alas, local multiplayer is still good and, I reiterate, a must if you want the best experience from this game.
Also, the PS Vita version is lacking compared to the PS4 one. You can’t really do multiplayer in that version, and the graphics stutter in comparison to the original game. It’s still decent for on-the-go sessions, but it’s hardly the definitive version of this SNES favorite.
An Imperfect Trip Through a Classic
In the end, Secret of Mana is a tough game to review. The core game itself is majestic and a timeless favorite, but Square Enix’s treatment of it is slipshod for the most part. The gameplay is all right, but some elements didn’t get fixed properly; the graphics are a mixed batch, and I haven’t even mentioned the strange glitches I ran into yet; the music can be superb or sorely lacking, depending on which option you choose; the voice acting is mixed (stick with the Japan track, trust me); and the AI left me frustrated to the point I couldn’t even consider playing without a few friends in tow.
It’s definitely a mixed batch, but devotees to the series might want to give it a try anyway, just out of curiosity. Otherwise, the SNES Classic Edition of the game – which is absolutely superb – is recommended instead.
Oh, and if it’s still a reworking from the ground up you’re after, again, I can’t recommend Colossus enough. It makes Secret of Mana look like a student project.
WWG’s Score: 3 out of 5.
Disclaimer: A review code was provided by the publisher.
