PlayStation

Legend of Mana

It's not for everyone, but if you're looking for a flexible gaming experience, Legend of Mana may be right up your alley.

The point? Legend of Mana, in some ways, is less of a game than a more general aesthetic experience. While a great many players may grow frustrated by its structure, those who enjoy smelling the roses during an RPG will find much to reward a little patient wandering. The way the plot and combat system have been organized make this a fair bit less of a complete game than Secret of Mana, and the multiplayer game is sorely missed, but perhaps that was intentional on the part of the developers. Perhaps they wanted to create something with a little less story focus, to let the game's aesthetic qualities shine through.

Legend of Mana is a fun game. The battle system is exciting and interactive. Loads of special skills and extra bonuses like golems, pets and equipment modification, make for a very detailed and comprehensive experience. The only thing about LoM that throws it off somewhat is the disconnected story line. At some points in the game, you feel lost, and have no clue if you're doing what you should be, or not. That aside, LoM is still a very fun game to play, with wonderful visuals and sound that just won't quit. If you're looking for a non-linier adventure, and love side quests and raising pets, and golems, LoM should be on your list. The replay value should be high also, considering you can start a new game with your old data. Squaresoft, once again has shown it's mastery of Rpg's, and it's flair for keeping the genre alive with new ideas.

Legend of Mana is one of those games that has something for everyone. With so many quests and so many side activities, such as weapon creation and pet raising, Legend of Mana will certainly give players a fantastic bang for their buck. The game may not appeal to every gamer, considering its unique brand of play and sheer difference in style from the rest of the Seiken Densetsu series. However, those who give Legend of Mana a chance are sure to find a truly gratifying, unforgettable experience.

A few years into the life of the PlayStation, Square suddenly remembered all the great 16-bit franchises it had lying around the office. "Maybe we shouldn't let these flounder," thought one of Square's brighter executives, and several design teams were quickly assigned to resurrect old glories. Legend of Mana is the follow-up to Square's popular Seiken Densetsu series, released in the US as Final Fantasy Adventure and Secret of Mana. Yet despite its obvious mastery of presentation, Legend of Mana never delivers the level of gameplay needed to match its classic predecessors.

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