SNES

Secret of Evermore

Don't get me wrong here, it's a great game and I encourage you to run out and buy it. Have a ball - I did - but it plays like a first novel reads and mostly I can't wait to see what they do next.

Overall, Secret of Evermore is a game that doesn't quite qualify as a classic game. Instead, it's more of a novelty game that just wound up angering the wrong people and quickly received an unmerited reputation. I would suggest this for those who played Secret of Mana and liked it or for those who don't mind a silly plot, but most people should be able to enjoy it to some extent.

Squaresoft has done it again! Secret of Evermore, the first RPG done by Square of America, has many similarities to past Square RPGs. The interface is quite similar to that of Secret of Mana, including the Ring Menu. The difficulty has been increased quite a bit since it's last RPG release, Chrono Trigger, which makes the game that much better. With a new look and increased difficulty, Secret of Evermore will please most RPGers.

It's no surprise. Square's Secret of Evermore was destined to be a good game. Just look at the reference material. I say SOE's good because I feel it lacks the high drama found in import RPG's. I also missed the Japanese art. The art in Evermore is very good, it's just aimed at the American palette. The game definitely ecco's Square quality and for that reason I consider it a success, especially for the first time out. It's promising just seeing a well-made U.S. RPG. SOE is definitely worthy of a sequel.

To be honest, we weren't expecting Square Soft USA's effort to come anywhere near emulating its illustrious Japanese- developed predecessors. So many of the things that make Square Soft RPGs good have been ignored, with the result being a mildly entertaining arcade adventure that, if you enjoyed Illusion Of Time, will probably keep you occupied for about a week. If it didn't say Square Soft on the box you'd probably never guess where it came from. Let's not be too downbeat: Evermore is still light years better than so many games that pass through this office, it's Just that it had the potential to be so much better. Oh, and one last thing, the packaging artwork is absolutely rubbish.

Evermore is no Fantasy, but it should satisfy true Square fans. Square hasn't lost any ground in the current batch of RPGs, but the Secret to its continued success will be a title other than this one.

If RPGs are your thing, then you know that the bed you want to be sleeping in is Square Soft's. Now, with the release of Secret of Evermore, that bed will seem all that more comfortable. This game has it all: a great story, slick graphics and cool monsters. Action is turn-based and game depth is great. That - and the fact that it's from Square Soft - is all you pretty much need to know. It's just that good.

This feature is similar to Secret of Mana. If you are a novice gamer, it is quite difficult. For an average "RPger", it should have some challenge. If you are an expert, this game is simple for you.

So, what does Secret of Evermore teach us? First, it shows us that developers outside of Japan can make an RPG. Second, it shows us that ripping off your predecessor is very bad, indeed. And lastly, it proves that even a below average game made in the USA can still be fun, if you don't mind being 'berated' by your friends.

While Evermore has all of the important elements necessary for a rewarding RPG, it fails in delivering an exciting or involving story. Characters are ordinary and there are weak attempts at humor and campiness throughout, such as references to B-movies that don't even exist, which is more puzzling than funny. The bottom line is that Evermore is a good, solid RPG, but those expecting memorable characters or a dramatic, involving story will most likely be disappointed.

In the end, the game was much better than I was expecting. If you can get past the real-time battle system, ring menus, attacks having a recharge time that causes you to do less damage when attacking before it refills, weapon levels letting you charge up for weapon skills…there’s just far too much in common with Secret of Mana to ignore the connection, which is kind of sad. I mean, I can’t say that it would have been the best game for the SNES if it wasn’t like that, but I imagine that it would have received better reviews at the time. It’s a game well worth playing.