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A game with NO limits.

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 7 / 7
Date: February 03, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Being from the era with final fantasy legends 1 & 2 for gameboy; Let's just say I've a seen, played, and beaten a slew of games. Those who know about the games previously stated, you'll most likely recall FFA. (Final Fantasy Adventure). Back in the day, that was a great game. Then a few years later, as well as many RPGs, On the fabled SNES was released "Secret of Mana". I'm certain that this was loved as much by others as it was by myself. I've stated these 2 games specifically, due to their being the predecessors to the game at hand....

"Legend of Mana"; is a legend in it's own. A guarenteed 160 hrs of gameplay and still counting... An innovative, colorful, well balanced, enjoyable, challenging, imaginative, inticing, and to say the least an excellent action/adventure/rpg.

That being said, this game is inordinatly impossible to truly gain full achievement without it's strategy guide. I've also found many good web sites that have even more info than the book does on this game. By that I mean that the game can be beaten without help, but you can do a lot more with guidance.

You are able to catch & raise pets. After caught, you can raise whatever stats of the animal you desire when they gain levels, as long as you remain dedicated to them. I've got a lvl 99 rabite... (Imagine that) If you don't want to bring a monster with you, you can create a robotic golem to fend of the baddies. They can be a lot of fun to make, but they get expensive after a while. You can also decide what attacks they have, and map out their entire attack plan.

About leveling up: very easy to do, and fun as well. You'll be lvl 99 in 2-3 weeks and not even realize you've played that long already. There are few monsters that will serve your head to you on a platter, but there are some. The game can only get as difficult as you want.

With difficulty, comes power. And being powerful, implies wielding powerful weapons, casting powerful spells, and defending with powerful armor. To get the best of the best, the creators of this oddysey have given the player the ability to create their own. (There are web sites that tell you exactly how to obtain weapons and armors of a 999 stat. Very monotinous, yet highly affective). As for the spells, you can create quite a bit of spells based on the 8 different elements that parts of the game are based on.

The gameplay is inside of 2d/3d environments. Ranging from forests, lakes, cities, caves, fortresses, towers, & bizzare plains that will further expand on and beyond that in what you've come to know in an RPG. When fighting monsters, you're able to move up and down, left and right as well as the diagonals. You physical attacks are centered on a left and right basis, but you can hit monsters above or below your position if you're standing near them. Some of the spells can be cast anywhere on the board at the players discression. Some will be positioned randomly, while other extend sideways. There are also ones that fan outward in front of you. There are also many different techniques that you can use with whatever weapon you've learned them with. Along with these, you'll gain abilities to even further allow you to dominate boss, after boss, after boss.

The end of the game is nice, especially when you go into your library afterwards. You find a text entitled "The forbidden tome", which allows you to let the monsters go up in level by a little, or by an extreme. The changes ARE reversible as well. Look into it...

The world map is designed the way the player wishes it to be. The concept of this is; the further an area is from your home, the more challenging the opponents become.

You can choose from a male or a female in the beginning. If you can't figure out a name for them, the game is programmed to offer you choices fom MANY different names at random. When the characters are chosen, you may chose the weapon you start with. From there you can chose where in the world you wish to begin you beloved quests. (78 in all).

The game is 1 - 2 player simultaneous, just like it's prequel "Secret of Mana". You can load up a friend's character from their memory card save, or you can choose from many different characters that the game offers throughout it's course.

The game requires 2 blocks of memory. It has mini-games to uncover, and it's stories are very indepth and will draw you in after the first 3 or so missions. Oh... and you can also have a garden... Growing and selling your own foods, adds a "Harvest Moon" aspect to the game. You can also fight your friends in an arena.

That being said and all; it's a great game for anyone with dedication, motivation, and a little time. Come; enter the world of Fa'diel to experience that in which can only be dreamed of in most games. The legend within itself, "Legend of Mana".

Enjoy!

Just plain fun.

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 6 / 6
Date: June 25, 2000
Author: Amazon User

Just because there are no bloody 3-D graphics doesn't mean a game can't be fun. This game actually has wonderful graphics- all the backgrounds are handpainted watercolor images. Anybody who says the cuteness factor is too much for the Mana series didn't really pay attention to Secret of Mana, because that game was pretty cutesy. Although I must admit, this game is a bit cuter. The watercolors also add to the games light feeling. The game itself is fun, too. There's really no linear story, it's a bunch of side quests, but that only improves the replay value. You shape the land as you wish, putting cities wherever you want. There are many cities to explore, each with their own unique environments. What I like most, though, is that this game gives a lighter contrast to all the dark games that have recently come out. It goes back to the traditional RPG ideas of magic and strange places, full of imagination. All in all, it's just a great game.

Gotta go No Future Mode!

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 5 / 5
Date: June 14, 2000
Author: Amazon User

I beat this game relatively easily the first time that I played. True, it has little plot (though it does have a couple important sub-plots), but fighting battles seems to be what Square was most concerned about.

My favorite thing about the game is that after you beat it, you can play on No Future Mode which makes the game MUCH more challenging. All of the old enemies are level 99 and new ones appear at level 76 or 86 depending on the enemy. They are also a whole lot stronger. If you found it easy the first time through, play it again on No Future Mode for a challenge.

Overall, it is a good game, but it is very easy to get annoyed with the AI. The computer controlled characters are so STUPID. They don't get the experience coins and only attack when you are trying to get one of your special techniques off.

Simply amazing.

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 5 / 6
Date: February 14, 2005
Author: Amazon User

As a longtime fan of Squaresoft's work through the Final Fantasy series and branching out into Chrono Trigger, Chrono Cross, etc., I've come to have a general idea of what to expect: great games, plain and simple.

This one really took me by surprise, though.

I was really captivated at first by the composer Yoko Shimomura's choice to make the opening and ending themes in Swedish. These songs have a wonderful feel to them and definitely highlight the pastoral, almost mythological "aura" to the game.

The locations have a very hand-drawn look to them; this only enhances it, and it personally gives me a "storybook" type of feeling.

The next thing I noticed was that this game gives subtle influences to later RPGs, which had me completely delighted. The overlapping, multicolored boss HP bars were something I had not expected to see in a game this early; I had only witnessed this really good idea in Kingdom Hearts, a much more recent title. The placement and arrangement of locations on the main map smacks of conceptual Dark Cloud, and for what it's worth I like this idea much better.

The monster encounter engine is the same as seen in Chrono Trigger -- at fixed locations on the map, and the monsters only appear once you reach that point. However, the battle engine itself is fantastic, allowing you free range to jump, guard, dodge, and move around the map at will. This departure from turn-based battle again does wonders for Legend of Mana's originality; it also makes the player think about tactics, which are definitely useful in the boss battles.

The depth in this game is incredible. Golem creating, weapon forging, and crop growing are all dependent not only on the items used to manufacture/grow the product, but on the combinations of items thereof and down to the very day of the week. Monster raising is featured as well, and you can take your pets on adventures with you -- a great help if they are properly levelled, as they can help you in tough spots.

Consider that to unlock all possible sidequests, all the locations must be placed in a very certain order on the world map; after you realize that, you get a grasp on exactly how huge this game is. You could be at risk of losing access to sunlight for months! (Which is exactly what I was guilty of doing...)

A warning, though: this game will take thought and this game may be a little difficult even to moderately experienced gamers. However, if you're up to the challenge and you have a good amount of time on your hands...I recommend it as a 'must'!

By far the best rpg to date on the PSX ...

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: June 17, 2000
Author: Amazon User

In typical Square fashion, we are treated to an excellent title. Legend of Mana continues on in the tradition of the Secret of Mana (Seiken Densetsu) series. This latest offering from Square proves that 2D gaming is alive and well and have pushed the envelope on RPGs in general.

Quite frankly, if you are looking for cutting edge CGI (ie, FF8) and flashy gameplay look elsewhere. Because where LoM shines is its gameplay. Simply put it is addicting and a very enjoyable experience. You are placed in the role of either a female or male character to which you can name and assign a weapon to. You will also decide on which part of the world map to base your quests on. The gameplay is unique as you progress through the story, your character will receive additional artifacts in which it allows you to open up additional parts of your "custom" world. There are over 65 quests and they all play nearly non-linear.

In addition to the story, you will also have side quests that you can engage in. Workshop involves creation of custom weapons, armors, magical instruments and golems (like robots). There is an orchard scenario in which you harvest produce to feed your ... pets, which is another scenario. These side quests and more is what set LoM apart from the other RPGs currently available for the video game consoles.

Another cool feature is the ability to have a friend play alongside you. Your friend could have his own game data and when he visits you he can import that data to your game. There is even a battle arena to challenge your friend and all the levels and skills gained can then be saved to his memory so that he can take it back to his game.

In short, if you enjoyed the original Secret of Mana, you will not be disappointed. Much improved graphics and a higher quality of gameplay makes this game, IMO, the best that Square has put to date.

For you pundits out there, I suggest not setting your expectations too high. ;)

What an interesting game!

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: July 10, 2000
Author: Amazon User

Ok, I love the old Secret of Mana on SNES... but what I see so many people doing is saying how they wish Legend of Mana was more like Secret of Mana. Why? Why would you want to play the exact type of game all over again?

Legend of mana is a wonderful twist to the traditional action RPG. Not only do you create the world as you go, but you get to go on quests dealing with almost every single inhabitant of the world you create.

And to everyone who says there's no story to this game, don't listen to them. There are, in fact, THREE complete stories within this game.

1) The Dragons: help Larc free himself from the underworld to return to his sister... but what's his ulterior motive?

2) The Fairies: Help Daena discover Irwin's plans for the High Preistess of Gato Grottos... and What does Escad have to do with it? and Who is Irwin?

3) The Jumi: Help Elazul and Pearl discover how to save their dying race... or is it already too late?

Not to mention, the TONS UPON TONS of other quests you can do along side these... some humorous, some saddening, some exciting... it's got EVERYTHING!

this is a great game, that is a LOT of fun to play, and has almost endless replay value. Highly recommended!

It's okay...

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: July 30, 2001
Author: Amazon User

Like many other people out there, I got this game with the expectation that it would live up to the Squaresoft reputation of awesome gaming, especially with the Mana name attached. And no, I was not expecting a sequel to Secret of Mana, as such, but something similar enough as far as quality goes.

This is a beautiful game - plenty of people have been put off by its 2-D appearance, and its resemblance to SNES 'flat' graphics. This was actually one of the things that attracted me to this game, initially. My eyes still just crawl over the artwork in LoM, it has so much subtle detail and rich color ... however, this does not conceal the fact that the game is frankly boring. As one reviewer put it, many of the storylines don't seem to have any relevance at all, and quite a few of them just don't make sense. At times, I would find myself completing an event, thinking, "Okaay... what just happened?" The plot tends to be silly or even childish at times.

Good things about the game: the variety of weapons and abilities which combine into LOTS of different Special Techniques. I also like the freedom to place the different lands where you want to on the World Map, which does have an effect on gameplay as you go.

Other than this, not much stands out to distinguish this as a Square game. It certainly doesn't hold a candle to Secret of Mana, and again, I would like to emphasize that I was not expecting the same game again - why would we want the SAME game? Summary - a good game from a stand-alone point of view, but something of a disappointment for SoM fans.

Where' s the plot?!

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: August 05, 2001
Author: Amazon User

Although this is a great game on it's own, it puts shame to the others in the series. Seiken Densetsu 2 & 3 were some of the best games ever. However, the game does retain the "optimistic" feel of the 'Mana' series. Bright colors, cheerful (sometimes annoying) music, adorable characters, and of course, monsters you can't help but not hate. It's just a pity the makes at Square made it look like this game was rushed. No plot whatsoever, which makes for flimsy gameplay.

Legend of Mana (ps 1)

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: September 08, 2005
Author: Amazon User

If any of you guys out there like games that let you become super-involved, this is the game to get. I'm a huge fan of Secret of Mana and I expected this game to be very similar, and in a way it is, but in a lot of ways it's not. I'm gonna try to break it down for you in as many categories as I can.
Graphics. The graphics are very creative, bold, colorful, and pleasing to the eyes. They have that "hand-drawn" effect, which makes you feel like you're in a fantasy world. Being a student of the arts, I really love how the maps, backgrounds, and foregrounds just make this a piece of work that's worth checking out.
Gameplay. At first, it was hard to understand the controls and how to control your character during a fight sequence. However, once you get the hang of using you're magic powers, creating combos (that don't give you that huge recovery time) and maneuvering around the map, the game starts to open up a ton. You can almost feel a difference in the weapons you use, pending their strength, range, speed, and overall effectiveness they have on a particular enemy. Overall takes some getting used to.
Concept. If any of you are fans of the Final Fantasy games, this game is for you. Even though it doesn't really have ONE HUGE plot, there are lots of little side quests that ultimately lead you to what you have to do. There lots of ingenious features to the game that are advanced for it's time, which makes it a good buy.
Overall Fun. Dude...this game kicks. Once you get the hang of it, you can't stop. I've seriously logged, like, 40 hours on this game already and I know I'm not even halfway done with it yet. There's SO MUCH stuff you can do and get. The weapons, armor, monster raising, golem building, allies, 2 player features, event-sensitive environments, amazing music and even more stunning graphics make this game a TOTAL MUST HAVE in the moderate-to-serious gamers collection. Like I said, if you like Final Fantasy, you'll love this game. It's like...fighting sequences of Secret of Mana and the gameplay of FF. I didn't know this game from Adam...I bought it on a whim (which i'm sure you're doing too) and i LOVE it. so BUY IT NOW because it'll be gone before you know it.

What a Disappointment

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 6 / 9
Date: August 04, 2000
Author: Amazon User

What a shock. That's all I can say. Secret of Mana (SoM) and it's ilk that used the same game engine (most notably Secret of Evermore) defined, in my heart, what a live action RPG should be. There where several key things that defined the SoM game.

One was the co-op play with another player (up to three players total). This allowed the game to be put into the "play at parties" pile. Games are fun by yourself, even more fun when two skilled players are in on it. Sadly this is poorly implemented in Legend of Mana (LoM). It's bad enough when the other player has a hard time interacting with the game world. Worse when you have to go to a "special" place for that second person to join. Even lower still when the NPC's are unstable. By that I mean in SoM the two NPC characters only left the main character alone for any great amount of time once, after joining the party. LoM NPC's don't stick around for very long. At least the other player can "import" their characters.

The other was the incredible item wheel. This gaming innovation allowed the player to quickly select any item or spell in the heat of battle. This wonderful innovation in gaming is sadly missing and once again players are forced to suffer through menus.

And finally, the battles stink. SoM allowed complete and total freedom when dealing with the baddies (Except for the level bosses). You chose to stay and fight or you chose to run for cover. LoM battles are loaded on an area by area basis and running is not an option. This isn't a problem at first but your patience will wear out very quickly after you fought the same dang monsters for the 26th time.

I own the Japanese sequel to SoM. Suffice to say it is not fair to make this kind of punishing leap to the American market when the American market expects a sequel to SoM and not Seiken Densetsu 3. ALL of the key elements that made SoM a sleeper hit in the US is missing in this one. LoM is nothing more than an empty collectors item. Although this game does have a few redeeming qualities. I gave one star to the eye-popping eye-candy, which make this a great game to watch. And the colorful world is a joy to explore, but strip it all away and what do you have? An empty game that is trying to cash in on the underground success of SoM.

I give another star to the insight of ingenious programmer who configured the controls for one-handed use. You'll need it when your brain reduces it's operating level to a minimum while playing.

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