User Reviews (1 - 11 of 44)

Show these reviews first:

Highest Rated
Lowest Rated Newest
Oldest Most Helpful
Least Helpful

Remake of "Final Fantasy ADVENTURE"

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 19 / 26
Date: October 03, 2003
Author: Amazon User

This game looks to be one of the BEST RPGs to ever hit the GBA in years. "The Sword Of Mana" is actually a remake of "Final Fantasy ADVENTURE" (which was released in 1991 by SQUARESOFT) It is also the first chapter in the 'Mana' series and the graphics in this version (rather than the good ol' 5-8 bit) has been upgraded with graphics similar to that of "Secret Of Mana" on the SNES console. (which is the sequel) The storyline is very well written with unforgettable characters, beautiful music, and an unbelievable variety of weapons & armor and big bad BOSSES!!! I think that this is sure to be an instant classic next to the upcoming "Mario & Luigi" RPG that's due out this month. I've been a long time fan of the series now, and therefore I'm definately getting myself a copy once it comes out! SQUARESOFT IS THE KING CREATOR OF ALL RPG GAMES!!!!

Mana rocks

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 2
Date: November 28, 2003
Author: Amazon User

Sword of Mana is going to be a hit for all ages. The incredible story and real time rpg battles will keep you hooked.

Remake of a classic

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 8
Date: November 28, 2003
Author: Amazon User

Final Fantasy Adventure is the first action-rpg I ever played, and it was head and shoulders above most other Game Boy games when it was released. It had terrific action and an easy to follow, yet engaging plot. If you've never played a Squaresoft game on the Game Boy before, you're in for a pleasant surprise.

If you loved the SNES...

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 7 / 8
Date: December 03, 2003
Author: Amazon User

If you played the games of the 'golden age' of the Super Nintendo era and enjoyed games such as Secret of Mana, you will really smile when you play this. It just really transports you back to that time when games were FUN and didn't have to be movies like so many games today try to be. BEAUTIFUL graphics, an engaging story, and tried and true gameplay should put this gem at the top of your list.

Good but can't rekindle the magic of Secret of Mana

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 10 / 12
Date: December 07, 2003
Author: Amazon User

With the GBA receiving lots of SNES remakes, this one is actually a remake of a classic GB game, Final Fantasy Adventure. This game shines brightly but a few minor things bring it down a notch at times. While Swrrd of Mana is a great game to play, it can't capture the magic f what was "Secret of Mana" on the SNES.

The graphics on Sword of Mana are visually striking! Very colorful and vividly smooth make it feel like a nice Super Nintendo game. However, a problem with the graphics is that we're sometimes faced with slow down, and sometimes even graphical glitches. So while visually stunning, this part of the graphics can sometimes get annoying.

Gameplay wise, this game is pretty fun overall. Several different weapons to choose from that make the experience even better. It isn't much different from Secret of Mana really. The battle engine is the same real time based. What stands out is the different sort of attacks you can pull off. A slash, jab or bash, and so it's pretty fun. The problem with it however is that you have a three combo attack that is sometimes hard to pull off. Even expert players will sometimes find this hard at times. You've got enemies that even when the attack connects they take no damage. A lot of the time the enemies will actually dodge your attacks. After a while this becomes a little annoying.

The other part about the gameplay, you control one of two characters out to stop the Dark Lord from destroying those in tune with the power of Mana. As a member of the Mana tribe and a warrior you must stop the Dark Lord. You can control one of the two characters at a time. You can switch between the two from time to time and the game incorporates the AI for the character you're not using. The problem with this is that unlike Secret of Mana you're AI characters do much stupider things. Many a time the character being controlled by AI will cast spells like crazy or get themselves killed somehow. They fight senseless and its a hassle to get them to move on in an area. For what it's worth though you can use them to take a lot of the damage for you, and you can adjust their actions that they do much like in Secret of Mana.

From time to time your weapons will level up, but battling is actually different from Secret of Mana in some ways. While weapons level up just fine, Secret of Mana had a power gauge at the bottom that when it said 100% you struck the enemy for maximum damage. In this that gauge is gone. Now you attack and kill enemies to fill up the guage at the bottom to increase the amount of damage done. With this battling doesn't go quite as slowly as in Secret of Mana did at times.

As far as music goes it's pretty bland at times. Some points there are memorable tunes but a lot of the time they're a little bland. The sound effects aren't anything special either since they don't sound in character with the action at times.

For what it's worth Sword of Mana is actually a pretty good game. Visually striking and quite fun with a nice storyline, "Sword of Mana" is a pretty good game. The graphics are a few steps above "Secret of Mana" but the gameplay isn't quite as good. Still, I'd recomend this game to any RPGer.

INCREDIBLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 4 / 18
Date: December 09, 2003
Author: Amazon User

Wow!Ive been waiting for this a long time and it came.I was so impressed with the graphics, gameplay and cool sound.First off theres nothing bad about the graphics their the best seen on GBA so far!The gameplay rocks!No turned based battling YEAAAAAH!!!!! The music is actually really cool and crisp sounding.Im a fan of RPG'S so thats natural.If tou love RPG'S THIS IS YOUR GAME!!!!!Buy this its better than boktai or any thing like that.Buy this game...now!!!!!!

Good game, but not as good as Secret of Mana

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 1 / 2
Date: December 25, 2003
Author: Amazon User

Sword of Mana is a remake of an 12-year-old Gameboy game titled Final Fantasy Adventure, but it still does a good job of being fun and interesting.

Sword of Mana's storyline is one that you'll probably be farmiliar with: Dark Lord evil trying to defeat the good Mana clan and take over the world, complete with plot twists and all. That's not to say that the story isn't bad, it just isn't anything groundbreaking either.

In SoM, you'll play as one of two characters. The hero in the game is strong with weapons and physical attacks, while the heroine is better off using magic. Sometimes you will even be joined by an AI controlled character, but the AI in the game isn't that though out and what would seem like a big help tends to annoy you at times. Both of the main characters offer a unique style of gameplay though, and when you finish the story with on character, you can go back and play as the other one for a little different perspective on the story. This also adds a lot of replay value to the game.

SoM's gameplay is typical of what you'd find in most Action Adventure RPGs. Along with physical attacks, you are able to find different spirits throughout the game to use magic with. There are also multiple weapons you'll aquire to varry the gameplay a bit. You can also pull off combos with certain weapons but you have to time your attacks just right, or the combo won't execute, and that is one gripe that many people have with the game.

Compared to most action adventure games though, SoM has some nice RPG elements to go along with it. After gaining a certain amount of Exp. by killing enemies, you'll go up a level and be able to choose from several clases, like sage or theif, to improve your stats with. You also have the option of forging your weapons to make the stronger. These RPG elements certainly make SoM more enjoyable.

SoM graphics are pretty nice, but the game tends to slow down during gameplay and that will annoy you for sure. The music and sound effects are okay too, but nothing great. So pretty much, don't expect anything stellar from SoM in the graphics, music or graphics departments.

So, if you're in the market for a good Action Adventure game, then this is a fine game to choose. Just don't expect to be blown away by it...

Feeble Offspring

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 3 / 8
Date: December 31, 2003
Author: Amazon User

The only thing that relates this rotten game to "The Secret of Mana" is the name. Everything else is just a rotten imitation of that fine game. The graphics are well drawn, but poorly animated. The music is lame. The story is weak, and worst of all, the play controls are horrendous.

The ring menu system from "The Secret of Mana" was a thing of beauty that let you quickly use items and equip your characters. "Sword of Mana" has ring menus as well, but they're sluggish, and they flash for no apparent reason. Also, it seems like it takes forever for the guy to swing his sword after you have pressed the button. If you play it with the GameCube GameBoy Player, you'll even notice a bit of flicker.

Another minor irritation is that no matter what kind of creature you kill, it leaves behind something that looks like a bull skeleton. I could understand that in 1992, but it's 2003! Surely ROM is cheap enough by now for the cartridge to hold an assortment of remains.

I doubt that the original Mana team even worked on this thing. In the opening, it mentions Brown & Browne, which makes me suspect that Square is just a publisher for this game, not a developer. They pulled the same dirty trick with "Breath of Fire" which was an okay game developed by Capcom, but it was not as good as a Square game.

If they couldn't be bothered to do it right, they shouldn't have done it at all.

Great Game!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: January 03, 2004
Author: Amazon User

Just completed this game, and I must say that I enjoyed it immensely. I remember playing Final Fantasy Adventure on the original gameboy, and Sword of Mana is definetly a worthy remake. Other reviewers have mentioned graphical glitches or slowdowns in gameplay, none of which I experienced. The gameplay was smooth throughout the course of the game. A great game in all categories, and one of the best I've played in recent history (Sword of Mana becomes much more enjoyable if you stop trying to compare it to Secret of Mana. They're different games for different systems!).

HARD AS HELL BUT REALLY FUN!!!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 5
Date: January 06, 2004
Author: Amazon User

Great story and really cool fights plus even cooler puzzles!! But it's pretty hard.....I do not recamend this game for beginning players

Review Page: 1 2 3 4 5 Next 

Actions