It is commendable that Square Enix chose to remaster Legend of Mana in this manner, as it has preserved much of what made the original game special – even in areas where it will not perform as well in 2021.
Square Enix appears to be one of the companies with a large back catalogue of classic games to use and abuse, and it appears to be one of the companies that is most confident in diving into its old work. For example, we’ve seen bare-bones ports of the PS2 Kingdom Hearts games, previously unlocalized Japanese versions like Final Fantasy 12: The Zodiac Age (which was previously unlocalized in North America), and of course lore-bending, earth-shattering remakes like Final Fantasy 7. One contender for the best remastering style, as well as the most enthusiastic stroking of nostalgia, may very well be the one on display in the new HD Remaster of the PlayStation 1 classic Legend of Mana.
Legend of Mana was always destined to be the next obvious Mana series remake, given that its direct predecessors, Secret of Mana and Trials of Mana, had both been remade as 3D games before it. However, Legend of Mana takes an alternative approach, opting to retain the original spite-based visuals in order to maintain an exact recreation of it the way fans remember it – or at least, partially.
A beautiful spritework of characters, monsters, and other more ‘active’ elements of the game world, unfiltered and undeniably pixelated in their appearance, is used for these elements. Meanwhile, more static elements such as backgrounds have received a high definition makeover, resulting in everything appearing a little… smoother. These elements look good, with little to no detail lost, despite the fact that they sound like the type of description that should raise red flags (we see a lot of terrible vaseline filters over classic games). The most important thing to note is that the section of the game on which you will be concentrating will retain its original appearance.
This is a combination that I wouldn’t necessarily consider to be a good one on paper, but it turns out to be a fantastic one when put into practice. Rather than clashing, the two styles complement one another, and while it may appear strange at first, the two intertwine and cease to feel like two distinct art styles very quickly – they become complementary rather than competitive. It’s undeniable that the painterly backgrounds on modern displays look superior to how the original PS1 versions would’ve appeared in their original presentation, and that the pixelated sprites stand out against those backgrounds because of their size and shape. It’s functional, and it’s also pretty damn nice looking.
Even more impressive than the visual splendor is the audio, which has received a significant upgrade as well. The original soundtrack, composed by Yoko Shimomura (Street Fighter and Kingdom Hearts), has been lovingly remastered – and the arrangements, well, they’re slap-dancing good. We can’t put it any other way than that. Those looking for a true-to-remember-it experience, on the other hand, have the option of going back to the original PS1 versions of tracks if they so desire.
After that, there’s the game. Legend of Mana is a fantastic, classic Japanese role-playing game – but it’s also unapologetically of its time, having been released before the developer desire to streamline, simplify, and declutter the genre really took hold in the industry. Everything still holds up reasonably well – albeit with the same caveats and understandings that one would have had to accept back in 1999. There are some very welcome improvements to the overall quality of life – but the more frustrating aspects of the game that polarized players when it was first released are still present in this rerelease, for better or worse. If the game were significantly altered, it would no longer be considered Legend of Mana.
The combat is the same action-packed fare that fans of the Mana series have come to expect, albeit in a slightly slower tempo and with a slightly more rigid feel than previous entries. Even though it’s easy to grasp and have immediate fun with, there is no denying that it is also filled with complexities and depth, particularly when you delve into the minutiae of character growth and progression.
It is with a similar sensibility that the narrative is delivered. In this game, you play as the protagonist of a world that has already been destroyed, with the protagonist essentially rebuilding and recreating the world as you progress through the game. That progression is non-linear, and the player has a great deal of control over what they do and when they do it. This is unique and effective, but it contributes to the overall impression that this title is a little too obtuse for its own good at times, which is unfortunate.
What I can say about this aspect of the game is that if you’re a completionist, you almost certainly won’t be able to complete everything you want in it without consulting guides, many of which will be decades old and from the game’s original release. The original game was released at a time when games like this were no longer acceptable, and the situation hasn’t changed significantly with this re-release of the game.
Some of the changes in quality of life, on the other hand, are very appealing to me. You can use the ability to toggle off enemy encounters in order to make the process of fumbling around the world for your next step a little bit simpler, for example. Saving can be done from any location, which feels more equitable and breezier, and is especially appropriate for the Switch version.
The Legend of Mana remaster is likely to be regarded as the definitive version of the game by a certain type of player. It improves the visuals slightly, but not significantly. Despite the fact that it improves quality of life, it maintains the original design and difficulty – flaws and all. Because this twenty-year-old game is showing signs of its age, some may consider preservation to be detrimental – but it also makes this the new definitive way to experience a classic.
Latest: September 2024
