Secret of Mana HD

About

"Secret of Mana HD" is a 3D remake of the popular 1993 game, now with updated graphics, controls, voiced characters, and a newly arranged musical score. This version includes new content, special DLC armor that changes character appearances, and customizable wallpapers. Experience the classic adventure of Randi, Primm, and Popoi like never before.

Genres & Tags

Role Playing

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Audience ScoreBased on 25 reviews

music4 positive mentions

gameplay3 negative mentions

The remake retains the charm and personality of the original game, making it enjoyable for fans.
New interludes and character development add depth to the story and gameplay experience.
Local co-op multiplayer is a great feature, allowing up to three players to enjoy the game together.

The combat system feels outdated and clunky, failing to modernize the experience.
Numerous technical issues, including glitches and performance problems, detract from the overall enjoyment.
The remake does not address many of the original's flaws, leaving some players feeling disappointed.

music
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
13%
38%
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its nostalgic quality and the presence of two great soundtracks. However, some players criticize certain remixed tracks for sounding off and feel that the music upscaling has not met expectations. Overall, while the soundtrack retains its charm, it also faces scrutiny for inconsistencies and missed opportunities for improvement.
- “A fresh way to have a new generation play this classic JRPG, the new modern art style, and that soundtrack is as good as ever.”
- “The music has some high notes, a heavy dose of pure nostalgia, and the original experience is kept intact.”
- “Impressive sprite work, the music slaps.”
- “It fails to make any revolutionary changes to the gameplay, forgoing an opportunity to improve on one of the all-time classic games, and the changes it does make (particularly the music) are hard to swallow at times.”
- “The AI, gameplay, and battle system are only slightly improved, with lots of old annoyances and bad elements remaining. The music upscaling is largely an insulting failure.”
- “There are some weird menu choices, and you often don't have the information you need regarding items. The remixed soundtrack features too much accordion.”
graphics
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
14%
43%
The graphics of the remastered game receive mixed reviews, with some praising the bright and distinctive updated visuals and modern art style that enhance the classic experience. However, others criticize the dated and generic character models, technical issues, and a lack of retro charm, leading to a perception of inconsistency in quality. Overall, while the remaster aims to capture the essence of the original, opinions vary on its visual execution.
- “The secret of Mana remaster was highly anticipated by a lot of fans and overall manages to capture the experience of playing the original within an all new outer shell of upscale graphics and new sound.”
- “The redone graphics look good. Two great soundtracks. Fun combat system. The option to play local co-op. Incredibly charming. Engaging characters.”
- “Updated graphics are bright, vivid, and distinctive; remixed tunes showcase some unique new instrumentation; characters are much more developed, and a joy to journey with; combat system is still marvelously complex.”
- “The graphics manage to look dated, yet not retro enough.”
- “Forgettable, lackluster 3D graphics.”
- “Generic art style, poor character models, technical problems.”
story
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
20%
40%
The story aspect of the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising its quirky charm and depth added by new interludes, while others criticize it for being overshadowed by performance issues and a lack of engaging content. Many players feel that the remake fails to capture the fun of the original, resulting in a dull narrative and tedious gameplay. Overall, the story is seen as a significant letdown compared to its predecessor.
- “The story is as affably zany as ever, with new interludes adding depth to your party, nicely varied locales and quests, and it lacks the fluff endemic to newer RPGs. It's still a great local co-op option.”
- “Somehow, it manages to take the original and, honestly, it makes it worse… the same story and the same game are still here at its heart, but it's hidden away under so many layers of imperfections and issues that it's almost indistinguishable.”
- “Dull story, tedious gameplay, cumbersome controls.”
gameplay
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
75%
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with some praising its approachable nature and surprising depth, particularly in multiplayer battles, while others criticize it for lacking revolutionary changes and retaining old frustrations. Additionally, issues such as cumbersome controls and a dull story detract from the overall experience.
- “Approachable gameplay with surprising depth, multiplayer battling still feels novel, new inn cutscenes and game logs help keep the action moving.”
- “It fails to make any revolutionary changes to the gameplay, forgoing an opportunity to improve on one of the all-time classic games, and the changes it does make (particularly the music) are hard to swallow at times.”
- “[AI, gameplay, and battle system only slightly improved; lots of old annoyances and bad elements remain. Music upscaling is largely an insulting failure, characters look bad up close, and don’t move their mouths.]”
- “[Dull story, tedious gameplay, cumbersome controls.]”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is criticized for numerous glitches and buggy AI, which detract from the overall experience. Additionally, the retro combat mechanics and lackluster visual and audio upgrades contribute to a sense of instability and dissatisfaction among players.
- “Visual and audio upgrades are so-so, combat is too retro for its own good, and there are lots of weird glitches.”
- “It never captures the charm of the original, has buggy AI, and the new features actively make the experience worse.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, characterized by monotonous combat against uninspiring enemies and cumbersome controls. The overall experience is marred by a lackluster story and dated graphics that fail to evoke nostalgia.
- “Tedious combat against tiresome monsters, backtracking and repetition, graphics manage to look dated, yet not retro enough.”
- “Dull story, tedious gameplay, cumbersome controls.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The game's optimization has been criticized for performance issues and frequent crashes, leading to a clunky and unresponsive combat experience. Additionally, the poor voice acting and lackluster story further detract from overall gameplay quality.
- “The performance issues and crashes make it nearly impossible to enjoy the game.”
- “Combat feels clunky and unresponsive, which detracts from the overall experience.”
- “The terrible voice acting and uninteresting story further highlight the lack of optimization.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The humor in the game is highlighted by its lovable protagonists and the integration of elegant RPG systems, which together create a backdrop for some great, strange, and funny moments that enhance the overall experience.
- “The lovable protagonists and elegant RPG systems create some great, strange, and funny moments.”
- “The humor in this game is both clever and unexpected, making every encounter a delight.”
- “I found myself laughing out loud at the witty dialogue and hilarious situations throughout the game.”