Do You Remember Legend of Mana?

Do you remember Legend of Mana? If you do, you probably don’t remember many (if any!) games like it. Legend of Mana, another now-rare gem developed by role-playing giant Square, showcased very unique visuals and an admittedly amazing soundtrack by Yoko Shimomura. Utilizing a unique open-ended play style, Legend of Mana was not the fanservice that series followers were hoping for, but instead a kind of interesting experiment into how a genre can be changed by putting more emphasis on sidequests and customization than a grand plot.
Only the most basic roots of the Mana series (or Seiken Densetsu series, for those types that prefer the Japanese roots) remain in 2000′s PlayStation outing. The story somewhat involves the ancient, mystical Mana tree, and a few monsters and NPC species make a return from the previous titles. The nameless protagonist of the story, who is created by the player, has only the vaguest intention of restoring his or her world’s previous order through the resurrection of the tree and the uniting of the world’s different races. Battles, like in the other Mana games, take place on the standard adventure screen. Players engage enemies in typical action-RPG fare, using various weapons and unlocked abilities to defeat opponents. Other than these elements, Legend of Mana is a totally new experience relative to the rest of the series.

The player can interact with the world of Fa’Diel in numerous ways. Firstly, the world itself is organized by the player. Artifacts are placed onto a map to create Lands, and thus, the overworld for the game. The various subquests that inherently make up the whole of the adventure are determined by which quests are taken, which artifacts are earned, and thus, which lands and quests are available.

The player is able to temper his or her own weapons and armor, mostly by using existing equipment and modifier items or raw materials. All manners of weapons can be forged – swords, knives, axes, hammers, gauntlets, staves, bows, and more (including a few two-handed variants of the aforementioned.) A player’s weapon choice determines which abilities will be learned through battle and experience, lending a personal touch to each playthrough. Players are also able to create musical instruments by using raw materials and elemental coins. With instruments available, various types of music can be played. Some music will have an effect in-battle, acting somewhat like magic spells, while other music will summon elemental spirits to acquire more coins. Lastly, in keeping with idea to customize everything, players can lure in animals to fight alongside them in battle, or create golems for the same purpose. These familiars can be fed different foods to raise their attributes and also gain experience from fighting enemies.

The graphics and music are some of the most standout elements in Legend of Mana. Using lush pre-rendered backgrounds and detailed sprites, the landscape of the game is simply gorgeous. The player’s home in particular is extraordinarily detailed, moreso than any game using polygons could ever be. Boss sprites are screen-filling and animated in a way that every individual part of their bodies move realistically, even the parts not always in view. The music that can be created by the player is just as good as the rest of the game’s soundtrack, which is to say that it is nothing short of brilliant. The various tunes fit towns, battles, and the overall tone of the game perfectly.

Knowing all of this, its easy to see why Legend of Mana is a rare and valuable game today. It isn’t the best of the series, or the best of the genre – it simply took a turn towards something different, and excelled to that degree. Like a piece of fine art, Legend of Mana is something to explore, something to absorb, and something to treasure.

Do You Remember is an ongoing effort at Spawn Kill to showcase some of the great and often forgotten titles in gaming history. Be sure to check back every Thursday for the newest edition of Do You Remember.