Dawn of Mana

Comes out tomorrow. Reviews are very mixed from the japanese version.

I really hope this game is at least decent, I need to play another Mana game that doesn't suck and isn't on a handheld device. :\

you mean like children of mana?  That game was so half-assed.

you mean like children of mana?  That game was so half-assed.

No it wasn't. That game rocks, and Dawn of Mana is gonna rock too. A bunch of new school gamers are just rambling because it's an RPG with Stages, much like an old Side Scroller, and at the start of each one, you go back to Level 1. So what? All the more challenge.

I'm going to pick up my copy today!

please don't suck please don't suck please don't suck

Me too.

I simply compare the new games to my favorite in the series, Legend of Mana, that game was AWESOME.  Children of mana diddn't come close for me that's all. 

Once you got the dawn one, share your verdicts.. I'm curious. 

Legend of Mana is really the only reason I'm interested in Dawn of Mana, but I'm worried. Legend of Mana was such a step out of the usual RPG realm, I don't think another game will try to follow in its footsteps for a while...

I'm leaving for the mall in a few minutes. :O

From everything I hear... it's horrible. Probably to be the death of the series. ;_;

That's probably what they said about Legend of Mana, which wasn't exactly a smash hit either.


So far, I like it. It's a departure from the usual RPG style, which is probably why all the Mana fanboys are pissing and moaning. The level system is a lot like Mystical Ninja, or old Castlevania games, if you remember those. There's only, say, 3 or 4 levels for your weapon, magic, etc.., and it resets when a chapters done, which really isn't a big deal if you ask me.

Can't say much about the story right now. I've only been playing for a few hours.

The battle system is really fun, though. And the physics engine, and the fact that nearly everything can be moved around, destroyed, or thrown at enemies makes it even more fun.

I get the impression, though, that it doesn't exactly get much better than that later on. You know, because so much has already been unlocked, and because it's the 3/4 level resetting system, but who knows, there might still be some things I don't see coming, yet.


Full review later, but for now, I like it.

OH MY GOD.

I rammed into a tree, and Rocket Papayas fell out of it! You remember Rocket Papayas from Legend of Mana, right?

Well, I hit them with my sword AND THEY IGNITED AND STARTED FLYING AROUND LIKE ACTUAL ROCKETS AND THEY BLEW UP SOME OF MY ENEMIES AHAHAHAHAHAHAH


I love this game, so far.

I'm going to pick it up tonight. The Mana series is the best series by square, imo.

I'll probably rent it. I'm happy to hear you like it. Gives me more hope. ;_;

So here's the lowdown.

Reviewers from game sites like IGN or gamespot will tell you it's a 5 or a 6 out of 10. Most of these people haven't even played through the entire game, which is strongly evidenced by them making completely incorrect claims like "you can only equip 3 badges at a time," when you can, in fact, equip up to 5, but only after chapter 3. Indeed, these people hardly even played this game.

Which is understandable, and it brings me to the other side of the reviewers:

The die-hard mana fans are bitching and whining because it's not a "true mana sequel." They were expecting, as usual, the exact same gameplay dynamics that have been used in every single Mana game so far. This game is different, gameplay-wise, and the fanboys hate it for that. They would rather have more of the same, so they rate it low as well.

Not-so-die-hard fans of the series, though, can definitely appreciate what the game DOES have: interesting gameplay, an awesome physics engine, and a storyline that stays very, very true to the kind of things you'd expect from Mana games. It even has a few characters making appearances from Legend of Mana, like Watts, the beloved weapon's smith with the (and I quote from LoM) "great helm." The story really is fantastic, but I'll be honest, I'd almost lost hope. 1/2 way through chapter 3, I was worried that it was just going to be some little boring story with the same gameplay straight through, but the story really picked up at the end of the chapter.


So it you're going to play it, keep an open mind about the gameplay, and be prepared for a great story that does, in fact, stay true to the signature Mana style many of us have come to know and love.

Personally, I love it. The music's great, the voice-casting is very good (except for the main hero and villain, as usual in any Square game), the gameplay is rather fun (though people with OCD will hate it because they'll have to break every single breakable item when they don't really have to), and again, the story's great.

My only complaints are the map/radar system, which can be very vague at times, and the camera, which you do control, but sometimes it becomes a bit of a hassle. Plus there are a few odd things about it. Like shopping can only be done from the start game menu, outside of the actual game, and pets can't be used in the storyline. :\

Overall, I'd say it's about a 7.5/10. A decent game, though nothing spectacular. I doubt it's the death of the series, though I do wish they put a little more work into it.

Buy it if you're a big fan of the Mana storytelling, characters, and visual styles.
Rent it if you're the type who only cares about gameplay.

I don't care about reviews for a game in a series that I like. I think so far its a pretty flippin' sweet game. Also, its not the death of the series, there are already 3 more games being made in the "World of Mana" series.

I haven't read up on the new games yet, but I really hope they bring free form storylines and multiplayer back, like in Legend of Mana. Oh, god, do I love Legend of Mana.

Oh, god, do I love Legend of Mana.

cheers to that.  Me and a bud of mine double teamed it like four or five years ago, everything about it was epic and non-linear.. (i loved making retarded golems that would sit in one spot and malfunction.)  I may rent Dawn, if only for fun with physics..but I don't think I'll buy it..  whats the next one in this World of Mana series.. some sorta tactical ds game..?

I heard that there is supposed to be some Legend of Mana style gaming coming out...


...for fucking mobile phone devices in Japan.

COME ON SQUAREENIX!

Legend of Mana was an experiment. I doubt there will be any more games in the World Of Mana similar, because that game itself was a departure. I agree that it was great though.

wow this game has a great story

Sounds hot going by your reviews, but I reeeeeaally want something that brings back the same memories I get with the original Snes one... ;-;

I think I'm still going to by it, because you say it's good, I'll just think of it not as a SOM game.

Wait, what format is it on? Graphic description?

PS2.

And graphics are like Kingdom Hearts 2 if it were released a couple of years later.

i.e. very awesome, but in a slightly cartoony style.

Hmmm, I was tempted to pick it up, but I think I'll get it later, and go with Odin Sphere. Atlus never makes many copies of their games. ;_;

  The Mana Series Died!!(seiken densetsu/secret of mana)
« on: Today at 09:38:07 PM » 

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(BTW i DO like that game,but could have been WAY better EVEN if that game wasnt a mana)
anyone played dawn of mana?
why is it rated 5.1/10?

when i first heard that a ''seiken densetsu 4'' was to be released in north america, i was pretty exited. TRUST ME, THAT GAME IS THE WORST 59.99$(Can) I EVER SPENT IN MY ENTIRE LIFE.
what's making that game so bad:

-everyone was waiting for a game that looks like seiken densetsu 3
   let's see some differences(i'm not kidding, THIS IS SAD)(btw i finished dawn of mana)

-1 character instead of 3 means no multiplayer mode.
-few variety of ennemies.
no equipments
 else than your only sword. no armors or whatever.
-the game isn't a big world, it's 7(if i'm right) stages
, which are still big, but the fact remains that it's still stages.
                                    THE NEXT PART IS SAD

-NO LEVELS!!!(means no stats as well)
-NO TOWN!!!
-NO ITEMS(there is items actually,only hp/mp recovery,and you have to use them as u touch them which is still pretty sad you can't keep them or whatever)
-AND THE WORST, NO M-E-N-U-S(the only menus are to see what emblems you got and the configuration)

-there IS stats. there's the HP which is a red bar, you don't really know the ammount you have but oh well.

-there is the MP,same as hp, you don't know the ammount. only a blue bar

-there's the only stats remaining: attack. you don't know the ammount. all you see is a number when you hit. that,s about it.
there's the hero,with a whip,a sword,and a slingshot.
remember people,in previous seiken? we used to get spirits(espers) thru the storyline(dungeon after beating a boss mostly?),now TADA!! we have all 8 of them within the 1st hour of playing, we see them like out of no where. THIS IS SAD.
another thing, the only way to be stronger is by defeating foes that are panicking(weird system i don't feel like explaining it, but it sucked, trust me) you earn some hp/mp/def medals. not only that sux, but IN EVERY NEW STAGE, your ''stats'' will restart a new.


i give theese notes to the game:
Graphics-9
Storyline-7
Controls-3
Music-4
Gameplay-4
overall: it's rated 5 but i'll give it a 6.
final comment? they tried to make some kind of mario 64 mixed up with seiken 3 and erasing many elements. don't buy that game. if you wanna play it that bad, simply rent it. i finished that game on my 21th hour.

thank you for reading that kind of review.!

Wow, you really didn't like the music? I thought it was fantastic. Yoko Shimomura's work is pretty much always fantastic...

i agree with you. his musics are pretty nice. music? when did i heard music in that game?
what i mean is, music isnt THAT present in that game. but the few tracks that are in it are nice. it's just a lack of musics.