Secret of Mana

[Kong Wen]

Square Enix is launching a 3D remake of Secret of Mana for PS4 and Vita in February, 2018.

It's got those cheap-looking candy-gloss 3D graphics that a lot of modern remakes are using, and there's no word on whether they'll include the original graphics (or the original game) in this remake. They've also re-arranged the soundtrack and mentioned that it "pays tribute to the original". Given that the original game has one of the most beautiful soundtracks in video game history, I hope it pays tribute really, really closely, and includes an option to use the original soundtrack.

The game will also include local multiplayer, of course. No word on online multiplayer.

I really want this to be good, and I also really want this to be a sign that Square Enix is open to releasing Seiken Densetsu 3 in the west at some point.

EDIT: Also, for some reason, one of the pre-order bonuses is cute full-body tiger suits for the boy characters and a string bikini for the girl character?

[Kiwi the Tortoise]

I want to like it....
But this doesn't look good, considering how gorgeous the series used to be.
Just looking at the details on the original character art for the series, this seems kinda dull.
Furthermore, I think a new game instead of a remake would have been a much better choice here.

[Kong Wen]

If I thought Square Enix could make good new games in old series I'd be inclined to agree. Well, I am Setsuna wasn't great either, so... But at least they do have Lost Sphear coming out in 2018.

At least by remaking a classic on a system with a massive install base (PS4) they can capitalize on easy guaranteed sales. Maybe they're going to try to leverage momentum from this to sell something new?

The first Mana game also got a 3D Vita remake and it was actually pretty good, but yeah, the main difference between that one and this one is that the old original GB game didn't have fantastic lush art and environments to live up to.

[Kiwi the Tortoise]

The first Mana game also got a 3D Vita remake and it was actually pretty good, but yeah, the main difference between that one and this one is that the old original GB game didn't have fantastic lush art and environments to live up to.

There was a GBA remake of that too, Sword of Mana. That one used the lush art, taken from Legend of Mana.

[Kiwi the Tortoise]

This looks really quite ugly...

[Kong Wen]

[Sharecrow]

I never did finish this on VC so I'll definitely take advantage of the opportunity to play it on PS4. I'm sure my son will enjoy helping out in my party, too!

[Kong Wen]

I never did finish this on VC so I'll definitely take advantage of the opportunity to play it on PS4. I'm sure my son will enjoy helping out in my party, too!

It's actually a pretty great game for that, because the co-op is basically drop-in (i.e. you don't need him controlling a character throughout the whole game), and you can control the other two characters to help out proportional to your adult skill.

[The Shoemaker]

Never played this series, was hoping to try it out with the SNES Classic, but that's unlikely.

Square Enix does seem hell bent on not bringing the third game over here. They actually released a collection of the games on Switch already but no word of that leaving Japan.