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[FlashbladeGAF]

Every time I see this game... it makes me hate square more for ruining the series like they did.

 

[vertopci]

Everyone buy SoM so the chances of getting Seiken Densetsu 3 localized for VC increases to 0.0000000001% :lol

 

[Raist]

it isn't?
what!?

Of course it isn't :|

Spoiler

Oh and SoE probably is Square's worst RPG. There I said it

 

[PepsimanVsJoe]

Every time I see this game... it makes me hate square more for ruining the series like they did.

You make it sound like the series had much of a chance.
Seriously outside of Mana, SD3, and mayyyybe LoM the series really hasn't shown much if any value.

Good music and art certainly but most of the people there don't know anything about good game design and worse still you've got a handful of programmers and testers who really should be spending more time working out all of the issues.

For all the knocks the Saga series gets you'd still be hard-pressed to really nag on them about polish and game design. Hell if you can get around all of the oddball decisions in Unlimited Saga you still have a well designed and sensible game. The Mana titles on the other hand have enough trouble just doing simple action-RPGs. Why they thought they'd be better suited for RTS, Dungeon Hacks, and bizarre physics based action puzzlers(wtf?) I'll never understand.

And I still can't bring myself to recommend SD3 to anyone. At best it's incompetent and at worst it's almost broken.

Spoiler

Oh and SoE probably is Square's worst RPG. There I said it

As long as Final Fantasy 2j exists you're wrong.

 

[Orin GA]

Heh, well it might have been the intention of the game designers for that, but I guess the rare drops were glitched to include Sword Orbs, because that's the way I first got the ninth Sword Orb.

Uhh..... exactly what enemy did you get this ninth sword orb from? The only way to get the ninth orb is if you hacked the game or did the reset glitch in Iceland. Ive put hours upon hours leveling characters to level 99 and searching for weapon orbs in the mana fortress and never has the ninth sword orb dropped for me or faq writers.

http://mmxz.zophar.net/rpg/mana/secrets/secrets.html

Actually you can get it "legit". Enemies in

Spoiler

The Mana Fortress drop Orbs for all weapons randomly

. I've managed to get all the weapons up to level 9.

They arent randomly dropped. Fiend Heads drop Axe Orbs, Terminators Drop Whip orbs, Master Ninjas drop Boomerang Orbs and so on. No enemy drops the Sword Orb.


http://mmxz.zophar.net/rpg/mana/weapons/weapons.html

 

[Aselith]

Uhh..... exactly what enemy did you get this ninth sword orb from? The only way to get the ninth orb is if you hacked the game or did the reset glitch in Iceland. Ive put hours upon hours leveling characters to level 99 and searching for weapon orbs in the mana fortress and never has the ninth sword orb dropped for me or faq writers.

http://mmxz.zophar.net/rpg/mana/secrets/secrets.html



They arent randomly dropped. Fiend Heads drop Axe Orbs, Terminators Drop Whip orbs, Master Ninjas drop Boomerang Orbs and so on. No enemy drops the Sword Orb.


http://mmxz.zophar.net/rpg/mana/weapons/weapons.html

So, I guess your source trumps actual experience?

 

[Princess Skittles]

And I still can't bring myself to recommend SD3 to anyone. At best it's incompetent and at worst it's almost broken.

Hey, I'm not the only one.

 

[Link1110]

I tried Secret of Mana again today. I've wanted to like this game since I first played it 10 years ago, but after multiple unavoidable deaths against the first boss (can't avoid the claw it throws, magic is unavoidable.) I just stopped in disgust.

 

[djtiesto]

I wouldn't quite say more buggy but SD3 suffers from some incredibly poor design decisions.

-Character balance is whacked. Four of the chracters pretty much dominate and the rest are just plain dumb and only serve to make the game harder.
-Enemies level with you, terribly handled(especially if you get a mimic chest trap, that'll wipe your party faster than anything)
-In the effort to make the magic system less busted(There is a cast-delay this time) Square somehow managed to make melee ridiculously more powerful and useful. The only spells you'll really benefit from are healing and buffs/debuffs(which is interesting since buffs/debuffs were pretty much useless in SoM)
-Collision detection is still very spotty and the slower character movement means you'll be getting hit far more often.
-The interface is a mess. Along with the ring menu you now have a status screen, another screen for swapping items, yet more screens for other things, a serious headache to navigate altogether.
-Sub-classes aren't well explained or balanced either.

Bunch of other things

To add to this:

-Level design that is mostly linear paths with one path leading to a quick dead end and an inescapable encounter
-Bosses that take 20-30 min to kill
-Lack of story for the second half of the game
-Lack of puzzles, as well.

But still, I really enjoy the game... namely because I'm a sucker for those incredible 2D sprite based graphics and funky Kikuta soundtrack!

 

[mochuuu]

Yeaaaaahhh, buying this and World of Goo when i get home. Wii revival time! As for all the SoE comparisons, I'll definitely say that while it was a good enough game, it didn't capture me as much as SoM did. I played through the whole game, but it just didn't have that same magic to it. Still,...wouldn't mind seeing it again in VC form.

 

[Christine]

I tried Secret of Mana again today. I've wanted to like this game since I first played it 10 years ago, but after multiple unavoidable deaths against the first boss (can't avoid the claw it throws, magic is unavoidable.) I just stopped in disgust.

I agree that particular scenario is poorly done, but it's unique and not representative of the rest of the game. You actually can defeat that boss without dying if you level to 3-4 and use a full stock of 4 candies, but there's no point because dying in that battle has no real penalty. You get brought back to life until you kill it. In the remainder of the game, if all party members die the game is over.

 

[Orin GA]

So, I guess your source trumps actual experience?

Uhh..... exactly what enemy did you get this ninth sword orb from? The only way to get the ninth orb is if you hacked the game or did the reset glitch in Iceland. Ive put hours upon hours leveling characters to level 99 and searching for weapon orbs in the mana fortress and never has the ninth sword orb dropped for me or faq writers.

Are you blind? Serious question here?

 

[birdchili]

second classic controller: get.

hope that gaf, those top-100 best games ever lists, and the Internet in general aren't wrong.

 

[vertopci]

I can't believe people are hating on SD3

Spoiler

Evil bastards

 

[PepsimanVsJoe]

Uhh..... exactly what enemy did you get this ninth sword orb from? The only way to get the ninth orb is if you hacked the game or did the reset glitch in Iceland. Ive put hours upon hours leveling characters to level 99 and searching for weapon orbs in the mana fortress and never has the ninth sword orb dropped for me or faq writers.

I've never gotten the ninth sword orb either and I've put hundreds of hours into the game(mainly because SoM and FF3 were the only two SNES games I owned for a number of years)

Gotten practically everything else in the game, even maxed out the random level 9 magic(which took an ungodly amount of time).

To add to this:

-Level design that is mostly linear paths with one path leading to a quick dead end and an inescapable encounter
-Bosses that take 20-30 min to kill
-Lack of story for the second half of the game
-Lack of puzzles, as well.

Furthermore
-Enemy melee is weak as hell but specials are overpowered. Obviously the stuff you have no chance of dodging does more damage.
-Enemy balance in general is just atrocious. Some bosses are freaking ridiculous(

Spoiler

like the Knight towards the end of the game in Duran's path

while others are total pansies.

 

[Yaweee]

So, I guess your source trumps actual experience?

I'd like to see a save file or video of somebody getting a sword orb in the Mana Fortress. Considering how thoroughly documented and commented upon the lack of a 9th Sword Orb is, I'm inclined to guess that they are just remembering incorrectly.

 

[Orin GA]

I agree with the magic sytem makes the game way too easy. If you want a challenge play the game without using any magic, it can be done.

If you use the magic, then Spiky Tiger will be the only challenging boss in the game.

Fear it :lol

 

[PepsimanVsJoe]

Oh I have to say I feel bad about the people that have already died on the first boss. You should be level two by the time you reach him and he's do-able on that level even without candy. On three and beyond he's a cakewalk.

 

[BreakyBoy]

Hey, I still owe you ten bucks, right? I think it'd be appropriate if I bought you SoM, and then....some MM9 DLC? Stupid fun bucks system.

That would be appropriate. So appropriate, you can keep the extra 2 bucks. When I get out of class tonight, after work, I'll finally get the friend code off my Wii and send it to you. I figure that a year or so is enough time to finally get that friend code for you. :lol

 

[beelzebozo]

I agree with the magic sytem makes the game way too easy. If you want a challenge play the game without using any magic, it can be done.

If you use the magic, then Spiky Tiger will be the only challenging boss in the game.

Fear it :lol

the chobin hoods on the way to the witch's castle are annoying as hell. in a good, challenging way, but annoying as hell

 

[Choke on the Magic]

Holy shit. I'm getting this right fucking now! I hope to god they do the other ones.

 

[hydragonwarrior]

Hey, I'm not the only one.

YES same here! I loved the more arcadey 3 player at once type of game play (reminded me of TMNT). I didn't feel the same co-op kind of feeling i got with SD3, and almost none with Legend of Mana.

I agree with the magic sytem makes the game way too easy. If you want a challenge play the game without using any magic, it can be done.

Did they fix the infinite cast bug?

 

[User2k]

Going to buy this once I get a new router. My last one b0rked this week.

 

[RevenantKioku]

Every time I see this game... it makes me hate square more for ruining the series like they did.

That's an interesting way of looking at it. Going back and playing the game made me realize the series has never been that good to begin with.

 

[BreakyBoy]

That's an interesting way of looking at it. Going back and playing the game made me realize the series has never been that good to begin with.

There there. We've made our point. Let them have their fun.