3/7/2023 0 Comments Trials of mana builds![]() ![]() Trials of Mana is an action RPG at heart, and I mean fighting is literally everything. Octopath Traveler – better yet, whatever its non-mobile successor may be – could draw from this example of how to properly provide party options while maintaining a cohesive story. While the narrative in Trials of Mana may lack a certain level of “wow factor” due to its overall simplicity, the actual design and implementation of it, a la shared narratives, is anything but, remaining a truly impressive feature that could teach modern titles a thing or two. The “six or more runs” suggested earlier are for the serious completionists, as minor dialogue bits can change depending on your specific loadout (this was the case in the remake – I am only assuming it applies in the original, as well). If your goal is to see the three main splits of the narrative, just be sure that your party’s first and second slots consist of Angela/Duran, Kevin/Charlotte, and Hawkeye/Riesz – these pairings are a bit easier to see organically after completing the game a single time, but still might not be totally obvious to some. Worse yet, improperly pairing characters on subsequent runs could set you down the same path as your initial run without you really knowing about it. The aforementioned “antagonist pairing” simply provides more exposition if you select the proper teams. The dynamic nature of events in Trials of Mana, while nice, means you could easily miss out on some content if you don’t properly select your characters. Replayability is the name of the tune here, weighing heavily into how much time (and enjoyment) you will get out of the game since a single playthrough might only take 15-20 hours to complete. In other words, completing the game at least three different times will provide the most thorough experience from a narrative perspective, though arguments could be made towards finishing it six or more times depending on exactly how you select your companions each time. While the overarching goal remains the same across each of the three potentially different scenarios, dialogue, keys players, and certain destinations will change based on your chosen party of three. This is done from the perspective of three characters from a possible pool of six, with three pairs tied to their own shared antagonist that ultimately shapes the final path of the story. The player’s goal is to prevent these things from coming to pass worst case, destroying the awakened Benevodons in order to restore balance to Mana. ![]() ![]() However, the fading power of Mana in recent years has enticed many of those in power to try and awaken these Benevodons, and ultimately claim the Mana sword for their own – no matter the repercussions. The Mana Goddess once used this power to defeat and seal eight terrible creatures, known as the Benevodons, within phylacteries known as Mana Stones. It has been said that the Mana Sword was a powerful artifact from a bygone era a beacon of immense power capable of wondrous works in the hands of the just, and unspeakable horrors if ever wielded by the nefarious. Our heroes live in a world where the planet’s life essence – Mana – is withering away. Narrativeįor a subgenre that often prides itself on overly convoluted narratives, Trials of Mana is surprisingly easy to follow. With that in mind, let’s dive into the final chapter of the Collection of Mana and see just how it revolutionized the franchise…for better or worse. ![]() Having just spent around 50 hours completing the remake three times, and more or less loving it, I decided it was time to properly explore the origins of what many would consider the pinnacle of the Mana series. I had dabbled in Seiken Densetsu 3 over the years but was really holding any real investment for the officially translated version, which obviously didn’t come until over 20 years later. I blasted through the first two games, shared my thoughts, but was a bit burned out by the time I reached the third entry, known as Seiken Densetsu 3 in Japan before donning the Trials of Mana title for this collection. If you’re looking for that, go here.Īs a longtime fan of both RPGs and the Mana series, I immediately jumped on the Collection of Mana – a compilation of the first three Mana games – when it released back in 2019. Note: this is a review of Trials of Mana from the Collection of Mana – NOT the 2020 remake. ![]()
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