Dawn of disgruntled mana

[desperado]

So ill start of by saying im a mana fanboy, I have loved and squeezed every bit of joy possible (like a lemon, but not sour) out of all the games but the gba mana (that we shall cover later). So naturally I ordered the newest iteration for the ps2 without much though, since the early buzz on game sites was positive.

I really dont know what I was expecting, maybe a 3d reiteration of the psx and snes version? Hopefull thinking I know, I more or less expected it to be a 3d kingdom hearts esque mana game, you know...good. Well one of my expectations is somewhat correct, its about as correct as people who say any psychological thriller that involves, A. some random teenager or kid, B. a giant mecha, C. it messes with your mind, D. the world most likely ends in some way, a eva ripoff, (even if reideen had many of the elements first). My comparison at first of dawn of mana to kingdom hearts was about as ill as the comparison i just quoted (dont kill me mods im not discussing it besides using the usual comparison as a point). It had similar elements for sure, behind the back camera? check. Comboing using a sword? Check. Jumping around to get at enemies? Check. But I digress entirely this is were the similarities end.

The combat system is unique, you level up by collecting tokens and gain stats as well from these, you only get one from stuff in the enviroment and once in a while from an enemy normally, but to ideally hoard these like an angry dragon over a mountain of gold, you have to knock peices of the enviroment into the mobs to suprise them, then you go smack the suprised monster a bunch of times to harvest the token bounty. One problem, you hit the things most times with your sword, makes aiming feel like anything done while under the influence of alchohol, they think they are going in a straight line (the one drawn by police) but they are walking in staggers all over it. Same with the aiming, not pleasent. I think it might have been a lot more fun if they wouldnt have made it so harm to knock random blocks and gigantic fruit into the enemies.

The magic system is unique to, it ends up being a triggle pull to activate the spell you have chosen, mainly stuff that buffs your attack or defence, then at level 2 you gain a cure and a dispell like spell. Mainly you use attack magic by collecting ammo from the different spirits such as undine or gnome. You then fire the ammo at enemies to do elemental damage and an effect, honestly its not to bad of a system there.

The part you all have been waiting for, my hugest gripes about this game. The game is set into multiple chapters, the killer is when you go to another chapter, you loose your hard gained level. Worked your butt off and got to level 3 or 4? no problem you get to do it again next stage! bah, Honestly who thought this was a good idea? Secondly Ill say this, I hate sad stories, thats why i despised the mana game for the gba. Does every time (very often) a person leaves your party they die? Check, Does the heroine that you could play as turn into a tree, thusforth dying to the world? Check. Does the hero (you could play as well) live untill he is old guarding said tree? Check. See I get hints of that to, from things they said all through the first couple chapters led up to me knowing its going to end the exact same way. No thanks.

So I thank you for reading my rant, and I ask this question....What has happened to square? I loved them through the snes days, somewhat upset at a few things but none the less loved them during the psx and early ps2 days and started hateing them about the time x2 was released. What has happened to my beloved square?

[Tommy]

You should have read this review:
http://www.gamespot.com/ps2/rpg/dawnofmana/index.html

[Bobtheduck]

I only needed to read the back of the box and I knew it was going to suck... No exploration, stage based, no leveling... Bah, that's not a Mana game...

There haven't been any good mana games since SD3. Well, Sword of Mana was pretty cool, but it was just a remake of SD1...

[Tommy]

I wish I got the priveledge of playing SD3.

[Luinnar]

Legend of Mana killed the series. I think SE needs to fire the Mana staff and get new ones.

That being said the upcoming Heroes of Mana is not suppose to be too bad.

[Bobtheduck]

[quote="Luinnar"]Legend of Mana killed the series. ]

Heroes of Mana is a TBS game based on the SD3 world, or so I've heard, which would equate to it not being a real Mana game... Hmm... And I think it's Cell Phone only...

[Tommy]

And I think it's Cell Phone only...

Nothing screams "Don't buy me" like that.

[desperado]

Even the mana game on the psx (which a good deal of people hate) I really didnt mind that much. The only two mana games I have played that I have despised is this one, for the reasons stated, and the one gba one where pretty much everyone dies. But I do agree they need to do something because this may have been the final nail in the mana coffin unless the ds one does very well....

[MasterDias]

Legend of Mana wasn't an actual numbered installment, although as I'm pretty sure it got better reviews than DoM, maybe it should have been.

[Bobtheduck]

No... Legend of Mana should be burried with ET in that landfill...