So Many JRPGs, So Little Time Left This Generation
The hottest trend in gaming this generation has been remakes and remasters. Remember last year’s Resident Evil 2 and Shadow of the Colossus back in 2018? On top of classic callbacks, the JRPG genre has seen tremendous success as well. From NieR: Automata to the return of Kingdom Hearts, the genre has borne witness to countless colossal juggernauts over the past seven years. It seems only natural that the final year of this generation would combine the two fields, remakes and JRPGs, and create several new masterpieces. The newest of which is Trials of Mana.
Everyone’s got Final Fantasy VII Remake on their mind right now. Fair enough. And plenty of people are still working their way through Persona 5 Royal. A hundred hours does take a long time. While these two returns to phenomenal JRPGs might have your attention right now, don’t sleep on Trials of Mana. The demo for the game has been out for over a month, and the game’s pre-order bonuses have been revealed.
An Origin Two And A Half Decades In The Making
The upcoming title will be available later this week on PS4, Switch, and Steam. I’ve tried the demo on both PS4 and a Switch Lite, and the game is awesome. It controls smoothly and carries the classic styling of the twenty-five old original. If you don’t remember the original, it’s not surprising. Initially called Seiken Densetsu 3, the game was a sequel to Secrets of Mana and never received a US release. It did, however, get ported to the Nintendo Switch last year as part of the Collection of Mana compilation.
What To Expect From Trials of Mana
Trials of Mana is set in a high-fantasy world fueled by an ethereal energy source, Mana. The world is in danger, and you, the player, must embark on a magical quest to claim the Mana Sword and prevent the world’s potential ruin. There are six different playable characters to choose from, and you’ll be taking three of them on your journey. The maps and their creatures are extremely Dragon Quest-Esq, typical of a Square Enix project. Regarding combat and gameplay, it is reminiscent of Ni No Kuni 2.
Now that you’re caught up, it’s time to address the pre-order. The game will be released with a cheaper price tag than most AAA games, ringing in at a reasonable $50. If pre-ordered, the game will come with a useful in-game item: the Rabite Adornment. The item will give players an EXP buff during the game’s first few hours. Its ability will cease to work after reaching level 10. PlayStation users will also receive a cool avatar set, and Steam players will get a unique Trials of Mana inspired wallpaper.
