I couldn’t tell you right now if Trials of Mana, the modernized 3D remake of the now-legendary 1995 SNES classic Seiken Densetsu 3, does justice to its 25-year-old forebear. I don’t say that because I have mixed feelings about this game, but because I have basically no history with Seiken Densetsu.
Secret of Mana was one of the games that passed me by as I spent my time with other games, like Final Fantasy VI (then III), Metal Warriors, and the few other SNES carts I could afford on my allowance. As a result, I never got the chance to get attached to the Mana franchise, much less understand why people called for Seiken Densetsu 3 to be localized with similar fervor to the folks who still call for Mother 3 to cross the pond.
That said, I can say that while it feels like a throwback in some ways, Trials of Mana is, thus far, a refreshing and speedy romp, one that proves that a remake need not be hyper-ambitious (like a certain other classic JRPG revival released this month) to feel like it’s got the right idea.
Source: Destructoid Review in Progress: Trials of Mana