Secret of Evermore
Reviewed by Tim
Secret of Evermore is about a boy and his dog who accidentally
stumble into the world of Evermore, a brilliant scientist's
attempt at utopia. But something has gone wrong and now
the professor and his colleges are trapped. It's up to the
boy and his dog to set right what went wrong 30 years ago.
Though this game isn't a sequel to the Secret of Mana, it
follows in it's footsteps and introduces the alchemy system
as opposed to the MP system.
Graphics B+
There's nothing really spectacular about the graphics but
it's a great improvement over the Secret of Mana. Images are
sharp, clear and easy to distinguish. Icons are also easy to
recognize. There isn't really anything "wrong" with the graphics
other than that the environments can get repetitive after being
in a region for too long.
Music and Sound B
The music rarely gets annoying but often it's not really music
but just the sounds you'd here in the area. (wind in the dessert,
talking in the market) It is very realistic but over time it can
get boring if there's too much of it. I haven't played all the way
through yet but so far I haven't found a tune I found particularly
catchy. The music isn't the best but it doesn't at all lessen the fun of it.
Game Challenge A
The challenge of the this game is a great improvement over the
Secret of Mana. One major reason is because you can't hit bosses
over and over with spells so they can't attack like you could in
Mana. (Yes I'm guilty.) What's even better is that most bosses
don't rely on magic much either, which makes fights a lot more
interesting. Like the Secret of Mana, you can't lose against the
first boss which gives you a chance to practice. The game gives
you plenty of time to get the feel for it. The challenge may not
be enough for an expert but it's great for a beginning to average player.
Game Play-Fun A
This is very fun to play and it probably won't leave you wanting
more. The requirement of letting your weapons power back up
after hitting takes a little getting used to but it shouldn't be a
problem. The story line has many plot twists which help keep you
playing and the ending is anything but predictable. One good touch
was the fact that you almost always get a different message if
you talk to people as the dog instead of the boy. The game has
a few annoying features but as a whole it's very fun to play.
Frustration
The game really has only three annoying things about it.
1. A lot of level, weapon, and magic building is often required
which can get very tedious.
2. Some may disagree with me, but I don't find most alchemy
formulas very useful. You have to use them a lot to power them
up which wouldn't be a problem if they used MP's that recharged
when you sleep at an inn. Instead, they require ingredients you
must buy or find. It's an interesting idea but it makes building
them up expensive as well as tedious. Personally, I only find healing
and self-enhancement spells useful. The call beads are a different
story but they're hard to find so you can't use them as much as
you'd like to.
3. The boy's constant references to movies he's seen get's old
fast and it's not as funny as it tries to be.
Replayability B
Even though it isn't much different the second time around, it's
fun enough to play that it may be worth a second or third go at it.
There are many secrets to uncover but no big side quests. Still it
worth playing again.
Game Value A-
This game is worth buying for most RPG fans and definitely if
you loved the Secret of Mana. Experts may want more so it's
not for everybody. If you don't like RPG's, this game might help
change your mind since it's also part adventure because of it's
lack of menu controlled battles.
Overall A-
This game is very fun and has some interesting features. If you
like The Secret of Mana, this game's definitely worth trying. It's
length is the only thing inferior to the Secret of Mana. But if you
wanted more out of the battles in Mana, you'll find it here.