Topic: World of Mana = Secret of Mana DS: Children of Mana

[Kairon]

Lucky for me I HATE SD3.

Oh, but I haven't read any in-depth reviews on this game, even though I'm getting it soon...

...omg...what am I thinking?!?!?!

Anyways, I could be wrong on the number of weapon types or something! (Didn't SoM have 8 weapon types? WAAAAY more impressive) *shrug*

~Carmine M. Red
Kairon@aol.com

[BlackNMild2k1]

Sorry to bump up this thread, but I just had to ask a question of anyone who owns this game...

When you play this game, even though you may find it fun, does it put you to sleep?
Everytime I play this game, I find myself being put to sleep regardless of how awake or into the game I may be. Its really weird. I even let a friend borrow the game, and he loves dungeon crawlers, but he said the same thing. Anyone else experience this?

It can't just be the music cause I often turn the volume alway the down and listen to the TV instead, so what is it about this game that seems to knock me out against my will?

[Smash_Brother]

It's not just you.

The game is so bland and uninspired that there is no theoretical amount of coffee in existence which could keep most of us awake while playing it.

You basically run through the dungeon mashing the same button over and over again. Minimal puzzle solving, minimal challenge from enemies. If you're in trouble, mash the healing item button until you're back to full. Magic is cute but pointless as it takes longer to go off than it takes you to use the flail to knock the enemies away.

My recommendation: avoid this game. It starts cute but rapidly becomes so boring and the story is the same clichéd "end of the world coming unless you children stop it" bullsh*t.

[BlackNMild2k1]

Well, is FFIII any better, or should I just sell it b4 opening it? Cause if I have wasted* another $35 I'm gonna be pretty mad.

*wasted is a strong word against CoM, it deos help on those night when I know I have to get up early and can't seem to goto sleep .

[decoyman]

Hmm... I got this game for Christmas, and I agree with some of what's been said. However, I still found it fun enough to play it through to completion (Well, except for the Dud Bear quests... by the end, I couldn't bring myself to go into a 17-zone mission knowing I'd still be at it for an hour afterwards, for a measly reward of like 4000 lucre or a crystal I could make in about a minute. Not near rewarding enough.).

Complaints:
1. No overworld.
2. Dungeons too long.
3. Rewards for long side-quest dungeons often insufficient.
4. Attack magic sucks hardcore. Support magic sucks only slightly less.
5. Touchscreen support is minimal and worthless in most cases.
6. LACK OF WIFI SUPPORT for multiplayer.
7. Small home-base area without enough secrets/changes to keep it interesting for 20+ hours.
8. Overall, story not new or interesting enough.

Praises:
1. Weapons are all very unique and fun to use.
2. Gem system adds strategy and is fun to play with.
3. Characters have good personality, story has some interesting wrinkles Like the Adventurer's Journals.
4. Graphics are great (including beautifully-animated cut scenes).
5. Wrinkle of ricocheting enemies adds some strategy to battle and weapon choice.

By the end, I was at level 72, and had over 200,000 lucre in the bank – there was just nothing to buy anymore. I was outfitted with Dragon everything except hammer, (I found an Altena?? hammer that kicked some butt). At the end, I can say it left something to be desired... what could have eliminated this unfavorable aftertaste, though? More unique weapons and armor? A less-flawed magic system? An overworld? The ability to power-up attacks and rewarding players for playing with a certain weapon (a la SoM)? A more compelling story with less throwaway sidequests? Online multiplayer? I don't know. But any of these would have helped.

Final rating...
3/5.

P.S. – When's a true Secret of Mana successor coming?