Sword of Mana
Game Boy Advance- Publisher: Nintendo
- Release Date: Dec 1, 2003
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There's a ton to do, and it lasts for a respectable number of hours.
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It definitely just barely squeaks in there a little higher than the "above average" moniker, with a lot of little things that drag the experience.
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Cheat Code CentralMakes a great entry-level gateway for the uninitiated while offering veterans a breath of fresh air from their stuffy, convoluted, multi-layered, overly complex next-gen games.
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GameNowFrustrating because of the repetitive, mapless dungeons, and stupid because of the lame story. [Jan 2003, p.46]
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If you were expecting Sword of Mana to be the classic RPG that "FF Adventure" was, though, you may want to lower your expectations slightly. If you don't, you may be surprised -- in both good and bad ways.
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netjakIf you’re willing to take a bit of a downgrade in control and gamble with a bit of frustration in exchange for a terrifically paced story that unfolds in just the right way.
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Edge MagazineWe were hoping for a passionate display of Square's rekindling love for the RPG craft. Instead, Sword of Mana hangs around its competitors in relative mediocrity instead of blazing the trail the SNES title did all those years ago. [Feb 2004, p.109]
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Once you begin playing, though, you realize that Sword of Mana's interface is among the most ill-advised in recent memory.
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Follows every role-playing cliché and rule but does so with style. Sadly however the flaws within the game remain too obvious and Sword of Mana is merely a slightly above average game that deserves a slightly above average score.
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AceGamezThe fact that there are two characters may warrant another play-through for some, but the lack of much difference between the two will probably not be worth it for most.
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Running around thwacking enemies feels fun enough, but poor A.I. renders your other party member nearly useless - you'll often have to switch between them just to keep them from getting killed. [Feb 2004, p.128]
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Most of the problems seem like a series of bad choices, as if decisions were being made because they weren’t sure how to do it better.
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Has fun, straightforward gameplay and a simple heart. There is a little more to it, like plenty of game-time extending side quests, but some of the extras just seem like coronary blockage.
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This game looks good and will appeal to fans of the "Zelda" series, although it never touches the heights achieved by some of Link’s escapades.
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games(TM)Maybe it's the rather lacklustre music, the numerous side-quests that feel more bolted on than they should, or the forehead-slappingly stupid AI of the enemies and your companion, but the whole experience feels decidedly flat at times; not a good sign for a game that's supposed to absorb you into its world. [Jan 2004, p.117]
Awards & Rankings
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52
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17
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#17 Most Discussed Game Boy Advance Game of 2003
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15
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#15 Most Shared Game Boy Advance Game of 2003
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User score distribution:
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Positive: 26 out of 36
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Mixed: 8 out of 36
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Negative: 2 out of 36
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May 6, 2023Pretty but very wordy arcade RPG. As ever, it's good but not as good as Zelda or Final Fantasy.
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Jan 14, 2023worth it and glad to play this game again. so much memories and nostalgia within this spin off game in the series.
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Aug 30, 2022