Christmas means different things to different people, but we see it as a time to get together with family and friends, relax after a long year's hard work (and, given this is 2020, it was an especially hard year), enjoy good food and good company. It's a good time to knock off that epic RPG you've had sitting in the backlog, or crack open the beers (or eggnog) and get stuck into the local multiplayer battles.
Each day we'll highlight one game that you could have a great time playing over the Christmas season. It's not a countdown, nor is it a "best of" list. It's not highlighting new games, nor old. It's just 24 games, one per day, that we love the idea of breaking into over the season. Have a great and happy season, everyone!
Game #7: Trials of Mana
(Read our review of the game here)
As silly as
it sounds, the mere existence of Trials of Mana is an early Christmas gift in
my eyes. For over two decades, the sequel to the Super Nintendo’s beloved
Secret of Mana lingered at home in Japan. Alongside fellow JRPGs like Mother 3,
it built up a cult status as a neglected sequel and one of the best import
games around. It was genuinely jaw-dropping when Square Enix finally localised
the game and released it in a budget-priced physical collection last year. I
don’t think anyone was expecting a full-fledged 3D remake to be announced alongside
it, though.
If you’re in the mood for a JRPG with all the extra time Christmas affords, you’ll be pleased to know Trials of Mana is a fantastic remake worth picking up. Yes, even if you’ve never touched a Mana game. It respects the source material but doesn’t shy from drastically modernising the visuals and gameplay in meaningful ways. If nothing else, let its global release be a joyous tale of patience and perseverance.
- Clark A.
News Editor
