Trials of Mana (2020) Review – A Simple Yet Charming JRPG Adventure

 

1. Story and Plot

Narrative:

    The story in Trials of Mana (2020 remake) is fine overall — simple, but still engaging enough to keep me interested throughout the adventure. I played with Reisz as my main character, Angela as my second, and Charlotte as my third choice.

    The main storyline is straightforward and easy to follow, though it doesn't reach the level of complexity you might expect from some modern RPGs. My main issue with the story comes from the inciting incident: who thought it was a good idea to entrust the key to the crystal — which protects an entire kingdom — to a child? (This being Reisz’s brother, Elliot.) I understand that they needed a catalyst to set Reisz off on her journey, but this decision felt poorly written and undermined the believability of the opening.

    That said, once the story gets moving, it manages to stay engaging, with enough momentum to keep players invested in seeing the quest through to the end.

Characters

    Character development in Trials of Mana is mostly okay. Each character has a personal motivation that sets them off on their journey, and while their arcs are simple, they are serviceable enough to keep the story moving.

    Reisz starts off focused solely on finding her kidnapped brother, but her journey shifts when she becomes the host for a fairy, forcing her to take on a much larger responsibility: seeking the Sword of Mana and saving the Mana Tree — and the world itself — in the process.

    Angela’s story revolves around her strained relationship with her mother. She initially seeks to master magic not out of ambition, but as a desperate attempt to avoid being killed by her own mother, adding a darker and more personal layer to her motivations.

    Charlotte’s quest is more straightforward — she’s searching for a missing person connected to her grandfather — but her cheerful personality adds a light-hearted tone to balance out the group.

    While the characters are memorable thanks to their distinct personalities and designs, their development throughout the game remains somewhat surface-level. They do grow in small ways, but the arcs are more about fulfilling their initial goals than experiencing deep, transformative journeys.

World-Building

    The world of Trials of Mana feels grand and expansive, offering a wide variety of locations to explore. There are multiple kingdoms, each with its own culture and environment, and magic plays a prominent role throughout the world’s structure.

    Gameplay mechanics like acquiring magic and skills by spending training points after leveling up help reinforce the sense of growth and immersion. Character progression is tied into the world nicely, with characters being able to change classes at level 18, again at level 38 (once a class-specific item is obtained), and once more in the post-game.

    The lore is tied closely to the elemental spirits the characters must find — representing forces like wind, fire, water, earth, light, dark, wood, and moon. Each nation is associated with one of these elemental forces, which helps give purpose to the exploration and lends a mythological feeling to the journey.

    While the world isn’t as deeply detailed or lore-heavy as some other RPGs, the colorful variety of locations and the elemental theme do a good job of keeping the setting interesting and adventurous.

Gameplay

Mechanics:

    The core gameplay mechanics in Trials of Mana are intuitive and enjoyable. Movement, attacking, using magic, and navigating menus all feel natural and easy to grasp, even for a newcomer. Although the mechanics aren't particularly innovative — which makes sense since the game is a remake of a classic — they are polished and well-executed.

    Since this was my first experience with the Mana series, everything felt fresh to me even if long-time fans might see it as familiar. The game successfully modernizes the original systems for today's players without losing the classic action RPG feel. Overall, while it doesn't break new ground mechanically, it delivers a solid and satisfying gameplay experience.

Combat System:

    Trials of Mana features an action-oriented combat system, where players move freely around the battlefield, dodge enemy attacks, and unleash combos, special moves, and magic in real time.

While the system is fluid and responsive, it leans heavily toward the easier side of the spectrum. 

    Enemies generally telegraph their attacks clearly, and between dodging, basic combos, and a few magic abilities, most battles can be handled without too much difficulty. Boss fights introduce some mechanics like area-of-effect dangers and multiple phases, but even then, the challenge remains quite low overall.

    The accessible difficulty might appeal to players looking for a relaxed action RPG experience, but those craving a tough, strategic challenge may find the combat underwhelming.

Exploration:

    Exploration in Trials of Mana is straightforward but rewarding. The game offers a wide range of environments to visit — from lush forests and volcanic mountains to icy regions and grand castles — giving players a good sense of variety as they travel across the world.

While the maps aren't massive open worlds, each area has hidden treasure chests, pathways, and secret items tucked away, encouraging players to explore off the main routes. Some locations only become accessible after gaining new movement abilities (like being able to use Flammie, the flying creature), which adds a light sense of progression to exploration.

    However, meaningful interactions with NPCs and the environment are somewhat limited. Most towns and areas are more functional than lively — you visit to shop, rest, or trigger story events, but they aren't packed with deep side content or interactive world-building moments.

    Overall, exploration is enjoyable for players who like hunting for hidden items and appreciating diverse scenery, even if it doesn’t offer the depth or emergent storytelling of more modern RPGs.

Quests and Side Activities:

    Trials of Mana is relatively light when it comes to side quests and optional activities. During the main story, there are very few — if any — traditional side quests in the usual RPG sense. Most of the progression is linear, focused directly on advancing the main plot without branching into optional questlines or deeper character-driven side stories.

    The post-game, however, does introduce additional content, including powerful new enemies, new class changes, and a brand-new final dungeon. This adds some meaningful challenges and activities for players who want more to do after finishing the main story.

    Overall, side content isn't a major focus of the game. Players looking for a densely packed world full of side missions might find it lacking, but those who prefer a more streamlined experience will appreciate the game's straightforward approach.

Graphics and Art Design

Technical Quality:

    Overall, the graphics quality in Trials of Mana is solid. Textures are clean, character models are well-detailed, and lighting effects — particularly magic spells and environmental ambiance — add a lot of life to the game's colorful world. Animations during combat and exploration are smooth, making movement and attacks feel responsive and lively.

    However, the game isn't without its technical hiccups. One noticeable issue occurs during some boss battles, where enemies can occasionally turn invisible even while their HP bar continues to decrease. This can momentarily disrupt the flow of combat, as players are left swinging at empty air until the enemy reappears.

    Despite minor glitches like this, Trials of Mana runs well overall, maintaining a bright, polished presentation that does justice to its classic roots.

Character and Environment Design:

    The character and environment designs in Trials of Mana are generally well-executed and consistent with the game’s colorful, fantasy-themed world. The environments — from lush forests to mystical temples — are filled with vibrant detail that matches the lighthearted yet adventurous tone of the story.

As for the characters, designs are bold and distinctive, but they won’t appeal equally to everyone.

    Personally, I found the three male characters (Hawkeye, Duran, and Kevin) underwhelming — they simply didn’t catch my interest, either in appearance or personality. This was a big reason why I chose to play with Reisz and Angela instead; Reisz in particular caught my attention (yes, I picked her because I found her very hot!), and Angela's magical design also stood out more than the male characters.

    While I wasn’t a big fan of Charlotte’s character design either, I picked her because I felt the party needed a healer, and she fit that role.

    Overall, while the designs are faithful to the original spirit of the game, personal preferences will strongly influence how players feel about the characters.

Sound and Music

Soundtrack:

    Trials of Mana absolutely excels in the music department. The soundtrack, composed by the legendary Hiroki Kikuta, is one of the game’s biggest strengths and elevates the overall experience tremendously.

I absolutely love the soundtrack — it's vibrant, emotional, and consistently fitting for every moment of the adventure. Kikuta’s work masterfully blends whimsical melodies, high-energy battle themes, and serene environmental tracks, creating a soundscape that makes the world of Trials of Mana feel alive and magical.

    Some personal favorites include standout tracks like "Little Sweet Cafe," "Raven," "Damn Damn Drum," "Swivel," "Evening Star," "Don't Hunt The Fairy," "Fable," "Harvest November," "Few Paths Forbidden," "Female Turbulence," "Different Road," "Powell," "Nuclear Fusion," "Splash Hop," "Obsession," "Frenzy," "Can You Fly Sister?", "Secret of Mana," and "Electric Talk." Each piece brings its own mood and energy, and many tracks stay memorable long after you’ve stopped playing.

    The soundtrack doesn’t just complement the game — it defines its atmosphere, turning even simple exploration or random battles into unforgettable experiences.

For anyone curious, the full soundtrack can be heard here, and it’s absolutely worth a listen.

Voice Acting:

    The voice acting in Trials of Mana is fine overall — it does the job, but it doesn’t particularly stand out. Performances generally fit the characters’ personalities and bring some extra life to the game, but the delivery can sometimes feel uneven or a bit flat depending on the scene.

    One interesting note: Sarah Miller-Crews voices Angela in this game. I was surprised to learn this during the end credits, as I didn’t recognize her performance while playing. I absolutely love her work as the female Traveler (Lumine) in Genshin Impact, where she leaves a much stronger impression. In Trials of Mana, however, her portrayal of Angela didn’t particularly stand out or make me think about the actress behind the voice while playing.

    Overall, while the voice acting is a welcome addition — especially considering the original game had no voice work at all — it doesn’t reach the heights of the game’s soundtrack or visual presentation.

Sound Effects:

    The sound effects in Trials of Mana are solid and serve their purpose well, even if they aren't particularly memorable. Weapon clashes, magic spells, footsteps, ambient noises, and battle cues all sound appropriate and help build a sense of immersion in the fantasy world.

    Nothing about the sound effects stands out as groundbreaking or deeply atmospheric, but they’re polished enough that they never feel distracting or out of place. Whether it’s the satisfying impact of a landed hit, the swoosh of a dodged attack, or the gentle environmental sounds during exploration, the audio design consistently supports the gameplay and keeps the experience feeling smooth and cohesive.

User Interface and Controls

UI Design:

    The user interface in Trials of Mana is one of the simplest and most straightforward I’ve seen in a JRPG, especially compared to titles dating back to the late 1990s.

    Menus are clean, minimalistic, and highly intuitive, making it easy to manage equipment, abilities, magic, and character progression without feeling overwhelmed. Important information like HP, MP, experience points, and current objectives is always clearly displayed, and menu navigation is smooth and responsive.

    The simplicity works in the game's favor — it keeps the focus on the action and exploration rather than bogging players down with overly complex systems or cluttered screens. Veteran JRPG players and newcomers alike should have no trouble picking it up quickly.

Controls:

    The controls in Trials of Mana are highly responsive, which is essential given the game’s action RPG nature. Movement, attacking, dodging, and activating abilities all feel smooth and immediate, allowing players to react quickly during fast-paced battles.

    I played on the PlayStation 5, and the button inputs felt clean and precise. One small but interesting habit I developed while playing was counting how many times I pressed the attack button to ensure I timed my combos correctly — especially important when trying to execute class-based combo finishers. It speaks to the game's design that such fine timing felt rewarding rather than frustrating.

    Overall, the control scheme is intuitive, fluid, and well-suited to the game's real-time combat focus.

Replayability and Content

Game Length:

    Trials of Mana offers a satisfying and appropriately paced experience. It took me about 35 hours to complete the game, including the post-game content — which is notable because I don’t always engage with post-game material in every RPG I play.

    The main story is substantial enough without feeling dragged out, and the addition of the post-game dungeon, new class upgrades, and extra boss battles provides good value for players who want to continue after the credits roll.

    Overall, the game offers a strong return on time invested, striking a good balance between story progression, exploration, and character development without overstaying its welcome.

Replay Value:

    Trials of Mana has massive replayability, far beyond what you might expect from a typical action RPG.

    At the start of the game, you choose three characters from a pool of six, which allows for 41 different party combinations. Your choice of main character slightly alters the storyline, changing key events and the final boss you face. (For my playthrough, I chose Reisz as my main character, with Angela and Charlotte as my party members.)

    Additionally, each character has access to multiple class changes — with a total of 54 different classes across all characters — allowing players to build entirely different team setups and strategies on subsequent playthroughs. The way players spend training points further customizes each character’s strengths and abilities, adding even more variety to how the game can be experienced.

    Given all these options, Trials of Mana encourages experimentation and feels fresh even after finishing it once. Replay value is truly one of the game’s strongest features.

Post-Launch Content:

    Trials of Mana doesn’t have any significant post-launch DLCs or expansions. From what I understand, the game was released as a complete package, with no major additional content added later on.

    While there are updates that polished performance and minor gameplay elements, the core experience — including the main story, class upgrades, and post-game dungeon — was all available from the start.

In a way, it’s refreshing to see a full, self-contained RPG that doesn’t rely on post-launch content to feel complete.

Performance and Technical Aspects

Performance:

    Trials of Mana runs very smoothly, especially when played on the PlayStation 5. Load times are extremely fast, framerates are stable, and the game maintains a consistently clean visual presentation throughout both exploration and combat.

    Animations are fluid, transitions between different areas are seamless, and there are no noticeable slowdowns even during large-scale battles or boss fights with heavy particle effects. The PS5's extra power ensures an even smoother experience compared to the original PS4 version, giving players an optimized and polished adventure from start to finish.

    Overall, the performance on PS5 is excellent and contributes to how enjoyable the game feels moment-to-moment.

Bugs and Glitches:

    Trials of Mana is generally a very stable and polished game, with very few noticeable bugs or glitches.

    The only technical issue I encountered during my playthrough was that during some boss battles, enemies would sometimes turn invisible while I was attacking them — even though their HP bar continued to decrease as normal. While it didn’t break the game or cause crashes, it was a distracting and odd visual bug that briefly disrupted the flow of combat.

    Aside from that occasional glitch, the game ran flawlessly and did not suffer from any major crashes, freezes, or game-breaking bugs.

Originality and Innovation

Innovation:

    Since Trials of Mana is a remake of a classic 1995 game, it doesn’t introduce major new innovations to the action RPG genre by today’s standards. Instead, its strength lies in how it faithfully modernizes older systems while maintaining the spirit of the original.

    The game’s multi-character choice system — allowing players to select a main character and two companions from six options, leading to different story paths and final bosses — remains a standout feature even now. The extensive class-change system and the ability to customize character builds through training points add layers of depth that give the game a distinct identity compared to more linear RPGs.

    While Trials of Mana doesn’t reinvent the genre, its combination of party-building flexibility, light story branching, and streamlined real-time combat still feels refreshing, especially for players who appreciate classic JRPG design updated with modern polish.

Comparison:

    Compared to other JRPGs, Trials of Mana stands out in a few interesting ways, even while feeling familiar in others.

    First, it’s noticeably shorter than the 90+ hour epics that many players — myself included — are used to. However, what it lacks in sheer length, it makes up for in replayability through its multiple character combinations, class changes, and different final bosses. It encourages replaying rather than stretching a single campaign endlessly.

    The real-time battle system feels similar to the Tales of series (such as Symphonia, Arise, and Vesperia — which I'm currently playing), focusing on fast-paced movement, timed combos, and special abilities. It offers a simple but satisfying version of that style of action combat.

    Additionally, the way training points are allocated to boost stats and unlock abilities reminds me of systems seen in Ragnarok Online — even though Ragnarok is a Korean-origin MMO, the comparison is valid. That element of character customization helps Trials of Mana feel a little more personalized compared to more rigid, preset RPG character growth systems.

    Overall, while Trials of Mana doesn’t reinvent the wheel, it stands out as a tightly focused, highly replayable action RPG that blends classic mechanics with just enough customization to keep it engaging.

Overall Enjoyment

Personal Experience:

    I genuinely enjoyed my time with Trials of Mana. The game kept me entertained throughout my playthrough, offering a fun and straightforward action RPG experience that didn’t feel like a chore to complete.

    That said, while I found the gameplay, story, and exploration enjoyable, the only aspect that truly stood out to me was the soundtrack. Hiroki Kikuta’s music elevated the entire experience and left the most lasting impression. The soundtrack gave even simple moments a strong emotional punch and made exploration and battles feel much more memorable than they otherwise would have been.

    In the end, Trials of Mana was a satisfying and worthwhile experience, even if it didn’t hit the highest emotional or narrative peaks that some longer or more complex RPGs might offer.

Target Audience:

    Trials of Mana is best suited for players who enjoy experimenting with different party combinations, class builds, and character setups. The game's flexibility in team composition, stat allocation, and class progression offers a lot of replayability, making it a great fit for those who like to tinker with different strategies across multiple playthroughs.

    It also appeals to players who prefer exploration that is straightforward and focused rather than overwhelming or overly dense. Those looking for a colorful, action-oriented JRPG experience without the massive time commitment of 90+ hour epics will likely find Trials of Mana very satisfying.

    While hardcore fans looking for deep storytelling and complex, branching narratives might find it a bit too simple, fans of classic RPGs, newcomers to the genre, and anyone who appreciates a strong soundtrack paired with fun gameplay will likely enjoy it.

Join the Conversation!

• Have you played Trials of Mana? Which characters did you choose for your party?
• What was your favorite class combination or build?
• Did you enjoy the real-time combat, or do you prefer more traditional turn-based systems?
• Which soundtrack piece from Trials of Mana stood out the most to you?
• If you’ve played both the original and the remake, how do you think they compare?
• Do you prefer shorter RPGs with high replayability, or longer, more epic single campaigns?
• Who was your favorite character, and why?
• Would you like to see more remakes from the Mana series or other classic RPGs?