Refining Classic Legend, Legend of Mana Exclusive Interview with Masaru Oyamada
JRPGs have become a dominant genre since the 90s, with so many game releases that are still remembered today. Whether from the quality that is so solid and difficult to match, to its influence on the development of this genre in the modern era, it is clear that only certain titles can fulfill it. If we have to choose a title, one that comes to our mind is definitely Legend of Mana, which must be acknowledged as having an extraordinary influence as a legendary JRPG game from the PlayStation 1 era.
Two decades later and on June 24 today, finally Legend of Mana is back with a re-release in remastered version. Maybe some fans are skeptical when it comes to remastering a classic pixel art game like this, but Square Enix has to admit that it puts extra effort into making the game look much better and not just being branded a cheap remaster.
Welcoming this happy moment, we happened to have the opportunity to interview the producer of the Mana Series, Masaru Oyamada. In this interview session, we discuss more deeply about Legend of Mana and what plans are prepared for the franchise in the future.
GamerWK: How “canon” is the Legend of Mana story in the series universe, since this is a spin-off game?
Masaru Oyamada: This is the fourth game in the Mana Series. The story is not interconnected with the main series which includes numbers in the title, but the development team has included elements and content that are guaranteed to satisfy if you have played other series.
Mana Series, except for a few major sequel titles are usually not connected to other Mana games.
GamerWK: After several Mana games got 3D remakes, why did Legend of Mana only get remastered? What would you do if it was made into a remake?
Masaru Oyamada: Because the content portion is so free and abundant, it’s difficult to continue the project idea as a developer or a fan. Whatever the scenario, there’s not much consideration for a remake unless we can find a method to express the unique graphic elements of Legend of Mana.
GamerWK: What influenced the decision to finally remaster Legend of Mana?
Masaru Oyamada: As the producer of the series, it was our goal to bring as many of his games as possible on modern console platforms. But since the original Legend of Mana game is only available in Japan and America, one of our desires is to make it available globally as soon as possible.
There’s an option to set up direct porting, but the rough graphics are even more obvious when played on an HD monitor. This game has received high praise thanks to its storybook-style graphics from its beautiful depiction of the world until now, so the HD remastered version is the best decision to satisfy players of the original game, while bringing the authentic and unique atmosphere of Legend of Mana to new players.
GamerWK: What was the process for remastering the game like? How hard is the challenge considering it’s an old game?
Masaru Oyamada: The remaster may seem like a simple game porting procedure, but when compared to the original, I find it more challenging than having to create something new. Personally, I think this is the most difficult title in the past, especially when I see the enthusiasm of the old fans who are so high.
The biggest challenge is ensuring that nostalgic memories of playing the game can be maximized, especially for fans who really like the experience it has to offer. We try to be extra careful not to create any discord between good memories and high resolution remasters at first glance.
GamerWK: What did it feel like you learned during the remastering process?
Masaru Oyamada: We started the process by collecting old development data and there were moments where I got carried away by finding settings to data that would be very interesting to look back at. Coming from conversation notes and recordings, I also managed to imagine the strong will of the young developers who are now important people behind big games like this, which also ended up driving my motivation.
GamerWK: Is the secret bonus content still included? (The original game provided bonuses from the transfer of Chocobo Racing and Final Fantasy VIII save files)
Masaru Oyamada: All content that requires data from other game titles is still available and can be obtained. In this game the Chocobo won’t be your first pet, but don’t worry, because that doesn’t mean you can’t recruit him as an adventure buddy!
GamerWK: Can you explain more about the new features, such as the Quality of Life (QoL) feature to eliminate enemy encounters, or the gallery/soundtrack option? What other features have been added to the game?
Masaru Oyamada: As a basic focus, the main goal is to implement user-friendly functions to satisfy players from the original game. Auto save and save anywhere options are functions that can certainly answer the needs of gamers in this modern era. But to avoid getting caught in some unwanted scenarios, please note that there are some areas of the map that don’t allow you to save.
There are settings that newcomers might not need, but it’s an alternative function that is sure to be of great help to existing players or those who want to dive deeper into the game.
GamerWK: Who decided to include the new soundtrack arrangements? and what is the reason?
Masaru Oyamada: Before taking control of the remastering process, the original game’s music sounded good to the ears and our initial decision was to keep it. But after we shared our plans for this remastered project to Yoko Shimomura, we finally got some help adding a touch to the original soundtrack. It’s rare to get this far just for the audio in a remastered game, but to fulfill Shimomura’s strong passion, we’ve brought in a team of sound engineers to re-record a beautifully arranged soundtrack.
GamerWK: Apart from adding it to the remaster, were there any new changes made to Ring Ring Land? Why is this restricted to PocketStation only?
Masaru Oyamada: No changes other than screen display bug fixes. I’m not really sure why this was only restricted to PocketStations in the past, but looking back, being able to take it home and then connect it to the PlayStation was such an enjoyable experience.
GamerWK: Going forward, what do you personally see for the future of the Mana Series?
Masaru Oyamada: There are so many emotional shadows. I want to reach a status where high-demand games can be played at modern standards as they are today, while working hard to provide players with completely new games. I also hope that the games that we all loved in childhood can become games that our children enjoy too.
GamerWK: Mana Series is now 30 years old. Looking back, what have you learned throughout its history?
Masaru Oyamada: This series was built with a strong will and love from many people. Not only from the developers, but also the emotional support from the fans, which I think is a work that is loved on a global scale. I will continue to strive so that this series can continue to be loved by many gamers for decades.
Legend of Mana HD Remastered is now available for PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam.
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Legend of Mana HD Remastered
Publisher: Square Enix
Developer: Square Enix
Release Date: 2021-06-24
Console, PS4, Nintendo Switch, PC
A re-release of the original Legend of Mana game which brings a myriad of improvements ranging from better graphics to the addition of QoL features. Set in a fantasy world called Fa’Diel, Legend of Mana will take players on an epic adventure to find the Mana Tree. With an empty world map, players will be tasked with finding special artifacts that are used to bring up cities and dungeons through the Land Creation system. The advantage of this game also lies in the interesting storyline with memorable characters, as well as the evocative real-time action gameplay.
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