Secret of Evermore

"One of my favorite games of all time!"

Secret of Evermore is one of my favorite games of all time and I would like to take this time to explain why this game is possibly one of the best Square ever did, even though many will be disgusted by me and takes sides on SOM, since it was clearly THE better game.

Graphics:

I found the graphics to be pretty amusing. The characters are detailed and the towns and dungeouns that one will encounter look pretty good. However, the bosses that you have to contend with look awesome. I was amazed at the significent touches that they put onto them. It is so sad that it dosen't resemble anything like Secret of Mana.

Sound:

The sound is great and fits the atmosphere. In fact, the music is so good that sometimes it sticks to my head and nevers until I hear a better piece or music I have heard before. The sound is decent, since it does not do the justice at one point or another.

Gameplay:

The gameplay is incredible. There is alot to accomplish once players entered the realm of Evermore for the first time. The magic system has chosen to take a different approach and tries something new for a change: The Alchemy system. Instead of using up magic points (MP), you gather ingredients that you will need if you want to make spells to work, like Crush or Super Heal. Instead of three people teaming up, the player him/herself can only control the boy and his dog, who is much more powerful attack-wise than the boy is. It is true that bosses are hard, but once you know both their patterns and weaknesses, they are easy to defeat. As usual, the tricky puzzles and exploring is needed if you want to conquer Evermore.

Story:

The plot is simple and will grab alot of people's attention. It is basically the story of a boy and dog who stumble upon a mansion that was used 30 years ago for an experiment. During that event, something went haywire and four people were thrown into different worlds. The two heroes reenacted the whole thing, and they too are thrown into Evermore. In order to go back to their homes, they must simply investigate what was causing all of this.

In conclusion, Secret of Evermore is a great game! Although alot would prefer to play Secret of Mana, I suggest giving SOE a try. It is a great game that is filled with a great story, awesome gameplay, surperb graphics, yet decent sound. GO BUY IT! If you don't, then you are nuts!

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 11/01/99, Updated 11/01/99