Secret of Evermore

"My favourite RPG to date... really."

No, I'm not kidding. Yes, I can live with the fact you probably like Final Fantasy or Secret of Mana more than this. Because they're all high quality games indeed! But I believe most people don't get warm with it, because... it's somewhat different. It isn't your usual RPG, but nothing less than unique. Well, almost...

To the story: (10/10)

You're playing as a teenager in 1995. He and his dog are going to a forgotten building, which was a laboratory back in 1965. The dog is chewing at the cables, and whoosh! You find yourself in a space station, and a not-so-nice-looking man (which turns out to be a robot) leads you to a room. After a short fight, you're able to escape, or better - falling down! It's all the land of Evermore, and after this you have pass four different ages, fighting monsters and meeting some people which can help you to get back home!

Gameplay (10/10)

To some degree, Secret of Evermore rips it's gameplay from Secret of Mana. The ring menu, some weapons plus their "load bar", kinda similar looking bosses... you walk on on your quest, talking to people, fighting some nasty creatures (just to finally toast a mad robot)... but as I mentioned before, it is unique. Why? The thing you may notice first is the magic system. There isn't any "Mana" or "Magic Points", there are ingredients, which, combined to a working formula, create the magic! It's such a cool system that it's a shame it wasn't used anymore after this. Formulas are given to you by some people all around Evermore, of which some are necessary for the plot, and others which you can discover on your own. You can buy the ingredients, or get them in their very nature - you're dog has a good nose and can help you finding them! To me this is a clever way to avoid the stereotypical Magic Points. Then, the game has it's own trading system. You enter some market places, and can trade there with the people! Oh, and every age has it's very own currency, you can exchange them! There are more things, some of which can be found in graphics and sound.

Graphics (10/10)

Secret of Evermore is a beautiful game, end of discussion. Good ol' SNES may have reached it's limits when it's this good! Everything looks much more realistic than in other RPGs... it may be sort of a fantasy game, but this can't be said about the graphics. Aside from the spells, it's very realistic (at least what you CAN get from a SNES). This applies as well to the spells and enemies - they're not as impressive and colorful as let's say Secret of Mana, but it's in good harmony to the environment. Do I have to say the game's detailed as hell everywhere?

Music / Sounds (100/10)

What can I say? Another unique thing of Evermore. Instead of some epic-sounding, goose-bump-making music you get what you would expect from your surrounding - insect sounds in the jungle, drums in the village in it, the waves by the shore, or spooky things in a dark forest - in addition to traditional (and really good and fitting) soundtrack you get environment sounds, and some places where both are combined. I won't say anything more than that it's a different listening, but very charming and a pleasure to hear! There are some of the best scores I've ever heard from any game in it (just try Crustacia)!

The Fun Factor (well, another 10/10?!)

This is a major difference from any other game I've played so far - the sheer amount of humour the creators have put in it. There are some cool running gags in it, the most obvious being the boy's passion for citing hilarious B-movies he has seen, and the shapeshifting dog! You will barely find a situation where anything not funny happens. They even put a statue in it that reminds the player that "this is only a statue", when you're trying to "talk" to it! I truly believe that this is the thing which makes this game never boring - it isn't swords & sorcery, it's just a goofy boy in an even goofier land of Evermore! Unique and one of the game's strongest offerings. I absolutely love

The Localisation

As I'm a German, you may understand that I'm playing the German version. But it's a good thing to see that even I haven't played the English version yet (and thus can only judge from what I've read), the quality of the dialogues and the humour, though germanised sometimes, haven't suffered anything! From start to finish it is the same experience in fun as the original US version. Great job, I can't complain! They even changed the American "Podunk" to "Grossostheim" - which you may know as the headquarters of Nintendo of Europe - to me this sounds familiar and absurdly funny at the same time! If only all translations would have this coolness.

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Conclusion: 10/10

Well, to be honest, it looks even strange to me I'm giving nothing less than perfect scores on every section - call me a fanboy, but I think they're deserved. The problem is just, I don't know what could be made better while keeping the game's own style. Secret of Evermore has it all - a nice story, (really) original gameplay, astonishing graphics, mesmerising sounds, lot's of humour, lot's of coolness... there may never be a game which can be up to this.
But, all fanboyism aside, keep in mind that this is just MY opinion. It's possible you don't like the graphics, humour and the like... but I'm sure everyone should have played this at least once! So, if you haven't already, GET THIS and find out! It may be totally overlooked, but arguably in the same regions as legendary games like Secret of Mana or Legend of Zelda are.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 01/23/06