Children of Mana Discussion thread *Spoilers Inside*

[Lotus]

Alright so perhaps I missed something about the God Beast Faces and the bosses, someone want to explain , did I simply miss part of a conversation because I was playing it right before class, so kinda distracted. Kassidy said it was explained a bit after the thrid one, I have already beaten three, but haven't finished the Ice Fortress yet, is this where you mean?

[Kassidy]

OK, the God Beasts in this game are called Benevodons, and there is one for each elemental.

Xan Bie the Fiery (Fire)
Fiegmund the Great (Water)
Land Umber the Unyielding (Earth)
Dangaard the Lofty (Wind)
Mispolm the Ageless (Dryad)
Dolan the Celestial (Moon)
Lightgazer the Luminous (Light)
Zable Fahr the Dark (Shade, yet to be confirmed 100%)

Two of each of these has been enslaved by the Mana Lord and turned into a Malevodon, of which there are four:
Xangar (Fire and Wind)
Galem (Light and Wood)
Thaydol (Moon and Shadow)
Landmund (Earth and Water)

And I apologize, the explanation comes at the end of the Ice Citadel of Lorimar, my bad. Geez, and I'm writing the Walkthrough for this...

So far I've invested over 30 hours in this game, and I'm only past chapter 6 just now, but I am slowed by the fact that I'm trying to get a complete game and write out every detail possible at the same time. xD But let me know if you have anymore questions, I'll try my best to answer.

[Lotus]

That's gonna take a while, all those friggin mini quests, I had to restart a few times and noticed that the available side quests change. I am not sure what this is dependent on though. It may be character as each time I tried someone new.

[Dr. Sheexy]

The quests are just random things so you have a reason to go out and level up I think.
Anyways, the game is a lot longer than Sword of Mana, and I'm liking that. It seems kinda iffy on what the story is doing, but I think it's just because the bad guy isn't revealing evertything to you whenever you see him. Kinda more realistic.

[Kassidy]

The story does reveal itself in a very pieced fashion. It is only coming up to around chapters 6 and 7 that you finally start putting it all together.

There are three types of subquests:
-Dud Services (randomly generated to get items, levels and Lucre)
-Character (levels are random, but the quests are built in to the storyline, so talk to Tess, Millionaire, Watts, etc between levels, as they will slowly provide more subquests of their own)
-Elemental/Benevodon (equip the elemental in question then talk to one of the spirits of that elemental in the town to receive the idea of talking to a benevodon that you've freed to obtain more information about what is going on with the world)

Progress-wise I'm still only just past chapter 6, and my character is level 52 (I think). It's funny going back and doing levels again, 'cause it's almost like having God-mode turned on. Every enemy goes down with one hit. xD I'm hoping that it won't take me much more than another week to complete the game and have the full walkthrough complete with all the item details

[Lotus]

Yeah, I noticed the quests with the other characters, not sure if I can do the Elemental thing yet though, I have talked to an element with it equipped it tends to not do very much. But I think I am chapter 4, I have to go to Wendel next, but I am currently finding Watts assistant.

[Dr. Sheexy]

Dang it.
I knew it was too good to be true, it's way too short.
The story is kinda interesting, but it seems like a lot just to explain how Illusia came to be sealed away.

Dang it.
At least it seems like the levels will be fun to play through again, it's fun tanking through stuff. I did most of the little quests, but I guess I'll search and see what others I can do.

MAN it's too short
Dang it!



EDIT: What the heck? I watched the credits all the way through, and the game flippin' TAUNTS YOU. It's all "What's that? You want more? Maybe later, go to bed for now."
What the heck?!


At least I've got some side quests. Man, it's depressingly short. Not Sword of Mana short, but still.

At least the gameplay rocks.

[Kassidy]

Quick question: Who did you guys have to talk to in order to activate the third mission (Fiery Sands). As far as I've been able to see you talk to Nana in the Silver Moon, but some guy (who's being a right snotty git too) tells me Nana isn't even in the Silver Moon for him, and had to talk to Salamando instead. Any input from you?

Also, what rewards have to all received on the Panza subquest and Seamoon's subquest (if you did them), and what character were you using? I know that this will vary from character to character, as I can't somehow see Wanderer trying to wear a Bunny Dress in quite the same way as Tumble would. xDDD

[Lotus]

I had to talk to the praying chick and do her side quest, perhaps you just have to do a side quest for it to be available. I was playing with Wanderer.

[Kassidy]

No, her sidequest doesn't trigger it. That I do know goes across characters though.

[Dr. Sheexy]

I must have missed those little ones, I guess I'll have to do that on my second playthrough.

[Kassidy]

There's a whole slew of subquests. Don't worry, if you miss them on the first playthrough, you can get them just by talking to the characters again a few times afterwards. Tess in particular has a whole bunch of subquests, as does Millionaire, one from Watts, and all the elemental ones (which I believe unlock a new level too, so that'll be of interest). There's a list of them at the end of the Walkthrough I sent you (and it is still growing). Did you get it the other day?

Edit, I've also now finished the Path of Life, and can now access the Shade subquest. I was right, the Benevodon is Zable Fahr, the Nebulous.

[Dr. Sheexy]

Yeah, I got the walkthrough, it's really flippin' awesome. Great job man.

Sadly though, I realized that I have done all of the sidequests. Well, except I've got one benevodon left to visit.
Man, I tanked through this game too easy.
Oh well, at least it is still fun to thwack stuff around.

[Kassidy]

It is fun, indeed, but like you say, it does feel a bit too short-lived, sadly. But that hasn't stopped it being fun as heck, eh.

[Kassidy]

After the Path of Life, did anyone else get a subquest when talking to Seamoon that involved asking about the object received from the shadows at the end of the Ruins chapter? I received this playing with Tumble, but I don't know if it happens with other characters yet. Any input?

Edit: Right, this is the Tumble only subquest, so what I need to know is if other characters obtain their unique subquest from Seamoon or from other characters. The subquest adds quite a bit of backstory to the character.

You ask Seamoon if she knew Tumble's mother, which she did, and they practically grew up together. You hand her the hairpin that you obtained from the Shadows at the end of the Ruins Chapter and ask her to have a look at it. It was Tumble's mother's favourite hairpin, which you thought to be lost in the fire ten years ago. So it really was her shadow...

Tumble says this hairpin was handed down to her on her fifth birthday, and she always wanted to become a dancer, but her father didn't approve. She kept persisting and improving trying to become like her mother. Seamoon comments that you must be tired, running away into the memories of the past. It's ten years since Seamoon brought Tumble to Illusia, she knows what you're thinking, trying to please everyone around you. For a second, Tumble thinks she can hear her mother calling, and she decides to go and say goodbye over in Topple.

You arrive at a clearing in Topple, and call out to your family, saying you can't look back anymore. You ask to hear them just one more time. The hairpin emerges from your pocket, and fills the cave with light. The voice of your father comments on how you've grown, and you make him proud. You mother reminds you that you must take the world down its proper path. Toby says goodbye, and tells you to take care. With that the hairpin gather together the will of your family and embodies it in a new purple gem. You thank your family and leave.

And smeg, I have to admit that tied a knot in my stomach. It's these sorts of personal details and development that made the Mana games so heart-touching back in the day, and I'm glad to catch a glimpse of that here now.