When comparing Secret of Mana vs Knights of Pen & Paper 2, the Slant community recommends Secret of Mana for most people. In the question“What are the best Android RPGs?” Secret of Mana is ranked 8th while Knights of Pen & Paper 2 is ranked 19th. The most important reason people chose Secret of Mana is:
Twenty some odd years later and Secret of Mana is still considered one of the best action role playing game experiences there is.
Specs
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Pros
Pro Has stood the test of time
Twenty some odd years later and Secret of Mana is still considered one of the best action role playing game experiences there is.
Pro Unique ring command system allows for easy menu selection
The ring command system used for selecting equipment and other options is still as innovative today as it was back in 1993.
A first at it's time, the ring command system allowed for users to select their weapons and equipment easily without having to leave the main game screen, making for selecting quite easy.
Pro Shift in gameplay for Squaresoft/SquareEnix made RPGs
Secret of Mana features a top down real time battle system akin to other action role playing games such as Legend of Zelda that at the time was a large shift from the turn based fare that Square created. Even today Square Enix does not foray too often into the action role playing genre, making for a unique experience when it comes to Square created titles.
Pro Considered one of the best stories in RPG's young and old
While the outline of the story is the normal RPG fare, where a young boy is tasked with saving the world, the characters and their journey still holds up as one of the best ever written.
Pro Colorful 16bit era graphics
Secret of Mana was created at the height of the 16bit SNES era and utilized some of the most colorful and stylized fantasy role playing game graphics. While it would have been nice to see Square polish them up a bit for HD devices, they still hold up, especially in a market that has many games designed with bit graphics as a current trend.
Pro Deep character creation through multiple combinations of class, race and social group
The game allows for a multitude of combinations when it comes to the character creation. First is class, where you pick what type of fighter the character will be. Second is race, which will allow for differing perks and stats, depending on which race is chosen. Third is social group, which also allows for further choice in stats and perks. Combining these three options will allow for a good bit of customization, since each can be added to the other.
Pro In-app-purchases are optional as the game can be completed without purchasing any
The game can be completed without any need for in-app-purchases making them feel as though they are pretty optional. Though for the impatient they are there to make the game easier by allowing for purchase more players or gear.
Pro Play with one hand or two thanks to the game supporting landscape and portrait views
Knights of Pen & Paper 2 can be played in portrait as well as landscape orientations, making for convenient play no matter what device on is using. Also a nice change since the first version as now tablet can have an easier time displaying the game.
Cons
Con Graphically, almost a direct port
Square Enix has done nothing to polish the graphics in this port which for the price point is a little disheartening. The black borders on both sides of the screen are also disappointing. To see Square do so little to accommodate HD devices and their swath of screen sizes, it makes one wonder how they get away charging the prices they do.
Con Humor feels a bit obvious and easy
The humor in Knights of Pen & Paper 2 does not particularly seem all that funny. Often feeling as though it is little childish as well as an easier type of humor that does not require much thinking.
Con Totally Pay-2-Win
There is really limited content that you can reach without paying it.