History VideoGame / DawnOfMana

''Dawn of Mana'', known in Japan as ''Seiken Densetsu 4'' (聖剣伝説4), is a ''[[VideoGame/WorldOfMana Mana]]'' {{Prequel}} released in 2007 for the UsefulNotes/PlayStation2. It follows the story of [[ConvenientlyAnOrphan the orphan]] Keldric, his UnluckyChildhoodFriend Ritzia, the destruction of his DoomedHometown by TheEvilEmpire, and how all of this ties in with the awakening of the Mana Spirits and the Mana Tree.

* CameraScrew: Boss fights and jumping puzzles would be a lot easier if the camera controls didn't jerk your POV and controls around wildly at the slightest provocation in a heroic attempt to keep the view over your character's shoulder.

* StartOfDarkness: [[spoiler:Dark Majesty]] of ''VideoGame/TrialsOfMana'' is revealed to be [[spoiler: the Emperor of Lorimar (called the Kingdom of Light in ''VideoGame/TrialsOfMana'') King Stroud]] and it's revealed that his deal with the demons was infact to open the door to Mavolia (called the underworld in the English version of ''VideoGame/SecretOfMana'' and the fan-translation of ''VideoGame/TrialsOfMana''), that his killing of the previous Archdemon was striking down said Archdemon's host [[spoiler: [[UnluckyChildhoodFriend Ritzia]]]] with the first Mana Sword (secretly, [[spoiler: Medusa and her host Ritzia]] survives due to the sword being corrupted, not that it matters since [[spoiler: Keldy kills her for real soon after]]) and that his Archdemon form is the result of absorbing lots of Thanatos. His remains (mentioned in ''VideoGame/TrialsOfMana'') following his death in attempting to open the Mana Gate (which later includes Illusia following ''VideoGame/ChildrenOfMana'') [[HeWhoMustNotBeSeen still aren't seen]] yet are likely somewhere in Mavolia alongside Lekius's corpse which ''also'' teleported away following death.

** King Stroud of Lorimar is referenced in ''VideoGame/TrialsOfMana'' ([[spoiler:called Dark Prince in the FanTranslation]]). He also shares the same name as Stroud from ''VideoGame/SwordOfMana'' - better known as Dark Lord from ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyAdventure'' (although the Japanese names of their titles are dissimilar). Generally the only villain in the series that ''isn't'' alluded to in this game is the Emperor-type character (Dragon Lord in ''VideoGame/TrialsOfMana'' and Vandole in ''VideoGame/SecretOfMana''.

** King Stroud of Lorimar is referenced in ''VideoGame/TrialsOfMana'' ([[spoiler:called Dark Prince in the FanTranslation]]). He also [[NamesTheSame shares the same name]] as Stroud from ''VideoGame/SwordOfMana'' - better known as Dark Lord from ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyAdventure'' (although the Japanese names of their titles are dissimilar). Generally the only villain in the series that ''isn't'' alluded to in this game is the Emperor-type character (Dragon Lord in ''VideoGame/TrialsOfMana'' and Vandole in ''VideoGame/SecretOfMana''.

* RankInflation: S is the best grade you can earn on all of the stats that the game cares to keep track of (and it's a lot of stats).

* BarrierChangeBoss: Granz the Masked Guru.

* WhereItAllBegan: The game begins and ends with a chase through the LostWoods...but the second time around, you're going after [[spoiler:the BigBad after she's pulled a GrandTheftMe on UnluckyChildhoodFriend Ritzia]] and the monsters have all been corrupted by Thanatos servants of the Echoes.

* FairyCompanion: Casts magic for you and cures StandardStatusAilments.

* BarrierChangeBoss: The Masked Mage.

* BittersweetEnding: [[spoiler:

* {{Prequel}}: For the entire franchise, as the game tells the origin of the Mana Sword.

''Dawn of Mana'' plays like its SpiritualSuccessor ''Franchise/KingdomHearts'', but instead of gaining experience to level up, the hero has to earn badges before he can permanently upgrade his abilities. This mechanic, in addition to the frustratingly difficult boss battles and jumping puzzles, has made ''Dawn of Mana'' reviled by fans.

** The BigBad shares a name with a minor character in the ''VideoGame/LegendOfMana'' world history, and is most likely a reinterpretation of her. [[spoiler:She also has similarities with the depiction of Medusa from ''VideoGame/SwordOfMana'', who was in love with a man named Lord Granz. It is implied that the name Anise is name mortals use out of fear of being hit by the curse of Medusa's real name which, if true, would give interesting implications to the God-Beast from ''VideoGame/SeikenDensetsu3'' that Medusa's OneWingedAngel form resembles: Zable Fahr (considering how Anise is seen in ''VideoGame/HeroesOfMana'', which features the God-Beast, it's likely there's ''some'' connection)]].
** King Stroud of Lorimar is referenced in ''VideoGame/SeikenDensetsu3'' ([[spoiler:called Dark Prince in the FanTranslation]]). He also [[NamesTheSame shares the same name]] as Stroud from ''VideoGame/SwordOfMana'' - better known as Dark Lord from ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyAdventure'' (although the Japanese names of their titles are dissimilar). Generally the only villain in the series that ''isn't'' alluded to in this game is the Emperor-type character (Dragon Emperor in ''VideoGame/SeikenDensetsu3'' and Vandole in ''VideoGame/SecretOfMana''.

* StartOfDarkness: [[spoiler:The Dark Lord]] of ''VideoGame/SeikenDensetsu3'' is revealed to be [[spoiler: the Emperor of Lorimar (called the Kingdom of Light in ''VideoGame/SeikenDensetsu3'') King Stroud]] and it's revealed that his deal with the demons was infact to open the door to Mavolia (called the underworld in the English version of ''VideoGame/SecretOfMana'' and the fan-translation of ''VideoGame/SeikenDensetsu3''), that his killing of the previous Archdemon was striking down said Archdemon's host [[spoiler: [[UnluckyChildhoodFriend Ritzia]]]] with the first Mana Sword (secretly, [[spoiler: Medusa and her host Ritzia]] survives due to the sword being corrupted, not that it matters since [[spoiler: Keldy kills her for real soon after]]) and that his Archdemon form is the result of absorbing lots of Thanatos. His remains (mentioned in ''VideoGame/SeikenDensetsu3'') following his death in attempting to open the Mana Gate (which later includes Illusia following ''VideoGame/ChildrenOfMana'') [[HeWhoMustNotBeSeen still aren't seen]] yet are likely somewhere in Mavolia alongside Lekius's corpse which ''also'' teleported away following death.

* AutoRevive - Chalices will restores all of your HP and MP should you die. Too bad you can only find one or two of them in any given chapter...
* BagOfSpilling - Unless you have earned the right badges, you lose ''all'' of your accumulated stats at the end of ''every chapter''. Most definitely a ScrappyMechanic.
* BarrierChangeBoss - the Masked Mage.
* {{Bizarrchitecture}} - TheVeryDefinitelyFinalDungeon.

* CameraScrew - Boss fights and jumping puzzles would be a lot easier if the camera controls didn't jerk your POV and controls around wildly at the slightest provocation in a heroic attempt to keep the view over your character's shoulder.
* CherryTapping - Killing enemies with the Slingshot or Whip.
* ContinuityNod / MythologyGag - the BigBad shares a name with a minor character in the ''VideoGame/LegendOfMana'' world history, and is most likely a reinterpretation of her. [[spoiler:She also has similarities with the depiction of Medusa from ''VideoGame/SwordOfMana'', who was in love with a man named Lord Granz. It is implied that the name Anise is name mortals use out of fear of being hit by the curse of Medusa's real name which, if true, would give interesting implications to the God-Beast from ''VideoGame/SeikenDensetsu3'' that Medusa's OneWingedAngel form resembles: Zable Fahr (considering how Anise is seen in ''VideoGame/HeroesOfMana'', which features the God-Beast, it's likely there's ''some'' connection)]].

* DieChairDie - A lot of the game's environment is destructible and [[RewardingVandalism contains loot]]; you can even earn an accolade for destroying more than 700 objects.
* EnemyDetectingRadar - ColorCodedForYourConvenience: blue ones drop items, red ones are there to improve your level completion grade and to abuse the RagdollPhysics with their bodies, and the flashing yellow dot indicates the direction you need to go.
* EverythingTryingToKillYou - Partially averted; you can trick enemies into attacking each other.
* FairyCompanion - Casts magic for you and asks "are you okay?" [[AnnoyingVideoGameHelper every single time]] you recover from StandardStatusAilments.
* {{Flashback}} - The entire game is merely an account of the origin of the Mana Tree by Gnome, who told it in a meeting with his fellow Spirits. Gnome is apparently known to embellish a few parts of his stories, but it's believed at least the basic events historically took place thousands of years before the meeting.
* GrievousHarmWithABody - How you can hurt enemies with the Whip.
* HearingVoices - Both the mana spirits (good) and the echoes (evil) speak to the main characters in voices that only they can hear.
* HeWhoMustNotBeSeen - The Echoes whom the Thanatos serve unlike the creator of Mavolia (which serves as the Echoes' prison) Anise/[[spoiler:Medusa]] who is the final boss.

* Creator/KenjiIto - Composed part of the music. This was the fourth ''VideoGame/WorldOfMana'' game to feature his music, after ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyAdventure'', ''VideoGame/SwordOfMana'' and ''VideoGame/ChildrenOfMana''.
* LevelGrinding - A necessity in every chapter thanks to the BagOfSpilling.
* MinecartMadness - Featured in Chapter 2.
* RagnarokProofing - Discussed in Chapter 6; Fay is amazed that a structure built apparently hundreds, if not thousands, of years ago still has working components, whereas Keldy thinks it's a result of [[AWizardDidIt Mana spirits]].
* RankInflation - S is the best grade you can earn on all of the stats that the game cares to keep track of (and it's a lot of stats).
* RagdollPhysics - Abusing it is the only way to gain much-needed stat boosts in the game.
* SceneryPorn - The game uses a ''VideoGame/LegendOfMana''-esque color palette and, excepting the desert chapter, isn't all brown (and even there contains plenty of impressive sweeping vistas).
* SequelHook - [[spoiler:After Gnome's story is concluded, the Spirits set off to assist a new warrior and maiden. This may or may not be one of the existing games in the series.]]
* StartOfDarkness - [[spoiler:The Dark Lord]] of ''VideoGame/SeikenDensetsu3'' is revealed to be [[spoiler: the Emperor of Lorimar (called the Kingdom of Light in ''VideoGame/SeikenDensetsu3'') King Stroud]] and it's revealed that his deal with the demons was infact to open the door to Mavolia (called the underworld in the English version of ''VideoGame/SecretOfMana'' and the FanTranslation of ''VideoGame/SeikenDensetsu3''), that his killing of the previous Archdemon was striking down said Archdemon's host [[spoiler: [[UnluckyChildhoodFriend Ritzia]]]] with the first Mana Sword (secretly, [[spoiler: Medusa and her host Ritzia]] survives due to the sword being corrupted, not that it matters since [[spoiler: Keldy kills her for real soon after]]) and that his Archdemon form is the result of absorbing lots of Thanatos. His remains (mentioned in ''VideoGame/SeikenDensetsu3'') following his death in attempting to open the Mana Gate (which later includes Illusia following ''VideoGame/ChildrenOfMana'') [[HeWhoMustNotBeSeen still aren't seen]] yet are likely somewhere in Mavolia alongside Lekius's corpse which ''also'' teleported away following death.
* WhereItAllBegan - The game begins and ends with a chase through the LostWoods...but the second time around, you're going after [[spoiler:the BigBad after she's pulled a GrandTheftMe on UnluckyChildhoodFriend Ritzia]] and the monsters have all been corrupted by Thanatos servants of the Echoes.
* WreakingHavok - the whole game just seems to be an engine experiment for use in later titles.

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* ContinuityNod / MythologyGag - the BigBad shares a name with a minor character in the ''VideoGame/LegendOfMana'' world history, and is most likely a reinterpretation of her. [[spoiler:She also has similarities with the depiction of Medusa from ''VideoGame/SwordOfMana'', who was in love with a man named Lord Granz. It is implied that the name Anise is name mortals use out of fear of being hit by the curse of Medusa's real name which, if true, would give interesting implications to the God-Beast from ''VideoGame/SeikenDensetsu3'' that Medusa's OneWingedAngel form resembles: Zable Fahr (considering how Anise is seen in ''VideoGame/HeroesOfMana'' which features the God-Beast, it's likely there's ''some'' connection)]].

''Dawn of Mana'' plays like its SpiritualSuccessor KingdomHearts, but instead of gaining experience to level up, the hero has to earn badges before he can permanently upgrade his abilities. This mechanic, in addition to the frustratingly difficult boss battles and jumping puzzles, has made ''Dawn of Mana'' reviled by fans.

!Tropes unique to this game:

* CameraScrew - Boss fights and jumping puzzles would be a lot easier if the camera controls didn't jerk your POV and controls around wildly at the slightest provocation.

*** For that matter, so does the Masked Guru [[spoiler:who's revealed to be Anise's lover Granz, no mere mortal but a powerful spirit. This ''may'' explain why Julius (the BigBad of ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyAdventure'' said to be the alias of Emperor Vandole in ''VideoGame/SwordOfMana'', [[spoiler:which might make him the [[HeWhoMustNotBeSeen unseen Echoes of Mavolia]] behind Thanatos and thus the villain Thanatos had backstabbed in ''VideoGame/SecretOfMana'') was draining the energy of Lady Medusa's husband, Lord Granz.]]

* FairyCompanion - Casts magic for you and asks "are you okay?" [[StopHelpingMe every single time]] you recover from StandardStatusAilments.

* StartOfDarkness - [[spoiler:The Dark Lord of ''VideoGame/SeikenDensetsu3'' is revealed to be the Emperor of Lorimar (called the Kingdom of Light in ''VideoGame/SeikenDensetsu3'') King Stroud and it's revealed that his deal with the demons was infact to open the door to Mavolia (called the underworld in the English version of ''VideoGame/SecretOfMana'' and the FanTranslation of ''VideoGame/SeikenDensetsu3''), that his killing of the previous Archdemon was striking down said Archdemon's host [[UnluckyChildhoodFriend Ritzia]] with the first Mana Sword (secretly Medusa and her host Ritzia survives due to the sword being corrupted, not that it matters since Keldy kills her for real soon after) and that his Archdemon form is the result of absorbing lots of Thanatos. His remains (mentioned in ''VideoGame/SeikenDensetsu3'') following his death in attempting to open the Mana Gate (which later includes Illusia following ''VideoGame/ChildrenOfMana'') [[HeWhoMustNotBeSeen still aren't seen]] yet are likely somewhere in Mavolia alongside Lekius's corpse which ''also'' teleported away following death.]]

* BagOfSpilling - You lose all of your accumulated stats at the end of ''every chapter''. Most definitely a ScrappyMechanic.

'''''Dawn of Mana''''', known in Japan as '''''Seiken Densetsu 4''''' (聖剣伝説4), is a ''[[VideoGame/WorldOfMana Mana]]'' {{Prequel}} released in 2007 for the [=PlayStation=] 2. It follows the story of [[ConvenientlyAnOrphan the orphan]] Keldric, his UnluckyChildhoodFriend Ritzia, the destruction of his DoomedHometown by TheEvilEmpire, and how all of this ties in with the awakening of the Mana Spirits and the Mana Tree.

** King Stroud of Lorimar is referenced in ''VideoGame/SeikenDensetsu3'' ([[spoiler:called Dark Prince in the FanTranslation]]). He also [[NamesTheSame shares the same name]] as Stroud from ''VideoGame/SwordOfMana'' - better known as Dark Lord from ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyAdventure'' (although the Japanese names of their titles are dissimilar). Generally the only villain in the series that ''isn't'' alluded to in this game is the Emperor-type character (Dragon Emperor in ''VideoGame/SeikenDensetsu3'' and Vandole in ''VideoGame/SecretOfMana'' [[spoiler:who is hinted by his last words to in fact be the [[HeWhoMustNotBeSeen unseen Echoes of Mavolia]] behind the Thanatos in this game]]).

*** For that matter, so does the Masked Guru [[spoiler:who's revealed to be Anise's lover Granz, no mere mortal but a powerful spirit. This ''may'' explain why Julius (the BigBad of ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyAdventure'' said to be the alias of Emperor Vandole in ''VideoGame/SwordOfMana'' and thus the villain Thanatos had backstabbed in ''VideoGame/SecretOfMana'') was draining the energy of Lady Medusa's husband, Lord Granz.]]

* ContinuityNod / MythologyGag - the BigBad shares a name with a minor character in the ''VideoGame/LegendOfMana'' world history, and is most likely a reinterpretation of her. [[spoiler:She also has similarities with the depiction of Medusa from ''VideoGame/SwordOfMana'', who was in love with a man named Lord Granz. It is implied that the name Anise is name mortals use out of fear of being hit by the curse of Medusa's real name which, if true, would give interesting implications to the Godbeast from ''VideoGame/SeikenDensetsu3'' that Medusa's OneWingedAngel form resembles: Zable Fahr (considering how Anise is seen in ''VideoGame/HeroesOfMana'' which features the God-Beast, it's likely there's ''some'' connection)]].

* ContinuityNod / MythologyGag - the BigBad shares a name with a minor character in ''VideoGame/LegendOfMana''. [[spoiler:She also has similarities with the depiction of Medusa from ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyAdventure'', who was in love with a man named Lord Granz. It is implied that the name Anise is name mortals use out of fear of being hit by the curse of Medusa's real name which, if true, would give interesting implications to the Godbeast from ''VideoGame/SeikenDensetsu3'' that Medusa's OneWingedAngel form resembles: Zable Fahr (considering how Anise is seen in ''VideoGame/HeroesOfMana'' which features the God-Beast, it's likely there's ''some'' connection)]].