Plus, Charlotte is also the only dedicated healer, so just about any given team composition would likely need to include her. I had reservations the moment my characters met up with her, but by then I didn't want to turn back and repeat the beginning of the game. In short, she tawks wike this, fow the whole thiwty houws! (It is actually spelled out that way in the subtitles, mind you.) If it was meant to be endearing, it failed. Charlotte's is obnoxious, in large part because the localization accents her youthfulness with a heavy speech impediment. Much of the English voice acting in Trials of Mana is hokey and stilted, but fine and functional enough. I also regretted choosing Charlotte, albeit for completely different reasons. And as I was fighting up-close anyway I might as well be controlling Kevin instead, since his aggressive fighting style and powerful attacks were much more satisfying. Several hours in, I realized her ranged abilities are fairly limited. I imagined hanging back and doing ranged damage while Kevin pulled aggro. I had chosen Reisz as my main character with the promise that she's a strong ranged fighter, with the brawler Kevin and healer Charlotte as my backup. While all team compositions are probably viable, some are more sensible than others, so it's entirely possible to get knee-deep before wishing you'd made different choices. While many similarly styled JRPGs would present a set cast, or have you swap characters between a larger roster, Trials of Mana has you choose the three who will last you for the entire adventure before you know anything about them or how the game will proceed.
The other characters that you left unchosen appear in brief cameos, and it's implied that their own quest is still happening just off-camera as they go it alone. The stakes of the overall story remain the same, but by presenting you with a selection of six different prologues, you get to see the various motivations that led your custom-built party to be thrown into this grand adventure.
It's an inventive idea that adds a layer of personalization and a criss-crossing narrative. By clicking 'enter', you agree to GameSpot's