"Using the power of Mana a civilization had grown strong.
In time, Mana was used to create the ultimate weapon: the Mana Fortress.
This angered the gods. They sent their beasts to destroy the Fortress.
A violent war rocked the world, and Mana seemed to disappear.
Before all was lost, a hero with the Mana Sword smashed the Fortress.
Though the civilization had been destroyed, the world was peaceful again.
But time flows like a river, and history repeats..."
The game starts with The Boy exploring outside the village with two other boys from his home town of Potos, Eli and Tim. The Boy falls down a waterfall. The Boy sees a sword in a stone and pulls it out, only for a ghost to appear before him.
With sword in hand, The Boy is now able to cut the grass blocking his way way back to the village. After obtaining the sword, head east through the grass patch. This intro area is a linear path with no variations, so just keep following it as you kill rabbos, eventually you will get back to town.
Once in Potos, you can explore a bit, talk to the townspeople, buy armor, etc. At the right of the village, you find Tim and Eli talking with the Elder. After the conversation with the Elder, Eli starts hitting and threatening The Boy,(bringing supposed destruction to a village will do that even to the best of friends) and an earthquake opens a pit in the ground. The two boys fall in, and here you fight your first boss, Mantis Ant. This fight can't be lost as Jema will respond and heal you.
After defeating the boss, Jema explains the situation at hand, and tells you to meet him at the Water Palace. Tim then tells you the Elder wants to speak to you. The Elder explains that you must be banished due to the danger the Mana Sword represents to the village and also explains how They Boy came to the village. After that, buy anything you think you'll need from the store (armor, items) and exit the village to the south. Once you leave the villiage, you will be banished and will not be allowed to re-enter.
After leaving Potos, you can just walk to the Water Palace by following the path down, and then up and to the left at the fork in the road. Outside the palace you'll see Dyluck and some other Pandoran soldiers talking about attacking Elinee in the forest. Just keep heading north and you'll run into Jema outside the water palace.
Follow him inside to find Luka, the guardian of the Water Palace. She explains that the empire is trying to revive the Mana Fortress from the past, and that The Boy and the Mana Sword are needed to stop them. She explains how to increase the Sword's power by visiting all of the Palaces around the world and connecting the Sword with the Mana Seeds. She then instructs Jema to go to Pandora, as strange things have been happening there, and for They Boy to head to Gaea's Navel to seek out the dwarves. The dwarves may be able to fix the Mana Sword. She also gives you the Spear, and tells you it was a weapon used by mana guardians long ago, and to keep an eye out for more weapons like it.
From the Water Palace head south. When you reach the fork in the road just keep going south. Eventually you'll run into the city of Pandora. As you walk around talking to people, everyone pretty much is silent and won't talk to you. Head to the right side of town and go to the castle. This place is a bit of a maze, but eventually, following the hallways, you'll run into The Girl who says her father is ruining her life, she's going to forest to kill this witch and get her boyfriend back. In the larger door to the left you'll find Jema talking with the King and Queen about the situation in the kingdom. It turns out that the witch that the soldiers by the Water Palace were going to attack is draining everyone's energy and making them act like zombies. Jema says he's going to check out the ruins south of town, and tells you to go to Gaea's Navel again. You're going to the forest first instead.
Now you can leave the castle and head to the left out of town. You eventually get to a basin area, which is where Gaia's Navel is located. Just north of Gaia's Navel is the Haunted Forest. The Chobin Archer's are fairly annoying to deal with due to their range and the fact that they hide behind barriers. Use the sword to cut your way into where they're hiding to kill them. A little ways in you find Neko, the cat merchant. He offers to sell you items at a alight mark-up.
MINI BOSS - WEREWOLVES
Here you find The Girl being attacked by 2 Werewolves. These two hit HARD and can combo off each other, keeping you knocked down to kill you. Not only do they hit hard, but they have healing magic as well, so they take a while to kill. Once you beat the Werewolves, The Girl explains that she's going after Dyluck, her soldier boyfriend, and that you're coming along like it or not. She also comes with a shiny new weapon, the Gloves.
Now you can go through the forest for a while, but there is an impassible thicket you'll have to find something sturdier to cut through, like an axe. The Girl suggests heading to Gaia's Navel to see if the Dwarves have an axe to sell.
Leaving the Haunted Forrest and descend into the cavernous Gaia's Navel. At the bottom of the waterfalls are two caves, Neko is in the right one and will offer to sell you itemsfor a mark-up cost. The left cave leads further underground.
Inside the cave are slime enemies that can keep multiplying. Goblins and bats are also common on the way down. After a few rooms you run into an area that has some lava that you can't pass. Just go up around the water above it and into the cave on the left. Hit the skull-switch guarded by more kid goblins and you'll hear the water draining out, hardening the lava so you can walk over it.
A hidden room near this area contains a chest with the Magic Rope inside.
After crossing the lava pit you can easily follow the sounds of the Dwarven Villiage.
Watts, the Blacksmith's shop is up the stairs to the left. He mentions how your rusty sword looks like it's about to break, fixes it for 100 gold, and then his hammer starts glowing. He realizes that you have the Mana Sword. He says he's going to try and make an axe and to come back for it later. Now your sword is upgraded, so it looks a little better and does more damage.
New the Villiage Elder's home is a side path that leads to a Carnival-style exhibit show with the main attraction of a small sprite child that the villiagers seem to be talking about. You get charged 50 gold for the show and are asked to donate 100 more to aid the poor sprite child. After, go to the back room, which is to the right of where you entered the show. You will hear the dwarven elder and the Sprite Child talking about how they ripped you off. Once they notice you overheard them they will give you your money back. Once you leave this area and return to the main villiage area, Tropicallo attacks and a boss battle starts.
Tropicallo is an odd enemy. It's a plant with bombs in an underground cavern. He burrows under the ground and moves around the battlefield by resurfacing in different locations. You can only hit him when his head is out of the main pod. He also has minions that send out vines to hurt you, and spits pumpkin bombs at you as well.
The elder thanks you for saving the town, and explains that the monster came from the sealed palace nearby. He suggests the Sprite Child recieve some power from the Mana Seed so that he can maybe recover his memory and find his way back home. The Boy agrees to take the Sprite Child, The Sprite. The Sprite comes with the Boomerang and the elder gives you a Bow that he found along The Sprite. The elder explains that the palace has a seal that Elinee the witch placed upon it, so you'll have to go visit her to remove it. He mentions that she used to be good as well. Lastly, he informs you that Watts was looking for you, so head by his shop before taking off.
Watts sells you the Axe he made for you for 100 gold, and you can upgrade your Spear for 200 more. He then shows you a shortcut out of Gaia's Navel that you get to use to get down to the village from now on. With Axe in hand you can return to the haunted forest.