<s>
Secret	B-Application
of	I-Application
Evermore	I-Application
is	O
an	O
action	B-Application
role-playing	I-Application
game	I-Application
developed	O
and	O
published	O
by	O
Square	O
for	O
the	O
Super	B-Application
Nintendo	I-Application
Entertainment	I-Application
System	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
story	O
of	O
Secret	B-Application
of	I-Application
Evermore	I-Application
follows	O
a	O
boy	O
and	O
his	O
pet	O
dog	O
as	O
they	O
are	O
inadvertently	O
transported	O
to	O
the	O
fantasy	O
world	O
of	O
Evermore	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
gameplay	O
shares	O
many	O
similarities	O
with	O
Secret	B-Application
of	I-Application
Mana	I-Application
,	O
such	O
as	O
real-time	O
battles	O
,	O
a	O
ring-shaped	O
menu	O
system	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
ability	O
to	O
switch	O
control	O
between	O
the	O
two	O
characters	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Despite	O
similar	O
game	O
mechanics	O
and	O
a	O
similar	O
title	O
,	O
it	O
is	O
not	O
an	O
entry	O
in	O
the	O
Mana	B-Application
series	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Secret	B-Application
of	I-Application
Evermore	I-Application
is	O
unique	O
in	O
that	O
it	O
is	O
the	O
only	O
game	O
developed	O
by	O
Square	O
designers	O
in	O
North	O
America	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
's	O
North	O
American	O
development	O
,	O
Mana-like	O
game	O
mechanics	O
,	O
and	O
ambient	O
music	O
have	O
since	O
helped	O
it	O
to	O
develop	O
a	O
cult	O
following	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Secret	B-Application
of	I-Application
Evermore	I-Application
takes	O
many	O
of	O
its	O
interface	O
and	O
gameplay	O
aspects	O
from	O
Secret	B-Application
of	I-Application
Mana	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
consists	O
mostly	O
of	O
an	O
aerial	B-Application
view	I-Application
setting	O
,	O
where	O
the	O
boy	O
and	O
his	O
dog	O
negotiate	O
the	O
terrain	O
and	O
fend	O
off	O
hostile	O
creatures	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Options	O
including	O
changing	O
equipment	O
or	O
casting	O
alchemy	B-Language
spells	B-Application
;	O
checking	O
status	O
can	O
be	O
performed	O
quickly	O
by	O
rotating	O
through	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
Action	O
Ring	O
system	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
four	O
worlds	O
of	O
Secret	B-Application
of	I-Application
Evermore	I-Application
,	O
the	O
in-game	O
currency	O
changes	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
shopkeepers	O
in	O
Prehistoria	O
exchange	O
talons	O
;	O
in	O
Antiqua	O
,	O
gemstones	B-Operating_System
;	O
in	O
Gothica	O
,	O
gold	O
coins	O
;	O
in	O
Omnitopia	O
,	O
credits	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
unique	O
element	O
of	O
Secret	B-Application
of	I-Application
Evermore	I-Application
is	O
its	O
magic	B-Application
system	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
To	O
cast	O
magic	B-Application
,	O
the	O
boy	O
must	O
be	O
given	O
an	O
"	B-Language
Alchemic	I-Language
Formula	I-Language
"	I-Language
by	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
many	O
non-playable	O
characters	O
called	O
"	O
Alchemists	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Unlike	O
some	O
role-playing	O
games	O
,	O
there	O
are	O
no	O
magic	B-Application
points	I-Application
needed	O
to	O
cast	O
spells	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Alchemy	B-Language
Formulas	O
require	O
pairs	O
of	O
ingredients	O
to	O
be	O
used	O
;	O
some	O
are	O
available	O
throughout	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
and	O
others	O
are	O
only	O
native	O
to	O
certain	O
environments	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
primitive	O
realms	O
,	O
ingredients	O
appear	O
such	O
as	O
wax	O
,	O
limestone	O
,	O
clay	O
,	O
and	O
ash	B-Operating_System
.	O
</s>
<s>
With	O
repeated	O
use	O
,	O
Alchemy	B-Language
Formulas	O
will	O
increase	O
in	O
level	O
,	O
enhancing	O
their	O
curative	O
,	O
offensive	O
,	O
or	O
support	O
effectiveness	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
To	O
overcome	O
this	O
,	O
there	O
are	O
several	O
Alchemists	O
scattered	O
throughout	O
the	O
game	O
who	O
offer	O
to	O
manage	O
the	O
boy	O
's	O
current	O
Alchemy	B-Language
list	O
;	O
any	O
formula	O
that	O
has	O
already	O
been	O
learned	O
can	O
be	O
stored	O
by	O
the	O
Alchemist	O
for	O
later	O
use	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
player	O
explores	O
four	O
main	O
areas	O
within	O
this	O
world	O
,	O
corresponding	O
to	O
different	O
historical	O
eras	O
:	O
Prehistoria	O
contains	O
cavemen	O
and	O
dinosaurs	O
;	O
Antiqua	O
boasts	O
a	O
colosseum	O
and	O
pyramid	B-Algorithm
theme	O
;	O
Gothica	O
contains	O
medieval	O
castles	O
and	O
is	O
populated	O
by	O
dragons	O
;	O
Omnitopia	O
is	O
a	O
futuristic	O
space	O
station	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
addition	O
,	O
the	O
dog	O
's	O
body	O
transforms	O
based	O
on	O
the	O
theme	O
of	O
the	O
area	O
that	O
players	O
are	O
in	O
:	O
in	O
the	O
world	O
of	O
Prehistoria	O
,	O
the	O
dog	O
is	O
transformed	O
into	O
a	O
feral	O
wolf	O
;	O
in	O
the	O
Antiqua	O
region	O
,	O
he	O
becomes	O
a	O
greyhound	O
;	O
in	O
Gothica	O
,	O
he	O
takes	O
the	O
form	O
of	O
a	O
fancy	O
poodle	B-Protocol
;	O
and	O
in	O
Omnitopia	O
,	O
he	O
becomes	O
a	O
robotic	O
dog	O
that	O
resembles	O
a	O
toaster	O
and	O
is	O
capable	O
of	O
shooting	O
laser	O
beams	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
story	O
of	O
Secret	B-Application
of	I-Application
Evermore	I-Application
begins	O
with	O
a	O
black	O
and	O
white	O
flashback	O
to	O
1965	O
,	O
in	O
a	O
small	O
town	O
called	O
Podunk	O
,	O
USA	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
butler	B-Operating_System
dressed	O
in	O
a	O
white	O
tailcoat	O
greets	O
the	O
boy	O
when	O
he	O
appears	O
,	O
only	O
to	O
lock	O
him	O
in	O
a	O
room	O
with	O
several	O
attack	O
robots	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
boy	O
quickly	O
learns	O
the	O
regions	O
are	O
manifestations	O
of	O
those	O
citizens	O
 '	O
personal	O
utopias	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Each	O
of	O
the	O
three	O
companions	O
acts	O
as	O
the	O
ruler	O
of	O
his	O
or	O
her	O
world	O
:	O
Elizabeth	O
,	O
the	O
Professor	O
's	O
niece	O
,	O
is	O
the	O
tribal	O
chief	O
of	O
Prehistoria	O
;	O
Horace	O
Highwater	O
,	O
curator	O
of	O
the	O
Podunk	O
Museum	O
,	O
oversees	O
Antiqua	O
;	O
Camellia	O
Bluegarden	O
,	O
a	O
portly	O
librarian	O
,	O
is	O
the	O
Queen	O
of	O
Gothica	O
;	O
Professor	O
Ruffleberg	O
monitors	O
everything	O
from	O
Omnitopia	O
,	O
with	O
his	O
android	O
butler	B-Operating_System
,	O
Carltron	O
,	O
alongside	O
him	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
and	O
his	O
butler	B-Operating_System
Carltron	O
once	O
engaged	O
in	O
chess	B-Application
matches	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
early	O
1994	O
,	O
the	O
development	O
of	O
Secret	B-Application
of	I-Application
Evermore	I-Application
began	O
at	O
SquareSoft	O
,	O
the	O
Redmond	O
,	O
Washington	O
,	O
office	O
of	O
the	O
Japanese	O
parent	O
company	O
Square	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Producer	O
Alan	O
Weiss	O
's	O
original	O
concept	O
had	O
a	O
group	O
of	O
magic	B-Application
users	O
who	O
"	O
could	O
tell	O
dream	O
stories	O
and	O
transport	O
the	O
listeners	O
into	O
the	O
experience	O
,	O
virtually	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
studio	O
had	O
a	O
naming	O
competition	O
which	O
resulted	O
in	O
Secret	B-Application
of	I-Application
Evermore	I-Application
;	O
composer	O
Jeremy	O
Soule	O
claims	O
to	O
have	O
been	O
the	O
team	O
member	O
who	O
submitted	O
the	O
name	O
"	O
Evermore	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Many	O
elements	O
of	O
Secret	B-Application
of	I-Application
Evermore	I-Application
were	O
copied	O
from	O
Secret	B-Application
of	I-Application
Mana	I-Application
because	O
they	O
had	O
proven	O
to	O
be	O
effective	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
final	O
product	O
of	O
Secret	B-Application
of	I-Application
Evermore	I-Application
was	O
produced	O
using	O
another	O
company	O
program	O
,	O
SIGIL	O
(	O
Square	O
Interpreted	O
Game	O
Intelligence	O
Language	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
There	O
is	O
a	O
persistent	O
misconception	O
that	O
the	O
game	O
is	O
,	O
or	O
was	O
released	O
in	O
lieu	O
of	O
,	O
a	O
follow-up	O
to	O
Secret	B-Application
of	I-Application
Mana	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Other	O
Square	O
titles	O
such	O
as	O
Final	B-Application
Fantasy	I-Application
VI	I-Application
and	O
Chrono	B-Application
Trigger	I-Application
were	O
being	O
localized	O
simultaneously	O
with	O
the	O
production	O
of	O
Secret	B-Application
of	I-Application
Evermore	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Fehdrau	O
explained	O
in	O
an	O
interview	O
that	O
Secret	B-Application
of	I-Application
Evermore	I-Application
was	O
not	O
created	O
in	O
place	O
of	O
Trials	B-Application
of	I-Application
Mana	I-Application
and	O
that	O
the	O
team	O
that	O
developed	O
Secret	B-Application
of	I-Application
Evermore	I-Application
was	O
assembled	O
from	O
newly	O
hired	O
staff	O
and	O
would	O
otherwise	O
never	O
have	O
been	O
assembled	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Secret	B-Application
of	I-Application
Evermore	I-Application
was	O
released	O
on	O
October	O
1	O
,	O
1995	O
,	O
in	O
North	O
America	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Jeremy	O
Soule	O
composed	O
and	O
produced	O
the	O
score	O
for	O
Secret	B-Application
of	I-Application
Evermore	I-Application
,	O
his	O
first	O
video	O
game	O
project	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Soule	O
was	O
hired	O
by	O
Square	O
Soft	O
after	O
they	O
had	O
reviewed	O
the	O
demo	O
to	O
score	O
Secret	B-Application
of	I-Application
Evermore	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
disc	O
was	O
published	O
by	O
Square	O
and	O
was	O
only	O
available	O
initially	O
to	O
those	O
who	O
pre-ordered	O
Secret	B-Application
of	I-Application
Evermore	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Secret	B-Application
of	I-Application
Evermore	I-Application
received	O
positive	O
reviews	O
from	O
most	O
media	O
outlets	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Scary	O
Larry	O
of	O
GamePro	O
,	O
however	O
,	O
found	O
the	O
spell	B-Application
animations	O
weak	O
compared	O
to	O
those	O
of	O
other	O
Square	O
games	O
,	O
and	O
said	O
the	O
bosses	O
are	O
large	O
but	O
strangely	O
unimpressive	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
highlight	O
for	O
some	O
critics	O
was	O
gameplay	O
,	O
particularly	O
the	O
unique	O
alchemy	B-Language
system	O
and	O
aspects	O
also	O
found	O
in	O
Secret	B-Application
of	I-Application
Mana	I-Application
such	O
as	O
the	O
ring	O
menu	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Nintendo	B-Application
Power	I-Application
praised	O
the	O
game	O
for	O
its	O
graphics	O
,	O
sound	O
,	O
play	O
control	O
,	O
story	O
,	O
and	O
variety	O
but	O
criticized	O
it	O
for	O
its	O
awkward	O
battle	O
system	O
and	O
simple	O
A.I.	O
</s>
<s>
Victor	O
Lucas	O
of	O
Electric	O
Playground	O
praised	O
the	O
game	O
saying	O
that	O
while	O
it	O
did	O
not	O
reach	O
the	O
heights	O
of	O
Chrono	B-Application
Trigger	I-Application
or	O
Final	B-Application
Fantasy	I-Application
VI	I-Application
,	O
it	O
was	O
still	O
a	O
highly	O
enjoyable	O
experience	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Others	O
argued	O
that	O
Secret	B-Application
of	I-Application
Evermore	I-Application
was	O
a	O
decent	O
first	O
attempt	O
by	O
the	O
American	O
team	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Game	B-Device
Players	I-Device
anticipated	O
another	O
game	O
from	O
the	O
same	O
development	O
team	O
,	O
and	O
a	O
critic	O
for	O
Next	O
Generation	O
said	O
that	O
while	O
the	O
game	O
suffered	O
from	O
a	O
number	O
of	O
amateur	O
mistakes	O
,	O
"	O
as	O
a	O
debut	O
title	O
for	O
a	O
new	O
team	O
of	O
designers	O
,	O
it	O
points	O
to	O
a	O
rosy	O
future	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Two	O
were	O
skeptical	O
that	O
an	O
American	O
made	O
role	O
playing	O
game	O
could	O
match	O
Square	O
's	O
internally	O
produced	O
titles	O
such	O
as	O
Final	B-Application
Fantasy	I-Application
,	O
but	O
they	O
were	O
impressed	O
with	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
One	O
reviewer	O
,	O
however	O
,	O
noted	O
that	O
he	O
missed	O
the	O
Japanese-style	O
art	O
found	O
in	O
other	O
Square	O
games	O
and	O
although	O
the	O
art	O
in	O
Secret	B-Application
of	I-Application
Evermore	I-Application
was	O
good	O
,	O
it	O
was	O
aimed	O
at	O
an	O
American	O
audience	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2018	O
,	O
Complex	O
rated	O
Secret	B-Application
of	I-Application
Evermore	I-Application
41st	O
in	O
their	O
"	O
The	O
Best	O
Super	B-Application
Nintendo	I-Application
Games	O
of	O
All	O
Times	O
"	O
list	O
.	O
</s>
