Visions of Mana Impression

Visions of Mana seems to have all the elements to be a triumphant return for the series with its flawless presentation, combat classes, and semi-open world.

After several years without a new mainline entry, the Mana series returns in Visions of Mana. In this charming action RPG, players journey to the Tree of Mana to revitalize this world. RPGamer was given the chance to play the first few hours of the game in advance for an impression, and what has been seen is undeniably promising, featuring many of the series’ staples and an appealing presentation.

The story takes place in a fantasy world where the Tree of Mana is in charge of bringing prosperity to living beings. In return, each village should send an Alm, one villager appointed by the Fairie to offer their soul to the tree. Players take on the role of Val, a young soul guard tasked with accompanying and protecting his childhood friend Hinna, the Alm of Fire, on her pilgrimage. The two of them embark on a joyful adventure, and other Alms join them as the story progresses. Everyone seems surprisingly happy and at peace with the idea of creatures offering their lives to the Tree of Mana, feeling that this fate is an honor instead of a sacrifice. The premise is rife with the possibility of a highly passionate tale as the characters are already notably likable.

There are some hints of characters having mixed feelings since they talk about wanting to live long lives with their loved ones, which could be preparing the ground for emotional punches that can make the story a rollercoaster of emotions later on. The main characters have provocative personalities that have been unveiled little by little, making the adventure also a quest to get to know their contrasting views of life and sometimes their tormented pasts. In the first two chapters of the game, there seem to be some secondary characters that could be friends or foes at the same time, adding a dose of intrigue to the plot that contrasts with the overall feeling of happiness.

Beautiful creatures can be ridden during the journey to the Tree of Mana.

One of the most important gameplay elements is exploring semi-open regions. Players travel through various regions with varied landscapes that are full of monsters to fight and items to collect. The heroes find elemental deities that offer their powers to aid them on their quest. These creatures not only help during combat but also have powers that can be used while exploring to reach some spots. Players can ride creatures to travel faster on this vast world that takes advantage of its 3D by hiding items and secrets everywhere. There is also a very helpful fast travel option that is surely welcome when completing sidequests. Fans of the series are in for a treat and will immediately recognize several staples of the series, from dancing merchants and candy to iconic enemies and elemental gods and goddesses that have been featured in past entries, making the game feel like a continuation of past ones.

The characteristic fast-paced battle system of the series also returns in Visions of Mana. Players can dash, jump, and use two types of attacks. Fighters can also use several abilities that can be accessed via a shortcut menu that is set outside combat, allowing players to personalize their heroes. New powerful skills that can be unleashed after their respective gauges have been filled were added to give players an ability that can be used to turn the tables. The Ring Menu also appears in the game, allowing heroes to quickly access items during and outside combat, pausing battles so that players have time to think carefully about their next movements.

Players can have up to a three-person party, but some supporting fighters also aid in combat and can heal or otherwise assist the playable characters but who cannot be controlled. Players can swap the controlled character, with each having a different style that makes them unique. Combat classes for each character can be unlocked using Elemental Vessels, which can be acquired as the story progresses. Combat has been fun during the first hours of the game, and since more features have been added, hopefully, it will be engaging throughout the whole adventure.

Elemental Vessels are used to unlock new classes.

Visions of Mana’s presentation is amazing and follows the style used in previous entries, with a varied set of living creatures and magical entities that make this world feel like part of a fairy tale. A colorful world filled with vibrant colors serves as the backdrop for the adventure. The soundtrack is great and varied, but what probably stands out so far is the superb voice acting, which makes characters even more interesting even when there are some issues with lip sync.

The remake of Trails of Mana set a high bar, but Visions of Mana seems to have all the elements to be a triumphant return for the series with its flawless presentation, combat classes, and semi-open world. Visions of Mana will be released on August 29, 2024, for PC (via Steam), PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.

Disclosure: This article is based on a copy of the game provided by the publisher.