Fans of Japanese role-playing games have long awaited a new Mana series title. With Visions of Mana, players are treated to an exciting adventure that surpasses its predecessors in many ways.
A vibrant world with an evolving combat system
Visions of Mana offers an enjoyable and visually delightful single-player experience, particularly for fans of the Mana series. Building on the foundation laid by Trials of Mana (2020), this new release further refines the concept of a 3D world in nearly all aspects.
One of the game’s standout features is the combat system, which starts as a simple button-mashing affair but gradually evolves into a more strategic and experimental experience. This system gains depth as the game progresses, providing players with variety and excitement.
The game world is meticulously designed, with its colorful and whimsical graphics adding to the overall charm. Apart from a few hiccups during cutscenes, the game runs smoothly on the PlayStation 5.
Key highlights of the game include:
- A dynamic combat system that becomes more complex over time, offering diverse gameplay.
- A beautifully crafted game world that invites exploration.
- Detailed graphics and smooth technical performance.
- A well-told story, though it takes a backseat during the adventure.
- Occasionally uninspired side quests, most of which are simple fetch missions.
Our rating: 8/10
From soul guardian to the Mana Tree
Players assume the role of Val, a soul guardian from the fiery village of Tiana. During a ceremonial event, Val’s friend Hina is appointed as the village’s chosen one, making Val her protector and companion on a quest to the Mana Tree. The mission is to replenish the tree’s power by offering a soul sacrifice. While the story is well narrated, it is not crucial to the overall enjoyment of the game.
The game offers both English and Japanese voice acting, with German subtitles available. Although the subtitles do not always align perfectly with the dialogue, this discrepancy does not detract from the experience.
While the early hours of gameplay are heavily interrupted by cutscenes, the use of dynamic camera angles makes conversations between characters feel engaging, as players are more involved than they would be if simply clicking through text boxes.
A beautiful and immersive game world
In Visions of Mana, players guide Val and his companions through a vibrant and visually stunning world. While the game does not feature an open-world format, the large areas encourage exploration. As players progress, they unlock Pikulis, black woolly mounts that allow for faster travel over long distances.
The game features varied environments, from windy grasslands to snow-covered hills and bustling harbor towns. It rewards players for veering off the beaten path to discover hidden chests and valuable items. Careful exploration and platforming skills are often necessary to obtain new weapons, healing items, or money, providing a satisfying challenge.
One of the game’s strengths is the freedom it gives players to explore. Nearly all areas, including village shops, mountain ranges, and pillar formations, are accessible without invisible barriers, adding to the sense of adventure.
Visions of Mana excels at deepening the atmosphere of its world through music. However, the game’s battle music feels somewhat lacking in heroic intensity.
For long-time fans of the series, the game contains many nostalgic elements from titles like Secret of Mana, Legend of Mana, and Sword of Mana. Players will encounter familiar foes, such as the bouncing Pogopuschel and axe-wielding Goblins, as well as quirky shopkeepers who behave much like they did in earlier games.
Dynamic and customizable combat
The heart of Visions of Mana lies in its evolving combat system, which keeps the gameplay fresh throughout the adventure. Players can unleash light or heavy attacks, use abilities and buffs via the classic ring menu or hotkey combinations, and switch between five characters, each with their own fighting style. The active party consists of three members at a time, and players can experiment with different combinations.
Val excels at melee combat, Carina strengthens the party with buffs, and Palmina casts powerful spells from afar. The variety of characters makes it fun to experiment with party setups and maximize synergy between team members.
Elemental magic and class changes
During the journey, players encounter elemental spirits that grant access to the powers of fire, wind, and moon, among others. Each element triggers a class change for the character it is assigned to, altering both their appearance and combat abilities.
For example, when Val gains the wind element, he transforms into a Rune Warrior, exchanging his regular sword for a massive two-handed weapon and unlocking new wind-based attacks. Each element opens up new strategies, adding depth to the combat system and offering nearly limitless combinations.
It is also important to change classes regularly, as enemies develop resistances or immunities to certain elements in different regions. As players land repeated physical attacks, they charge a class-specific attack meter, allowing them to unleash a powerful finishing move based on their current element. Additionally, they can activate a secondary special ability with a short cooldown.
For instance, the wind element lets Val hurl sharp sickles with a boomerang, while the moon element allows players to stop time in a small area, freezing enemies in place and making them easy targets.
While this may sound overwhelming, the game keeps the talent trees of each class simple and easy to navigate, ensuring the combat system remains accessible to newcomers without bogging them down with lengthy explanations.
Room for improvement in combat mechanics
Despite its strengths, Visions of Mana‘s combat system has a few flaws. For one, hits could feel more impactful. It is easy to lose track of how many enemies you have defeated, as the sensation of landing hits could be more satisfying.
Additionally, combat visibility can be an issue at times, with the camera not always cooperating, particularly when party members obscure the player’s view. Navigating the menus to assign new abilities to the quick-access menu also feels cumbersome. Lastly, the ring around the battlefield, meant to signal a potential escape route, can cause confusion—especially when the camera unintentionally leads to fleeing.
Stunning graphics and solid technical performance
In performance mode on the PlayStation 5, Visions of Mana runs at a stable 60 frames per second. The game’s graphics are intricately detailed and visually stunning. The grassy fields sway with the wind, and glowing particles enhance the vibrant scenery.
The vibrant colors of the game also stand out on screens equipped with Ambilight technology, creating an immersive light show that adds to the overall experience. While there are occasional frame rate drops during cutscenes, these minor issues can likely be resolved with a patch.
The game’s colorful aesthetic, coupled with its charming character designs, might not appeal to everyone but fits well with the whimsical tone of Visions of Mana. The playful and cozy atmosphere it creates is one of the game’s most distinctive features.