Visions of Mana, a title highly anticipated among ARPG fans, is a visual masterpiece.
Following a lengthy period of anticipation from the Mana series fans, the highly anticipated ARPG Visions of Mana has finally arrived. Developed by the Japanese studio Ouka Studios, this is the first significant entry in the renowned Mana series in over fifteen years. The stunning visual design highlights the game, taking players on a captivating voyage through a diverse and distinct world. The game’s world is not just a backdrop but a living, breathing entity you become a part of.
Visions of Mana’s narrative begins with a brief yet compelling introduction that explains the context of the game and characters without giving away too much information about the mechanics and aspects. You take control of Val, a Soul Guard selected to accompany a party of armies to the Mana Tree. You step into a divine journey in which you understand the ultimate goal, but you are uncertain about what might come up down the way.
The quest is set up well, but it’s the characters that truly make you want to go on the adventure. As the story progresses, you’ll cross paths with many characters, each with a unique story and personality. The attention to detail in this narrative and character development is immediately apparent; the characters are vivid and likable, making you feel deeply connected with the story. While avoiding typical clichés seen in fantasy JRPGs, the writing remains thoroughly compelling, drawing you further into the game’s world.
As the main story quest progresses, you’ll visit several modest towns with unique charm and character. Some towns are splendid in dimension and architecture, while others are simpler. In these towns, you’ll find merchants where you can equip your party members with gears and shops to buy consumables, abilities, and NPCs that give you side quests. While the story dictates a specific path, the game’s open-world aspect allows for adventure and exploration, making Visions of Mana more than just a linear action role-playing game.
While there are some branching paths to explore, the game is still mostly linear in that there will always be a forward trail to follow and different items to discover throughout the game. Thankfully, the majority of the levels don’t follow a flat path. Instead, if not extensive, there are a lot of verticalities similar to ELDEN RING – Shadow of the Erdtree. So, you’ll have to utilize your platforming and jumping skills to uncover hidden items and complete site objectives.
The lack of diversity in the side objectives, however, will annoy a lot of players. Most of them are just fetch quests: grab this object or kill a certain number of enemies, then return. The problem is that you have to return to the quest giver NPC each time you finish a side quest. And when there are a lot of side quests, this is something that gets annoying.
Visions of Mana come into their own during battle. The control mechanism is responsive and easy to master, so players of all skill levels should have no trouble getting into the action. The square button initiates a basic attack string, while the triangle button unleashes unique attacks. Hitting the circle controls dodging, while hitting X allows you to jump. You can access a convenient shortcut menu by pressing and holding a ring. This lets you use skills in real-time, in addition to the usual ring menu, which slows down time so you can pick at your own pace.
The option to manage one of the three party members as the main character in combat is one of the game’s finest features. You can try them out anytime since they have unique play styles and move sets. By switching between characters and using their abilities while they are on cooldown, the switch feature also allows you to optimize fighting to some extent. Combat feels new and dynamic since you can seamlessly transition to a different character, utilize their talent, and then return to the original. This is especially helpful if you require a particular ability when in the thick of a battle.
Battles in Visions of Mana are not just about brute force; they are about strategy. They occur in real-time, with two extra characters flanking and supporting your primary character. A quick button push allows you to assume control of any of these characters and go on your attack. The elemental system further enhances the fighting system.
The Radial Wheel mechanic sets this game apart despite the sometimes tough battles. With the ability to stop the action whenever you choose, you can take a moment to plan out your next move, whether it’s healing up, recharging your mana, or preparing for a fatal hit. This strategic element adds depth to the fast-paced action, engaging and rewarding gameplay.
On the other hand, elements vessels will become available to you as you go through the game. These unique items provide the elemental abilities of your character. These alter not just your character’s appearance but also their combat style in a major way. It’s the same as giving every member of your party access to a whole new class replete with talents and moves.
Once you acquire them, the customization is so detailed that your party arrangement is unique to you and greatly enriches the gameplay. Similar to how other role-playing games handle classes and jobs, this one does the same. Changing a character’s elemental equipping changes more than just their appearance; it also changes their weapon and abilities in battle. However, despite their elemental choice, you can equip your party members with specific actions you’ve unlocked.
The level of detail of Visions of Mana’s class system is incredible. These elemental routes, often known as Plots, allow you to develop talents the usual way. On the other hand, an Elemental Vessel is required to perform some skills, such as class abilities related to specific elements. It is unbelievable how many classes there are. Though it’s rare to see characters of different classes working together, this level of diversity far outshines the class system in Trials of Mana. At least two or three distinct weapon types are available to each class, each with exquisitely designed outfits.
Spells or passive enhancements called Ability Seeds can be equipped to gain extra abilities. Their class strike also serves as a super ability, allowing you to do massive damage to almost everything in the game. Each enemy you face has unique elemental strengths and weaknesses, so you’ll need to assemble a party to handle each type of enemy you face. The system is simple initially but opens up towards the end and works well with this mechanic. However, when facing an opponent much stronger than you, your talent alone will not be enough to win the fight.
Nevertheless, if you like role-playing games and find great joy in being mired down in stats and maxing out your character, you can do that here and learn to walk out from the game’s powerful enemies until you can match their levels—the game’s many difficulty levels, which range from beginner to hard.
The game manages to maintain a respectable normal difficulty level, with certain enemies being strong and bosses being demanding, without being too so. Then there’s NG+, which lets you start a new one with increased expert difficulty, and all your gear and character levels are transferred over.
Your classes or elements don’t truly level up with usage, which is a strange design shift compared to games with job or class systems. To level up an elemental plot, you need to gather Golden Clovers or fragments of Elementite, which you can find by exploring the game’s different locations.
Consequently, going out and exploring isn’t only about discovering chests or mysteries; it’s about a lot more. Cactuses, aka cacti, are something you need to be aware of. Avoid missing out on their excellent passive benefits at every opportunity. There are 36 cacti in the game, and finding them all gives you massive bonuses. Here’s a guide on all 38 cacti locations in Visions of Mana. Credit goes to the map designer, as the map’s well-done markings of key areas, you shouldn’t have trouble finding the important locations for your skill level.
Graphically, Visions of Mana has a lovely art style. The game’s colorful, saturated setting is ideal for its genre since it reflects a lively, contemporary vibe. It’s a delight to explore the game’s many regions, which range from desolate wasteland and cold areas to green woodlands and grassy farms. The hub cities flesh out this world; they’re visually striking, full of character, and a blast to explore. Each character looks visually distinct and bursting with life, and the character designs are just as striking.
The developers put a lot of heart into making these people unique. The game’s UI is tidy and easy to use, and fast shortcuts relate to your powers. Like the visuals, the audio in Visions of Mana is great. With a unique soundtrack for each area and cutscene, the music fits seamlessly with the game’s mystical mood. It helps immerse you in the setting, particularly during fighting when the sound effects are decent.
The voice acting is subjective; your view will influence your level of satisfaction. The characters’ unique accents give them individuality, and although they may become endearing, they may also be difficult to ignore if they annoy you. There were instances when the frame rate would sometimes dip. Although they didn’t occur very often, it was easy to observe when they did. They usually only happened during combat when many effects were happening simultaneously on the screen. Everything else about my experience with Visions of Mana was fantastic.
Ultimately, Visions of Mana is absolutely worth the wait as it offers a substantial gameplay experience. Fans of the series or those seeking an exciting and engaging role-playing game will likely find what they’re searching for in Visions of Mana. I highly recommend this game to anyone new to the series and like action role-playing games.
The graphics are eye-catching, and the combat is highly customizable, making for an enjoyable gaming experience. The gameplay involves exploring extensive open areas, ensuring you get your money’s worth in content and playtime. Visions of Mana is a great choice if you seek a game that combines elements of the past with those of the present.
