Visions of Mana Review

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Visions of Mana Review

As a seasoned JRPG connoisseur with over two decades under my belt, I’ve seen it all – from the pixelated glory days of yesteryear to the sleek, modern epics of today. So when I stumbled upon Visions of Mana, I was intrigued by its promise of a fresh take on the classic formula.

Visions of Mana marks the first original installment in the Mana series since Heroes of Mana in 2007, taking on the mantle of all the games that preceded it and the subsequent quiet period for the franchise. Long-time Mana fans can take comfort in knowing that this new release has remained true to the series’ roots while being updated for modern times. For those who are new to the series, they might find that Visions of Mana stands its ground alongside other notable games released in August.

The Mana series consistently distinguishes itself from other JRPG games, and Visions of Mana is no different. Its visual aesthetics, soundtrack, and storyline create an enchanting, almost folkloric adventure that sets it apart from the grittier narratives typically found in franchises like Final Fantasy. However, this more subtle and straightforward approach to both narrative and gameplay could prove divisive among JRPG enthusiasts, as Visions of Mana sometimes struggles to strike a balance between being wholesome and uninteresting, particularly during its early stages.

Beyond its storyline, Visions of Mana offers more than just the narrative; it boasts a robust combat system for players to explore, though it doesn’t break new ground in this aspect. The gameplay is reminiscent of the acclaimed 2019 remake of Visions of Mana, featuring real-time combat that serves as a refined progression from the series’ SNES origins, with both positive and negative connotations. In essence, Visions of Mana is quintessentially a Mana game, and whether a player finds a connection with it depends on this fundamental aspect, along with some minor peculiarities here and there.

Visions of Mana Is a Fitting Return for the Franchise

In the game titled “Visions of Mana“, we follow Val, a 17-year-old Soul Guard. The role of Soul Guards is to escort Alms, selected by spiritual entities, to the Tree of Mana. These Alms willingly give up their lives at the tree to prevent disasters from striking their homelands. Although this ritual of human sacrifice might seem abhorrent to many gamers, the characters in the game’s universe do not share this perspective: being chosen as an Alm is a revered and esteemed honor, and numerous characters express enthusiasm for the opportunity to sacrifice themselves for their fellow beings.

As a gamer, I find the unique blend of joy and melancholy in Visions of Mana fascinating. Beneath its bright and bubbly exterior lies a deep yearning that’s subtly woven into every conversation, especially when Alms and their companions discuss dreams for a future they won’t get to live. It’s a strange mix, but it keeps you hooked, knowing that the story will unfold in ways you least expect. And as the game progresses, it starts weaving in elements from past Mana games in surprising, rewarding ways, adding depth to the narrative and keeping you guessing.

The storyline in Visions of Mana is original, yet its implementation leaves room for improvement. One issue is that it moves at a snail’s pace, with very little tension or risk during the initial stages – there’s almost no compelling reason to engage with the narrative, which means it lacks a strong hook. The Mana series often has a charming character, but Visions of Mana can be tedious in parts.

The narrative struggles with maintaining a consistent pace, starting sluggishly and then intermittently introducing intriguing twists, only to slow down again afterwards. This uneven rhythm can be frustrating, particularly since the story occasionally hints at exceptional quality but fails to sustain that momentum effectively.

Although Visions of Mana may have a leisurely pace, it offers a relaxing escape for those tired of intense, high-octane adventures. The game’s captivating and endearing characters significantly contribute to both its gameplay and storyline, making each moment engaging and enjoyable.

Visions of Mana’s World Is a Mixed Bag

In terms of gameplay, Visions of Mana follows a more traditional approach compared to other big-budget RPGs. Despite being the most extensive game in the Mana series, it maintains a linear structure for the most part. Imagine if Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth’s world was condensed into several vast, interconnected regions, each serving as an open-ended biome. The game design allows for controlled backtracking, but only at specific points in the story.

It’s crucial to acknowledge the exceptional work done on the environment design in ‘Visions of Mana’. While the different zones might not offer intricate exploration or traversal aspects, they are beautifully crafted. Each region possesses a unique visual style, and the thoughtful application of lighting and particle effects results in breathtaking landscapes that are consistently captivating to explore. In fact, ‘Visions of Mana’ often leaves you awestruck.

Although the various biomes in this game are visually stunning, they don’t offer much in terms of engaging gameplay experiences. The Mana series isn’t typically praised for its additional content, but Visions of Mana tries to shake up the formula by including more side quests. In a way, it might have been more enjoyable if the game didn’t include these side distractions at all.

In the game ‘Visions of Mana’, the side missions seem more like additional tasks rather than integral parts of the storyline. Most of these side quests follow a routine pattern, either asking you to fetch an item or defeat a specific enemy. There are hardly any proper quest chains, and even when they do appear, the storylines associated with them are so dull and insignificant that they quickly fade from memory. Instead of enriching the game’s universe with vibrant characters or captivating lore, these side quests function as isolated loops, requiring you to collect an unimportant resource for resources that are abundantly available otherwise. Essentially, there’s little incentive to delve into ‘Visions of Mana’s’ side content, and those who enjoy completing all tasks may find them dull and repetitive.

In addition to its positive aspects, the game also has several minor peculiarities worth mentioning. For instance, you can’t double-jump in towns, and walking sometimes interrupts special actions during combat in an inconsistent manner. These small quirks might cause annoyance and bewilderment. Other minor issues, such as not being able to pause the game or interact with objects for a while after combat encounters in certain sections, and the frequent use of invisible walls in open-world zones, add up to create an impression that Visions of Mana isn’t as polished as it could be at times. These flaws are not major concerns, but they might be more bothersome for some players than others.

Visions of Mana Takes Off with Its Combat

Initially, you might find Visions of Mana a bit slow to pick up, but as its gameplay mechanics become more developed, the combat becomes an enjoyable experience. Some who tried the demo of Visions of Mana have noted that the combat seems sluggish, and while this is accurate for the full version too, it’s not difficult to adapt to the slower tempo. The combat isn’t about quick reflexes, but rather strategic use of abilities and skillful creation of your character’s build.

In the game “Visions of Mana”, its class system achieves something remarkable by offering JRPG veterans a distinctly novel character progression method. Unlike selecting one specific character type at the game’s outset, each playable character can access a total of nine diverse classes. These classes are gradually unlocked as the player accumulates Elemental Vessels during the storyline. Each Elemental Vessel grants access to a new class aligned with one of these elements: Fire, Water, Wind, Earth, Light, Darkness, Holy, and Chaos.

  • Wind
  • Water
  • Fire
  • Earth
  • Moon
  • Wood
  • Light
  • Dark

In general usage, these elements linked to characters’ initial forms can be categorized according to specific classes, but the differences between them aren’t always apparent. Each character possesses three distinct playstyles or weapon types, which are associated with three of the elemental classes and provide the most pronounced mechanical differences. Subsequently, each class has its own development path, as the selected class only affects the player’s accessible stats and bonuses.

In the game “Visions of Mana”, it can seem that the class system doesn’t fully live up to its possibilities. It allows for a degree of player creativity, but the adjustments in stats and abilities are minor and straightforward, discouraging exploration of various elemental combinations or team configurations. A reduced number of elemental classes with more distinct features might have led to a more engaging equipment and upgrade journey. However, this approach to classes is by no means poor, and it certainly offers something unique.

Visions of Mana isn’t perfect, nor will it revolutionize the JRPG genre with its approach to combat or storytelling. But for the right player, these issues won’t matter, because Visions of Mana has an undeniable charm and allure to it. Its breathtaking visuals, satisfying combat, and likable characters combine for a comforting, stock-standard JRPG, and if you’re in the market for that, then Visions of Mana is an easy buy.

On August 29, 2024, the game “Visions of Mana” will become available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and personal computers (PC). In preparation for this review, Game Rant was provided with a PC code.

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2024-08-27 15:04