Visions of Mana [PlayStation 5] | REVIEW

Whilst there have been remakes and collections released over the last few years, there hasn’t been a new mainline title in the Mana series for some time (more specifically, 2006’s Dawn of Mana). Visions of Mana changes that, with it offering a fresh and wonderful adventure that lives up to the high standards of the series.

Check out some screenshots down below:

Visions of Mana takes place in Fa’diel, home to the Mana Tree which brings peace and prosperity to the land. This comes at a cost, with eight elemental Alms having to make their way to the Mana Tree every four years to sacrifice their souls to the Mana Goddess, with special warriors known as the Soul Guard leading them on their journey. You take on the role of a Soul Guard named Val who has to help lead the Alms on their way, though things are a bit more personal for you. See, your partner Hinna has been chosen as the Alm of Fire, and whilst that might feel like a burden, the pair actually see it as a blessing.

Of course, the narrative spins plenty of little threads across your journey to ensure that it isn’t a simple one, with trials and tribulations to face along the way as you lead Hinna on her pilgrimage. It could be a little bit guilty of being predictable at times though, with Visions of Mana rarely surprising with its story beats. Is it a problem? Not really, especially since the likable cast and colourful situations you find yourself in add plenty of charm to the storytelling – it just might’ve been nice if it did something a bit more unexpected once in a while, especially with the emotional themes it leans into along the way.

When it comes to its gameplay, Visions of Mana takes an action-based approach, with players encountering enemies out in the open field and dealing with them through an array of physical attacks. Val is handy with a sword and will burst out varied combos that can cover both ground and air-based foes, dodge out of the way of incoming attacks, and also has a variety of abilities at his disposal to help deal with more formidable threats. So far, so action-RPG.

“Visions of Mana is a wonderful RPG that really shows just how special the Mana series can be (and that it deserves more new entries).”

Of course, given that this is an RPG, you can expect your party size to grow as you progress, with five playable characters available in all – you’ll always play as one, whilst you’ll also take two AI allies into combat with you (which you’re able to switch between). The AI of your allies is competent enough, but I’d be remiss not to mention that they can be a little sketchy at times… it’s rarely a problem, but don’t be surprised to see a few odd choices when in the midst of battle. You’ll also have the support of the Alms that join you on your journey, with each bringing with them a different element that can be tied to your playable party. This will see them unlock additional classes to play as, with these not only changing their appearance, but also granting them new weaponry and skills to use.

This was one of my favourite features of Visions of Mana, with it offering plenty of flexibility for players to tinker with their party and set them up in a manner that suits their playstyle. Do you equip Val with the element of the moon to make him a formidable Rune Knight, or do you grant him the element of dark to make him a fearsome Berserker? Do you make Careena a spritely Dancer by granting her the element of wind, or will you give her the power of the dragons by making her a Dragon Master with the element of water? There are forty-five classes in all (with each character having nine to choose from), and with each upgradable and bringing with them plenty of varied abilities and perks, it’s a real treat to experiment with them all. You’ll certainly have your favourites by the end, but with the versatility and variety of each class, it’s easy to find yourself switching often to deal with the situations you might find yourself in. It’s really, really cool, and ensures that combat remains engrossing from start to end.

Visions of Mana’s gorgeous world is equally delightful to explore, with it spread across multiple vast areas that bring with them a plethora of wonderful sights to uncover. Whilst a lot of these are open in design and encourage exploration to discover the secrets that are hidden away (and plenty of battling), there are also an array of towns to explore that bring plenty of personality to each locale. It feels like there’s always something pretty to see in the distance, with the vibrant art style ensuring that Fa’diel is a special place to be a part of.

Check out some screenshots down below:

You’ll also call upon the help of the Alms when exploring the world, with plenty of navigational hazards to overcome and puzzles to solve that tie into the elements in varying ways. It’s a neat idea that adds some variety to exploration, but they could feel a little bit tacked-on during your later hours with the game. It could feel like they were there for the sake of it, with it always obvious what you needed to do with each element as opposed to forcing the player to think their approach through a little. It doesn’t deter from the experience at all, but it would have been nice to see a bit more innovation in their use – especially in the dungeons, which were guilty of feeling a bit by the numbers in their design.

Thankfully, this feels like more of a misstep than a problem, with Visions of Mana otherwise proving to be a real joy to play. The exciting and varied combat ensures that the action of the experience is always a blast, whilst the boss encounters will really test your skills, with some bringing a more unorthodox approach which will demand clever thinking from the player to survive. Visions of Mana isn’t a hard game by any means, but it certainly has its moments where it’ll put your skills to the test. It’s satisfying to upgrade your classes too, with the system simple in design but bringing with it some worthwhile additions that actually feel impactful in combat.

Developer: Square Enix
Publisher: Square Enix
Platform(s): PlayStation 5 (Reviewed), PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, PC
Website: https://mana.square-enix-games.com/en-gb