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Nostalgia can be a powerful thing, andVisions of Manamay be a prime example of how well that can work for a series' favor. The latest entry in the long-runningManaseries maintains most of its signature trademarks and feels like a classicManatitle in nearly every sense of the term. This is both a boon toVisions of Manaand a drawback - but it mostly works.
Screen Rantwas given advance access toVisions of Manaahead of its release, leaving plenty of time to explore the world, learn about its characters, and experiment heavily with its action-RPG combat. The story, which won’t be spoiled here, should be enjoyable for longtimeManafans, but it also works just fine for newcomers to the series. And this is all by design -in many ways,Visions of Manais an attempt to get back to the series' roots and create a comebackfor an IP that’s had quite a few middling releases and missteps in recent memory.
Visions Of Mana Characters & Gameplay Overview
A Likable Cast With Classic Mana Elements
For a series that started out asFinal Fantasy Adventurehere in the States,theManaseries has found its own footing in the decades since, carving out its own niche in the RPG landscapeand setting itself apart from genre titans likeFinal Fantasy andDragon Quest. Like those series, each mainlineManaentry works fine as a standalone adventure, but regulars will easily be able to spot familiar terms and tropes - and, of course, find familiar enemies like the adorable rabite, which serves as the franchise’s mascot.
Visions of Mana’s story structure probably won’t be a surprise to most people who’ve played aManagame before. Protagonist Val seems like pretty standard fare for an RPG hero, and each story portion is fairly segmented. Most of the characters are endearing in their own way, although Careena’s personality and pseudo-Southern drawl can start to wear thin.It’s a cast worth rooting for, even if none of them are greater than the sum of their parts.
There’s a lot to do inVisions of Mana- treasures to find, items to collect, side quests to perform - and along the way, more heroes join up with Val and add strategy and customizability to gameplay and combat. There’s also a Job-like system which imbues characters with elemental powers, allowing them to unlock new moves and try out new things on the battlefield. It’s one of the highlights of the game.
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This isn’t an open-world game by any means, but several areas feel open and leave plenty of room to explore.Most areas have elmental crystals to interact with and collect from, treasures to hunt down, and plenty of other items like Candy to encourage players to stray from the beaten path. Fast travel spots also make it easier to move around the world.
There are also tougher monsters, called Nemeses, to take down and some areas will be way out of a party’s league when they first arrive and require backtracking much later in the game. There’s also Grizzly Syrup to collect and exchange for rewards with a Dudbear, another series staple creature that sees a well-welcomed return inVisions of Mana.
Visions Of Mana’s Combat Has Some Drawbacks
Action-RPG Fighting That’s Fun But Sometimes Clunky
The combat inVisions of Manais adequate, which makes it slightly disappointing - because it could’ve been great. It’s nice to see a mainlineManagame with its action-RPG roots after some previous titles experimented with other genres, butthe combat feels a bit clunky at times.Fighting, no matter the difficulty setting, feels like its from an era past - and not necessarily in a good way.
The combat is symptomatic of a bigger issue inVisions of Mana.For better or worse, this feels like an RPG from 20 years ago.Yes, nostalgia is powerful, and this classic feel definitely works in the game’s favor, but it’s also a hindrance. Movement doesn’t feel as fluid as it should, the typically cartoonish art design doesn’t feel as sharp as it could be, and there are cutscenes where NPCs are talking but no one’s mouths are moving. This all adds up to a game that might’ve been a masterpiece on the PS2 but feels a little half-baked in 2024.
How Visions Of Mana Compares To Past Mana Games
Mana’s Comeback Isn’t Perfect
Visions of Manamay be bogged down by some outdated practices, but it still feels like the comeback the series needed. It may not be as earth-shattering as whatTales of AriseorDragon Quest XIdid for their respective series, andonly time will tell ifVisions of Manahas managed to reinvigorate its fanbaseand helped launch a new era ofManatitles. However, when compared to previousManagames,Visions of Manais still somewhere toward the top, even if it’s not at the peak.
Visions of Manareminds people why they fell in love with the series to begin with.
No matter what someone’s favoriteManagame is,Visions of Manawill probably be in second or third behind it. It’s probably never going to stack up againstSecret of Mana, but it’s still pretty darn good. And it’s better than pretty much every newManagame that’s released this side of 2000.
Final Thoughts & Review Score
3.5/5
After years of feeling like the series was on the decline, it’s just really nice to seeVisions of Manareminding people why they fell in love with the series to begin with. It’s a good game that never quite reaches greatness. It’s not a perfect RPG by any means - and it still feels outdated in a lot of ways. However, it’s a game that leaves me feeling hopeful about the series' future. It feels like, at long last, theManaseries is back on track.
Visions of Mana
A copy of Visions of Mana on PS5 was sent to Screen Rant for the purpose of this review.
