While the Seiken Densetsu series or, as we know it in the West, Mana, has been kept alive in recent years through remakes, collections and mobile games, the work created by Koichi Ishii has not had a proper release since the launch of Heroes of Mana in 2007. Fortunately, this will change in just a few days, since at the end of August it will be available Visions of Manaa title that is positioned as the evolution that the franchise needs at this time. Although it is not yet time to review this installment, I have been playing this adventure for a few days, and in this preview I tell you what you can expect this time.
The Mana Tree is back
Visions of Mana takes the bases that the remake of Trials of Mana was introduced to us in 2020 to offer a necessary evolution to the series formula. This time we are presented with an action RPG with a hack and slash combat system, something similar to Bandai Namco’s Tales of. This is not something new for the series, since this has always been the formula, and while some titles have experimented with different genres and ideas, this new title is a traditional experience, something that works as a good entry point for those who have never experienced any Mana installment, while veterans will know what to do the moment they grab the controller.
Square Enix’s new work introduces us to Val, a warrior who embarks with Hinna, his childhood friend, on a mission to pay tribute to the Mana Tree, in order to prevent natural disasters throughout the world. Along the way, our protagonists will meet a series of characters who have the same mission. During the first hours, Visions of Mana It offers us a story that we have already heard, but along the way a series of rather interesting questions are introduced that promise us a more complicated narrative, one that plays with the basic concepts of the series, and decides to recontextualize them in order to, while not offering something completely original, take the series down a path that it desperately needs to take.
Part of what makes this journey special is the fact that all of the characters are charismatic. While Hinna and Val fall into clichés by presenting us with a relationship and attitudes that we have already seen countless times, they, as well as the rest of the supporting cast, are portrayed in an honest way, to the point that you can’t help but have fun with them. The player quickly becomes able to relate to the main cast, their problems and their victories. During their first few hours, Visions of Mana It presents us with a simple work that, fortunately, has positive results, and makes it clear that there is much more than what is originally apparent.
Familiar and new
One of the most striking elements of Mana’s games has always been combat. While the hack and slash system starts out simple in Visions of Manaquickly introduces a job system that grants additional abilities to each of the characters on the team. In each fight you control one of three characters, while the AI takes on the role of the other two. You have a strong and a weak blow, but depending on the role you have, you can perform different actions. For example, Val starts out as a traditional warrior with a normal sword, but with the power of the wind he is able to turn into a Rune Knight, who uses a giant sword and gains a benefit from changing his affinity. Thanks to a simple, but effective, skill tree, you gain active abilities that you can use at any time, as well as passive powers that will only take effect with the chosen vessel.
Best of all, each of the available characters has different outcomes depending on the associated vessel. Val is a Rune Knight with the wind element, but Morlet becomes a thief of sorts, with a greater focus on agility and attacking enemies with traps. Combat becomes very fun and chaotic when you start mixing up all the options at your disposal, resulting in a series of encounters where you always have the tools necessary to overcome any challenge. Along with this, there is a feeling of constant progression, since not only do you unlock new abilities and different characters join your team, but there are also upgrades that you can equip to gain even more powers and some passive benefits, such as additional health or resistance to an element.
Visions of Mana presents us with a refined combat and progression system for the series, one that is complex enough for veterans, but not too complicated for those who are just starting their journey through the series with this installment. Like the story, the title leaves enough room to explore new paths throughout the rest of the adventure.
Mana is reborn
This first look at the game was a positive one, and makes it clear that while the title may start off in a very traditional way, it has interesting ideas and enough space to offer something special at the end of the day. Visions of Mana Coming to PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC on August 29, 2024. This was just a preview of the game, so you can expect a full review in the not-too-distant future.
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