Visions of Mana: Everything We Know

Mana, the beloved franchise of high fantasy action role-playing games, debuted in 1991. To date, the series has sold over 8 million units, with some having above-average reviews. However, the Mana series came to a quiet hiatus in 2007. What followed next were a bunch of remakes, which frankly didn't make the cut compared to the mainline entries. But good news, gamers, the series is returning triumphantly with its first mainline entry since Dawn of Mana. 

Visions of Mana will go back to its roots with what we hope to be an RPG with colourful graphics and memorable music. So, let's unravel this package that is set to arrive in 2024. Here's Visions of Mana: Everything We Know.

What is Visions of Mana?

Visions of Mana is an action RPG that will be a return to form for the Mana series. Ideally, the new title will be the first mainline entry, considering recent games in the series are remakes or remasters. The exciting news was formally delivered at The Game Awards 2023, showing that 2024 is a year to be excited about.

Story

The narrative follows the adventures of Val, a spirited young man with a thirst for adventure. In their world, the Faerie roam different regions every four years to pick those fit, or, shall I say, fated, to journey to the Tree of Mana. The tree is a vital subsistence for Val's world since it “presides over the world's vital flow of mana”.

For our protagonist, luck seems to be on his side, as he is chosen as the alm (the lucky few to visit the providence tree). Now, of course, it's not an easy journey. It becomes even tougher after Val tags his childhood friend for the trip. A heroic montage follows, where Val acts as his friend's soul guard. 

Gameplay

Given that Visions of Mana is a rebirth of the Mana series, it's safe to say that we'll see more of the real-time action combat, including party-based combat. The real-time battle system is a branch off of the Final Fantasy titles, which pioneered the series. Its return retains the signature element where there is only one playable character, with what appears to be a party fighting alongside him. 

Plus, players will equip weapons and use elemental magic, too. In the trailer, Val wields a sword when engaging in close combat. The elemental magic will come in handy during crowd control. The trailer hints at this when Val unleashes a wind-based spell that summons a tornado, causing his adversaries to levitate. Besides the elemental moves, Val also exhibits parkour moves when attacking enemies. It's no surprise that the gameplay is strikingly similar to Ni No Kuni games, possibly a new rival in the making. 

Speaking of enemies, a few will make a nostalgic return, including Rabites. But Square Enix promises a plethora of new enemies. 

Moreover, the world in Visions of Mana will be vast, with what Square Enix describes as “semi-open fields you can explore smoothly.” Traversing these terrains will require the use of mana spirits, the same as combat. The wind spirits will send you flying, while the water spirits will let you travel underwater in a bubble. Clearly, the new title will also hold to its roots with colourful and vibrant terrains. “The series' themes of nature and the elemental aspects of mana are captured through the stunningly detailed environments and vibrant, colorful graphics.” Players will experience various terrains as Val can be seen exploring snowy landscapes, mountainous regions and expansive plains. 

Development

The Mana series, also known as the Seiken Densetsu series in Japan, is a franchise created by Square Enix (formerly Square). The series has a rich history that spans several decades, dating back to the late 1990s. The genesis of the Mana series stems from Koichi Ishii's aspiration to craft an imaginary realm. According to Ishii, Mana transcends the realm of mere video games, evolving into a comprehensive world vividly depicted and navigable through gaming.

For the new title, Square Enix has been gracious enough to reveal the talented team behind it. Masaru Oyamada is the producer, having previously worked on Secret of Mana, Legend of Mana and Trials of Mana. Hiroki Kikuta, the maestro behind Trials of Mana and Secret of Mana, will compose the music. This is a clear testament to the fact that we are in for an epic journey complemented by the ebb and flow of a musical odyssey.

Other returning players are HACCAN, seeing through the character designs, and Airi Yoshika on monster illustrations. Plus, the franchise's patriarch, Koichi Ishii, also steps in as the Series Monster Design Supervisor. It only makes sense to have the mastermind behind the series shape its development. After all, his imaginative spark created a fantasy world that mesmerized countless gamers. 

Trailer

Thanks to the Game Awards 2023, we have a small amount of footage to share. The 1-minute, 33-second trailer sheds light on some of its actual gameplay features and the ‘sight for sore eyes' environments. You can glimpse what's to come in Visions of Mana in the announcement trailer embedded above.

Release Date, Platforms, and Editions

Visions of Mana will launch in 2024. Information about the game's platforms is still in the works, so we'll have to keep you posted. Bearing that in mind, it seems Visions of Mana is still in its early days, so we can't confirm whether there'll be any special editions. 

The devs have, however, assured us of more information to come. In the meantime, you can review the game's press release here.

Are you interested in keeping up to date with the welcome return of the Mana series? If so, then be sure to check in with the team over on their official social handle here. If anything changes ahead of its global release, we'll be sure to fill you in on all the key details on gaming.net.

So, what's your take? Will you be picking up a copy of Visions of Mana when it comes to its chosen platforms? Let us know your thoughts on our socials here.