Visions of Mana

Some refinements are needed in only a few select areas, otherwise Visions Of Mana is a wonderful return for the IP.

The best game in the series in over two decades. Its downsides are minor, making it a wholeheartedly recommendable, classic JRPG experience. [Issue#45, p.80]

Visions of Mana is not only a great experience and a wonderful game, it is quite possibly the best game in the Mana series.

Visions of Mana on PlayStation 5 is a remarkable and heartfelt revival of the Seiken Densetsuseries. It might not have the appeal of some of Square Enix’s mainline franchises, but it’s filled with tons of heart and love from an old school JRPG perspective. Ouka Studios has created a magical and memorable adventure that breathes new life into a beloved franchise that shouldn’t be forgotten.

Visions of Mana is a strong entry that effectively revitalizes the lore of the series and keeps it more alive than ever. With dancing merchants, the ring system, and cute creatures such as Sproutlings, the game includes many staples of the series at their best, with Elemental Vessels being a magnificent addition. The patience of long-time fans is paid in full, while the game will also captivate newcomers with its superb presentation and emotive story.

Visions of Mana is now a semi-open world, which improves on previous versions. The plot is basic but delightful. The battle system and customization are the most valuable features. It may have minor issues, but nothing that would spoil the adventure.

It's clear that Visions of Mana is the best game in the series. The title is able to look back at its past and bring back the series' signature elements in a way that everyone can appreciate. While it's not without its issues, it's still a must-play experience for fans, and I hope this installment marks the return of Mana.

A wonderful return to form for the Mana series. Visions of Mana will have longtime fans grinning from ear-to-ear.

I hope Visions of Mana signals a new, brighter direction for the series. This is more than a classic series receiving a jaw-dropping glow-up. This is a game that gives you a classic JRPG experience while being a modern blockbuster through and through. It’s one of the best-looking games this generation and gives you dozens of unlockable options to customise your party your way. The story is deep and dark (for a PG title) and explores familiar themes in a new and engaging way. Visions of Mana confidently asserts its own spot among other long-running modern JRPGs, and I can’t help but agree. It’s proof that despite its age, this series still has a lot of potential left.

Visions of Mana is a bold new step for the series and manages to almost totally stick the landing in the process. The DNA of the series is still here for legacy fans to enjoy, and yet it stands as a remarkably approachable and digestible RPG that can be enjoyed by those looking to dip their toes into this genre. A visually stunning, heartfelt and lovingly crafted world awaits those who jump into this new entry and I'm surprised by just how much it resonated with me in the long-term, despite some pacing issues and some small cut corners.

The lore-heavy narrative also becomes increasingly compelling thanks to a multi-faceted and charming cast. When throwing in a new game plus and even a brand-new difficulty into the mix, Visions of Mana is a refreshing modern classic that can hook you for a gripping 60-70 hours without relenting.

Visions of Mana is an excellent JRPG and the purest definition of a comfortable game. It has a functional and quite fun gameplay, and a simple but thought-provoking story that is very well executed. All of this makes it quite easily one of the best games in the series so far.

A fun and beautiful experience with a certain feel-good factor. Lovingly designed and colourful world. The combat system evolves throughout the game and becomes increasingly more complex and interesting.

Visions of Mana is a whimsical adventure that's filled with character and beautiful sights. I took great pleasure in traversing its colourful world and even though it doesn't do anything particularly revolutionary, it's sure to melt your heart as you play.

From the stunning, emotion-filled prologue to when the credits roll, Visions of Mana is a spectacular journey that is more than just a visual delight. Understanding the magic system and switching mana elements once obtained is not hard for newcomers to the series to understand. The captivating story is elevated with the memorable soundtrack, and all the characters were likeable. It has its flaws, especially post-game, but overall it is a great introduction to the legendary series and without doubt will lead newer fans to explore older titles, and hope for a new one in the future.

Visions of Mana is a welcome return to the legendary JRPG series, featuring a well-written story, beautiful visuals, and cleverly designed dungeons. While it may start off slowly in the introductory chapters and the battle system could benefit from some refinements, overall, fans of the series will be pleased with this new chapter.

Visions of Mana is a traditional JRPG with a dramatic story and well-developed characters that gets a little more boring outside of the main storyline.

Visions of Mana is not a perfect role-playing game, especially if you expect a deep story and complex combat system. However, the JRPG shows its charm with a lot of heart and a unique fairytale world that you won't want to leave.

Quotation forthcoming.

The 15-year wait for the saga has been good for this brand new installment, as it has a depth of gameplay worthy of the best RPGs of the moment. Its great customization of each character's play style is very addictive and its artistic style and setting are beautiful, but it is also weighed down by a story with good ideas but improvable execution and an exploration that does not stand out.

Visions of Mana is a real success that places it among the best episodes of the series, close to the top. Rare are the games that give us so much freedom in the formation of our team with varied jobs that multiply the possibilities. Very easy to take at the same time, it does not forget to be also magnificent to look at with an exceptional artistic direction. It may not have the aura of Secret of Mana in its time, but it sets the bar very high and automatically establishes itself as THE JRPG of the moment, without any possible doubt. As much for fans of the great era as for newcomers, Visions of Mana is a very good experience that we highly recommend.

Visions of Mana is extremely close to greatness. The core combat system is a lot of fun, and I'd adore seeing it come back in a more polished form in a future game. The graphics tend to look amazing, and it captures the tone and feel of a Mana title well. A lackluster main plot and a seriously rushed second half tend to drag down the experience, and some of the technical hitches are disruptive. Despite this, I'd argue that Visions of Mana is probably one of the best titles in the franchise and should be a fun time for Mana fans.

Visions of Mana is a successful return to the Seiken Densetsu form with a vibrant world to explore, an engaging tale and some neat gameplay antics. Every aspect of the game is somewhat constrained by its limited budget but we are overall happy the beloved series might have found its new footing.

A commendable comeback for the series, capable of offering a beautiful, bittersweet story and captivating gameplay in its liveliness.

Visions of Mana doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it knows damn well what makes a wheel work. It plays like a game we all remember from childhood, but with all the modern frills. The game delivers a beautifully crafted, nostalgic JRPG experience that’s worth checking out.

To say that the wait for a new mainline entry in the Mana series was worth it is an understatement. Visions of Mana takes the best of the series and translates it to modern-day without losing any of its charm or fun. The gameplay is simple yet enjoyable, with anyone being able to pick up and play and utilize the great Elemental Vessel/Class system for new opportunities. The classic elements of the Mana series, from its exploratory areas, lively music and breathtaking scenery live on in Visions of Mana. A few shortcomings with the narrative and graphics do hamper the experience, but it doesn’t dilute the title’s shine. In a way, Visions of Mana is a fine wine: it’s sweet, vibrant, lively and gets better over time. In a year full of amazing RPGs, Visions of Mana is up there with Final Fantasy VII Rebirth and Persona 3 Reload as one of the best and brightest action RPGs on the market right now.

Visions Of Mana is ultimately further proof, as if any more were needed, that when it comes to making quality RPGs, Square Enix remains best in class. This is an epic, heartfelt adventure with a memorable cast of characters set in a stunning world with consistently engaging combat and lots of fun ideas. Yet another must-play 2024 release.

Visions of Mana finally brings the long-dormant classic RPG series into the modern age, looking great and playing even better thanks to multi-layered class and skill systems that interact in clever ways. There are definitely some pacing issues and a few questionable design choices later on, and the occasional framerate drop or awkward lipsyncing can distract. But the flashy and exciting combat, deeply rewarding class system, and cast of likable characters make Visions of Mana a winning comeback for the classic series all the same – and a great game even if you haven’t spent decades waiting for it.

Visions of Mana is an enjoyable adventure that doesn't push the boundaries but serves as a solid series entry for fans and newcomers alike.

Visions of Mana scores above all with its charming look and loveable characters. The new elemental powers are also quite impressive. Although various facets prevent the action RPG from unleashing its full potential, the return of the legendary game series is a success overall.

Visions of Mana is an operation that exudes love for the reference brand, but which above all aims to be an extremely light experience for fans, or better yet an excellent example of entertainment aimed at the younger and neophyte audience of RPGs. Despite a gaming experience that is all in all simple, the Square Enix production still manages to stand on its own two feet thanks to the charm of its colorful and fairy-tale universe of characters and the charisma of its cast of protagonists, all of which can be ascribed to the canons of the series.

Visions of Mana renews the soul of the franchise with interesting characters and simple but visually appealing combat. Exploration, interaction with the map and interpersonal relationships are the strong points of this RPG, which is a must for those who enjoy linear heroic adventures. It is, however, a game that stays in the comfort zone of its genre in all respects and optimization for consoles could be improved.

Visions of Mana does a good enough job at telling a deep, interesting story with a couple of memorable characters, but it also finds too many ways to detract from what’s actually important. Additionally, the ideas around the combat systems are conceptually cool, however, in practice they’re not as interesting or fun as they could have been. Finally, the strength of the bosses could really use fine tuning, as certain bosses that were supposed to be terrifying endgame challenges were a complete push over while there were that mini-bosses almost wiped my party. Unfortunately, these inconsistencies all around prevented Visions of Mana from being a truly great game.

Visions of Mana is a fun JRPG for the first thirty hours but the continuous backtracking and overall padding left me feeling like my time wasn't being respected by the time Val's journey came to a close

Visions of Mana feels like the RPG equivalent of being young and visiting a park in the summer. It's picturesque, warm and full of hope, inviting you to set out and explore and maybe come home with a couple scratches or bruises but always rewarding the effort with a new adventure or discovery. There's a fantastic balance of old and new ideas here, enough to satisfy patient series fans and newcomers alike, a hugely-enjoyable main story, stunning environments and satisfying combat going a long way to make up for some annoying technical and mechanical foibles.

Although the new class system has undoubtedly helped to rejuvenate the product formula a little, Square Enix's new "vision" continues to be too anchored to the traditions of the long-running Japanese saga, which this year celebrated its thirty-third anniversary. It is above all on the narrative level that Visions of Mana struggles to convince, as the title only gets into gear in the very advanced stages of the adventure and which we fear may only reach the most nostalgic fans of the series. Finally, everything is aggravated by a series of technical imperfections that we hope will be filed down through specific patches.

The beautiful graphics and the great gameplay of Visions of Mana unfortunately don't quite distract from the boring story.

While Visions of Mana presents a fantastical world brought to life with vibrant colors, the story's lack of depth makes it difficult to fully immerse oneself in the game, and the slow combat tempo and repetitive sequences until the mid-game are drawbacks. Despite these issues, the game is held together by its charming characters that keep you engaged until the end.

The ending didn’t sour me on Visions of Mana overall, but did leave me pondering its squandered potential. This is a game that could have brought the Mana series back to its former glory, but it appears that the development team weren’t given the room to shine. If you decide to try it for yourself, you’ll still find a beautiful game befitting of the Mana series, with some of the best battles it has to offer, but just be prepared for a story that goes nowhere.

Visions of Mana succeeds as a new entry in the Mana series that feels faithful to its identity while bringing it into a modern context with beautiful visuals. Cute characters and a casual battle system make this an action RPG that is approachable for newcomers to the series as well. Small inconveniences and flawed UX design are not enough to hold the experience back, but a story that approves of self-sacrifice narrows its appeal as a whole.

Visions of Mana takes you on a fun journey through a magical world, full of both joy and sorrow. A game that draws you in with its beauty but keeps you hooked with its RPG elements and the feeling of playing a '90s game wrapped in modern charm.

I’m always almost in love with Mana games. There’s just some minor thing that won’t click into place. Visions of Mana is no exception. I’m hooked by the story and the characters are gorgeous. I have a lot of fun exploring this world and meeting all these fascinating people. But the combat still feels a little stiff and sluggish. Battle customization is a mile wide and an inch deep. The plot dragged me by the collar, and the boss fights were a pleasant highlight. I wish the regular combat had some similar hooks to deploy, however. If you’ve been waiting for the next great Mana game, I honestly don’t know if this is the one. But Visions is pretty great for a Mana game.

The best Mana game in a long while but how it managed to leave out the one feature that should have come as standard is a complete mystery.

Visions of Mana offers a beautiful world to explore and challenging battles that can sometimes be a bit chaotic. Despite not having a very innovative story, the game provides enough fun and strategic depth to keep players engaged. Definitely worth it for JRPG fans.

Visions of Mana doesn’t aim to reinvent the wheel or set new benchmarks for the series, but it delivers on the fun and serves its purpose. While there’s room for improvement, especially in the narrative development, which relies on outdated formulas, the game still shines with its simple yet engaging gameplay.

The game is shorter than the genre often prides itself on, its retro charm is not always entirely well made and, above all, it's very Japanese. But if this little, old franchise is your kind of music - then you have a great adventure ahead of you.

The story, which won't be spoiled here, should be enjoyable for longtime Mana fans, but it also works just fine for newcomers to the series. And this is all by design - in many ways, Visions of Mana is an attempt to get back to the series' roots and create a comeback for an IP that's had quite a few middling releases and missteps in recent memory.

Visions of Mana isn’t necessarily breaking the mold, but it’s a good time if you’re keen to rollick around an assortment of biomes, smashing monsters with big ol’ swords and delving deep into the class system. While I don’t necessarily see myself undertaking another playthrough of the game, I do think that fans of the series will enjoy what’s in store. Just brace yourself for the inevitable “grizzly” cry to get stuck in your head.

The only times I wanted to put down—or throw—the controller were during the cutscenes with the almost offensively poorly written plot developments. I always thought the Mana games could do just fine without a story. I used to think it was nice to have one, but certainly not essential. Now I can honestly say I'd prefer a Mana game without a story if the alternative is a plot like this. Visions of Mana is so charming, plays so well, and is so addictive that even a terribly bad plot can't completely ruin it—though it certainly tries its best.

There's a great game hidden somewhere in Visions of Mana. It's a blast to play so long as you focus on the gameplay, and its more cartoonish aesthetic helps it stand out from the pack of more realistically rendered JRPG fare. It's just a shame the story is handled as poorly as it is, and that so much of the game is dedicated to its narrative by virtue of it being a story-driven JRPG.

The charm of Visions of Mana manages to shine through. It’s not the most visually impressive game on any platform, but the colorful art style feels Mana appropriate, the soundtrack is solid if not quite as memorable as prior series entries, and the explorable world is larger than you’d expect, with lots of little chests and other items to find scattered about. I definitely did not hate my time with Visions of Mana, but it’s also not a game that feels like it’ll garner much mass appeal either. If you’re like me, and have fond memories of Mana games prior, then it’s worth checking out. For everyone else, there are plenty of RPG’s on the market that are more worth your time.

Visions of Mana isn't the most sophisticated RPG, but it's good comfort food for genre fans.

While much of Visions of Mana’s bloated side content misses the mark, its gripping storyline, likable cast, ample mechanical tweaking, and engaging combat combine to forge a very good game, if not quite a great one.I wasn’t at all confident that we would ever get another big swing at the series, so for all my caveats, I’m damn glad this game exists.

Visions of Mana simplifies modern action RPGs to fit the classic brand for better or worse. On the one hand, combat can be exhilarating as you get in the groove and make every character work in the best way for you. On the other hand, the story, while beautiful, is too paper-thin for its own good. But this culminates in a game that feels like any player of any age can enjoy it.

The latest installment in the franchise is more than welcome and scores points mainly on its beautiful and varied world. The combat is also diverse and the soundtrack is incredibly enjoyable. However, the pace of the game is a bit crazy, the dialogues are choppy and the animations are a bit disappointing. Still some flaws, but if you are a fan of the franchise you will nevertheless enjoy it.

As a nostalgia-driven retread of the classic Mana adventure, Visions of Mana is rock solid — but it struggles to be anything more than a reminder of how magical those old RPGs could be. If you can look beyond the game's monotonous storytelling and tragically bland characters, the essence of an old-school excursion is here, in the exploration of wonderful environments and in battles against burly boss monsters.

Visions of Mana marks a solid return to the series, featuring an emotionally engaging storyline and striking visuals. However, the side quests and voice acting may turn some players off.

Visions of Mana aims to bring players back to a classic RPG experience reminiscent of the 1990s. Accepting these conditions, you'll still find a pleasant, colorful action RPG that can entertain you for a good number of hours—nothing more, nothing less.

Visions of Mana is a short action RPG, with about 25 hours of gameplay, that delivers a bloated and repetitive experience. The exploration mechanics are tedious and its world doesn't take advantage of a fraction of its full potential.

Combined with the weight of nostalgia, Visions is thus a strangely conservative game. While not lacking the conveniences of modern design (the fast-travel system balances speed with a sense of scale), it's merely evolutionary. [Issue#402, p.112]

Visions of Mana is a worthy revival of a franchise long kept aside by Square Enix. Inspired by trends in the genre, the studio updates its classic JRPG for the Genshin Impact era, while making an honest adventure with a callback to Mana's traditions as a game.

The first original Mana series game in over a decade and a half is a pleasant romp through a visually stellar fantasy world. Fun combat quirks such as class switching and malleable builds offer plenty of customization, too, that’s all really quite easy to understand. Unfortunately, some stiffer elements of movement and a story that doesn’t quite realize its full potential have Visions of Mana falling short.

It’s a shame nothing else in Visions lives up to its gorgeous presentation. While it’s a joy to look at, I found it dull to trudge through, with too many undercooked systems bogging down what’s otherwise extremely simplistic gameplay. Even that wouldn’t be a dealbreaker if its story and characters were good enough, but alas, no luck there either. As someone with a soft spot in my heart for Secret of Mana, I keep hoping that the series will see another truly great game again someday. Unfortunately, Visions of Mana isn’t it.