It's balancing old and new, then, and embracing a sort of breezy retro simplicity. Pleasing as that is, though, it so far feels a little shallow by comparison to other genre heavy-hitters. Despite moving to an open world and offering sumptuous presentation, Visions of Mana clings to the past and lacks truly fresh ideas of its own. It's a welcome return and a fun, bubbly, frivolous experience, but the Mana series looks set to remain in the shadow of Square Enix's premiere franchises for now.
MonsterVine: "Visions of Mana offers a modern action RPG experience with stunning visuals and smooth combat, but its predictable story and lack of innovation hold it back in a crowded year of exceptional RPGs."
Visions of Mana is an excellent reintroduction to the long running franchise, bringing it back to what fans fell in love with.
After almost two decades with no new console game except rereleases, the Mana series has a new chance with Visions of Mana. Born from a partnership between Squre Enix and NetEase’s subsidiary Studio Ouka, the game is a great way to showcase what the lighthearted action RPG franchise has to offer.
