Analysis of Mana Visions

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Analysis of Mana Visions

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The journey proposed by Visions of Mana will allow us to discover colorful places with characters with their own ideals and goals.

Although it seems that the world of role-playing in its most eastern part is dominated by sagas such as Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest and their derivatives, there are other series that have continued to stay afloat for more than 30 years. We are referring to the Mana franchise, which, despite being born as a spin-off of Final Fantasy itself under the nickname of Mystic Quest, has gradually made a place for itself among players thanks to its tradition and a more direct game scheme that moves away from the shifts marked by the genre of the time. A winding path that has led to the title that we must analyze today. Visions of Mana is a coup and a radical departure from previous games. And even though the studio is not currently going through its best moments, the lake it leaves behind will be remembered by anyone who loves the genre.

A very high price to pay

Ouka Studios, with Square-Enix itself They are in charge of launching this colorful adventure full of unforgettable places. We will be the guardian Val, a kind of escort who must lead votive offerings from different cities to the Mana Tree. A necessary journey because if it is not made, the population will suffer a series of calamities that can seriously reduce its chances of survival.

Of course, there is a small problem. And the ex-votos selected by the fairy They will sacrifice their lives by giving up their souls to the mana tree. A very costly payment but one that the chosen ones willingly accept for all it means to their people. Or at least, that’s what they thought before they embarked on this journey and discovered feelings like love, freedom or the experience of traveling to new lands with a group of friends. And finally, the truth that surrounds your world.

In search of elemental balance

Mana’s visions are one of them action-RPG where we will go with a group of three fighters carrying out the assigned missions. Although the absolute protagonist is Val, In moments of exploration and combat, we can select any other member of our team. Of course, each component will be focused on a fighting style: from the classic warrior to those based on stealth or ranged attack. It’s up to us to know how to combine our heroes, looking for the stratagem that best suits our fighting style. But yes, there is more depth than just the role that each one plays…

Little by little we will have some artifacts that will completely change our fighting style. This ability change not only changes our stats, weapons, and even elemental affinity, but will allow us to continue a progression tree that unlocks new attacks or attributes. They are similar to the job changes in the classic Final Fantasy, but not as radical. Nevertheless, it is always worth looking at the best options and evolutions that we can achieve.

For example, if we focus on Val, in his “basic” version, will have a sword and a shield. However, by combining it with the Fire or Water Artifact, you will receive a very powerful but heavy two-handed sword. Of course, by connecting Val to the Lunar Artifact, He will become a warrior with a pike, Much more versatile than the other options. All of this happens with each of the party members, offering an exceptional variety that will vary greatly from one player to another. And while it is true that there are classes more tied to an artifact than others, the final decision will depend on your preferred combat style.

Role for all ages

I must also tell you that you can make any modifications you want to your characters, that the studio allows you to experiment freely with each class without suffering almost any punishment. Visions of Mana is an easy, very approachable game. Everything is governed by levels that we see above the enemies, and they are of a similar number to ours, you will have no problem. This allows Try out different combat options, classes and weapons without getting overwhelmed at any point. There’s only a little more challenge in the final enemies, although they won’t put us in a serious situation either.

Far from being a problem, I like being able to choose the pace at which I engage enemies. Nor do you have to stay in one place “leveland” to our ex-votos and our acolytes. It will simply be enough to maintain a level similar to that of the rival, and this will allow us not to stagnate too much in the adventure. In fact, we probably waste more time looking for chests and secrets scattered throughout each area than fighting.

Like a fairy tale, but with some twists

I think we can all agree that Visions of Mana has caught our attention ever since it was announced at an Xbox event itself. And it’s no wonder, since There is no ugly screenshot of the game, and every corner of it has a special charm. Everything is smeared with colors, with a detailed appearance that allows us to enjoy the view at all times. Even the enemies are pretty, that’s all I can tell you. A brutal facelift compared to the first deliveries, but Basically, it can remind us of the work we enjoyed on our Super Nintendo in 1993 with Secret of Mana. If we add to all this conglomerate a very neat soundtrack, we will be in the adventure from the first minute.

But unfortunately, not everything shines in this game. Even if the settings are fabulous, the heroes are very well recreated and everything generates this visual warmth incapable of stressing us, there are small flaws. To begin with, Sometimes it seems like our protagonists don’t quite fit into the world around them. They can’t interact with certain objects, which completely breaks the game’s preconceived ideas. In each city, we won’t be able to break boxes or vases. The stairs are not made to be used and there are areas of the stage where an invisible wall prevents us from moving forward. You can’t even enter the houses. It’s not that these are very serious problems, but I think that work could have been done to ensure that there was a better symbiosis between the heroes and the places.

Conclusion of Visions of Mana

The Mana saga returns with a action-RPG where we can customize our protagonists in different ways. Thanks to the elemental powers that we will collect during the adventure, we will change the role of each convex to form a team according to our tastes and desires. It is not a difficult title, and it allows you to play with different combinations while destroying the monsters in your path. A light combat that, combined with a very pleasant exploration, will keep us trapped in the universe of Visions of Mana until we find the secrets hidden in the Tree of Mana. In the end, despite the simplicity that can be felt from the beginning, it is a tribute to Secret of Mana that fans of the franchise will surely accept with open arms.

Visions of Mana

69.99$

Visions of Mana

Benefits

  • Bursting with color and sweetness from start to finish
  • Great customization of our group
  • There is no need to fight much to raise the level

Disadvantages

  • Game too easy, with little challenge
  • Little or no interactivity with objects
  • The story is sometimes boring


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