Whenever it ’s late at nighttime and I ’m still palpate a bit hungry , I always go to my local Taco Bell drive - through to pick up aBuild Your Own Cravings Box : Crunchwrap Supreme , Crunchy Taco , Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes , and a average Diet Pepsi . I know it ’s not the tidy food for me , complete with high sodium , calories , and cholesterol , but I ’m not blend to sit around not feeling satisfied after I eat it . It ’s comforter food !
That ’s how I felt about playingVisions of Mana . Here , Square Enix had the items already picked out for me : full fighting , a flexible course of study organisation , fantastical art instruction , and compelling character . Much like ease food , Visions of Manais fun to play when you ’re feeling the itch for something familiar — even if you know there are salutary option out there . I could ’ve played an RPG with a less predictable story and fewer dull sidequests , but that does n’t signify I did n’t enjoy the taste all the same .
Breaking the cycle
InVisions of Mana , people around the world must send one person from their respective elementary Village to give their lives to the great Mana Tree every four years — otherwise , disaster will fall upon their homes . Those hoi polloi chosen to make the pilgrimage are called Alms , and Val is attribute to be the Soul Guard , the person in charge of protecting them and making sure they make the journey unharmed .
It ’s almost like playing an old -chool Final Fantasy game .
The story sets a nice foundation , but most of the plot wrench along the way are rather predictable . It ’s very much reminiscent ofXenoblade Chronicles 3 ’s story where love story is a Brobdingnagian incentive between characters . It get to a point where it becomes a bit too heavy - handed , leave no mystery about it ’s antagonists ’ motivation . It all build to a boring finis .
The Mana series was originally a spinoff of Final Fantasy before it split off to become its own series , and it ’s very obvious inVisions of Mana . The different elemental spirits like water , fire , and earth have essential story involvement and add quite a snatch of nostalgic social structure to the game . It ’s almost like playing an erstwhile - school Final Fantasy secret plan .
WhereVisions of Mana ’s news report lack , the compelling cast of characters make up for it . My personal preferent quality is Careena , who always has assurance in her own abilities , but the lack of support from her own residential district has stunt her potential . As such , she joins Val in rules of order to search the man and extend her horizons . The pick to have her English dub voice actor speak with an American Southern accent also really nails her small village origins .
Her journeying with Val lets her overcome this , and the rest of the cast go through standardised visitation , gain for some very cheering and excited character moments . Val himself function through tremendous emergence as well , as he ’s capable to have the misapprehension he ’s made as a Soul Guard throughout his journey , but still finds the courage to venture on . It ’s character bow like these that makeVisions of Manaenticing to roleplay through despite a flat story .
Changing elements
Visions of Mana ’s real - metre action combat organisation has a few quirks of its own to help it fend out from its contemporaries . Throughout the account , the party will obtain elemental vessel that permit them flip classes . The wood vessel , Dryad Sprig , unlocks the Edelfrei course of study for Van and specializes in ethereal combat , while Careena learns the Conjurer division that can summon monsters . Each division is unique and offer unlike abilities that can sometimes crossover between classes . That create some serious mix and match voltage that deepens fighting .
Each watercraft offers a special move that any type can use in battle . equip the synodic month elemental vessel , Luna Globe , gives a lineament the ability to freeze time , leaving enemies unable to fight back for a bit . The earth elemental vessel , Gnome Shovel , grant the ability to create an area shield that reduces opposition wrong when deal cover in it . These movement can make a Brobdingnagian difference in determining outcomes in struggle , especially against foreman .
role can outfit Ability Seeds encounter in the wild or dropped by enemies to watch new relocation or even heighten their existing parameter . This allows for a circumstances of tractability for characters who ca n’t get a line specific moves from other classes . For example , only Val can con Thunder Saber , which imbues an friend ’s arm with nothingness elemental price , through natural progression .
But by equipping a Thunder Saber Ability Seed , any other fictional character can now practice it . The Ability Seeds organisation offers deep customization for those who enjoy monkey with and optimizing their party members . It ’s also a square system , where Ability Seeds do exactly as their descriptions say and all you have to do is equip them in limited slot .
It feel safe and familiar .
I also apprise how simple and reachable weapon system are inVisions of Mana . Just pick the one that has the highest onslaught or magic attack and equip it . Weapons do n’t have any fancy specific abilities that make you have to give mogul if it does n’t jibe with a certain playstyle like inBlack Myth : Wukong . It ’s another part of what makesVisions of Manafeel so comforting .
A colorful world
Visions of Mana ’s semi - open domain showcases the biz ’s gorgeous art direction ( the cel - shaded trend reminds me ofGranblue Fantasy : Relink ’s colorful pallette ) . Similar to games that heavy bank on the primary look trope , there ’s a wide variety of environments stand for to them like grasslands , desert , volcanoes , and tundras .
The open world does n’t have intimately as much depth or hyperrealism as something likeFinal Fantasy VII Rebirth . In fact , the graphics counselling makes it feel like a Fisher Price version of Square Enix ’s flagship RPG . It also does n’t help thatVisions of Mana ’s sidequests are n’t as occupy either .
Many of the sidequests just involve fetching an item or eliminate a chemical group of enemies . The non - player characters that offer those chore provide some worldbuilding along with them , but their backgrounds feel superficial at best . There are some interesting sidequests that imply primary characters toward the end of the secret plan , but those are few and far between .
The rewards for completing them are still deserving it , though . It ’s an easy way to gain more money and earn extra Ability Seeds . gratefully , visual modality of Manahas plenty of profligate locomotion spots throughout the unresolved humans that make tackling sidequests easier . Additionally , the game ’s performance on PlayStation 5 is spotless , earn it a smooth adventure from start to finish .
vision of Manais like a snack that you eat in between your giving meals . There ’s enough here to satiate your hunger , like the play combat and entertaining cast of character , if you ’re looking foranother RPGto play in the lag . It feels dependable and conversant , so do n’t do in look a novel experience .
Oh , it ’s bring latterly as I end up writing this critique , and I think it ’s time for me to take hold of some Taco Bell now .
visual modality of Manawas test on a PlayStation 5 .
