Square Enix
The Secret of Manais one of my favored game of all fourth dimension .
Square ’s blend oftraditional RPG elementswith real - time action was remarkable , and the report of unlikely friend forge bonds and take on an conglomerate is equal part larger-than-life , earnest , and hilarious . It was the 2nd title in the Final Fantasy spinoff serial that is jazz as Seiken Densetsu in Japan , and it became the striking that spawn over a dozen games and zillion of copy sold . Despite that achiever , the series has laid dormant for 15 year , with no novel mainline entry released in that clip . That changes this class withVisions of Mana .
Square Enix
AtPAX East 2024 , I spoke with Mana series producer Masaru Oyamada about the upcoming RPG — and much more . Our loose - flow conversation centered on the bequest of Mana , advances in modern games , and howVisions of Manalooks to unite both to create an ambitious raw title that seek to retake the thaumaturgy that put the series on the function .
So , just to come out off : What do you require to accomplish by take back to the Mana series ?
It has been 15 year since the latest mainline plot launched previously . We hope that his game is something that many longtime sports fan of the serial will be able to nibble up and erotic love . As for newer fans , we do hope that this is a secret plan that once they pick up and pop play that they ’ll also be able to really understand flop aside what the core spell of the series is and be able-bodied to understand that to the full extent . And so that ’s kind of our biggest hope .
How do you decide what clear something a ‘ Mana ’ game ?
In term of being able-bodied to retain that core identity of the Mana serial publication , we felt that being capable to express and capture the feeling of the Mana Tree was important , as well see the graphics for the expansive feel that ’s premise in this secret plan . And what really became a guiding component for us was really the artwork that was feature for the cover for Secret of Mana , which is illustrated by Hiroo Isono and is basically a depiction of the Mana Tree . The technology has promote as well as , there ’s been many advancements made in terms of hardware specs . We felt that it would be potential to actually make gameplay that incorporate that .
And , you know , it was really through that process that we sort of created the field and the landscapes of the mankind . But within that , we also need to check that that in this world , you’re able to really sense the breadth of the elemental spirits that reside deep down of it . Being able-bodied to really respect and cohere to that element of the traditional knowledge felt [ like it ] would really be significant to hold back the marrow identity operator of the Mana series .
The moment I really felt that this latest instalment is on-key to what the heart and soul of the Mana serial is was when we bring in our character fashion designer Haccan . When we were able-bodied to recreate his lineament design with our three-D model , that was really the moment that I know that this game was desirable of the latest and novel instalment in this series .
What elements do you feel require to be update the most ?
You recognize , the Mana Series originally is thought of as an action RPG . But the original construct of this series was to be capable to make a seamless [ crook - found ] RPG experience as an action at law RPG . When you think about the fact that there ’s been so many advance made in the ironware , and just the fact that , in cosmopolitan , within the market place , there has been a greater number of games that are released that go the natural process RPG elements together , I did palpate that it was important that the Mana serial also take to be comparable to those games , while still retain what I mentioned as the core identity of the series overall .
From an natural action position , we wanted to check that that players can move around and act the plot in a agency that feels natural . But we also need to incorporate things like the ring command and command inputs , which we feel were sort of the meat element of the RPG side of the series . We felt that by doing that we can retain the core identity of the plot that has been inherited and seen in past game too .
Something in the serial publication that always stood out to me has been the sense of humor . There ’s a bunch of comedy throughout the series , in summation to the escapade and the action . Is is that something that we can expect to see as we diddle through this story
You know , just as another with child lover of the serial , it really does find as though everyone who ’s a devotee of the Mana serial has that same sorting of popular opinion , is on the same wavelength .
This game within the Mana series has the most expansive and expectant public ever presented .
In term of the write up , there ’s going to be elements and theme that have been explored in the past game , which really dig into the concept of meeting and encountering new people while also cause to bid word of farewell and part way with others . And there are going to be thematic elements that kind of deal with get by with carrying a heavy portion if you will , but also as you ’re kind of exploring that , being able to see the characters themselves still living very vibrant , happy , energetic lives . So that ’s something that we emphatically require to comprise with this biz too
regrettably I ca n’t apportion too much about the story at this current phase , but I hope you face fore to finding more about the story , as well as the extra gameplay information that we ’re go for to [ share ] very very soon .
When you have a world where it ’s heavy and there ’s a lot to search and there are many sidequests , it can feel overwhelming . Obviously , we only saw a small part of it , but what really struck me was the flavour of curiosity of what ’s over the next hill . How do you come near building that curio for the thespian ?
This plot within the Mana series has the most expensive and turgid world ever presented yet in this serial , but as a really longtime fan of the series myself , I ’ve always really had an ambition of wanting to make a game that explored this whole big , giant earth .
And for really capture that feeling of curio in the journey , we really need it to be able to capture just the unique characteristic of each of the regions that the players will run into , as well as capturing the feeling of nature being abundant within each of those characteristics I presented . Through those , we really wanted to be able to draw out the curiosity and pursuit that the users might have .
And within that environment , we wanted to incorporate gimmicks where you’re able to experience the power of the elemental spirits , as well as dispel about the familiar monsters that are unequalled to the series too . And by doing so , we really felt that we will be able to create a game that feel at its core like a true Mana serial publication game and maintain that while still kind of having an experience that would be fun and enjoyable for anybody .
Can we lecture a piffling bit about how weapon system rising slope potentially work ?
We have a system where there ’s several dissimilar weapons within one class . A one - handed steel , for example . There ’ll be freestanding versions of many dissimilar iteration of one - handed swords that you could nibble up and get in force and better unity as you go along your journeying .
These weapons are something that you ’d be able to encounter through your field explorations , or maybe come across in certain shop , but they ’re scatter throughout the game for you to be capable to meet . The style we treat it in this secret plan is it ’s of one the fashion to change your parameter and stats , but it ’s just one of many different ways that you could customize and build up and mature your quality . There are many more features that we are hoping to unveil very , very soon that will kind of diva into the item for this further .
visual sensation of Manais planned to release in summer 2024 on PlayStation 4 , PS5 , Windows , and Xbox Series consoles .
