It’s been 15 years since the last mainline entry in Square Enix’s Mana series, and the wait for a new one is coming to an end. Square revealed during December 2023’s The Game Awards that Visions of Mana, the latest action RPG in the long-running franchise, will launch later this year. At Xbox’s Developer Direct Showcase on January 19, Square Enix peeled back the curtain a second time, showing off a swath of new details, which we’ve compiled below for your convenience.
Square Enix also dropped a lengthy press release alongside a deep-dive video into the game’s combat, environment, and traversal mechanics. There’s quite a bit to go through, so without further ado, here’s everything we know about Visions of Mana.
Table of contents
Visions of Mana release date
Visions of Mana does not have a confirmed release date at this state, but we do have some indications on its release window. The game is currently slated to launch during the American summer (aka the end of winter and the beginning of spring in Australia). Pending any delays, that puts it on shelves and digital storefronts between July and September. August and September are historically when medium-scale titles hoping to get ahead of the pre-Christmas release rush tend to launch. Visions of Mana would be an ideal candidate for this kind of launch timing.
Will Visions of Mana be on PS5, XBOX, PC & PS4?
As for platforms, Visions of Mana will launch on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and PlayStation 4. Square Enix has not officially confirmed whether the game will eventually arrive on the Nintendo Switch, the Xbox One, or Game Pass/PlayStation Plus at this time, but anything is possible.
Visions of Mana’s gameplay
If you’ve never played a Mana RPG before, particularly one of Square’s more modern takes on the series, we’d say it’s a combination of the combat from Granblue Fantasy: Relink and the Tales of RPGs. What that means: they tend to be action-heavy, hack-and-slash JRPGs with a few magic attacks sprinkled in for good measure. Square Enix’s press materials also state that the game will introduce aerial combat, a way to deal damage while your characters are airborne. That’s a series first. Elementals will also be back, which we’re sure will please the old heads. Elementals are special items that unique powers that can be used in battle. Square Enix says these items produce “a different effect in combat according to its respective element, allowing for a fast-paced, flexible fighting style.”
Visions of Mana trailers
The most recent Visions of Mana trailer dropped during the Xbox Developer Direct on January 19. It provides one of the most extensive looks at the game’s world and characters to date, with a little history on the franchise and where it’s headed next under the direction of creator Koichi Ishii.
Visions of Mana characters
If you played Secret of Mana for the SNES (or one of its recent ports), you’ll likely have fond memories of exploring the world on the back of your friendly dragon buddy, Flammie. Good news: companions are back in Visions of Mana. This time around, you get to ride a giant fur bestie called a pikul around (and yes, it’s pronounced like Pickle, which rules). Pikuls are wolf-like beasts can not only ram monsters as you ride them, they can also move you quickly around the map, leap over obstacles, and even take a nap. They are, obviously, very good boys and girls indeed.
Visions of Mana soundtrack
Square Enix revealed that Visions of Mana will have a tracklist comprising 100 songs at launch. Each of these songs is composed by (or exists with contributions from) the creative forces behind the music of previous Mana games. This includes Hiroki Kikuta (Secret of Mana), Yo Yamazaki (Legend of Mana), and Tsuyoshi Sekito (Dawn of Mana). If you’re at all familiar with their work, then you already know these songs are going to slap.
There you have it, folks: everything we know about Visions of Mana for now. The wait for the game won’t drag on much longer as the winter months inch ever closer. Whether you’re a long-time fan or a first-time player, it’s looking like Visions of Mana will be a great entry for anyone interested in a new Square Enix action RPG.
Image: Square Enix
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