Secret of Mana has remained one of my all-time favorite games since I played it back in 1993. The lush world and amazing soundtrack hold up incredibly well to this date (even inspiring a remake, though I think the original is better). Seiken Densetsu 3 would not see an American release for many years; I was lucky enough to play through an English-patched ROM about a decade after its release. While I enjoyed it (and the subsequent release of Trials of Mana, a full-fledged remake), it never quite captured the magic I was looking for.
Many more games with the Mana title followed throughout the subsequent console generations. However, I never felt that any of these came close either. I think most agreed, as the series went dormant for several years before we finally got a new entry in the series in 2024, the eponymous Visions of Mana. So, would this see a return to form for a series that was still chasing its former glory, or end up yet another disappointing entry in the once-lauded Mana series?
I’m happy to say that, by and large, it is a return to the form. I was very skeptical, having been burned by the likes of the latter games. First, the game is very lush and varied, much like the earlier games. You truly feel a sense of adventure as you traverse the many environments. The Mana games have always had a bright, colorful look, and this does a good job of staying true to that.
The audio is also quite solid. I don’t think there’s anything overly memorable, unlike the previous entries, but the voice work is solid and the tunes fit the area. The story isn’t particularly deep or original, but does a good job of incorporating a lot of the bittersweet themes that previous Mana games were known for.
The combat is fun, though standard action-RPG fare. Your character has the standard light/heavy attacks, and the ring menu returns. There is a class-based system based on unlocking Elementals as you progress through the game. You can exploit enemy weaknesses based on your loadout, though I never found it to be a necessity, as smacking enemies down was the most efficient option.
This brings me to the largest criticism: while solid, the game doesn’t really bring anything new to the table. Whether it be the combat system or story, the game just isn’t particularly deep. Given how bad some of the more recent Mana games have been, I was happy just to have a return to the form. However, it does feel at times to me a style-over-substance approach. I also think I have a soft spot for the series, given my love for Secret of Mana.
Overall, I would definitely recommend this game to either fans of the series or ARPG fans in general. It’s a solid title that calls back to the charm of the SNES entries, even if brings little new to the table. Hopefully, the team can expand upon the ideas in this game and we won’t have to wait a long time for another entry in the Mana series.
Josh is a life long gamer, from the days of playing Super Mario Bros. on the NES to plowing through the RPGs of today. He enjoys taking games of all eras and can be found on X @agentclarke001.
