Seiken Densetsu It is one of those franchises that never sold enough to be an international success like Final Fantasynor did it have the cultural impact of Dragon Quest either Pokémon; However, for many it is one of the greatest exponents of the JRPG genre but…why? What makes it different from other series with a similar impact?
It’s difficult to sum it up in the space I have here, but I think the most accurate way to do it is with one word: identity. Secret of Mana is one of those games that only needs one cover to make you fall in love with it. Hiroo Isono’s gorgeous art depicted a huge tree full of greenery and before it a group of 3 warriors ready for adventure; the feeling continued when the game started, a powerful roar adorned the Squaresoft logo before the game’s title appeared accompanied by a melancholic main theme.
That is a sequence that has been recorded in the minds of thousands of people who care little that Seiken Densetsu is far from the most popular of the genre. What they are interested in is that it returns in a form that reawakens those same feelings. Visions of Mana It seems like the perfect opportunity for that, but does it succeed?
Reviving a sleeping giant
It hasn’t been that many years since we last had a new release from Seiken Densetsubut it does feel like an eternity since we last had an original release worthy of the name. I only had to spend a few hours with Visions of Mana to realize that this wait was finally over and that we were faced with a title that can easily sit at the same table as its first 4 installments.
With this I do not mean that Visions of Mana It may not be a perfect game as it has several flaws that I will mention later; however, it delivers on the most important thing and that is to feel like an authentic experience. Seiken Densetsu. Ouka Studios built a world and mythology that understands the essence of the franchise to create something new and with substance, rather than just using it as a cloak to hide a massive experience. What I’m getting at is that Visions of Mana presents a unique and modern interpretation of Seiken Densetsuwhich manages to evoke sensations of the past while daring to break conventions to deliver an experience worthy of 2024.
One of the things in which this is reflected is in the narrative. We are talking about a somewhat predictable story that at a certain point breaks its rhythm to extend itself in an unjustified way, but that manages to hook you thanks to its strengths. What are they? The one that stands out the most is a beautiful mythology that presents us with a world with different cultures and societies that take you by the hand to invite you to learn more about them. Added to this is a cast of charismatic characters and well-defined personalities. In addition, in Visions of Mana We find a story that is not afraid to make its characters grow and confront them with situations that make them question who they are and why their world works the way it does.
“Visions of Mana presents a unique and modern interpretation of Seiken Densetsu“
Beyond that, Visions of Mana It also carries the identity of Seiken Densetsu in the way it looks and sounds; let’s talk about the latter first. The soundtrack is fantastic and keeps alive the concepts that Hiroki Kikuta created great themes for past installments; it’s music that can be described as daring, as it’s never afraid to use any trick up its sleeve to generate feelings like nostalgia, adventure or even laughter. There’s a combination of genres that is at times inspirational and at others so playful that it becomes ridiculous. If we add to this little leitmotifs that connect to past installments, we have a soundtrack with the identity that Visions of Mana needed. The visuals are very well done. Does it have impressive graphics? The truth is that even at first glance it is obvious that this is an AA project; however, the team managed to take advantage of the resources and with fantastic art direction they created a world that, without raising the standards, looks really nice. Especially with how well done the enemy models are, like the Rabite and the Chobin Hood.
Bigger Mana Adventure but is it better?
One of the points that caught the most attention Visions of Mana It seemed to be an open world game, but is it really? Not really, but it is a game that offers a significant degree of freedom.
You see, in your time with Visions of Mana You will have the opportunity to explore large open areas with different enemies, side quests and secrets to discover. What makes these spaces shine is that they are just the right dimensions, so the tedium of getting from one point to another disappears to be replaced by a journey of discovery. What I really appreciate about Visions of Mana is that it marked the return of different modes of transport that dare to make you laugh out loud. The only thing that can be blamed on exploration are two things: the lack of explorable interiors, as well as soulless secondary content. The latter is what is truly disappointing, since Visions of Mana It comes as one of those games where the side quests are more about killing time rather than representing content you want to play.
Where Visions of Mana Where it truly shines is in its combat system. I’m not going to lie: I was initially disappointed because I thought I was facing another generic action JRPG where you just have to press a button, dodge and that’s it. While Visions of Mana It’s not a game where hack and slash fans are going to find anything special, but it does have a much more complex combat than its first hours let us see thanks to systems that are interconnected and evolve as the hours go by.
“The star of the fight of Visions of Mana It is a versatile class system”
The star of the fight Visions of Mana is a versatile class system that allows you to completely change the way each character fights thanks to Elemental Vessels that allow Mana Spirits to empower the protagonists. As you can imagine, each class offers a different way to play and that completely changes the strategy. One Elemental Vessel will make a character a tank, but if you equip another one you will see that they become a fast swordsman; the interesting thing is that each vessel gives a special ability that becomes the focus of combat. In addition, Elemental Vessels react differently with each hero. Class switching can be done almost at any time from the Menu, so you have a lot of options to mix and match. This is important, since elemental weaknesses will make certain combinations essential to defeating a boss.
In addition to the different classes, you can customize your team with seeds that usually grant passive bonuses (though later seeds come out with more interesting options that I won’t spoil). This opens up the door to options that feel almost limitless to build a team to your liking that takes advantage of different synergies to emerge victorious. It’s a game that encourages you to think of a plan and then execute it thanks to the fact that there are times when bosses can be a real challenge if you don’t.
The return of Seiken Densetsu that I always dreamed of
Visions of Mana has a great gift: it is a game that understood perfectly what it had to be: an adventure faithful to the franchise. So the developers went back to the roots of Seiken Densetsu to understand exactly what it was that made it such a beloved series back in the Super Famicom years. In doing so, they created an adventure that speaks to feelings of nostalgia, but at the same time reminds us that the medium has made leaps and bounds in the last 30 years.
With this, Visions of Mana It becomes a memorable journey through a beautiful world that wins you over with its design and mythology and then draws you in with a combat system that is more complete than it appears at first glance. It’s just what I always imagined when thinking about a modern reinterpretation of Seiken Densetsuso I only have applause for the entire team at Ouka Studios and Square Enix.
Visions of Mana is now available on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Follow this link for more news related to it.
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