After making a surprise appearance at Xbox Developer Direct earlier this year, Square Enix's Visions of Mana is out later this week - which means early reviews are beginning to drop for this upcoming RPG.
Initial impressions for the game seem pretty solid, if a little mixed, so here's what the critics are saying about Visions of Mana ahead of its Xbox release on August 29th:
TechRaptor (9/10)
"It’s not often that I would recommend an ARPG game to gamers who don’t like ARPGs, but Visions of Mana is one that I would. The story, characters, combat, and world are so well done that it’s a treat to experience, and one I think anyone can enjoy. Visions of Mana features an impactful story, well-written characters, fun combat, and a gorgeous world to get lost in with very few problems."
PlayStation Universe (8.5/10)
"Visions of Mana is a bold new step for the series and manages to almost totally stick the landing in the process. The DNA of the series is still here for legacy fans to enjoy, and yet it stands as a remarkably approachable and digestible RPG that can be enjoyed by those looking to dip their toes into this genre. A visually stunning, heartfelt and lovingly crafted world awaits those who jump into this new entry and I'm surprised by just how much it resonated with me in the long-term, despite some pacing issues and some small cut corners."
IGN (8/10)
"Exciting combat, a deeply rewarding class system, and likable characters make Visions of Mana a great comeback for this classic RPG series. With nearly 20 years between mainline games, this long-awaited RPG doesn’t disappoint."
God is a Geek (8/10)
"Given the up-and-down nature of what the series has given us, perhaps solid gameplay and stability are what we need. I hope this isn’t the peak of where Square Enix’s ambitions lie for the series and instead, it’s used as a springboard to achieve greater things for a series sorely missing an all-timer since 1993. It’s not the spiritual sequel to Secret of Mana I wished for, but it’s still an enjoyable entry in the series that’s been over 15 years in the making."
Push Square (7/10)
"As a nostalgia-driven retread of the classic Mana adventure, Visions of Mana is rock solid — but it struggles to be anything more than a reminder of how magical those old RPGs could be. If you can look beyond the game's monotonous storytelling and tragically bland characters, the essence of an old-school excursion is here, in the exploration of wonderful environments and in battles against burly boss monsters."
GamingTrend (6.5/10)
"Visions of Mana is a rollercoaster of emotions. The team under Square Enix has made a beautiful game with a solid mechanical foundation. But the balance of the game has been somewhat out of whack. What's here is not bad, just unpolished and a bit lacking. Visions of Mana is worth your time if the issues mentioned with combat and story won't be an issue for you. Maybe try it on a harder setting. At the very least, I recommend trying the free demo on every platform as that will give you a feel for how the game controls and feels. Visions of Mana is solid but doesn't quite reach the heights it aimed for."
GameSpot (5/10)
"I really cannot stress how much I had been looking forward to Visions of Mana as someone that counts games like Trials of Mana among my favorite SNES RPGs. But as the game's credits rolled, I breathed a sigh of relief.
There is a game here for someone willing to lower their standards enough, but trust me when I say there are hundreds of better RPGs for you to spend your time on. You do not need to waste it searching for a few nuggets buried here."
GamesRadar (2.5/5)
"Playing Visions of Mana is like solving a loose Rubik's cube, trying to cut tape with dull scissors, or riding a bike with a few broken spokes. It works, but it's off-kilter in an unintuitive way. It's amazing how many games are able to pull off the illusion of something cohesive and smooth, teetering on the edge of becoming too janky to imitate fiction. It's a shame Visions of Mana isn't one of them."
So, Visions of Mana impressions are quite broad right now, but the game's aggregate scores aren't too shabby. We're looking at 75 on Metacritic and 77 for Open Critic - solid ratings overall. It's a shame this one isn't coming to Xbox Game Pass, but if there's enough here you like the sound of, this Square Enix RPG might still be worth picking up on Xbox!
What do you think of these early review scores? Tell us if these visions are tempting you down in the comments below.
Comments 15
Why is it a shame it’s not coming to gamepass?
A game should be able to stand (and bought) on its own merit. Not hoped it’s included on a sub service for people to try it.
@PsBoxSwitchOwner haha, that was def an odd thing to add at the end of the article.
Keep in mind that this is a game with a small audience. If Gamepass is known for something, it is for making these games reach a lot of players.
In my case for example, I am curious to try it, but it is far from being a game for which I would pay the full price. If it reaches Gamepass I will surely play it, if not I will wait for a discount.
Never played this series but it looks interesting and I'm not someone that minds ARPG's. Will get this in the future.
I wonder how many gazillion copies Squenix expects this to sell, or that high bar is/was only reserved for their western game developers...😅
@PsBoxSwitchOwner Exactly this. I believe this is one of the key reasons Xbox has gone downhill. Sure, Game Pass is a great option for the consumer, but it’s not a good business model overall. I’d love to see the statistics on how many people who do have Game Pass, played a game released on the subscription service, and then subsequently purchased it outright whilst still remaining on GP. I’d say the statistics are fairly low, and this one reason out of many why Xbox is a dying platform and will become a third party publisher in the near future, as evidence has already suggested.
A cozy ARPG for those who find Eldon Ring too difficult might do well…
Gamespot being harsh as usual
@PsBoxSwitchOwner I believe they put “it’s a shame it isn’t coming to Game Pass” because it was reported that it was initially, before it was corrected.
Can't decide if I should grab day 1 or just wait for a sale.
Wow, some scathing reviews in there!
@PsBoxSwitchOwner it would gain a greater audience on Game Pass and the author wants it for free.
Sure is all over the place… I loved secret of mana, but the visions of mana demo really put me off. Didn’t like the combat, characters, or acting.
@PsBoxSwitchOwner probably because the reviews range from 9/10 to 5/10 and 2.5/5.0
That's weirdly polarizing, and reminds me when Kotaku had the critic that openly hated Xenoblade while most praised it, also review XC2. Spoiler: He hated it just as much.
@Kraven I think that's a meaningless statistic. Developers who release their game on game pass have already received a huge chunk of money upfront from Microsoft. So whether or not it sells to game pass subscribers who funded that chunk of money is meaningless.
The bigger issue with game pass is for those games that aren't launched into the service. How many game pass subscribers are buying those games? I believe we already have reports that state: "not many" and that is the true problem with game pass. Any xbox game not launching in game pass is unlikely to turn a profit.
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