Visions of Mana

Last updated
Visions of Mana
Visions of Mana.jpg
Developer(s) Ouka Studios
Publisher(s) Square Enix
Director(s) Ryosuke Yoshida
Producer(s) Masaru Oyamada
Designer(s) Koichi Ishii
Airi Yoshioka
Artist(s) Haccan
Composer(s) Hiroki Kikuta
Tsuyoshi Sekito
Ryo Yamazaki
Series Mana
Platform(s)
ReleaseQ2/Q3 2024
Genre(s) Action role-playing
Mode(s) Single-player

Visions of Mana [lower-alpha 1] is an upcoming action role-playing game developed by Ouka Studios and published by Square Enix for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, and Xbox Series X/S. It is the fifth main title in the Mana series and is scheduled for release worldwide between Q2 and Q3 2024. [1]

Contents

First announced in 2021, it is the first mainline game in the series to be released since Dawn of Mana in 2006, and sees the return of series designer/director Koichi Ishii, producer Masaru Oyamada, and composers Hiroki Kikuta, Tsuyoshi Sekito, and Ryo Yamazaki. [2]

Gameplay and plot

Visions of Mana is set in a fantasy world where players take control of Val, a young man from the Fire Village of Tianeea. When his childhood friend, Hinna, undergoes a pilgrimage to the sacred Mana Tree, which controls the flow of mana throughout the world, Val accompanies her as a protector or "Soul Guard". [3] Other characters who join Val on his mission include Morley, a cat-man and speedy attacker who seeks to overcome a traumatic event from his past, and Careena, a half-human, half-dragon dubbed "The One-Winged Oracle" who is always accompanied by her young dragon companion Ramcoh, the child of a sacred beast. [4]

Like other games in the series, the title is an action role-playing game featuring real-time combat with enemies who inhabit the game's environments. The game features "semi-open world" areas made up of large maps the player may freely explore while advancing the story. [2] Players may assume control of any member of their three-person party, each with their own unique skills. Each character has various combat classes which may be unlocked by acquiring items called Spirit Vessels and may be switched freely, granting them access to new abilities and powerful attacks call Class Strikes. [5]

Development

The game was first announced in June 2021 as an unnamed console Mana title during the series' 30th anniversary stream broadcast. [6] Square Enix registered a trademark for "Visions of Mana" on December 7, 2023 for Europe and Australia, and revealed the first trailer for the game during The Game Awards 2023 the following day along with a projected release some time in 2024. [7] An expanded look at the game as well as release window was announced during an Xbox Developer_Direct in January 2024. [1]

In January 2024, Producer Masaru Oyamada revealed that he was interested in creating a new mainline Mana game when he became the new series producer ten years earlier, but stated he was hesitant since the long gap between the last title may have diluted fan interest. After releasing a number of remakes and re-releases over the next few years, Oyamada became confident in producing a new entry, particularly after the positive reception of the 2020 remake of Trials of Mana . [8] Series creator, director, and designer Koichi Ishii returned to the franchise with Visions of Mana, having last worked on 2007's Heroes of Mana , and oversaw the transition of the original monster designs of the series to 3D. [9] He is joined by composers Hiroki Kikuta, Tsuyoshi Sekito, and Ryo Yamazaki, all of whom have contributed music and arrangements on previous Mana titles. [2]

In March 2024, Square Enix producer Masaru Oyamada confirmed that NetEase's Japanese-Chinese subsidiary Ouka Studios, established in 2020, is the developer of the game. [10]

Notes

  1. ↑ Known in Japan as Seiken Densetsu: Visions of Mana (Japanese: 聖剣伝説: VISIONS OF MANA, lit.The Legend of the Sacred Sword: Visions of Mana)

Related Research Articles

Square Co., Ltd. was a Japanese video game development studio and publisher. It was founded in 1986 by Masafumi Miyamoto, who spun off part of his father's electronics company Den-Yu-Sha. Among its early employees were designers Hironobu Sakaguchi, Hiromichi Tanaka, Akitoshi Kawazu and Koichi Ishii, artist Kazuko Shibuya, programmer Nasir Gebelli, and composer Nobuo Uematsu. Initially focusing on action games, the team saw popular success with Final Fantasy in 1987. A role-playing video game, it became the first in a franchise of the same name. Later notable staff included directors Yoshinori Kitase and Takashi Tokita, designer and writer Yasumi Matsuno, artists Tetsuya Nomura and Yusuke Naora, and composers Yoko Shimomura and Masashi Hamauzu.

<i>Final Fantasy Adventure</i> 1991 Game Boy game

Final Fantasy Adventure, known in Japan as Seiken Densetsu: Final Fantasy Gaiden or simply Seiken Densetsu, and later released in Europe as Mystic Quest, is an action role-playing video game developed and published by Square for the Game Boy. It is a spin-off of the Final Fantasy series and the first game in the Mana series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chocobo</span> Fictional species of bird

The Chocobo is a fictional species created for the Final Fantasy franchise by Square Enix. A galliform bird commonly having yellow feathers, they were first introduced in Final Fantasy II (1988), and have since featured in some capacity in nearly every Final Fantasy title, usually as a means of transport. Chocobos or chocobo-themed characters have played story roles in multiple titles, notably in Final Fantasy V and XIII. A recurring Chocobo also acts as protagonist of the Chocobo spin-off series.

<i>Mana</i> (series) Video game series

The Mana series, known in Japan as Seiken Densetsu, is a high fantasy action role-playing game series created by Koichi Ishii, with development formerly from Square, and is currently owned by Square Enix. The series began in 1991 as Final Fantasy Adventure, a Game Boy handheld side story to Square's flagship franchise Final Fantasy. The Final Fantasy elements were subsequently dropped starting with the second installment, Secret of Mana, in order to become its own series. It has grown to include games of various genres within the fictional world of Mana, with recurring stories involving a world tree, its associated holy sword, and the fight against forces that would steal their power. Several character designs, creatures, and musical themes reappear frequently.

<i>Secret of Mana</i> 1993 video game

Secret of Mana, originally released in Japan as Seiken Densetsu 2, is a 1993 action role-playing game developed and published by Square for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. It is the sequel to the 1991 game Seiken Densetsu, released in North America as Final Fantasy Adventure and in Europe as Mystic Quest, and it was the first Seiken Densetsu title to be marketed as part of the Mana series rather than the Final Fantasy series. Set in a high fantasy universe, the game follows three heroes as they attempt to prevent an empire from conquering the world with the power of an ancient flying fortress.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hiroki Kikuta</span> Japanese composer and game designer (born 1962)

Hiroki Kikuta is a Japanese composer and game designer. His major works are Secret of Mana, Trials of Mana, Soukaigi, and Koudelka, for which he also acted as producer and concept designer. He has composed music for seven other games, and worked as a concept designer in addition to composer for the unreleased MMORPG Chou Bukyo Taisen. He became interested in music at an early age, but earned a degree in Religious Studies, Philosophy, and Cultural Anthropology from Kansai University. He spent the next few years working first as a manga illustrator, then as a composer for anime series, before coming to work for Square in 1991.

<i>Sword of Mana</i> 2003 video game

Sword of Mana, originally released in Japan as Shin'yaku: Seiken Densetsu, is a 2003 action role-playing game developed by Square Enix and Brownie Brown and published by Square Enix and Nintendo for the Game Boy Advance. It is an enhanced remake of the first game in the Mana series, the Game Boy game Seiken Densetsu: Final Fantasy Gaiden, which was released as Final Fantasy Adventure in North America and as Mystic Quest in Europe. Sword of Mana was the fifth release in the series. Set in a high fantasy universe, the game follows an unnamed hero and heroine as they seek to defeat the Dark Lord and defend the Mana Tree from enemies who wish to misuse its power.

<i>Legend of Mana</i> 1999 Square Enix role-playing video game

Legend of Mana is a 1999 action role-playing game developed and published by Square for the PlayStation. It was the fourth game released in the Mana series, following 1995's Trials of Mana. Set in a high fantasy universe, the game follows an unnamed hero as they restore the land of Fa'Diel by creating the world around them and completing a number of interrelated quests in order to restore the Tree of Mana.

<i>Trials of Mana</i> 1995 video game

Trials of Mana, also known by its Japanese title Seiken Densetsu 3, is a 1995 action role-playing game developed and published by Square for the Super Famicom. It is the sequel to the 1993 game Secret of Mana, and is the third installment in the Mana series. Set in a high fantasy world, the game follows three heroes as they attempt to claim the legendary Mana Sword and prevent the Benevodons from being unleashed and destroying the world. It features three main plotlines and six different possible main characters, each with their own storylines, and allows two players to play simultaneously. Trials of Mana builds on the gameplay of its predecessor with multiple enhancements, including the use of a time progression system with transitions from day to night and weekday to weekday in game time, and a wide range of character classes to choose from, which provides each character with an exclusive set of skills and status progression.

<i>Dawn of Mana</i> 2006 video game

Dawn of Mana is a 2006 action-adventure game for the PlayStation 2. It was developed and published by Square Enix. It is the eighth game of the Mana series and the third entry in the World of Mana subseries, following the release of Children of Mana nine months prior and Friends of Mana two months prior. Set in a high fantasy universe, Dawn of Mana follows a young hero, Keldric, as he journeys to close a portal to a land of darkness that has been opened in the base of the Tree of Mana and is corrupting the world.

<i>Children of Mana</i> 2006 action role-playing video game for the Nintendo DS

Children of Mana is a 2006 action role-playing game for the Nintendo DS handheld console. It was developed by Square Enix and Nex Entertainment, and published by Square Enix and Nintendo. It is the sixth game of the Mana series—following 2003's Sword of Mana—and the first entry in the World of Mana subseries. Set in a high fantasy universe, Children of Mana follows one of four young heroes as they combat an invasion of monsters and learn about the cataclysmic event that killed their families.

Koichi Ishii, sometimes credited as Kouichi Ishii, is a video game designer perhaps best known for creating the Mana series. He joined Square in 1987, where he has directed or produced every game released in the Mana series. He has also contributed to several games in Square Enix's SaGa and Final Fantasy series, and created the well-known chocobo and moogle characters.

The Mana series, known in Japan as Seiken Densetsu, is a role-playing video game series from Square Enix, created by Koichi Ishii. The series began as a handheld side story to Square's flagship franchise Final Fantasy, although most Final Fantasy-inspired elements were subsequently dropped, starting with the second installment, Secret of Mana. It has since grown to include games of various genres within the fictional world of Mana. The music of the Mana series includes soundtracks and arranged albums of music from the series, which is currently composed of Final Fantasy Adventure and its remake Sword of Mana, Secret of Mana, Trials of Mana, Legend of Mana, Dawn of Mana, Children of Mana, Friends of Mana, Heroes of Mana, Circle of Mana, and Rise of Mana. Each game except for Friends and Circle has produced a soundtrack album, while Adventure has sparked an arranged album as well as a combined soundtrack and arranged album, Legend of Mana has an additional promotional EP, and music from Secret and Trials were combined into an arranged album. For the series' 20th anniversary, a 20-disc box set of previously-released albums was produced, as well as an album of arrangements by Kenji Ito, composer for several games in the series.

<i>Heroes of Mana</i> 2007 real-time strategy game for the Nintendo DS

Heroes of Mana is a 2007 real-time strategy video game developed by Brownie Brown and Square Enix and published by Square Enix for the Nintendo DS. It is the ninth game of the Mana series and the fourth entry in the World of Mana subseries, following the release of Dawn of Mana three months prior. Set in a high fantasy universe, Heroes of Mana follows a young soldier, Roget, as he journeys to defend several nations from the ruthless aggression of his own country in a series of battles.

<i>Rise of Mana</i> 2014 video game

Rise of Mana is a Japanese action role-playing video game developed by Goshow for iOS, Android and PlayStation Vita. It was published by series creator Square Enix in 2014 for mobile devices and 2015 for the Vita. It is the eleventh game in the Mana series, featuring a new narrative unconnected to other games in the series. The gameplay uses a similar action-based battle system to earlier Mana titles while using a free-to-play model in common with mobile titles. The story focuses on two characters, an angel and a demon, who are cast down to the mortal world in the midst of a battle and are forced to share a body in order to survive.

<i>Adventures of Mana</i> 2016 video game

Adventures of Mana is an action role-playing video game developed by MCF and Square Enix, and published by Square Enix. It is a 3D remake of the 1991 Game Boy game Final Fantasy Adventure, the first game in the Mana series. It was released worldwide for Android and iOS on February 4, 2016; a PlayStation Vita version was also released on the same date in Japan, and in June 2016 in North America, South America and Europe. In addition to these releases, Square Enix has said that they are considering developing versions for PlayStation 4 and personal computers.

<i>Trials of Mana</i> (2020 video game) 2020 video game

Trials of Mana is a 2020 action role-playing game developed by Xeen and published by Square Enix for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and Windows. A mobile port released the following year. It is a 3D remake of the 1995 Super Famicom title of the same name, the third game in the Mana series. The story follows six possible protagonists in their respective quests, which lead them to obtain the Mana Sword and fight a world-ending threat. In gameplay, the player controls three out of six characters, navigating field environments, fighting enemies in real-time combat, and making use of character classes. New to the gameplay and storyline is a post-game chapter with an unlockable class.

<i>Legend of Mana: The Teardrop Crystal</i> 2022 anime television series

Legend of Mana: The Teardrop Crystal, known in Japan as Legend of the Sacred Sword: The Teardrop Crystal, is an anime television series produced by Yokohama Animation Laboratory and Graphinica, based on the video game Legend of Mana by Square Enix. The series aired from October to December 2022.

Riesz (<i>Trials of Mana</i>) Trials of Mana character

Riesz is a character in the 1995 video game Trials of Mana. She is one of its six protagonists, able to be selected as either the main character or a supporting character to one of the others. She is the princess of the kingdom of Laurent who seeks to rescue her brother Elliot and the kingdom from those who invaded it. She is connected to the character Hawkeye, who was intended by the design team to have more romantic elements featured, but were excluded due to a lack of room in the game. Her design was created by Nobuteru Yūki and Koichi Ishii, featuring long blonde hair and a green dress, with her different designs inspired by Norse mythology. She is voiced by Mikako Komatsu in the remake.

Charlotte (<i>Trials of Mana</i>) Trials of Mana character

Charlotte is a character in the 1995 video game Trials of Mana. She is one of its six protagonists, able to be selected as either the main character or a supporting character to one of the others. She is connected to the character Kevin, who was intended by the design team to have more romantic scenes featured, but were excluded due to a lack of room in the game. Her design was created by Nobuteru Yūki and Koichi Ishii, and in the Trials of Mana remake, she was designed by HACCAN and voiced by Sumire Morohoshi in Japanese.

References

  1. 1 2 Heaney, Duncan (January 18, 2024). "Visions of Mana: The Origins (and Future) of the Legendary RPG Series". Xbox.com. Archived from the original on January 25, 2024. Retrieved January 25, 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 Ramsey, Robert (December 10, 2023). "Visions of Mana Isn't Open World, But It Does Have 'Vast' Semi-Open Areas". PushSquare. Archived from the original on January 25, 2024. Retrieved January 25, 2024.
  3. ↑ "SQUARE ENIX UNVEILS BRAND NEW VISIONS OF MANA AT THE GAME AWARDS SHOW". Square Enix Asia. December 8, 2023. Archived from the original on January 25, 2024. Retrieved January 25, 2024.
  4. ↑ "「聖剣伝説 VISIONS of MANA」，主人公ヴァルとヒナなど登場キャラや，精霊の力を宿した道具「精霊器」などの情報が公開に". 4Gamer (in Japanese). March 15, 2024. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  5. ↑ Higham, Michael (March 28, 2024). "Visions Of Mana Preview: Classic Feel And Vivid Visuals Underpin The Return Of The Action-RPG Series". Gamespot. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  6. ↑ Doolan, Liam (June 27, 2021). "Square Enix Confirms The Next Mana Game For Console Is Now In Development". NintendoLife. Archived from the original on January 25, 2024. Retrieved January 25, 2024.
  7. ↑ Hauges, Alana (December 7, 2023). "Visions Of Mana Announced By Square Enix, But Not For Switch". NintendoLife. Archived from the original on January 25, 2024. Retrieved January 25, 2024.
  8. ↑ Cryer, Hirun (January 19, 2023). "Visions of Mana producer wanted to make the new JRPG for 10 years, but wasn't sure anyone wanted it". Gamesradar. Archived from the original on January 25, 2024. Retrieved January 25, 2024.
  9. ↑ Gerblick, Jordan (December 8, 2023). "After 16 years, Visions of Mana brings back original creator Koichi Ishii for a return to its action RPG roots". Gamesradar. Archived from the original on January 25, 2024. Retrieved January 25, 2024.
  10. ↑ Romano, Sal (2024-03-28). "Visions of Mana details story, characters, elemental vessels, and pikuls; new trailer and gameplay". Gematsu. Retrieved 2024-03-28.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.