From Black Myth: Wukong and Star Wars Outlaws to Dustborn and Madden NFL 25, we reviewed a lot of games last month. But perhaps no title left us feeling more satisfied and accomplished than Visions of Mana, the first new mainline entry in Square Enix’s Mana series in over 15 years. Though August was a stacked month for video games and September looks to be just as strong, we urge you to make time for this emotionally and tonally complex RPG that’s well worth the hours it may take for you to settle into its story. And here’s every reason why.
There’s no outfit in gaming with a stronger history of telling tales about picking fights with God than Square Enix. Literally or metaphorically, from Final Fantasy Legend/SaGa and Star Ocean to Xenogears and even some Final Fantasies, a foundational narrative in which our heroes push back against a cruel, manipulative creator is like a spinal cord holding up many a juggernaut of Japanese RPG canon. But another enduring Square Enix series, quietly running just as long as the others, takes the opposite approach, embracing the positive side of religion and mythology. These are games about unity, the healing powers of nature, and the virtuous pride brought from trusting in a benevolent higher power. No, not Dragon Quest; yes, you visit churches to save in those games, but then you go and hang out in pubs and gamble like an exhausted salaryman. No, I’m talking about Mana. — Lucas White
Visions of Mana is a vibrant and charming role-playing game that harkens back to the classics many of us grew up enjoying, providing hours of enjoyable exploration, character customization, and storytelling. If you’re diving into this new adventure in the Mana franchise, here are some tips for your travels so that you can make the most of your early hours with the game. — Billy Givens
On paper, Visions of Mana seems tailor-made for on-the-go play. The combat doesn’t require complex strings of button mashing, the clearly marked story objectives help orient you even on a small screen, and the many side quests are perfect fodder for pick-up-and-play sessions. The remakes of the first three Mana games are all on mobile devices (even if some ports aren’t preferable to play), so the series has a history of portable-friendly play too. Everything’s in place! So how does Visions of Mana fare on the Steam Deck? — Timothy Monbleau
Square Enix’s Visions of Mana is an RPG, and if there’s one thing we know about RPGs, it’s that they tend to be long. If you’re looking to get the most entertainment per minute for your dollar, this is great news. For others, the thought of tackling days-long epics might inspire unadulterated dread. The most recent Mana games, such as Trials of Mana, have been on the shorter side by RPG standards. However, those have also been remakes of decades old games. So how does this brand-new Mana game compare? — Timothy Monbleau
