What you need to know
- Visions of Mana isn't just the first mainline Mana game in over 15 years, it's also the very first in the legendary RPG series to come to Xbox.
- In an unexpected move, Square Enix actually made an appearance during the Xbox Developer_Direct event to talk about Visions of Mana.
- We saw more of the game's gorgeous world and colorful combat, and heard from developers behind the game.
- Visions of Mana comes to Xbox Series X|S and Windows PC in Summer 2024, and is not confirmed for Xbox Game Pass.
In December of 2023, fans of the legendary and long-running Mana RPG series were finally treated to a brand-new mainline entry in the franchise after a 15-year hiatus. This time around, too, Visions of Mana is coming to Xbox consoles — the very first time for any Mana game. During the Xbox Developer_Direct 2024 show, Square Enix surprised viewers by showing off more of Visions of Mana, showcasing the publisher's growing relationship with Xbox.
I'm not familiar with the Mana series personally, but Visions of Mana has definitely piqued my interest. Square Enix showed off plenty of in-game footage and gameplay, including a look at the world, character and companion designs, and combat. We also got to hear from Square Enix about the design decisions behind the game, music choices, and more.
It was a shock to see Square Enix's name pop up during the Developer_Direct, though, since it seemed the show is mostly dedicated to first-party studios or upcoming Xbox exclusives. Visions of Mana is neither, as it's also coming to PlayStation 5 on day one. The game isn't confirmed as coming to Xbox Game Pass, either. The highly-anticipated action-RPG is arriving in Summer 2024, and I'm excited for it to be my first foray into the Mana universe.
The Mana franchise saw its beginning back in 1991, and since then has been known for its accessible, fast-paced gameplay, colorful world, and expansive narrative surrounding the epic Mana Tree. It has been well over a decade since the Mana series first saw a mainline entry, so it's great to see Square Enix finally break that silence and expand onto new platforms. If you want more information, Xbox Wire has a handy post detailing Visions of Mana and the history of the franchise.
