Square Enix shares Visions of Mana gameplay during Xbox Developer_Direct 2024
During today's Xbox Developer_Direct 2024, Square Enix made a surprise appearance to show a gameplay reveal for Visions of Mana.
Originally announced at The Game Awards 2023, Visions of Mana is the first mainline title in over 15 years, and the first to land on Xbox platforms.
Mana series producer Masaru Oyamada and Mana series creator Koichi Ishii take us inside the studio to show combat footage, locations, monsters, and more. We also get to see a new creature created by Ishii, the adorable pikul, which was envisioned as a mix between a Yorkshire Terrier and a pangolin. If you look closely, we can also see a few new playable characters in the footage, although they are not spotlighted directly.
The gameplay footage, description, and screenshots can be found below, via Square Enix. We've also included a few new screenshots that have appeared on the official Japanese Twitter feed over the last few weeks.
Visions of Mana is set to release in Summer 2024 for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, and PC (Steam).
Today as part of Xbox’s Developer Direct, Square Enix Ltd. revealed brand-new details about Visions of Mana, the first mainline entry to the beloved Mana series in over 15 years. The developer showcase featured Mana Series Producer, Masaru Oyamada, and Mana Series Creator, Koichi Ishii, who introduced players to the newly imagined world of Mana and provided a deeper look at the game’s development process and action-packed gameplay. Visions of Mana launches in Summer 2024 on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC and PC via Steam.
The new gameplay and behind-the-scenes footage provides fans and newcomers alike with a closer look at some of the latest gameplay features, monsters and creatures in Visions of Mana. Mana Series Producer, Masaru Oyamada, revealed new details about Visions of Mana’s combat, including the new addition of the aerial combat system, which will take players to new heights during battle and enable physical attacks with weapons and magic attacks mid-air. Fans can also expect to see the return of series staple, the Elementals. These assist players during battle in the form of specialized items, with each weapon producing a different effect in combat according to its respective element, allowing for a fast-paced, flexible fighting style.
Players were also introduced to a new companion they can expect to encounter in Visions of Mana called the “pikuls.” Designed by Mana Series Creator, Koichi Ishii, the adorable new companion takes inspiration from animals and mythology and will help players traverse the game’s expansive ground map as they explore the vibrant world in Visions of Mana.
Square Enix also revealed that the Visions of Mana soundtrack will feature a track list of 100 songs at launch, all of which have been composed or received contributions from musical creators who lent their talents to previous Mana titles, including Hiroki Kikuta, Tsuyoshi Sekito and Ryo Yamazaki. Visions of Mana will also feature a new adaptive music system, which will allow players to seamlessly transition from map exploration into battles and heighten their sense of urgency through the arrangement of background music which will change the moment players enter or leave combat.
Since the series’ debut in 1993 as Final Fantasy Adventure, a spin-off of the Final Fantasy series, Mana games have immersed players in bright vibrant worlds, breathtaking environments, heartwarming characters and high fantasy storylines across many genres and platforms. Based on 30 years of legacy, Mana Series Producer, Masaru Oyamada, and his team are incorporating everything they have learned from the last 17 Mana games to ensure that Visions of Mana is a faithful addition to the series that fans know and love, while also offerings fans and newcomers a fresh new experience with an all-new story, characters and gameplay mechanics.
