Visions of Mana First Thoughts
Hey There,
I'm sure the site looks a bit different, but you know what they say, new year new me right? There's been a few changes that you'll see in the upcoming weeks but today, I'm talking about the latest game I've started playing. 2025 is the going to be the year of enjoying my hobbies and taking time for myself. I decided that 2025 was going to be the year of enjoying and working on my hobbies. I feel like my gaming really kind of fell off in 2024 after how heartbroken Evo '23 left me.
I think I needed that year to rest, and think about if I was still interested in it. Spoiler alert, I AM! So I bought myself a new PS5 controller and some new games for Christmas. The first one I decided to start playing is Visions of Mana.
The number one reason I chose this game was that it isn't a drop-down RPG. I've lived with myself and my lack of patience for almost 34 years. Drop-down, turn-based RPGs just are not my style. Visions of Mana is the latest in the Mana Series and features a melee attack format, which I am in love with.
I'm about 5 hours of gameplay in, but my main Character Val is on level 5 and I've already added a new character, Careena to my party. The gist of this game is that a fairie chooses people from different elemental villages to become an Alm, a sacred person who makes the hollowed journey to the Tree of Mana where they give their soul to replenish the mana for the world.
In this game, the sacrifice does appear to be permanent, so the game begins with a couple, a soul guard and an Alm, trying to escape their village so they don't have to die. The village guard stops them numerous times, and you get to just hack and slash your way to freedom. I like this tactic because it's the perfect way for you to learn all the buttons while plunging you headlong into the story without getting lost or drowning in lore.
Unfortunately, the couple is not successful and the village guard is continually telling them that if they leave their village will perish, but young love conquers all and they persevere. They get nearly to the gate when the alm suddenly turns to stone. Ya'll I cried. Not sure if it has to do with my period, or I was just so submerged in the story that I was connected to them, but I was so heartbroken for our original couple.
Then the title card and opening started and while it was beautiful I was still sad for our star-crossed lovers. We begin in a small village with two new friends, as one of them is chosen to be the fire Alm. Val who has been training their whole (very young) life to be a Soul Guard, starts on the trek with Hinna, the new Fire Alm, and our first mission to make our way to the wind village and pick up the Wind Alm.
One thing I did notice was that everything is so beautiful and the characters are so cute, but so are the monsters. You expect me to be excited about killing a rabite? A Mushroom with HEARTS on its CAP? Yo, what are you doing to my heart ??? I've literally spent the last 27 years playing Pokemon, and I've never come across such adorable monsters to battle. I almost feel bad attacking them, and have run though a few gaggles without actually fighting them.
I'm thoroughly enjoying my gameplay so far, even though I'm sad when I beat up the cute creatures. I'm on Chapter One about 5 hours in. I've visited multiple towns, added two people to my fighting party, classed up my main, AND fought my first big boss!
I'm enjoying the game so far and even started recording game footage, so subscribe so you don't miss anything. You'll be able to watch it on the BubblegumXperil Channel.
Have you played Vision of Mana or any of its predecessors? Are you excited about the freedom of the Hack and Slash gameplay? What have you been playing lately?
Until next time,
Gabs
