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Game Information

Game Title: Visions of Mana

Platforms:

• Xbox Series X/S (Aug 29, 2024)
• PlayStation 5 (Aug 29, 2024)
• PC (Aug 29, 2024)
• PlayStation 4 (Aug 29, 2024)

Trailer:

• Visions of Mana - Tourism Guide | PS5 & PS4 Games
• Visions of Mana | Launch Date Trailer
• Visions of Mana | March Trailer

Developer: Square Enix

Review Aggregator:

OpenCritic - 78 average - 65% recommended

Metacritic - 75 average based on 43 Critic Reviews

Critic Reviews



CGMagazine - Justin Wood - 7 / 10

Visions of Mana marks a solid return to the series, featuring an emotionally engaging storyline and striking visuals. However, the side quests and voice acting may turn some players off.

Checkpoint Gaming - Pedro Cooray - 8.5 / 10

I hope Visions of Mana signals a new, brighter direction for the series. This is more than a classic series receiving a jaw-dropping glow-up. This is a game that gives you a classic JRPG experience while being a modern blockbuster through and through. It's one of the best-looking games this generation and gives you dozens of unlockable options to customise your party your way. The story is deep and dark (for a PG title) and explores familiar themes in a new and engaging way. Visions of Mana confidently asserts its own spot among other long-running modern JRPGs, and I can't help but agree. It's proof that despite its age, this series still has a lot of potential left.

ComingSoon.net - Tyler Treese - 8.5 / 10

It's not hard to imagine that its story about tradition and sacrifice came from the development team grappling with the pressure of making another Mana game after many years without a new entry, but the end result is a proper continuation of its legacy.

Console Creatures - Bobby Pashalidis - Recommended

Visions of Mana is the first new Mana game in nearly two decades, bringing the series into a new generation. While some overgrown roots need a trim in the future—the various improvements to the combat, the level design, and the world are better than ever.

Digitec Magazine - Kevin Hofer - German - 3 / 5

Visions of Mana plays and looks wonderfully – except for it's stiff character animations. The story is exciting, the battle system offers plenty of variety and the world invites you to explore. Unfortunately, it takes a long time to get there. The story and gameplay suffer from inconsistent pacing. By the time I'm let off the leash, more than half the story is over.

For fans of the “Mana” series and Japanese role-playing games in general, “Visions of Mana” is a must-play despite its weaknesses. I still enjoyed my 25 hours or so in the world around the Mana tree. I'm used to Japanese role-playing games always taking a little longer. If you can live with that, I can recommend the game to you.

Evilgamerz - Dutch - 8.5 / 10

This may sound a bit strange, but Visions of Mana is a game that you shouldn't expect too much from. The game doesn't do anything new at all. Just like your favorite meal or that one music album that you can't get enough of, this can be an advantage. Visions of Mana takes that old familiar and gives it just enough modern polish to not make it feel too dated. Just like Dragon Quest XI. If this is the future of the series, then I'm at least hopeful for the next installment, because one thing is for sure, it was simply a joy to explore the world in this game.

GAMES.CH - Sven Raabe - German - 77%

Visions of Mana scores above all with its charming look and loveable characters. The new elemental powers are also quite impressive. Although various facets prevent the action RPG from unleashing its full potential, the return of the legendary game series is a success overall.

Game Rant - Nick Rodriguez - 3.5 / 5

The Mana series is back with Visions of Mana, a steady, fun, and slightly by-the-numbers entry in the style of the Trials of Mana remake.

GamePro - Cassie Mammone - German - 73 / 100

Unfortunately, the beautiful graphics and the successful gameplay of Visions of Mana don't completely distract from the boring story.

GamingTrend - Katelyn Lawlor - 65 / 100

Visions of Mana is a rollercoaster of emotions. The team under Square Enix has made a beautiful game with a solid mechanical foundation. But the balance of the game has been somewhat out of whack. What's here is not bad, just unpolished and a bit lacking. Visions of Mana is worth your time if the issues mentioned with combat and story won't be an issue for you. Maybe try it on a harder setting. At the very least, I recommend trying the free demo on every platform as that will give you a feel for how the game controls and feels. Visions of Mana is solid but doesn't quite reach the heights it aimed for.

God is a Geek - Chris Hyde - 8 / 10

Visions of Mana is an enjoyable adventure that doesn't push the boundaries but serves as a solid series entry for fans and newcomers alike.

Hardcore Gamer - Michéal Murphy - 4 / 5

After eighteen years, the Mana series' new entry, Visions of Mana, proves that the franchise hasn't gone anywhere.

Hobby Consolas - Alberto Lloret - Spanish - 87 / 100

Visions of Mana is not only one of the most beautiful action RPGs, it is also a very fun one, with a great combat system and a lot of content, although sometimes it seems that Square Enix has wanted to play it safe without betting on new ideas and concepts, although the move has worked out well.

IGN - Nicholas Ransbottom - 8 / 10

Exciting combat, a deeply rewarding class system, and likable characters make Visions of Mana a great comeback for this classic RPG series.

IGN Italy - Alessandra Borgonovo - Italian - 8 / 10

A commendable comeback for the series, capable of offering a beautiful, bittersweet story and captivating gameplay in its liveliness.

INVEN - Dongyong Seo - Korean - 7.3 / 10

While Visions of Mana presents a fantastical world brought to life with vibrant colors, the story's lack of depth makes it difficult to fully immerse oneself in the game, and the slow combat tempo and repetitive sequences until the mid-game are drawbacks. Despite these issues, the game is held together by its charming characters that keep you engaged until the end.

Kakuchopurei - Jonathan Leo - 80 / 100

Visions of Mana's earnestness and positives outweigh its negatives by a sizeable amount. At the very least, old-school 90s RPG fans should be glad that Square Enix did not forget about this classic series, now with a few more bells and whistles to make it quite a ride.

Noisy Pixel - Bailey Seemangal - 8.5 / 10

Visions of Mana marks a triumphant return for the Mana series, offering a richly detailed world with deep lore, an intricate combat system, and robust customization options. While the early pacing may deter some players, those who persist will find a rewarding RPG experience filled with compelling characters, challenging gameplay, and a wealth of content, including a post-game chapter and a New Game Plus mode. Visions of Mana successfully blends classic RPG elements with modern innovations, making it a standout title in Square Enix's lineup.

One More Game - Ricki Buzon - 7 / 10

Visions of Mana is a welcome entry in the long-running and beloved series, providing an entertaining and fun time for newcomers and fans alike. Surprisingly, one of its strongest points is its compelling story, and while it was simply a journey to the Mana Tree on the surface, the rest of the adventure is one to look out for.

Previous-gen console players beware because the playthrough is not as smooth. The number of bugs we experienced on a PS4 was not enjoyable, and while the PS5 version was a lot smoother, caution is advised.

PSX Brasil - Thiago de Alencar Moura - Portuguese - 85 / 100

Visions of Mana is an excellent JRPG and the purest definition of a comfortable game. With functional and very fun gameplay, a simple story, but with a reflection to deliver and very well executed, make it, quite easily, one of the best (if not the best) games in the series so far.

Press Start - Kieron Verbrugge - 7.5 / 10

Visions of Mana feels like the RPG equivalent of being young and visiting a park in the summer. It's picturesque, warm and full of hope, inviting you to set out and explore and maybe come home with a couple scratches or bruises but always rewarding the effort with a new adventure or discovery. There's a fantastic balance of old and new ideas here, enough to satisfy patient series fans and newcomers alike, a hugely-enjoyable main story, stunning environments and satisfying combat going a long way to make up for some annoying technical and mechanical foibles.

Push Square - Robert Ramsey - 7 / 10

As a nostalgia-driven retread of the classic Mana adventure, Visions of Mana is rock solid - but it struggles to be anything more than a reminder of how magical those old RPGs could be. If you can look beyond the game's monotonous storytelling and tragically bland characters, the essence of an old-school excursion is here, in the exploration of wonderful environments and in battles against burly boss monsters.

RPG Fan - Izzy Parsons - 87%

A wonderful return to form for the Mana series. Visions of Mana will have longtime fans grinning from ear-to-ear.

RPGamer - Luis Mauricio - 4.5 / 5

Visions of Mana is a strong entry that effectively revitalizes the lore of the series and keeps it more alive than ever. With dancing merchants, the ring system, and cute creatures such as Sproutlings, the game includes many staples of the series at their best, with Elemental Vessels being a magnificent addition.

Spaziogames - Marcello Paolillo - Italian - 6.9 / 10

Visions of Mana aims to bring players back to a classic RPG experience reminiscent of the 1990s. Accepting these conditions, you'll still find a pleasant, colorful action RPG that can entertain you for a good number of hours-nothing more, nothing less.

TechRaptor - Brittany Alva - 9 / 10

Visions of Mana features an impactful story, well-written characters, fun combat, and a gorgeous world to get lost in with very few problems.

The Games Machine - Majkol "Zaru" Robuschi - Italian - 7.6 / 10

Quote not yet available

The Outerhaven Productions - Matthew Paul - 4 / 5

Visions is an excellent addition to Square Enix's Mana series and fans of the series will be excited with changes presented with the title. That said, the gameplay plays it safe at times, and can be a bit stale at times. Still, if you like the series, you'll enjoy Visions of Mana.

Video Chums - A.J. Maciejewski - 8.1 / 10

Visions of Mana is a whimsical adventure that's filled with character and beautiful sights. I took great pleasure in traversing its colourful world and even though it doesn't do anything particularly revolutionary, it's sure to melt your heart as you play.

Wccftech - Kai Tatsumoto - 7.5 / 10

Visions of Mana is a fun JRPG for the first thirty hours but the continuous backtracking and overall padding left me feeling like my time wasn't being respected by the time Val's journey came to a close

oprainfall - Steve Baltimore - 4 / 5

Despite my few nitpicks I had a great time with Visions of Mana. The story is fantastic and watching these characters grow as the adventure went on was pure joy. The world felt full and there were lots of hidden things to find while exploring each map. The combat is fun and having all the different classes for each character gave it lots of variety. While it took me around 30 hours to complete the main quest I left a lot undone with this one. There were plenty of upgrades, monsters and even a post story that I still need to get to. I feel this one is well worth the $59.99 price tag to fans of the series and newcomers alike.

 

[Thick Thighs Save Lives]

I've finished updating the OP for now, but I'll check back later to add more reviews as they come in.

Oh and it looks like Noisy Pixel gave it an 8.5 while IGN gave it an 8.

 

[Miyazaki’s Slave]

Thanks for the RT (and the reminder that it comes out this week)!

 

[Hudo]

How's the soundtrack?

 

[Thick Thighs Save Lives]

Thanks for the OT (and the reminder that it comes out this week)!

Cheers! Just a small correction, this is the review thread. The OT which was done by jshackles is located here:

|OT| - Visions of Mana |OT| This Game Runs on Alm My Consoles

PlayStation (PS4 and PS5): https://store.playstation.com/en-us/concept/10008215 Xbox (Play Anywhere title with access also to the PC version): https://www.xbox.com/en-us/games/store/pre-order-visions-of-mana/9pcv22tjt44t Steam: PlayStation...

www.neogaf.com

 

[Miyazaki’s Slave]

Cheers! Just a small correction, this is the review thread. The OT which was done by jshackles is located here:

|OT| - Visions of Mana |OT| This Game Runs on Alm My Consoles

PlayStation (PS4 and PS5): https://store.playstation.com/en-us/concept/10008215 Xbox (Play Anywhere title with access also to the PC version): https://www.xbox.com/en-us/games/store/pre-order-visions-of-mana/9pcv22tjt44t Steam: PlayStation...

www.neogaf.com

ah my bad! Thanks all the same

 

[Metnut]

Game looks good and most is that reviews seem positive. Seems like most reviewers are charging the typical JRPG tax.

 

[DonkeyPunchJr]

I’m off Thursday and Friday this week, can’t wait to play the shit out of this.

 

[Rentahamster]

One of Square's best combat systems? I thought the demo combat was a little lackluster, but I can imagine it getting better. "wait until endgame for fun" isn't the best gameplay design, IMO.

 

[adamsapple]

The reviews are about where I expected.

Waiting for gamefly to dispatch my copy.

 

[SantaC]

Gamespot 5/10

 

[sigmaZ]

How's the soundtrack?

I can't believe this isn't addressed in any of the reviews I've seen. That's half the reason I even like the series.

 

[DragoonKain]

It actually looks pretty good, looking forward to it.

 

[TintoConCasera]

Looks pretty cool, will get it for sure at some point.

 

[Tarnpanzer]

The reviews are about where I expected.

Same, Demo was not good at all.

 

[mckmas8808]

So it's a "C+" rated game. About the same as Star Wars: Outlaws.

 

[adamsapple]

Same, Demo was not good at all.

I do agree the demo ended up being a bit disappointing, but 77 is still a pretty decent score.

 

[Jedge]

I'm excited to play on Friday. I bought it on steam and maybe it's just my PC being older with an 8700k and 3080 (I'm planning on upgrading soon) but performance didn't seen great. Despite this I'll still be playing / supporting the trials series. Trials of mana was amazing and I'm hoping this is too.

 

[cash_longfellow]

I do agree the demo ended up being a bit disappointing, but 77 is still a pretty decent score.

We live in the day and age where people think sub-80 is garbage.

 

[cash_longfellow]

I'm excited to play on Friday. I bought it on steam and maybe it's just my PC being older with an 8700k and 3080 (I'm planning on upgrading soon) but performance didn't seen great. Despite this I'll still be playing / supporting the trials series. Trials of mana was amazing and I'm hoping this is too.

This isn’t the Trials series…this is the Mana series.

 

[The Saint]

.

 

[Danjin44]

I already pre-ordered and ready for it.

 

[linko9]

Similar scores to what Trials got, which I love; that said I didn't love the Banjo Kazooie collectathon aspect of the demo, hope that's not too prominent in the full game.

 

[Roman Empire]

Seems a fair score for the type of game and budget Vision of Mana is. I'll get it eventually regardless of the reviews, so it's good to hear it falls under my predictions, a good game but not spetacular.

 

[Portugeezer]

Same, Demo was not good at all.

So you expected a 77 after a bad demo?

 

[Roman Empire]

We live in the day and age where people think sub-80 is garbage.

It has been like this for a long time. Anything coming from bigger studios that is less than an 8 is trash. And anything below a 70, independently of who made it, is a waste of money and time. I love Deadly Premonition to death, and it has a score of 68, Killer is Dead has a score of 64, Wet is scored as 69 (nice), Folklore has 75 score, Fatal Frame is a 74, Dinasty Warriors 4 is a 78, and so on and so forth.

People on the internet just gives scores too much of a weight when we know for a fact that many times reviews aren't a bit objective with what they review, especially now that politics seem to have permeated every facet of our society.

 

[Danjin44]

It has been like this for a long time. Anything coming from bigger studios that is less than an 8 is trash. And anything below a 70, independently of who made it, is a waste of money and time. I love Deadly Premonition to death, and it has a score of 68, Killer is Dead has a score of 64, Wet is scored as 69 (nice), Folklore has 75 score, Fatal Frame is a 74, Dinasty Warriors 4 is a 78, and so on and so forth.

People on the internet just gives scores too much of a weight when we know for a fact that many times reviews aren't a bit objective with what they review, especially now that politics seem to have permeated every facet of our society.

Unfortunately lot of good JRPG gets overlooked because "scores" like Lost Odyssey.

 

[March Climber]

Swimming in it.

Spoiler

For context, 'Swimming in 7s' from Easy Allies usually describes a game that isn't of high appeal but sticks to it's guns, can be fun in it's own right, can grow on people, or it can be pretty creative, even though it might have a bit of jank or some noticeable negatives. It is the very definition of many memorable PS1 and PS2 experiences

 

[DonkeyPunchJr]

Unfortunately lot of good JRPG gets overlooked because "scores" like Lost Odyssey.

Ehhh that game had insane load times for the battles (which were slow and clunky) plus those annoying kid characters, generic villain, and some overly long + melodramatic cutscenes. Even the game’s biggest fans seemed to agree that the best parts of the game were those memories you could unlock (which were just text you could read, and were unrelated to the main story).

78 seems to agree with most of the JRPG community’s consensus from that timeframe. IDK why there’s so much nostalgia for it now. Probably because it’s one of the few games where there’s no way to play it on modern hardware.

 

[Danjin44]

Ehhh that game had insane load times for the battles (which were slow and clunky) plus those annoying kid characters, generic villain, and some overly long + melodramatic cutscenes. Even the game’s biggest fans seemed to agree that the best parts of the game were those memories you could unlock (which were just text you could read, and were unrelated to the main story).

78 seems to agree with most of the JRPG community’s consensus from that timeframe. IDK why there’s so much nostalgia for it now. Probably because it’s one of the few games where there’s no way to play it on modern hardware.

I personally liked its combat it had unique mechanic between immortal and mortal party members, my only issue was the performance especially during the split screen cutscenes.

 

[cash_longfellow]

It has been like this for a long time. Anything coming from bigger studios that is less than an 8 is trash. And anything below a 70, independently of who made it, is a waste of money and time. I love Deadly Premonition to death, and it has a score of 68, Killer is Dead has a score of 64, Wet is scored as 69 (nice), Folklore has 75 score, Fatal Frame is a 74, Dinasty Warriors 4 is a 78, and so on and so forth.

People on the internet just gives scores too much of a weight when we know for a fact that many times reviews aren't a bit objective with what they review, especially now that politics seem to have permeated every facet of our society.

Some of my favorite games of all time are below 80. I guess it’s just because I come from earlier generations of gamer. I tend to make my own decisions on games.

 

[GHG]

We live in the day and age where people think sub-80 is garbage.

Not all sub 80 games are equal.

You have to actually see and read what the complaints are about. For a start, reviewers are far less forgiving if the game comes from a smaller studio/publisher, and these days they will also give or take away points for "political" reasons.

 

[cash_longfellow]

Not all sub 80 games are equal.

You have to actually see and read what the complaints are about. For a start, reviewers are far less forgiving if the game comes from a smaller studio/publisher, and these days they will also give or take away points for "political" reasons.

I agree with this…that’s why I personally don’t give scores any weight.

 

[DonkeyPunchJr]

Not all sub 80 games are equal.

You have to actually see and read what the complaints are about. For a start, reviewers are far less forgiving if the game comes from a smaller studio/publisher, and these days they will also give or take away points for "political" reasons.

For sure, you definitely have to read what the reviews are saying.

It depends on the type of game as well. If it’s some big budget AAA game that’s aiming for mass market appeal and it gets a 77, it’s probably a mediocre game.

If it’s a smaller game aimed at some niche audience and it gets a 77, many times that means that it’s something you might enjoy if you’re part of that niche, but it’s not going to make any new fans of the genre. I’d put Star Ocean: First Departure R and Star Ocean: The Divine Force in that category for me. I enjoyed the hell out of them but I’m not gonna get all butthurt that the mainstream audience doesn’t put them in the same tier as Elden Ring and The Witcher 3. I’m not gonna pester my normie friends into playing them and tell them they’re wrong when they’re not feeling it.

 

[Jedge]

This isn’t the Trials series…this is the Mana series.

I misspelled I meant mana series as in Trials of Mana.

 

[sigmaZ]

I agree with this…that’s why I personally don’t give scores any weight.

If anything, scores from certain types of reviews tell whether I will like it or not based on how much their own tastes align with mine or how objective they come off. This is why though I find his reviews entertaining I stopped watching Skill Up. The games he praises often are totally misaligned with what I'm looking for. ACG on the other hand still comes off as down the middle so it's clear whether I like it or not more based off the info rather than his taste vs my own.

 

[CosmicComet]

Loved Trials (minus the voices) so I'm happy with these scores

 

[sigmaZ]

Whoa! It doesn't justified the price, but I just noticed this on Steam:

・FINAL FANTASY ADVENTURE
　　Endless Battlefield, Battle 1, In Search of the Sword of Mana, Battle 2
　・Secret of Mana
　　Into the Thick of It, Leave Time for Love, The Oracle, Meridian Dance
　・Trials of Mana
　　Swivel, Powell, Nuclear Fusion, Hightension Wire
　・Legend of Mana
　　Pain the Universe, Picturesque Landscape, The Darkness Nova, Bejeweled City in Ruins
　・Children of Mana
　　Wavering Tower of Prayer, The Sublime Lord of Lightning
　・Dawn of Mana
　　Dark Shrine, Burning Spirits, Reminiscence, Dance of the Fools
　・Heroes of Mana
　　As the Heart Wills, Such Cruel Fate
　・Rise of Mana
　　The Drip Drip Drip of Memory, The Enemy Appears

This could deal with some of the issues I have with the field music perhaps. Still, dat price...

 

[Brigandier]

Unfortunately lot of good JRPG gets overlooked because "scores" like Lost Odyssey.

Great game!!!

 

[Hudo]

I can't believe this isn't addressed in any of the reviews I've seen. That's half the reason I even like the series.

Yeah. That's why I was asking. It's the same for me. The soundtrack of the Mana games always contributed a huge deal to my enjoyment of the games.

 

[Gameplay Gods Bless]

---

Game Information

Game Title: Visions of Mana

Platforms:

• Xbox Series X/S (Aug 29, 2024)
• PlayStation 5 (Aug 29, 2024)
• PC (Aug 29, 2024)
• PlayStation 4 (Aug 29, 2024)

Trailer:

• Visions of Mana - Tourism Guide | PS5 & PS4 Games
• Visions of Mana | Launch Date Trailer
• Visions of Mana | March Trailer

Developer: Square Enix

Review Aggregator:

OpenCritic - 77 average - 65% recommended

Metacritic - 76 average based on 35 Critic Reviews

Critic Reviews


CGMagazine - Justin Wood - 7 / 10



Checkpoint Gaming - Pedro Cooray - 8.5 / 10



ComingSoon.net - Tyler Treese - 8.5 / 10



Console Creatures - Bobby Pashalidis - Recommended



Digitec Magazine - Kevin Hofer - German - 3 / 5



Evilgamerz - Dutch - 8.5 / 10



GAMES.CH - Sven Raabe - German - 77%



Game Rant - Nick Rodriguez - 3.5 / 5



GamePro - Cassie Mammone - German - 73 / 100



GamingTrend - Katelyn Lawlor - 65 / 100



God is a Geek - Chris Hyde - 8 / 10



Hobby Consolas - Alberto Lloret - Spanish - 87 / 100



IGN - Nicholas Ransbottom - 8 / 10



IGN Italy - Alessandra Borgonovo - Italian - 8 / 10



INVEN - Dongyong Seo - Korean - 7.3 / 10



Kakuchopurei - Jonathan Leo - 80 / 100



One More Game - Ricki Buzon - 7 / 10



PSX Brasil - Thiago de Alencar Moura - Portuguese - 85 / 100



Press Start - Kieron Verbrugge - 7.5 / 10



Push Square - Robert Ramsey - 7 / 10



RPG Fan - Izzy Parsons - 87%



Spaziogames - Marcello Paolillo - Italian - 6.9 / 10



TechRaptor - Brittany Alva - 9 / 10



The Outerhaven Productions - Matthew Paul - 4 / 5



Wccftech - Kai Tatsumoto - 7.5 / 10



oprainfall - Steve Baltimore - 4 / 5

I'm stoked to finally play this game!

 

[Thick Thighs Save Lives]

I've updated the OP with a few more reviews, and I've also refreshed the OC and MC screenshots.

 

[sigmaZ]

Yeah. That's why I was asking. It's the same for me. The soundtrack of the Mana games always contributed a huge deal to my enjoyment of the games.

I found some finally. Just as I feared, it's just there. It's a shame. The battle themes I've heard are really cool, and most of the other games all have good music even with different composers. It sounds like this time they went for low-key cozy soundtrack vibes.

 

[SkylineRKR]

Ehhh that game had insane load times for the battles (which were slow and clunky) plus those annoying kid characters, generic villain, and some overly long + melodramatic cutscenes. Even the game’s biggest fans seemed to agree that the best parts of the game were those memories you could unlock (which were just text you could read, and were unrelated to the main story).

78 seems to agree with most of the JRPG community’s consensus from that timeframe. IDK why there’s so much nostalgia for it now. Probably because it’s one of the few games where there’s no way to play it on modern hardware.

A lot of issues were fixed when played on a newer generation Xbox system. The game looks better, drops less frames and the load times are cut short. On Series I'd give it a 80+ easily. The game really has a lot of things going for it, like a world map, FFX ish turn based battles, good OST, customization, hidden bosses and areas etc. Its like a golden age FF game, but just a bit less refined in all. I beat the game about 2 years ago and had great fun doing so.

 

[Hudo]

I found some finally. Just as I feared, it's just there. It's a shame. The battle themes I've heard are really cool, and most of the other games all have good music even with different composers. It sounds like this time they went for low-key cozy soundtrack vibes.

Ah. Thanks for the info. Shame. But that kinda confirmed my suspicions I got from the demo.

 

[Vyse]

Having a lot of fun with the full game. I’m liking it a lot more than the demo. Only issue I am having so far is with the English voice actor for Careena. Doesn’t match the character to me. Might switch to Japanese VO.

 

[finalflame]

Having a lot of fun with the full game. I’m liking it a lot more than the demo. Only issue I am having so far is with the English voice actor for Careena. Doesn’t match the character to me. Might switch to Japanese VO.

Yah, that alone makes me want to abandon the english VA, but not sure if I want to read subtitles for the rest of the game, since with games like this I tend to turn off my brain at points.

 

[S0ULZB0URNE]

Oh well..

 

[sigmaZ]

Finally making decent progress in the game. Yeah, the music is all over the place. I don't think I've ever heard such an incoherent soundtrack. It's like they told to composers just to do their own thing and not worry about what the other is doing. You wind up with three kinds of tracks really:
1. Old school mana vibes (what I like) that have a consistent melody and interesting rhythmic element
2. Passable somewhat melodic themes that are forgettable but have some semblance of melody but lack oomph. Most of the town themes are like this.
3. Fluff tracks where there is no singable melody, just small repeating movements or patterns and sounds like generic cellphone game music. (which I hate)
Unfortunately, for cutscenes three is becoming the default and I want to quit the game every time the game goes into a cutscene and plays cutscene track no. 3.

Storywise, it's written and directed well but the character dialogue for the main protag is horrible (even in Japanese. He sounds like kind of person that would be mercilessly bullied in school for being so annoying).

Gameplay is good and hold up well, but the game design lacks basic understanding of key elements of enemy placement, challenge, pacing etc. There's just random groups of enemies throw haphazardly everyone around the field. The game is less action RPG and more of a passive beat them um with RPG elements, which is fine to just shift through if you've got nothing else pressing, but doesn't engage you like a well-designed game would where you follow a cycle of solve a challenge get stuck solve a challenge etc. There's been none of that so far.

We'll see how it all shapes out in the end.

 

[MasterDerico]

This and Stellar Blade are the best games i played this year, so far.
Sonic x Shadow Generations will be too, im sure.

SH2 maybe...