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A colorful yet dark return for Visions of Mana

Colorful Visions

The world of Visions of Mana is a vibrant and colorful place. It is full of life, with landscapes covered in trees and goofy-looking creatures. The natural beauty and open spaces are brought to life by a swelling soundtrack that oozes happiness and joy.

However, beneath the cheery surface, something is wrong. The world is held up by the Tree of Mana, a gorgeous natural landmark that towers above everything else. The flow of Mana spreads to every living thing, keeping the people sheltered and healthy.

Every four years, the people in each parish come together to celebrate.

They throw a festival in their distinct cultural traditions to invite their local Elemental deity to send a Fairy over and declare one resident an “Alm.” The chosen Alms band together with a chosen Soul Guard, a ceremonial bodyguard, and the group makes a pilgrimage to the Tree of Mana so it can consume their souls and keep the Mana going until the next round of heroes is chosen. Human sacrifice is necessary to keep things normal and comfortable in this world.

The prophecies are legit, and everyone is on the same page. They have seen what happens when an Alm does not make it to the Tree.

A dark undercurrent in Mana

Disaster strikes, and everything falls apart. Val, the game’s protagonist and Soul Guard of the current Alm convoy, learns this the hard way. Even after a devastating loss, the rest of the crew cheers Val on, helping him refocus on the original purpose: leading his friends to give themselves to the world so everyone else can maintain their happiness for another few years.

The series has been struggling for years to find its footing and its true identity. Visions of Mana is supposed to be its grand return, yet this whole premise feels wrong. Since when does the Tree of Mana eat people’s souls, and why are the characters so happy about it?

The game is full of sweetness, from its romantic, adventurous energy to a voice cast full of wacky accents and over-the-top performances. However, this sweetness is pelted with horrible events that would be shocking and momentum-crushing in other contemporary RPGs. Here, the heroes press on weirdly quickly, finding ways to celebrate a fallen friend on the road.

At first, the tone is confusing, like it cannot decide what it wants to be. But ultimately, this jarring tonal dissonance gives way to a satisfying experience that speaks to the resilience and dedication of the series’ fanbase and the possibilities for its future.

Adam Campbell

The IT mastermind with a passion for data and a flair for blogging brilliance. When he's not conquering tech conundrums as an IT manager, you'll find him surfing the waves of big data, decoding the secrets of technology, and serving up witty insights with a side of code humor on his blog.
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