Visions Of Mana - First Impressions

[@Llortnerof]

The studio was already in the process of being shut down before the game even released, so its performance didn't really have much to do with it. It was basically "finish this, then you're out".

[@iojourny]

Visions of bankruptcy.

[@ethanking4954]

😂😂😂​@@iojourny

[@Khroniclas]

This is so sad. These games are so goated.

[@amurter19]

From what I remember it sounded like Netease changed its mind on the whole thing before release and decided Japanese games in general weren't worth investing in.

[@DigitalNomad765]

I remember the original Secret of Mana on the Snes back in the day 😀😀😀

[@henrychurch6062]

That was actually the second one in the series: Seiken Densetsu 2. Seiken Densetsu 3 is also a very solid SNES game.

[@sanjithechef]

This is back pocket kind of game for me one day when it’s on a deep sale and I just want solid anime button mashing

[@Solleret]

Just play the Trials remake

[@mr.wilder796]

​@@SolleretAgree! Trials Remake is league's better than Visions.

[@Sephyroth97]

The best part of the game is the custom class system you get much later in the game, allowing you to mix and match the skills. Using the mod that allows for it to be unlocked immediately is extremely popular and makes for a much better experience. The Nightblade class is extremely overpowered.

[@zrtrztzrt1753]

.

[@frankii_e]

I've been playing this one exclusively on deck, great for turning your brain off and vibin for a few hours.

[@RockoEstalon]

Long time fan of the series. I tried the demo and felt it wasn't really fun to play compared to Trials of Mana. The combat is technically samey in both games but Trials was harder and packed more of a punch when your attacks connected. Think I'll wait either for a sale or your full thoughts to see if I end up getting it. Hopefully it ends up being good because I love this series, specially Legends of Mana.

[@Raganui]

Legend of Mana is still one of my favorite games.

[@RPG_Bliss]

I had the complete opposite effect 😅

[@Sagan_Blandard20XX]

I wish this didn't skew so hard in the twee direction. This doesn't match the tone of the other games, imo. It doesn't mean it's wrong, just different. Can anyone confirm if there are separate sliders for music, sound, and VA volume?

[@Jabberwokee]

I love that the Dragon Girl is, weirdly, voiced as if she grew up in Texas yet no one else in the game has that accent (including her parents, who raised her)

[@anon7596]

That's the default in dubbing nowadays. Any jp character that has a different accent usually gets a texan accent in the english dub

[@Jabberwokee]

@ I heard a theory behind this being that the part of Japan the accent that the Japanese voice actress has is “in the south” (of Japan) so when they do English dubs they just say to the dub studio “this English speaker is from the south” South is Texas, as the most iconic American accent

[@gregpeterson5857]

I got all of the achievements and the only one I remember having trouble with was filling the bestiary because some monsters can transform into others and it's not at all obvious when that can happen. So something to watch out for. Otherwise there are some quality of life things that could be improved but I had fun with it.

[@CookCaramier]

I tried the demo and I find the combat very bland. Is it better in later stage of the game? I still wanna buy it but not the current price, even with the discount.

[@anon7596]

yeah, you get access to a more or less job system later in the game.

[@Zoze13]

Just downloaded the free trial of this game from PS Plus. You’re a psychic.

[@GameViolence]

I was shocked on how cringe the characters are

[@ungabungacaveman9021]

No shot the characters are more cringe than secret of mana 3

[@GameViolence]

@ lol

[@valacan]

I thought Val being brainless was actually an effective way of showing how no one second guesses the sacrifices they're required to make.

[@نونيم-ي4ح]

Tbh I feel this way with 90% of anime and Jrpgs, the dialogues excluding the ones made by yasumi matsuno are either straight up painful or cringe to listen to. But the charming and beautiful visuals and atmosphere makes it up and the combat is fantastic aswell.

[@GameViolence]

@@نونيم-ي4ح 100 percent agreed

[@xxTICxxTOCxx]

"... they jumped straight into human sacrifice, which I honestly thought was very funny." 😂 Houston, the video has been LIKED.... Over..... tsshht.

[@MortismalGaming]

Cutesy artstyle within like the first 5 minutes explaining their world is basically 'human sacrifice for good crops' but real got a big laugh out of me. Hell of a contrast.

[@WBWhiting]

I only played the demo versions, but I liked the art style and aesthetic of (PS4) Trials of Mana far more, I had a much better time with that demo than with this one's demo. That game is on my 'maybe purchase sometime' list.

[@Thibafox]

I love Visions of Mana.

[@Zero_Zone.]

Looking forward to J-RPG-anuary reviews.

[@thewingedserpent5823]

would be interesting to see you play more JRPGs like the Tales games or the Legend of Heroes games (though that one in particular might be difficult with the way your channel works)

[@JediKnightSpectreN7]

I luv the entire Legend of Heroes series, my very fav JRPG series of All Time, & am just now starting to play through it's Trails of Cold Steel games for my 3rd time (while also still playing Dragon Age The Veilguard, am in my 4th playthrough)!!! Tbh when it comes to JRPGs I personally prefer turn based & Always will....!! Dragon Age & Mass Effect also are & will Always be my #1, & 2 fav RPG series of All Time!!!

[@gilney.mathias]

if the combat was a bit harder i would probably like this, but... oh well... (I want another "Tales of" game, Arise was soooooooo goodddddd 😭)

[@breaking180podcast]

If you’re making early 2025 a big JRPG month, I’d absolutely love to throw the Final Fantasy 13 trilogy in the ring. Very flawed, yet fascinating games which are seen as big black sheep of the franchise!

[@MortismalGaming]

Ive played it extensively before, so maybe at some point

[@bradford433]

XIII is one of my faves in the franchise to this day. Tried playing the first sequel but didn't like how the game's story kept jumping the shark. Need to go back and try again. First game doesn't deserve all the stigma it gets, that I can say, at least.

[@robertthebard]

Good morning.

[@hansoloimac]

i bought this one while ago cause of color pelet of game world . i played for a bit but as far as storage needs i stopped , been meaning to try again . i am looking forward hearing your thoughts . have an amazing one your self :) ;) thnx for wonderful videos !!

[@treethan9205]

I dropped this game because the eyes freaked me the heck out lol

[@ITAmich]

I may be wrong but I think the girl in the opening was turned to stone because she was supposed to be the earth alm, I think if other alms were to "rebel" they would meet their end in a more "thematic" way.

[@Castapher]

how would the shade alm die if she rebel ? :o

[@venventure]

The game is flippin amazin.

[@clifcorcoran9917]

Visions of KZbin Jazz 🎶

[@coconutologist]

Thanks for the video. It sounded like you touched on it, but this is a stand alone title, right? No need to play the previous entries, like Echoes or Trials? Onward to 400k. All glory to the algorithm.

[@Jabberwokee]

No need to play prior games Same situation as the Final Fantasy games where there are similar themes and naming conventions across them all but technically none of them are connected or have any continuous plot

[@valacan]

I don't think there are multiple endings. I kind of wish there were. I liked the plot for the first third of the game but then it becomes a bit too "save the world" tropey afterwards, loses the thread on the sacrifice which was the interesting part.

[@fayte0618]

It’s the perfect 7.5/10 game i ever finished. You could see their vision but didn’t have the budget to reach it. I loved how it felt like a throwback ps2 jrpg made in 2024

[@RPG_Bliss]

I love this game!!!

[@XeikZone]

This game is pure love my dude.

[@MistahKurtz1979]

Feel like this game got a bit lost in the shuffle with all the great jrpgs this year

[@NewRaven2]

This studio was only created to make this one game. It probably doesn't really matter how the sales figures were... they were a third-party-contractor only for that one title to be made and there is a high chance that the closure of the studio was already a sealed deal before they even started to work on that title. Sad, because in my opinion, Visions Of Mana is great and exceeded any of my expectations, but sometimes this is just the way it is in the business world. As for the game... like I said... I greatly enjoyed it. It was, in my opinion, better than the Trials Of Mana remake (which already was great), it has tons of content, it has a flexible class system. a nice told story, charming visuals, it had this "mana-series feel" to it and I had not a single technical issue even on release day.

[@onatgz]

free comment... of mana?

[@cmdr.jabozerstorer3968]

Mort's absolutely going to hate the lack of mouse support for FF7:Remake. It's just unacceptable for a PC port to be have terrible mouse implementation.

[@MortismalGaming]

Oh I didnt know that, yeah thats gonna bother me

[@cmdr.jabozerstorer3968]

@@MortismalGaming It has mouse support in places but yeah, the menus don't have it. I hope the PC port of Rebirth is better in this regard.

[@TheGronkus]

Gronk!

[@HiLoMusic]

Its absolutely disgusting how throwaway developers are handled nowadays. If it weren't for a few particular games, Square would be just as bad as Ubisoft or EA in terms of their ethics and scummy behavior.

[@NickPresta]

This game runs horribly on the Steam Deck. Real let down

[@Genethagenius]

Really? The demo ran great for me. Have you messed with the settings at all to try to improve it?

[@Livingtree32]

One of the biggest disappointments in my gaming history 😢

[@Xerofyt]

Japanese keyboard controls historically stuck with arrow keys for movement and Z & X for primary interactions (e.g. jump and attack) long after the west switched to WASD for even 2D games. There's more conformity now that more western games are making their way over but that legacy can resurface in some surprising default keybinds. I can't really blame them: WASD is pretty arbitrary and its victory wasn't initially guaranteed. You can still encounter the occasional ESDF (or even rarer RDFG) enthusiast or leftie with movement on the numpad if you go looking.

[@anon7596]

That explains a lot actually. Just goes to show Japan has always been a console country and not a pc one.

[@caiqueviola3359]

man this game was so overloked. i still think Ys X was the best game buut this one is also great

[@dsx4AI]

this game really nailed the aesthetic of mana series

[@Genethagenius]

I wanted to like this, but the combat was so basic i. The demo that it was a turn-off. (Same issue I had with “Infinity Strash”, but with that had to purchase the full game to find out I hated it!

[@hypn0t1c]

Visions of Mana was my game of the year, till Metaphor came out. I really enjoyed my 35 or so hours with it.

[@lordcommander999]

Val looks WAY too girly, instant no for me.

[@Eldergloom]

I like the game, but I have a hard time understanding everyone's almost desperation to be chosen as an alm. You see literal children in this game hoping to be a human sacrifice and it's just fucking strange lmao. Death is death. Val's hype is very strange. He's like "yay I can't wait to go get my girlfriend killed!"

[@SuperRamos619]

That's sort of the point. No one questions it. The game also shows you, that without the sacrifice, calamity follows. The game explores these questions.