The Mana series has long held a special place in the hearts of gamers, thanks in large part to its enchanting worlds, memorable characters, and timeless gameplay mechanics. Now, after over 15 long years since the last mainline installment, the series returns with Visions of Mana, a brand-new title that follows the story of Val and Hinna, childhood friends and chosen Soul Guard and Alm, to ensure a sacred tradition is upheld as they travel to the Mana Tree.

We got the chance to speak with Masaru Oyamada, Producer of Visions of Mana, to ask a few questions about the latest entry, delving into the creative process, challenges faced, and the delicate balance between honoring tradition and embracing modernity.

Related – Read our Visions of Mana Review

Staying True to Mana’s Roots

In many ways, Visions of Mana feels like a love letter to fans, honoring the rich tradition of the Mana Series by incorporating many of its beloved elements that span combat, character design, and even narrative aspects. There is always something that will remind players of past titles, and it is a quality of the series that makes it a comforting and fun playthrough.

When asked whether continuing this was a deliberate decision, Oyamada-san says that they made the choice to honor the Mana series identity from the outset.

“Incorporating the elements from the previous series was something I had decided from the beginning.This is because I didn’t think that making a new game that ignored these elements would be accepted by fans as part of the Mana series, so I aimed for a new form while also valuing the traditional aspects.”

By taking elements from its rich history, longtime fans can look forward to something fresh yet still familiar, while newcomers will enter the series and experience something that feels like a culmination of learning throughout the years.

There isn’t one particular entry in the series that directly influenced Visions of Mana, but rather, the latest entry took inspiration from previous titles equally.

“As you felt it was a culmination, I think there are influences from all the series’ works in a well-rounded manner.”

“I would be happy if you could sense hints of various past works from every corner of the world of Visions of Mana.”

Challenges of a New Console Entry

15 years is a long time, and with the time in between being used to re-releases and remasters, almost all hope was lost on whether we would be seeing the series make a return.

Oyamada-san recalls thinking evolving player expectations posed significant hurdles, especially because balancing modern gameplay innovations with the series’ essence was a delicate dance.

“As it has been over 15 years since a completely new game in the series, technological advancements progressed and action gameplay in other titles developed significantly during the period when no new Mana series games were released. Therefore, developing a game for this 2024 timeframe was the first challenge we grappled with.”

“I still personally struggle with determining how much we need to incorporate modern technological advancements and, conversely, which elements we need to restrain to avoid straying too far from the Mana series. However, this time, we aimed to build around the key concept of “a world where spirits thrive.”

In the end, Visions of Mana turned out to be a well-accepted entry in the series, scoring rather favorably across critics, with some even calling it a must-play game for RPG fans.

“I believe we were able to create something that strongly embodies the essence of the Mana series by focusing on the presence of spirits in various aspects, such as the action in battles and the natural expressions in the field environments,” Oyamada-san adds.

Collaboration and Creativity

Visions of Mana is quite an interesting title from Square Enix, as Ouka Studio, part of NetEase Games, played a role in the development of this latest entry. When asked how this affected development, Oyamada-san had nothing but good things to say about how both parties consulted closely throughout the development cycle, exchanging fresh ideas that resulted in a harmonious blend of tradition and innovation.

“Naturally, we have been consulting with each other over the course of the overall development process. Square Enix is responsible for the overall goals for the series and the traditional aspects that are important to preserve, while Ouka Studio was in charge of coming up with ideas and building the gameplay aspects, including new challenges.”

“I think we’ve been able to firmly depict a new world that has the essence of the Mana series, and in terms of gameplay, I believe we’ve achieved something interesting thanks to Ouka Studio’s challenges.”

We’d like to thank Oyamada-san for his time in answering our questions, and Bandai Namco Entertainment Asia and Square Enix for arranging this opportunity.

Visions of Mana is now available on PS4, PS5, Xbox Series, and PC via Steam.