Gaming

Visions of Mana review: A traditional JRPG with traditional issues

But still plenty to play for

Published

August 28, 2024

Luigi Leonardo

The JRPG genre is easily one of the most divisive segments of the gaming world. It’s a genre wherein one aspect — whether it be graphics, story, or gameplay — can end up as a positive for one gamer but a negative for another. Buoyed by almost twenty years of nostalgia, Visions of Mana, thus, faces a monumental task: appeal to older gamers while attracting newer ones. Is it up to the task?

Visions of Mana is the franchise’s first entry in almost twenty years. Old players might recognize the name as a spinoff from the iconic Final Fantasy franchise. Despite the age of the series, Visions of Mana features a compelling premise that kept me glued to the game until the credits rolled.

Val, a Soul Guard, is tasked with escorting and protecting Hinna, his childhood friend, as she becomes the Alm of Fire. Now, Alms are no joke in this world. Every village must have an Alm to take to the Mana Tree, lest their village suffers disaster.

While this looks like a traditional “chosen one” story, Alms will ultimately have to sacrifice their lives and souls to the Tree. If that sounds ethically wrong, then you’ve found why the story is engrossing. Most of the story is a “will-they-won’t-they”: Will they realize that sacrificing innocents is wrong? Will Val realize his love for Hinna and stop her from sacrificing herself?

Unfortunately, the same reason for the story’s allure is also its downfall. For most of the story, the sacrificial aspect is played as a given. In fact, it’s an honor for most of the characters. While the game addresses the disconnect in a few plot points, you’ll have to go through a lot of hoops to find satisfaction.

Off the bat, Visions of Mana wastes no time in telling you what you’re in for. Though cutesy, the game’s character design belies an intricacy that the eye can’t pick up on first glance. It’s more than cute just for the sake of being cute.

The environments, however, are a different story. Reminiscent of Genshin Impact, the game’s anime-style characters are dropped into a more realistic world. It’s not the most elegant of results, but it stands out among a field of similar-looking JRPGs in the wild.

What does knock this game down, however, is how NPCs feel the same across different villages. Though you’ll get different flavor text per character, each merchant in every village is practically the same. They even do the same weird dance.

One element that emphasizes the character design is the game’s class system. Rather than keeping characters in just one class, characters can equip an elemental item to change their class. Giving the Luna Globe to Val, for example, turns him into a paladin-like character.

With a number of elemental items and characters, there’s a huge variety of mixing and matching to find the perfect synergy for your team. It’s also a treat to discover what certain combinations can turn your characters into, especially since each combination comes with a Pokémon-like transformation scene.

Combat is much more streamlined than the turn-based system typical to the JRPG genre. Monsters are fought in real time. Plus, other members of your team will automatically attack and help you out. If you’re overwhelmed, you can exit out of the bounds of your current fight and escape.

While fighting regular mobs is already fun, fighting bosses in this game is another level. It’s not as difficult as a Dark Souls boss, but it presents an interesting challenge that requires players to maximize every aspect of the JRPG.

It’s a fun system, overall. However, your teammate’s AI suffers from a lack of direction. Leaving them alone in a tough fight will rapidly deplete their HP. It’s practically a requirement to swap places just to keep them alive.

Visions of Mana features a vibrant world with different ecologies. While one shows off a verdant valley, another will expose players to a harsh snowstorm, among others.

Players can easily get themselves lost in all these different locations. However, the game suffers from a lack of meaningful exploration. Yes, there are collectibles, unlockable chests, and challenges. Unfortunately, they rarely translate to anything meaningful for an open-world game.

Most items found out in the world offer only marginal gains to your character. Others, like the Grizzly Syrup, are currencies that require a lot to unlock anything good. It’s an unfortunate grind that comes with every JRPG.

The lack of meaningful exploration only exacerbates how lifeless the world is. There are numerous set pieces in the outer world, but hardly any truly matter. A side character might pop up once in a house outside the village, but there’s no reason for them to be there. It’s not their house; it’s just where they are.

Playing through the game, it doesn’t feel like the exploration matters at all. Sadly, because a JRPG requires a lot of grinding, exploring is a requirement, whether it’s for more EXP, Lucre, or Grizzly Syrup.

Visions of Mana is a traditional JRPG through and through. Especially because of its nostalgia, the game comes with a premise and a combat system that will keep you playing after you boot it up for the first time.

Unfortunately, the traditional JRPG grind and its tedious exploration puts Visions of Mana in the same limbo as its contemporaries: a divisive experience that will appeal to some players while alienating others.

Gaming

Dune: Awakening is coming to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S

The spice flows to consoles

Published

June 6, 2026

GadgetMatch

The spice must flow, and this September, it flows into consoles for the very first time. Fresh off its standout feature during PlayStation’s State of Play, the highly anticipated open-world survival epic Dune: Awakening is officially launching on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S on September 22.

Funcom also premiered the first PlayStation 5 gameplay footage at Sony’s event, giving players a first look at the console experience ahead of its late-third-quarter launch.

Brought to the region in collaboration with Level Infinite, this major console release promises to deliver an unforgiving, cinematic sci-fi experience directly to your living room.

A full single-player adventure

While Dune: Awakening is set in a massive shared world, solo players won’t be left out in the heat. Players can experience the entire game flawlessly as a deep, single-player journey.

You can choose to survive the brutal desert, build your legacy, and experience the dramatic grand finale of Book One entirely on your own terms.

Step into the cinematic universe

Created in close collaboration with Legendary Entertainment, the game is directly inspired by Denis Villeneuve’s blockbuster films.

Players can expect movie tie-in content right out of the gate, seamlessly blending the film’s distinct aesthetic and massive scale with deep survival gameplay.

The journey continues on the Polar Cap

The journey doesn’t end when the credits roll at launch. Funcom has already promised ongoing massive updates to keep the experience fresh.

A brand-new survival region called The Polar Cap will arrive later this year as a completely free content update, bringing a shifting, icy pole full of hidden secrets to Arrakis.

Additions, improvements

New players on both PC and console will also get to enjoy a refined experience with a massive wave of additions and improvements.

Funcom has fundamentally shifted how the game plays based on community feedback, starting with the introduction of optional PvP.

In multiplayer, the entire game can now be played in full PvE, which extends even to the vast, open Deep Desert and participation in faction-versus-faction conflicts.

The endgame has also received a massive overhaul. The late-game loop has been rebuilt from the ground up to provide a much more balanced, immersive, and content-rich experience.

Moreover, players no longer have to worry about losing their hard work during extended breaks. Thanks to the newly implemented vehicle backup tool and base reconstruction tool, your progress remains safe.

Lastly, rounding out the updates are self-hosted servers for PC players. These allow anyone to host and fully customize their own server without rental fees.

Countless quality-of-life improvements have also been integrated, including character re-customization and the total removal of in-game taxes, making life on Arrakis just a little more manageable.

Gaming

Final Fantasy VII Revelation arrives in Spring 2027

The journey ends

Published

June 6, 2026

Rodneil Quiteles

Square Enix has officially unveiled Final Fantasy VII Revelation, the third and final entry in the Final Fantasy VII Remake trilogy. The game launches in Spring 2027 for PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam, Epic Games Store, and Xbox PC.

Revealed at Summer Game Fest Live

The announcement debuted during Summer Game Fest Live. Director Naoki Hamaguchi and Vincent Valentine voice actor Matt Mercer also showcased the game’s first trailer and an extended gameplay presentation.

Revelation picks up as Cloud Strife and his allies race to stop Meteor and prevent the destruction of the planet. Sephiroth stands closer than ever to godhood, while the party takes flight aboard the iconic Highwind airship for the trilogy’s final adventure.

For the first time in the Remake series, players can freely explore the entire world using the Highwind. They can parachute into locations, tackle objectives in different orders, and make decisions that affect parts of their companions’ stories. The hybrid combat system also returns with new playable characters and expanded abilities.

Major locations revealed

The gameplay showcase revealed several major locations, including Wutai, Mideel, and the Northern Continent. Vincent Valentine and Cid Highwind will also join the playable roster. A new FITS system lets players equip outfits that unlock different abilities inspired by classic Final Fantasy jobs such as Black Mage and Warrior.

Producer Yoshinori Kitase described Revelation as the culmination of 30 years of Final Fantasy VII storytelling. Director Naoki Hamaguchi added that the game’s central theme is “resolve” as Cloud and his companions move toward the battle that will decide the planet’s fate.

Remake and Rebirth available in multiple platforms

Players can prepare for the finale by playing Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade and Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, both of which are already available across current platforms. Save data from those games will also unlock bonus summon materia in Final Fantasy VII Revelation.

Final Fantasy VII Revelation launches in Spring 2027.

Watch the trailer:

Gaming

FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH physical Switch 2 edition out now

REBIRTH expands its reach

Published

June 4, 2026

GadgetMatch

The FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH physical edition for Nintendo Switch 2 is now available in Southeast Asia.

As previously announced, the award-winning, critically acclaimed RPG made its way to the Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox on PC (complete with Xbox Play Anywhere and Xbox Cloud Gaming support).

The new physical release brings the massive adventure to retail shelves across the region.

And with FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE INTERGRADE already available on the platform, the physical and digital arrival of REBIRTH means the first two entries in the remake trilogy are now available across all modern platforms.

No matter where they play, fans can catch up and prepare for the third installment — which is currently in production.

To make diving into the massive sequel easier, Square Enix has highlighted the optional “Streamlined Progression” feature. Originally introduced in REMAKE INTERGRADE, this option allows players to focus entirely on the narrative without worrying about the grind.

When toggled, it grants players unlimited HP (hit points), MP (magic points), limit breaks, and a constantly maxed-out ATB gauge during combat.

It also boosts attack power to a flat 9,999 damage and simplifies weapon ability acquisition. For those who want a smoother ride, the feature is also available on the PlayStation 5 and Steam versions via a free update.

Free demo

For players still on the fence, a free playable demo is available on Nintendo Switch 2 and Xbox. This demo covers Chapters 1 and 2 of the main game.

Players can control a younger Cloud Strife alongside the legendary war hero Sephiroth during the infamous Nibelheim incident in Chapter 1.

Afterwards, Chapter 2 opens up into the expansive Grasslands region, offering several hours of open-world exploration, hidden treasures, side quests, and early matches of the popular Queen’s Blood card mini-game.

Best of all, all progress made in the demo seamlessly carries over to the full game.