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

Valve unveils price of the Steam Frame

The VR headset starts at US$ 1,059.

Published

September 15, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

The trifecta is complete. Almost a year after announcing their new hardware, Valve has finally unveiled the price tag of the Steam Frame, complementing the Steam Machine and Steam Controller revealed a few months ago.

Whereas the Steam Machine is a console of its own, the Steam Frame is a traditional VR headset with a pair of controllers for both hands. Unfortunately, despite being in a different segment, the headset is not immune to the rising prices of technology. The Steam Frame will start at US$ 1,059 for a 256GB model and can go up to US$ 1,299 for the 1TB model. On the plus side, each box will come Half-Life: Alyx packaged along with the headset.

Here’s a more detailed rundown of what you’re getting. The Steam Frame will ship with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, paired with 16GB of RAM. Each eye comes with a 2160 x 2160 LCD screen, putting out images at up t0 a 144Hz experimental refresh rate. As mentioned above, the headset will start with 256GB of storage but can go up to 2TB. It will come packaged with SteamOS 3 and a rechargeable 21.6Wh battery.

This might be a hard buy for some. The industry currently has more affordable options, for one. Also, virtual reality isn’t the most thriving segment of gaming today.

If you’re still decided on buying one, however, Valve is using its lottery system. Interested customers can sign up from now until September 17. The company will then randomize the purchasing order. Those who draw the first ones in the lottery can get a purchase email as soon as September 18. Meanwhile, anyone who registers after September 17 will automatically be put at the back of the queue.

Gaming

BlizzCon 2026 announces World of Warcraft: Forever and Diablo V

StarCraft, Overwatch, Hearthstone, and more also get news

Published

September 14, 2026

GadgetMatch

Blizzard Entertainment kicked off BlizzCon 2026 with a packed Opening Ceremony featuring new games, major expansions, updates, and other announcements across its biggest franchises.

Blizzard Entertainment President Johanna Faries opened the event at the Anaheim Convention Center, celebrating the community behind the company’s games and the teams that bring its worlds to life.

World of Warcraft: Forever and Diablo V

The biggest announcement was World of Warcraft: Forever, a new World of Warcraft experience launching November 5 AEDT, with its beta beginning September 18 AEST. The new experience will feature three zones, more than 1,000 quests, nine dungeons, two raids, and a new Skyborne race.

Blizzard also officially announced Diablo V, marking the next era of the franchise. The game is set to launch in North America in Spring 2029, with Sanctuary having fallen and Diablo having won.

StarCraft is also returning with a new story-driven, open-world shooter. The game is currently planned for a Spring 2030 release in North America.

Beyond games, Blizzard revealed that an animated series set in the Diablo universe is in development with Netflix. The company says this is only the beginning of its plans to expand its universes beyond gaming.

For Warcraft III Reforged, the new Forsaken Kingdom campaign is available today. It marks the Warcraft RTS series’ first new storyline in more than 23 years and explores the fall of Lordaeron and the origins of the Undercity. The accompanying 3.0 update also brings graphical improvements and a revamped World Editor.

Heroes of the Storm is adding Xal’atath as its newest Hero. She arrives in the Nexus on September 29 AEST, with her PTR release scheduled for September 15 AEST.

Existing games updates

Meanwhile, Diablo IV is preparing for its next major content drop. Season of Hell’s Legacy begins September 16 AEST and celebrates the franchise’s 30-year history with the return of the Prime Evils and Deckard Cain, alongside themed rewards and gear.

The legendary Amazon class will also arrive in the first half of 2027 as part of Diablo IV’s first class pack. The Diablo IV: Age of Hatred Collection is additionally coming to Nintendo Switch 2 on September 16 AEST with cross-platform play and cross-progression.

For World of Warcraft, Blizzard teased the next major update for Midnight. Eclipse (12.2) will see Xal’atath move closer to her goal of claiming Azeroth’s Worldsoul. Blizzard also offered another look at The Last Titan, the next expansion in the Worldsoul Saga and a major culmination of more than two decades of Warcraft storytelling. More information is coming early next year.

Overwatch is getting a major update with Season 5. The season introduces new Support Hero Doctrine, reworks for Sombra and Roadhog, and the new Watchpoint: Grimsvötn map. It will also conclude The Reign of Talon, Overwatch’s first year-long narrative arc.

LE SSERAFIM & YOASABI

BlizzCon also featured performances from YOASOBI and LE SSERAFIM. YOASOBI will perform during the first-ever esports halftime show at BlizzCon, while LE SSERAFIM will return to the Main Stage to close the weekend. A new LE SSERAFIM in-game collaboration is available now, with another Overwatch Spotlight scheduled for February 2027.

Finally, Hearthstone is getting its first new class in more than six years. The Monk arrives in 2027, while the upcoming Reign of the Black Empire expansion takes players back to the earliest age of Azeroth. It introduces the Assemble keyword, which combines two cards into a new one. Battlegrounds is also adding Aberrations as a new minion type.

BlizzCon 2026 is now underway, with Blizzard promising more announcements and details throughout the weekend.

Gaming

Just Dance: Decades of Hits to launch on October 13

All-new Just Dance experience that brings every generation together

Published

September 12, 2026

GadgetMatch

Just Dance: Decades of Hits will launch on modern consoles on October 13, Ubisoft has announced.

This will offer fans of the franchise a new experience across eras of music. The game will be available on PlayStation5 , Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch on the launch date.

Nintendo Switch 2 users, meanwhile, will be able to enjoy the title by November 10, 2026.

Just Dance: Decades of Hits brings together every generation to one dance floor with 25 iconic songs across six different decades:

Mamma Mia by ABBA
Uptown Girl by Billy Joel
It’s Tricky by Run-DMC
No Scrubs by TLC
Wannabe by Spice Girls
Bye Bye Bye by *NSYNC
Feel Good Inc. by Gorillaz
Turn Down for What by DJ Snake and Lil Jon
Danza Kuduro by Don Omar feat. Lucenzo
Manchild by Sabrina Carpenter
NUEVAYoL by Bad Bunny
And more!

Bringing every generation together

Songs, visuals, and an all-new Adventure Mode are all designed to immerse players in the spirit that made each decade unforgettable.

From the funky ’70s disco floors and the electrifying ’80s rock scene to the glossy 2000s pop and beyond, travel through time and share the joy of rediscovering iconic moments with friends and family.

In Adventure Mode, follow Lyra, Dr. Gigavolt’s daughter, in a playful journey through time to rescue her father.

Explore the decades through six themed worlds, enjoy fun mini activities, and unlock exclusive rewards.

For unpredictable, chaotic fun where the rules change every round, players can jump into Party Mode. Or they can get moving with the Workout Mode, which tracks calories burned with each dance.

Up to six players can dance locally in the game, with no extra accessories needed.

In addition those who own Just Dance: Decades of Hits as well as Just Dance 2023-2026 editions will be able access all their songs in one place on the same console without having to switch games or separate menus.

This also includes songs from purchased Music Packs and songs available through an active Just Dance+ subscription.