This long-overdue comeback of a classic JRPG series now has a playable demo available on Xbox and PC

Get a taste of the wondrous world of the upcoming action-JRPG, Visions of Mana with this newly released playable demo now available for consoles and PC.

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What you need to know

What you need to know

Square Enix has announced that it has just released a playable demo for an upcoming JRPG calledVisions of Manato the general public. This game is the long-awaited fifth mainline in beloved Square Enix’s Mana series, and the first mainline title to be released for the franchise in nearly two decades.

The demo gives players a taste of its gameplay and story, and it’s available to download right now on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC via Steam.

Play #VisionsofMana in the brand-new demo now!Take your first steps into the world as Val, Careena and Morley in the demo available on PlayStation Store, Microsoft Store, Windows Store and Steam.Play now and receive additional weapons for use in the full game. pic.twitter.com/LmSN9oFoKnJuly 30, 2024

Visions of Mana is an action-JRPG where you play as Val, a Soul Guard tasked with protecting special people labeled ‘Alms’ by Faeries as they journey across the world to replenish the Tree of Mana. The Tree of Mana is a gigantic, magical tree that provides the world with life-giving mana, but every four years, Alms must sacrifice themselves to the tree so it can stay alive and sustain the world.

Along the way, you will meet complex characters who will join your pilgrimage, explore a beautiful world filled with wonder and magic, and become immersed in an emotional tale of self-discovery and sacrifice.

The playable demo will contain a portion of Visions of Mana’s first chapter and allow players to get a taste of its story, explore its vibrant setting, and try out its complex combat system where you must combine martial arts and elemental magic attacks to achieve victory.

As an added incentive to try out the demo, players who play it will be rewarded with special in-game items they can unlock in the full game, which comes later on August 29, 2024.

These items are:

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To obtain the privilege for these items, the player must have save data from the demo and download the latest update for the full game when it comes out.

For those wondering if progress made in the demo will carry over to the full game, it does not. The demo takes place far into the game’s opening act and features cut-down content, the full extent of which, will only be seen in the full game.

Are you ready to witness the majesty of the Tree of Mana?

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The Mana series was considered by old-school JRPG lovers who grew up during the 1990s to be one of Square Enix’s finest franchises back in the day, the most famous title of which being 1993’s Secret of Mana on the Super Nintendo. These games were loved for their cutesy art styles, fun action-JRPG combat, and lighthearted tales of adventure.

The last mainline entry in the Mana series was Dawn of Mana, released in 2006 for the PlayStation 2. This means that fans had to wait over 18 years for a new entry, although they had spin-offs and remakes of older titles to keep them occupied in the meantime.

While I haven’t played the Mana series growing up, I can just imagine how excited longtime fans are to see this series get a new mainline after so many years. Especially since from what’s being shown so far, it looks extremely promising with its gorgeous artstyle, exciting and complex combat system, and charming roster of playable characters.

I might give the demo for thisupcoming Xbox JRPG/upcoming PC titlea shot later to see what I’ve been missing out and see if it has the potential to be one of thebest Xbox JRPGs, or even one of thebest Xbox titlesandbest PC titleswhen the full game launches later this August.

Visions of Mana is scheduled to be released on August 29, 2024, forXbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC via Steam.

Visions of Mana

Embark on a grand adventure to keep the flow of mana alive and enrich the world in Visions of Mana. Immerse yourself in a heartwarming story, meet a cast of complex and interesting characters, and combat intimidating foes using an exciting, real-time battle system.

Pre-order at:Amazon (Xbox)|Best Buy (Xbox)|Walmart (Xbox)|CDKeys (Steam)|GreenManGaming (Steam)

Alexander Cope is a gaming veteran of 30-plus years, primarily covering PC and Xbox games here on Windows Central. Gaming since the 8-bit era, Alexander’s expertise revolves around gaming guides and news, with a particular focus on Japanese titles from the likes of Elden Ring to Final Fantasy. Alexander is always on deck to help our readers conquer the industry’s most difficult games — when he can pry himself away from Monster Hunter that is!