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Axe of the Blood God: An RPG Podcast

Visions of Mana Review

·1 hr 26 min·5 clips
Eric, a new Final Fantasy VI superfan, and the hosts review Visions of Mana, the first mainline Mana game since 2006.
The episode opens with hosts Kat Bailey, Nadia Oxford, and Eric Van Allen discussing Eric's recent dive into Final Fantasy VI. They transition to reviewing Visions of Mana, developed by Uka Studios and released on PlayStation, PC, and Xbox. Nadia corrects Kat's comparison to Final Fantasy X, noting the sacrificial plot originated in the first Mana game, Final Fantasy Adventure. She praises the game's atmosphere, music, and simple themes but criticizes UI issues and slow class progression. Eric, near the end of the game, highlights the striking art direction and boss designs but finds the world feels empty and NPCs lack depth. Both hosts point out combat clunkiness, such as unresponsive item usage and repetitive class transformation animations. They discuss the game's identity as a comfort food RPG with PS2-era aesthetics. The conversation shifts to the developer Uka Studios winding down, raising questions about the future of mid-tier RPG series like Mana. Nadia and Eric recommend the game as a 7/10 experience for fans of light action RPGs or Mana enthusiasts. Later segments include 'Random Encounters' with gaming news and 'The Tavern' where hosts share what they've been playing, including Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, Persona 3 Reload, and manga like Witch Hat Atelier. The episode concludes with a 'Nostalgia Nook' segment where Nadia recalls a school project involving song lyrics.

As heard by us

A loose but thoughtful Mana discussion where nostalgia, darker turns, and the wish for co-op shape the case for the series.

Visions of Mana is treated as a test of whether Mana can still feel vital after its first mainline return since Dawn of Mana. Kat Bailey, Nadia Oxford, and Eric Van Allen place that question inside the series' longer memory, moving through Secret of Mana, Final Fantasy VI, its…

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Why you'd press play

You want a Mana check-in with Final Fantasy VI fan-fiction energy, darker childhood-media turns, and a real plea for co-op RPGs.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →
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