Tips and tricks for Visions of Mana

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Did you know, you can play Visions of Mana right now?

A new demo has just been released for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S and PC via Windows and Steam. It lets you play and explore some the expansive areas from the game, experiment with three different characters and classes and even take on a deadly boss out at sea!

You can download it today:

To help you get going on this slice of the game – and to help you prepare for the full release on August 29, 2024 – we’ve put together some starter tips and tricks. With this advice, you’ll be ready for any challenge the game throws at you!

Explore everywhere

Val and the team are very mobile characters – they jump quite high and can even dash in the air for a little extra distance. This opens up lots of opportunities to discover items and secrets, from a simple glob of Grizzly Syrup to a chest containing valuable loot.

Look out for Elemental Triggers too. You can use your equipped elemental vessels to interact with these – for example, using Sylphid Boomerang (the vessel of wind), you can use updrafts and whirlwinds to get to otherwise inaccessible parts of the region.

So, look everywhere. Dig into every nook and cranny, climb buildings, explore the map thoroughly. Visions of Mana is a game that rewards the inquisitive!

Activate every glowing spot you come across

Scattered around the world are echoes of a glowing tree, known as ‘the Meridian’. Make sure you activate these spots whenever you can, even if it means diverting from your current objective or destination to do so.

Not only will they let you save your progress, they’ll also act as fast travel points around the world. This is extremely helpful for completing side quests, as you’ll be able to travel the world much more efficiently.

Head to Rhata Harbor ASAP

Towns like Rhata Harbor offer a place to rest, heal, stock up on items, discover side quests and much more. As such, they’re very useful things to have access to.

There are many distractions on Visions of Mana – you’ll find yourself constantly lured away from your current objective by the promise of treasure or battle. Having a safe haven to fast travel to if things get dicey can be enormously useful, so I recommend heading to the Harbor at your earliest convenience.

Then, you can head back out to the expansive fields and explore to your heart’s content, knowing you have a safe space and a place to restock if you need it.

Speaking of restocking…

Always have a stock of healing items to hand

It may be full of magic and monsters, but one of the most fantastical things about Visions of Mana’s world is that eating candy makes you healthier!

If only, right?

Still, in the game at least it’s in your best interests to have pockets full of candy and chocolate before you take on battles. These let you heal your HP in the heat of battle – very useful if you plan to take on some of the tougher foes in the game, and a potential lifesaver against a boss.

You can find items in chests, or they can be dropped by monsters but the most reliable way to get them is to buy them from a merchant. If you use all your healing items, head to Rhata Harbor and get more. That way, you’ll be ready for any challenge.

Discovered treasure chests are marked on the map

As you explore the world of Visions of Mana, you’ll encounter chests containing valuable items. Of course, it’s also entirely possible to miss these – perhaps you’re drawn into a battle or some interesting scenery draws your eye instead.

If you check your map, you’ll notice that chests you’ve been near are visible on your map, which allows you to go back and grab the goodies inside.

Of course, knowing where the chest is and getting to it are two different things, and you may have to explore a little to discover a way to it.

If you want to get somewhere fast, call for a Pikul

There are advantages to going around on foot in Visions of Mana. You can fully find items, build your strength through battle, and really poke around every nook and cranny of the world. But if you want to get from A to B quickly, and without distraction, Pikuls are a soul guard’s best friend.

Remember that you can summon your fuzzy friends through the Beckon Bell in the ring menu. Not only is this a fast way to get around, you can also run into enemies like a battering ram, pushing them aside and potentially avoiding the fight entirely.

Lock onto foes to press your attack

Okay, let’s talk battles!

When you’re out in the world, enemies tend to attack in groups, which means you can dodge and weave between them as the situation allows. However, if you want to focus your attack on a particular foe, you can lock onto them.

This keeps the camera focused on that enemy and allows you to press the attack to finish them quickly. In the heat of battle, it can be all too easy to forget this option, so keep it in mind for when you need it.

Switch between characters

By default, you’ll control Val, but you can also switch between different members of the party, both in combat and when exploring outside towns.

You can change character instantly by pressing up or down on the d-pad (on controller), and we urge you to do so. It’s great fun to explore their different combat styles and classes (more on that below), and it makes it easier to set up different combinations of attacks to hurt and disrupt your foes.

Switching characters isn’t essential, of course. If you prefer to play the game only as Val, for example, it’s completely viable to do so. However, it’s worth trying as you may find it gives you more of an edge on the opposition.

Use your elemental vessels

The elemental vessels are mystical and powerful artifacts that let you call on the power of the Elementals. The effects that they afford you in battle can be incredibly useful, particularly against tougher opponents.

For example, the Sylphid Boomerang can launch enemies and hold them in place – perfect for setting up attacks or if you need a breather. Alternatively, the Luna Globe uses lets you slow down enemies in an area and also improve your party’s spell casting time if they’re in the zone.

You can use these elemental powers frequently, so there’s no need to hold them back for special occasions. They’re incredibly useful, not to mention fun to use, so go crazy!

Try out the different classes

When you start the demo, the elemental vessels will be equipped to two characters. Don’t forget though that you can swap them around as you like.

Any character can equip any vessel to change their class – though each vessel can only be set to one character at a time. This gives them new weapon types, new stats, new costumes, and new abilities, and can dramatically change the way they play!

Experiment by giving different characters each vessel and seeing what their different classes can do! You may find a particular one that really speaks to you.

Plus, the first time you equip a vessel on a character, you’ll be treated to an amazing animation as they switch their class. It’s worth it for that alone!

Use the Ring System to co-ordinate attacks (and take a breather)

The Mana series’ iconic Ring Menu returns in Visions of Mana. By pressing left or right on the d-pad (on controller), you can pause the action and select either items or spells.

As well as your current character, you can also use the Ring Menu to make other characters cast spells and use items. By doing so, you can co-ordinate attacks between members of the party or restore their health if they’re at risk of a KO.

You can also use this to give yourself a breather. If you need time to think, use the Ring Menu to pause combat, giving you a chance to regroup and strategize. This is particularly useful in boss fights or against stronger versions of enemies, so don’t forget it.

Set your shortcuts

While you can take actions through the Ring Menu, you can also set shortcuts. These let you cast spells or heal up instantly, without slowing down the action. You can set four spells and items to shortcuts respectively, so it’s a good idea to set abilities and items that you commonly use here. That way, you can get to them quickly, and maintain the flow of battle.

Those were just some starter tips to help you get to grips with the Visions of Mana demo – we hope they help. It’s available to download now on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S and PC via Windows and Steam.

Of course, the full game has so much more to discover. It launches August 29, 2024 – and there’s still time to preorder.

Pre-order the digital Standard Edition and Digital Deluxe Edition to receive the following in-game item:

  • Brave Blade – a weapon for Val

Additionally, players who preorder a physical edition before August 29, 2024, or purchase a digital edition before 16:59 BST / 17:59 CEST / 08:59 PDT on Sept. 30, 2024 will also receive the following in-game items as early purchase bonuses:

  • Guardian Garment – an outfit for Val

  • Starter Pack – a set of items that can be used to boost the amount of experience points and lucre earned for a fixed amount of time.

Please visit your preferred retailer or storefront for more information.

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