I legit love Visions of Mana. It is an extremely budgeted Jrpg, but you can plainly see that its devs poured their hearts into the project. The game is legit the most beautiful rpg that I've played in a while. Even if by the tail-end of the game you start to see the rust, I still 100% the game for a reason.
Just one note about Square Enix possibly dropping mid range games: the President clarified a few months ago that they’re still going to make those B range games. There just won’t be as many. Likely a response to how they released so many mid range games in Fall 2022. Which is good, because a world without those mid range games is not a world I want
Um, it's possible they sunk a ridiculous amount of money into NFTs, which impacted funding for the entire company. Plus all the money lost on stuff like Chocobo Kart and the Final Fantasy hero shooter. I feel sorry for their development teams.
@@greenhowie it didn’t impact funding across the entire company. I’ve read their financial briefings and while it probably did impact some things, it’s not to blame for this shift in releases. NFT’s suck, but they’re not at fault here
I wish that I was eloquent enough to say how much I love your thought process about both games like this, and the games industry as a whole. KBash continues to show his amazing wit, and heart in everything he makes. Thanks for continuing to make amazing stuff, and thanks to the community that support KBash! I always try to watch through all the names at the end, y’all rock, I honestly wish I could give more.
I was having a conversation recently trying to explain why I have an attachment to the Mana series. It's always weird to talk about, because for a lot of the games, it's hard not to just go "Yeah I mean this combat system is a train wreck, and the dungeons aren't interesting, and the story isn't anything special, and--" but eventually I cut myself off, pull up a video of the Crystal Forest from Secret of Mana, and just said "But doesn't this look like such an amazing world to get lost in?" I think growing up with Secret of Mana taught me that it's totally fine to fall in love with a game for that reason. To just get lost in the fact that they put so much attention to detail into the design of the world and characters, and that can make an extremely meaningful experience in and of itself. Even if all the other elements don't totally come together, I would much rather live in a world where it can still leave that impact on me.
Thank you for making a video about Visions of Mana. I’m only 15 minutes into your video at the time of writing this but you are nailing how I felt in the early game and I can’t wait to watch the rest. I have hardly found any discussions or videos on VoM besides the occasional 10 minute beat on a podcast before they move on to talking about the next game so having an hours worth of this is so refreshing to see. I got all the achievements on Xbox for this game and I can see myself replaying it at some point down the line just to enjoy the world all over again. This game was my introduction to Mana and I’ve gone back and played Legend of Mana and I’ve started Trials. The world has been my favorite part of every Mana game so far, it’s just a joy to live in their world. Nice video!
Everybody talks about Nightblade, but Val with the Dark Vessel was even more busted. I was one shotting Benovodon's and later the high level side quest monsters with the vessel's burst. It's a giant black hole nuke. I think there's some RNG, but more often then not it was a one shot even with massive level gaps.
It’s been a while since I played either FFA or Sword of Mana. I didn’t remember them knowing they would be a sacrifice from the beginning. I’ve got to replay them sometime 🤔
This, Tales of Symphonia and Final Fantasy X are all games about taking your girlfriend to be sacrificed and find a way to break the system, each with their own spin. I wonder if there are othera stories with this theme that I don't know.
I LOVEDDDD visions. It was such a throwback feeling jrpg but still modern. The combat was fun, the ability to swap powersets and moves and everything was legit amazing. Story is fairly boilerplate but has some nice twists involved. Was a game that left me really glad i played it this year.
I'm so glad you mentioned Steambot Chronicles and showed a bit of footage for Styx. These are games I grew up with and I always am delighted if they get bought up. Games like the Mana series are not going to be the most talked about game, but will be the most memorable for some. If you play these games I feel like are the enthusiasts for the experience each game has to offer.
It's bold that they went with such a bittersweet ending, I think that is worth some acknowledgement. I'm torn on this game. I want to play it, but It really does suck that the team got canned.
As a cat owner, I can confidently say that this game has immense playability from my perspective since one of the playable party members is an anthropomorphic katana wielding cat person.
I feel like I repeat myself when I comment but I really love how you pour your feelings and tie up your thoughts to the bigger picture in the industry or the world in general.
I’m five minutes into the video and it’s already sold me on this game so much that I’m gonna stop watching so I can go into the game as blind as possible. I’ll come back to the video eventually once I finish it, so I’m providing engagement as a sacrifice to the algorithm so me leaving early doesn’t look bad.
My brain is so Genshin Impact pilled now whenever I glance up at the screen at the Visions of Mana screens that's all I think of. The character designs look delightful though. Also appreciating all the love for Legend of Mana. Really enjoy that game.
Out of curiosity, is Ever Oasis on the to-review list? Obviously I'm not a patron and your backlog's likely plenty big as is. Regardless, I think you're the biggest Ishii fan I've ever come across and I'd be really interested on your thoughts as to how that one stacks up to Mana. Sad to hear this game didn't quite stick the landing, especially when it comes to builds, but I definitely intend on picking it up soon. There's a lot of positives in there and that world looks like an absolute delight to explore.
I really enjoyed Visions. There were a handful of gripes I had (way too many soulless side quests, class balance, FUCK the Benevodon of water) but all in all I had a wonderful time with it, it had some great story beats. The one thing it did that I am genuinely shocked you didn't touch on is the absolutely toothless plot twist that SOMEHOW the choice to sacrifice the Alms was the choice of the people despite literally all the evidence of the world saying otherwise but especially the fact that the Alms are CHOSEN by the elementals. It just flat out does not work in the context of the story and was very, very obviously written in to keep the mascots of the series in a positive light.
Mega beautifully written ending and really wrapped up the whole video. Id love a video literally just on that topic and some of your nostalgia towards them good af b games. God hand anyone?
I bought romancing saga 2 new remake over visions . I was hyped for visions until I played the demo and it just felt meh. Romancing saga 2 is rather unique and was ahead of it's time.
i like RPG , and i dont care about how combat , story and graphic, i like the depth of customization and how i do my build , so for me this game is the best.
@@Tuskumo You are right. I always see that Mana series can become as big as Zelda series if only Square and peoplec I always see that Mana series can become as big as Zelda series if only Square and people care more about this series
You’ve gotta be sitting on top of a treasure trove of complete quality videos you’ve already made and releasing them into the wild… …you can’t possibly be putting these together one after another at this pace, right? Right?!
Your ending talk about preserving the b games really resonated with me. I personally haven't really been participating in the videogame zeitgeist for some time now. I more and more found that I just didn't have it in me to go learn a new game that would be dropped by everyone by the end of the week. More and more I found that I got much more enjoyment out of smaller more personal indie projects. Games that are made to be experienced, not to string the player on like a coke addict. Heck even elden ring fell into that camp for me. I regularly do 1-2 hour playthroughs of dark souls and demon souls, but never even took elden ring to completion. I love the souls series and can't front about elden ring being a good game, but by the end I was just exhausted. I also just have a very stylistic preference in games. I love simplistic graphics, especially ones that emulate early n64 and ps1 graphics. It's been great to see games get better graphics but I also feel like that became the priority as opposed to having good gameplay loops and character designs. Indie games though have many devs that are equally disillusioned with modern gaming and are making things to appeal to what made gaming special for them. While the AAA studios making B games may be a dying thing there are still plenty of smaller studios making AA experiences that are just as engaging. Hades and Hades II are crowning examples of this while kickstarter projects from og devs like bloodstained ritual of the night show that worthwhile stuff is still getting funded. I believe much of this is industry cycles. At one point activision and atari was king, then the video game industry crashed and we had scrappy punks like id software come in and innovate, those scrappy companies eventually become larger companies, the industry proceed sto consolidate, then it stagnates and causes your indies to be in high demand. It's honestly the cycle of every industry, innovate, flourish, consolidate, stagnate, innovate. This applies in the music industry, the film industry, and even to an extent most capitalist industry period. In a weird way too it mirrors that of nature, overgrowth leading to starvation which subsequently leaves the ground fertile for new growth.
What a tragedy, totally agree. All the small games are the ones that really do something special for the most part. I still like the big ones a lot of the time but I'm finding it hard to justify spending all that money rather than going digging for some real gems on steam. Especially with all the indies that I've been playing. Neon white, cruelty squad, and void stranger have all made my tentative top 10 and those are all games I played in the past 2 years, not long after launch. And I really appreciate what you do, I've taken some recs from your vids. Gotta go Finnish the little goody two shoes vid now that I've played it.
I was sitting here wondering why the video was doing something weird with screen tearing on my 120hz display and what do you MEAN you uploaded at FIFTY FRAMES PER SECOND
Holy shit that ending. "Trying trying to pull some value that I only like okay." That describes my feelings on - what is very likely - the final entry to my favorite series of all time. This one hurts.
Funny youtube showed me your video the day after I finished Visions. Really great video. Said anything it had to be said. I currently on a B game love. Played Wanted: Dead and loved it and now I'm playing Slitterhead. Really loved them. I feel fun and freshness in the oldschool style (if something like fresh in old is possible). I can't stomach some crap like witchers and elder scrolls and is sad to see everybody saying those are the best thing ever. And we loosing the games that actually are made with some love without money.
I found Mana on the Switch. It’s still the only console that I own and that means I’ve missed this gem this year. Which is a shame that it didn’t sell amazingly! I have to wonder if there are more than a few of us. OR MARKET CONDITIONS
Feels like some of the DNA for the story was taken from Legend of Mana. Some of the character stories revolve around the idea of sacrifice and returning mana to the Mana Tree, although at the end you find out it was horribly corrupted from the start.
I've only learnt about the studio shutting down through this video review. Outside of that I thought everything about this game seemed to be on the up and up with the people who played it fawning over it and enthusiasm about how it develops on a similar base to Trials. It is truly disheartening to hear about it... But in a way I feel it really isn't a surprise since this kind of thing seems to be commonplace with bigger publishers and in many ways I'm reminded on the "failure" of Neo:TWEWY which is almost similar in terms of how there was a brief announcement and nothing much else was said up until release. In a way it almost seems like specifically Square Enix is using its back catalogue to try and phase out B games with B games. Barely advertising them, leaving them at high price points, phasing out developers and studios who put their time into this on other projects or on disolving studios... I am now hella worried for that Romancing SaGa 2 remake and what it will mean for SaGa and the rest of the Squenix back catalogue going forward. Either way, you've definitely said it best at the end and I hope to take that in for anything that looks promising to me.
@@GrayvyFellow the Romancing SaGa 2 remake is safe, it’s been selling insanely well in Japan. Even if it wasn’t, the creator of SaGa is a bigwig at Square who’s been able to get games out regularly. It’s probably the safest out of all their B tier franchises
"After that, mankind grew afraid to desire. Their hearts filled with empty emotions, and grew estranged from my hands. They turned their eyes away from my infinite power, and were troubled by their petty disputes. Remember me! Need me! I can provide you with everything! I am love. Find me, and walk beside me." I might be biased, because Legend is one of my favorite games of all time. But that single piece of the opening of that game has always seemed to me like the thematic core of the entire franchise. The world is beautiful, and all we need do to enjoy life is let ourselves see that, caring for it and each other without letting pointless squabbling blind us to the the things right in front of us. Something like that, anyway.
It's still worth it. The art has been made and the decision was not made by Squeenix, it was the Chinese parent company that did it. I have problems with a lot of what Squeenix does but this one genuinely wasn't their fault. The damage has been done, you might as well pick the game up and enjoy it.
This really highlights everything I love about Astral Chain. It doesn’t have the best story. It’s stuff we’ve seen before. Music is okay. Combat, while stellar, becomes a real grind after a while. But man….it was a simple, straightforward experience. Not everything needs to be Xenoblade Chronicles. The simple indie games you cover are all we need in times like these.
I'm gonna have to be that guy. Absolutely love your videos, and I am writing this as I just started this video so I have no ideas what you are going to say. BUT I will say that Visions of Mana is in my modest opinion as a long time fan (since the SNES days, from the top of my 34 years), a great entry in the series. But it is also bogged down by wanting too much to rely on Trials of Mana's remake and the nostalgia it brought with it. It's also WAY too easy, which is my biggest issue with it. With that said, I am glad it exists, it might not end the legacy on the highest note, but it sure as fuck ends it higher than Heroes of Mana and Dawn of Mana.... I will add that the Rune Knight is honestly just as broken as Nightblade. All you need to do is slap you Saber Magic of choice and enjoy over 900 damage in a single charged hit. It's also brain dead.
The LAST thing I expected from a video with this title was a game from the current year And like FUCK, dude. I was NOT ready Absolutely fantastic and deeply thought provoking video I will stay up at night for weeks thinking about this I think
Great video. The Mana series make me love Jrpgs. With it flaws I really enjoy playing Visions of Mana, the world and characters is just too charming for me, I still dont finish because I just want to walk around and enjoy the scenery doing every sidequests as an excuse for that, is just lovely. Games doesnt need to be perfect, games need to be fun, and for me Visions of Mana is fun.
Brother I was so hyped for this game, but then the second day the game was out and they announced that the dev studio was shut down I had like no interest in buying it anymore. Probably still gonna play it in the distant future
A really risky and with a strong singular vision b-game that launched recently is Slitterhead from Keiichiro Toyama, an action horror game with a body switching mechanic, i think you would like it, i would love to see a video about it from you.
Aw damn I wanted to play Visions but haven't gotten around to it yet. Gonna put this video on the backburner for now but commenting for the algorithm 👍
Great video, as usual! I do kinda question the final thoughts here, though: surely the AA game space is not the only place where good, unique experiences can emerge? To my mind, at least, the indie space handles that now--and better than the AA space ever did.
For a while I've been enjoying the indie market a lot more than the Big Games Industry haul. Not that there aren't good games made that inspire me - Metaphor comes to mind as a recent example - but as you state, the industry is too obsessed with playing it safe and extracting value.
11:00 Along the same line, I had to break out Cheat Engine to make the game run at full frame rate at all times. The 30FPS limit in cutscenes is completely unneeded, they work just fine at 60+FPS.
Grr rizzly! I beat this game in 23hrs across four days (idgaf about post game, esp in this one) I don't tend to replay games but I'm sure I will with this at some point, a nice comfort action rpg. Sometimes you just need that.
I like the Mana Series. It's like a hidden gem of the series. I always wanted to play Seiken Densetsu 3/Trials of Mana when I saw from HCBailly's let's play on his channel. I was excited that the game that was onced a Japan only game that got a fan translation was now coming worldwide as part of the Collection of Mana for the Nintendo Switch. Then, when I heard Trials of Mana is getting a remake, I was excited. Yes the Trials of Mana remake has some flaws but hey it's really good and a much better remake than Secret of Mana remake. If you wanna know my favorite characters are in Trials of Mana it's Kevin and Charlotte. I love those two dorks and they have been my favorites to use.
15:55 oh hell yeah 1:00:05 yeah thats kinda the feeling i got from the demo. Its Mana but blended and poured into a modern safe game mold, and was kinda down for it, but not enough that i was willing to once the dev situation came out And like other folks have mentioned, indies are a good place to find the more daring games, and they need our support now more than ever
could only watch the first section, don't have a machine that can play visions yet, freaking loved the trials remake and got the collection and legends in my backlog
I was really excited for this game and was sad it ended up being mid... I feel like Tales of Symphonia does this type of story much better, especially the part where you experience how messed up the system is, rather than every town being hunky dory. Fantasian Neo Dimension does seem like the next great Square B game.
I have trouble getting into this series. Can't explain why, but I've always respected the Mana titles. It's such a shame that this series keeps getting treated like this. And with the way Square Enix is acting, this might be the very last Mana title.
It is definitely a series that is not for everyone, no series is. I can see why some of it's design or narrative choice would be a turnoff. If I can ask, what specifically has caused you to bounce off it and which ones have you tried?
@@ArkThePieKing I genuinely can't explain, and that's what confuses me the most because usually I can explain when I drop titles or series. They're not even long entries either, but I always lose interest about halfway through and just stop playing. I attempted to play Secret of Mana (both SNES and remake), Children of Mana, and Trials of Mana remake. Trials of Mana I even restarted 4 separate times.
@@Wandermidget I feel it. Personally I also bounced off Secret of Mana several times. I would say if you want to give the series another shot (and seriously no pressure) try the 2D version of Trials. I really like the remake, I think it does a lot correct but I think it flows just a little bit better in it's original form. I like the combat a little more, it's definitely harder (still not a hard game but there's actual tension), it's just a bit better of an experience. But like I said no pressure, it's okay to not like a series. I'm not one of those obnoxious fans that insists everyone likes their thing. :)
Mana is such a beautiful series. I wish I had the means to play Visions of Mana, but alas, the only modern console I have is Switch. I think that's honestly the biggest mistake with this game, without even knowing the actual substance.
This is why I hate that between mobile and the switch, dedicated handheld gaming is dead. The handheld market was the promised land of incredible B games. It was such a safe space for developers to just try shit
I legit love Visions of Mana. It is an extremely budgeted Jrpg, but you can plainly see that its devs poured their hearts into the project. The game is legit the most beautiful rpg that I've played in a while.
Even if by the tail-end of the game you start to see the rust, I still 100% the game for a reason.
The world is so out-of-control stupid gorgeous, I completely get it
Just one note about Square Enix possibly dropping mid range games: the President clarified a few months ago that they’re still going to make those B range games. There just won’t be as many. Likely a response to how they released so many mid range games in Fall 2022. Which is good, because a world without those mid range games is not a world I want
They released so many mid-budget games only to price them at $60 and release them all within a two month timeframe.
Yeah it's 2 steps forward 2 steps back i swear a c-suite hates mid range games and is trying to kill it by any means necessary
Um, it's possible they sunk a ridiculous amount of money into NFTs, which impacted funding for the entire company. Plus all the money lost on stuff like Chocobo Kart and the Final Fantasy hero shooter. I feel sorry for their development teams.
@@greenhowie it didn’t impact funding across the entire company. I’ve read their financial briefings and while it probably did impact some things, it’s not to blame for this shift in releases. NFT’s suck, but they’re not at fault here
The president of the United States of America said this, I was there
I wish that I was eloquent enough to say how much I love your thought process about both games like this, and the games industry as a whole. KBash continues to show his amazing wit, and heart in everything he makes. Thanks for continuing to make amazing stuff, and thanks to the community that support KBash! I always try to watch through all the names at the end, y’all rock, I honestly wish I could give more.
I was having a conversation recently trying to explain why I have an attachment to the Mana series. It's always weird to talk about, because for a lot of the games, it's hard not to just go "Yeah I mean this combat system is a train wreck, and the dungeons aren't interesting, and the story isn't anything special, and--" but eventually I cut myself off, pull up a video of the Crystal Forest from Secret of Mana, and just said "But doesn't this look like such an amazing world to get lost in?"
I think growing up with Secret of Mana taught me that it's totally fine to fall in love with a game for that reason. To just get lost in the fact that they put so much attention to detail into the design of the world and characters, and that can make an extremely meaningful experience in and of itself. Even if all the other elements don't totally come together, I would much rather live in a world where it can still leave that impact on me.
Thank you for making a video about Visions of Mana. I’m only 15 minutes into your video at the time of writing this but you are nailing how I felt in the early game and I can’t wait to watch the rest.
I have hardly found any discussions or videos on VoM besides the occasional 10 minute beat on a podcast before they move on to talking about the next game so having an hours worth of this is so refreshing to see. I got all the achievements on Xbox for this game and I can see myself replaying it at some point down the line just to enjoy the world all over again.
This game was my introduction to Mana and I’ve gone back and played Legend of Mana and I’ve started Trials. The world has been my favorite part of every Mana game so far, it’s just a joy to live in their world.
Nice video!
3:44 don’t tease me man - PLEASE give Radiata Stories some love one of these days.
There are dozens of us! DOZENS!
Everybody talks about Nightblade, but Val with the Dark Vessel was even more busted. I was one shotting Benovodon's and later the high level side quest monsters with the vessel's burst. It's a giant black hole nuke. I think there's some RNG, but more often then not it was a one shot even with massive level gaps.
I just beat Visions of Mana last week, I loved it so much. So cute, but also really fun and engaging!
Dude your video management is AMAZING! from script to humor to flow your videos work perfectly bravo👏👏
It hurts to say, but I think my attachment to the series is solely due to the fantastic soundtrack and nostalgia.
The visual art and whimsy vibes are valid reasons, too. I just love the Mana serie.
NGL... as soon as you said "Sacrifice to the Elements and GF" im like... Wait a minute... This is Tales of Symphonia all over again.
@@Trauson or the first mana game
Final Fantasy X
It’s been a while since I played either FFA or Sword of Mana. I didn’t remember them knowing they would be a sacrifice from the beginning. I’ve got to replay them sometime 🤔
I've been so excited for you to cover this- and with a copy from Square Enix no less- way to go bud!
This, Tales of Symphonia and Final Fantasy X are all games about taking your girlfriend to be sacrificed and find a way to break the system, each with their own spin.
I wonder if there are othera stories with this theme that I don't know.
LET'S GO TALES OF SYMPHONIA.
There's like a million billion untranslated visual novels out there so I'm sure there's probably a couple hundred with this plot.
I am Setsuna!!
I am Setsuna does this too i think
@skunthundler great answer. Water is wet.
I'm so wildly happy you mentioned Secret of Evermore in the first 35 seconds. It's one of my all time favorite games from my childhood.
No matter how many times I get to the credits, the names DankyStankSwankyMank and FupaSaiyan always give me a belly chuckle
I LOVEDDDD visions. It was such a throwback feeling jrpg but still modern. The combat was fun, the ability to swap powersets and moves and everything was legit amazing. Story is fairly boilerplate but has some nice twists involved. Was a game that left me really glad i played it this year.
YO TALK ABOUT GRAVITY RUSH 1 AND 2 IT PRETTY GOOD AND THE OST IS A BANGER! *in the background*
or professor layton both are good @KBash
"Balls shave? Yes or no? You can be the judge!" would make you bazillionaire if you sponsored Manscaped like that.
In a perfect world, the team would have been scooped up by Capcom and given a sizable budget to make a Breath of Fire sequel
I'm so glad you mentioned Steambot Chronicles and showed a bit of footage for Styx. These are games I grew up with and I always am delighted if they get bought up. Games like the Mana series are not going to be the most talked about game, but will be the most memorable for some. If you play these games I feel like are the enthusiasts for the experience each game has to offer.
Babe wake up new hour long kbash video!
Does babe ever get to sleep? Lmao
Must be different babes
It's bold that they went with such a bittersweet ending, I think that is worth some acknowledgement.
I'm torn on this game. I want to play it, but It really does suck that the team got canned.
As a cat owner, I can confidently say that this game has immense playability from my perspective since one of the playable party members is an anthropomorphic katana wielding cat person.
I feel like I repeat myself when I comment but I really love how you pour your feelings and tie up your thoughts to the bigger picture in the industry or the world in general.
I’m five minutes into the video and it’s already sold me on this game so much that I’m gonna stop watching so I can go into the game as blind as possible. I’ll come back to the video eventually once I finish it, so I’m providing engagement as a sacrifice to the algorithm so me leaving early doesn’t look bad.
Your content is valuable and the work you do is good.
My brain is so Genshin Impact pilled now whenever I glance up at the screen at the Visions of Mana screens that's all I think of. The character designs look delightful though. Also appreciating all the love for Legend of Mana. Really enjoy that game.
Should I play this if I enjoyed Granblue Fantasy Relink? I really enjoyed that game and this reminds me of it.
15:54 I feel acknowledged and understood
Out of curiosity, is Ever Oasis on the to-review list? Obviously I'm not a patron and your backlog's likely plenty big as is. Regardless, I think you're the biggest Ishii fan I've ever come across and I'd be really interested on your thoughts as to how that one stacks up to Mana.
Sad to hear this game didn't quite stick the landing, especially when it comes to builds, but I definitely intend on picking it up soon. There's a lot of positives in there and that world looks like an absolute delight to explore.
I really enjoyed Visions. There were a handful of gripes I had (way too many soulless side quests, class balance, FUCK the Benevodon of water) but all in all I had a wonderful time with it, it had some great story beats. The one thing it did that I am genuinely shocked you didn't touch on is the absolutely toothless plot twist that SOMEHOW the choice to sacrifice the Alms was the choice of the people despite literally all the evidence of the world saying otherwise but especially the fact that the Alms are CHOSEN by the elementals. It just flat out does not work in the context of the story and was very, very obviously written in to keep the mascots of the series in a positive light.
Mega beautifully written ending and really wrapped up the whole video. Id love a video literally just on that topic and some of your nostalgia towards them good af b games. God hand anyone?
That segment at the end about B-games disappearing could've been a masterpiece of a vid on its own, goddamn... really put my thoughts into words.
I bought romancing saga 2 new remake over visions . I was hyped for visions until I played the demo and it just felt meh. Romancing saga 2 is rather unique and was ahead of it's time.
i like RPG , and i dont care about how combat , story and graphic, i like the depth of customization and how i do my build , so for me this game is the best.
It is a great game that deserved better
You know what NO ONE TALKED ABOUT THIS GAME at all this year it’s sad 😔
I would love to play it, but it’s not on Switch so I’m SOL
Isnt vision of mana XBox exclusive ? No wonder no one talk about this.
@@the13thjoker no it’s not a Xbox exclusive wukong was still trending at the time that’s probably why nobody cared for it sadly
@@prof.laytonfan764 it’s not ?! Wow 😯
@@Tuskumo You are right. I always see that Mana series can become as big as Zelda series if only Square and peoplec I always see that Mana series can become as big as Zelda series if only Square and people care more about this series
Just Platinumed Visions Of Mana and this game's Post Game/New Game + was the stand out to this amazing game👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
You’ve gotta be sitting on top of a treasure trove of complete quality videos you’ve already made and releasing them into the wild… …you can’t possibly be putting these together one after another at this pace, right? Right?!
His previous video was four weeks ago. Lol isn't one per month standard for Patreon-based long-term content?
@ you’re right, I’m easily impressed. I did not just mix up / combine how many KBash and KingK videos I’ve watched recently…
Okay, maybe I did.
Your ending talk about preserving the b games really resonated with me. I personally haven't really been participating in the videogame zeitgeist for some time now. I more and more found that I just didn't have it in me to go learn a new game that would be dropped by everyone by the end of the week. More and more I found that I got much more enjoyment out of smaller more personal indie projects. Games that are made to be experienced, not to string the player on like a coke addict.
Heck even elden ring fell into that camp for me. I regularly do 1-2 hour playthroughs of dark souls and demon souls, but never even took elden ring to completion. I love the souls series and can't front about elden ring being a good game, but by the end I was just exhausted.
I also just have a very stylistic preference in games. I love simplistic graphics, especially ones that emulate early n64 and ps1 graphics. It's been great to see games get better graphics but I also feel like that became the priority as opposed to having good gameplay loops and character designs. Indie games though have many devs that are equally disillusioned with modern gaming and are making things to appeal to what made gaming special for them.
While the AAA studios making B games may be a dying thing there are still plenty of smaller studios making AA experiences that are just as engaging. Hades and Hades II are crowning examples of this while kickstarter projects from og devs like bloodstained ritual of the night show that worthwhile stuff is still getting funded.
I believe much of this is industry cycles. At one point activision and atari was king, then the video game industry crashed and we had scrappy punks like id software come in and innovate, those scrappy companies eventually become larger companies, the industry proceed sto consolidate, then it stagnates and causes your indies to be in high demand. It's honestly the cycle of every industry, innovate, flourish, consolidate, stagnate, innovate. This applies in the music industry, the film industry, and even to an extent most capitalist industry period. In a weird way too it mirrors that of nature, overgrowth leading to starvation which subsequently leaves the ground fertile for new growth.
What a tragedy, totally agree. All the small games are the ones that really do something special for the most part. I still like the big ones a lot of the time but I'm finding it hard to justify spending all that money rather than going digging for some real gems on steam. Especially with all the indies that I've been playing. Neon white, cruelty squad, and void stranger have all made my tentative top 10 and those are all games I played in the past 2 years, not long after launch. And I really appreciate what you do, I've taken some recs from your vids. Gotta go Finnish the little goody two shoes vid now that I've played it.
I’ve never solved “palm trees and eight” 😭😭
I was sitting here wondering why the video was doing something weird with screen tearing on my 120hz display and what do you MEAN you uploaded at FIFTY FRAMES PER SECOND
Tbh I blame the fact that it’s not on the switch where the trials of mana remake founded success in the first place
This fully.
I would've honestly considered buying it if it came out on switch. hopefully it releases on the successor 🤞
Really like the ending section here i think it hits home for a lot of gamers nowadays
Holy shit that ending. "Trying trying to pull some value that I only like okay." That describes my feelings on - what is very likely - the final entry to my favorite series of all time. This one hurts.
Funny youtube showed me your video the day after I finished Visions. Really great video. Said anything it had to be said.
I currently on a B game love. Played Wanted: Dead and loved it and now I'm playing Slitterhead. Really loved them. I feel fun and freshness in the oldschool style (if something like fresh in old is possible). I can't stomach some crap like witchers and elder scrolls and is sad to see everybody saying those are the best thing ever. And we loosing the games that actually are made with some love without money.
these new thumbnails are sick (complimentary)
I found Mana on the Switch. It’s still the only console that I own and that means I’ve missed this gem this year.
Which is a shame that it didn’t sell amazingly! I have to wonder if there are more than a few of us.
OR MARKET CONDITIONS
I saw radiata story clips in the first 5 minutes. That game was my Jam. If someone bought me that as a gift I would cry.
It's a great hidden gem. The only real flaw in retrospect to me is the incessant battle grunts and screams for every single attack you perform.
The amount of puns on the game's title was top tier, amazing video as always🎉
Feels like some of the DNA for the story was taken from Legend of Mana. Some of the character stories revolve around the idea of sacrifice and returning mana to the Mana Tree, although at the end you find out it was horribly corrupted from the start.
Man that short clip of Radiata Stories brought back so many memories
"...the weird grabby thing from DmC Devil may Cry, only without the red/blue Simon says gimmick..."
soo the Devil Bringer from DMC4
oof
That last segment kinda got me
I've only learnt about the studio shutting down through this video review. Outside of that I thought everything about this game seemed to be on the up and up with the people who played it fawning over it and enthusiasm about how it develops on a similar base to Trials. It is truly disheartening to hear about it... But in a way I feel it really isn't a surprise since this kind of thing seems to be commonplace with bigger publishers and in many ways I'm reminded on the "failure" of Neo:TWEWY which is almost similar in terms of how there was a brief announcement and nothing much else was said up until release.
In a way it almost seems like specifically Square Enix is using its back catalogue to try and phase out B games with B games. Barely advertising them, leaving them at high price points, phasing out developers and studios who put their time into this on other projects or on disolving studios... I am now hella worried for that Romancing SaGa 2 remake and what it will mean for SaGa and the rest of the Squenix back catalogue going forward.
Either way, you've definitely said it best at the end and I hope to take that in for anything that looks promising to me.
@@GrayvyFellow the Romancing SaGa 2 remake is safe, it’s been selling insanely well in Japan. Even if it wasn’t, the creator of SaGa is a bigwig at Square who’s been able to get games out regularly. It’s probably the safest out of all their B tier franchises
"After that, mankind grew afraid to desire. Their hearts filled with empty emotions, and grew estranged from my hands. They turned their eyes away from my infinite power, and were troubled by their petty disputes. Remember me! Need me! I can provide you with everything! I am love. Find me, and walk beside me."
I might be biased, because Legend is one of my favorite games of all time. But that single piece of the opening of that game has always seemed to me like the thematic core of the entire franchise. The world is beautiful, and all we need do to enjoy life is let ourselves see that, caring for it and each other without letting pointless squabbling blind us to the the things right in front of us. Something like that, anyway.
Hell yes, new KBash. One video closer to him starting a series on Kiseki. I hope.
16:43 omg i laughed so hard and suddenly that i think i strained my neck 😂
Hmmm i was wondering whether to get the new visions but hearing about the studio closing did make me a bit hesitant
It's still worth it. The art has been made and the decision was not made by Squeenix, it was the Chinese parent company that did it. I have problems with a lot of what Squeenix does but this one genuinely wasn't their fault. The damage has been done, you might as well pick the game up and enjoy it.
This really highlights everything I love about Astral Chain.
It doesn’t have the best story. It’s stuff we’ve seen before. Music is okay. Combat, while stellar, becomes a real grind after a while.
But man….it was a simple, straightforward experience.
Not everything needs to be Xenoblade Chronicles. The simple indie games you cover are all we need in times like these.
Oh shi, bros lookin clean! Really enjoyed the vid nice one
Man, the Radiata Stories clips... I miss the hell out of that thing. I miss my squadron of total freaks.
I'm gonna have to be that guy. Absolutely love your videos, and I am writing this as I just started this video so I have no ideas what you are going to say. BUT I will say that Visions of Mana is in my modest opinion as a long time fan (since the SNES days, from the top of my 34 years), a great entry in the series. But it is also bogged down by wanting too much to rely on Trials of Mana's remake and the nostalgia it brought with it. It's also WAY too easy, which is my biggest issue with it.
With that said, I am glad it exists, it might not end the legacy on the highest note, but it sure as fuck ends it higher than Heroes of Mana and Dawn of Mana....
I will add that the Rune Knight is honestly just as broken as Nightblade. All you need to do is slap you Saber Magic of choice and enjoy over 900 damage in a single charged hit. It's also brain dead.
The LAST thing I expected from a video with this title was a game from the current year
And like
FUCK, dude. I was NOT ready
Absolutely fantastic and deeply thought provoking video
I will stay up at night for weeks thinking about this I think
Finally JRPG Content why I subbed 6 years ago
Great video. The Mana series make me love Jrpgs. With it flaws I really enjoy playing Visions of Mana, the world and characters is just too charming for me, I still dont finish because I just want to walk around and enjoy the scenery doing every sidequests as an excuse for that, is just lovely. Games doesnt need to be perfect, games need to be fun, and for me Visions of Mana is fun.
Babe wake up, new Kbash video dropped!
Brother I was so hyped for this game, but then the second day the game was out and they announced that the dev studio was shut down I had like no interest in buying it anymore. Probably still gonna play it in the distant future
Stupid fucking reason to not get it. Especially considering how many studios have made Mana games. Your loss
What was your favourite character and why was it Morley?
Hey mam guest what princess Crown got a English translation 🎉🎉🎉 make a video about
God mana is up there for me as one of my favs. I always need good music, and mana delivers.
A really risky and with a strong singular vision b-game that launched recently is Slitterhead from Keiichiro Toyama, an action horror game with a body switching mechanic, i think you would like it, i would love to see a video about it from you.
23:36 This gives me 80s-He-Man vibes, but as an anime furry. Wild, what a time to be alive
Aw damn I wanted to play Visions but haven't gotten around to it yet. Gonna put this video on the backburner for now but commenting for the algorithm 👍
Great video, as usual! I do kinda question the final thoughts here, though: surely the AA game space is not the only place where good, unique experiences can emerge? To my mind, at least, the indie space handles that now--and better than the AA space ever did.
For a while I've been enjoying the indie market a lot more than the Big Games Industry haul. Not that there aren't good games made that inspire me - Metaphor comes to mind as a recent example - but as you state, the industry is too obsessed with playing it safe and extracting value.
im liking these new video styles
30:58 giving Garurumon that work
Baaaabe! New KBro video! Lezgo!
11:00 Along the same line, I had to break out Cheat Engine to make the game run at full frame rate at all times. The 30FPS limit in cutscenes is completely unneeded, they work just fine at 60+FPS.
what the FUCK was that sound at 37:40
It's nothing new though, It's just what Square Enix does.
This is literally the plot of the game I am setsuna
Grr rizzly!
I beat this game in 23hrs across four days (idgaf about post game, esp in this one)
I don't tend to replay games but I'm sure I will with this at some point, a nice comfort action rpg. Sometimes you just need that.
I like the Mana Series. It's like a hidden gem of the series. I always wanted to play Seiken Densetsu 3/Trials of Mana when I saw from HCBailly's let's play on his channel. I was excited that the game that was onced a Japan only game that got a fan translation was now coming worldwide as part of the Collection of Mana for the Nintendo Switch. Then, when I heard Trials of Mana is getting a remake, I was excited. Yes the Trials of Mana remake has some flaws but hey it's really good and a much better remake than Secret of Mana remake. If you wanna know my favorite characters are in Trials of Mana it's Kevin and Charlotte. I love those two dorks and they have been my favorites to use.
15:55 oh hell yeah
1:00:05 yeah thats kinda the feeling i got from the demo. Its Mana but blended and poured into a modern safe game mold, and was kinda down for it, but not enough that i was willing to once the dev situation came out
And like other folks have mentioned, indies are a good place to find the more daring games, and they need our support now more than ever
could only watch the first section, don't have a machine that can play visions yet, freaking loved the trials remake and got the collection and legends in my backlog
Why do your reviews gotta make me cry
You are probably my favorite game reviewer
just a note
I was really excited for this game and was sad it ended up being mid... I feel like Tales of Symphonia does this type of story much better, especially the part where you experience how messed up the system is, rather than every town being hunky dory. Fantasian Neo Dimension does seem like the next great Square B game.
I have trouble getting into this series. Can't explain why, but I've always respected the Mana titles. It's such a shame that this series keeps getting treated like this.
And with the way Square Enix is acting, this might be the very last Mana title.
It is definitely a series that is not for everyone, no series is. I can see why some of it's design or narrative choice would be a turnoff. If I can ask, what specifically has caused you to bounce off it and which ones have you tried?
@@ArkThePieKing I genuinely can't explain, and that's what confuses me the most because usually I can explain when I drop titles or series. They're not even long entries either, but I always lose interest about halfway through and just stop playing.
I attempted to play Secret of Mana (both SNES and remake), Children of Mana, and Trials of Mana remake. Trials of Mana I even restarted 4 separate times.
@@Wandermidget I feel it. Personally I also bounced off Secret of Mana several times. I would say if you want to give the series another shot (and seriously no pressure) try the 2D version of Trials. I really like the remake, I think it does a lot correct but I think it flows just a little bit better in it's original form. I like the combat a little more, it's definitely harder (still not a hard game but there's actual tension), it's just a bit better of an experience. But like I said no pressure, it's okay to not like a series. I'm not one of those obnoxious fans that insists everyone likes their thing. :)
I wish Square Enix didn't hiker their regional pricing on Steam.
Over 75% more expensive in my region, higher in others.
"The Game That Disappeared"
But enough about Concord.
The title alone speaks volumes but great video though.
That end speech. Damn...
This game looks extremely appealing to me. I thought so once I saw it in the Xbox showcase. Sadly I’m just playing other games.
Somebody get KBash a copy of "Kunitsu-Gami" asap!
Mana is such a beautiful series. I wish I had the means to play Visions of Mana, but alas, the only modern console I have is Switch. I think that's honestly the biggest mistake with this game, without even knowing the actual substance.
wtf, why did radiata stories suddenly show up?? XD great reference
This is why I hate that between mobile and the switch, dedicated handheld gaming is dead. The handheld market was the promised land of incredible B games. It was such a safe space for developers to just try shit