Echoes of Mana

Lore & Background

Echoes of Mana was announced in June 2021 as part of the Mana series' 30th Anniversary celebrations. Developed over three years, the game was intended to be both challenging and easy to pick up. The characters were illustrated by Haccan, and the music was co-composed by Tsuyoshi Sekito and Ryo Yamazaki, who worked on it in parallel with Visions of Mana. The game launched worldwide on April 27, 2022, and reached four million downloads by September 2022.

Reader's Guide

Echoes of Mana was a free-to-play action RPG that incorporated a gacha system for unlocking characters and equipment. Its gameplay featured real-time combat with a party of up to six characters (three active, three in reserve), elemental affinities, and cooperative multiplayer for up to three players. The story followed Quilto or Quilta, chosen by the Mana Goddess to restore the multiverse, with a plot involving manipulation by the imposter Dema and her twin sister Nona. Reception was mixed: critics praised the art design and music but criticized the gacha model and story. The game was considered a commercial failure and shut down on May 15, 2023, with Square Enix citing an inability to maintain desired content quality. Its legacy lies in being a short-lived mobile entry in the Mana series, noted for its all-star cast of characters from earlier games.

Did You Know?

• The game was developed by Wright Flyer Studios, known for Another Eden.
• The animated release trailer was created by Madhouse, Inc., and directed by Morio Asaka.
• The game reached four million downloads worldwide by September 2022.
• The story was inspired by the whole Mana franchise, described as an 'all-star' creation.