Console: | iOS |
TV Standard: | Region Not Set |
Developer(s): | Square Enix |
Publisher(s): | Square Enix |
Release Date: | 2014-03-06 |
Players: | 1 |
Co-op: | Yes |
ESRB: | Not Rated |
Type: | Action, Role-Playing |
Rise of Mana is a Japanese action role-playing video game developed by Square Enix and Goshow for iOS, Android and PlayStation Vita. It was published by Square Enix in 2014 for mobile devices and 2015 for the Vita. It is the eleventh game in the Mana series, featuring a new narrative unconnected to other games in the series. The gameplay uses a similar action-based battle system to earlier Mana titles while using a free-to-play model in common with mobile titles. The story focuses on two characters, an angel and a demon, who are cast down to the mortal world in the midst of a battle and are forced to share a body in order to survive.
The game began development in 2012: the project began when Masaru Oyamada told series producer Koichi Ishii that he could create a legitimate entry in the Mana series for mobile platforms. His idea was for a game true to the series that would reach a wide audience. The game's multiplayer, inspired by that used in Secret of Mana, was developed using the Photon Server middleware. The art director was series newcomer Hiroyuki Suzuki, while the character and monster designs were done by Taiki and Ryota Murayama. The music was composed by a team led by Tsuyoshi Sekito, while the theme song was written and performed by singer-songwriter Kokia.
First announced in February 2014, it was released the following month on iOS. The Android release followed several months later. The Vita port released the following year. By April 2015, the mobile version had over two million active players, and later the Vita version achieved 150,000 downloads by August 2015. It received generally positive opinions from critics: while many praised its graphics, story and gameplay, there were opinions that it was not a worthy part of the Mana series. The game was discontinued in March 2016.