Xbox free download is one of the most gorgeous games we've seen in ages

If Visions of Mana isn’t on your radar for 2024, perhaps it should be.

Developed by Ouka Studios and published by Square Enix, Visions of Mana is the latest action RPG in the long-running Mana series.

It’s due to launch on 29 August and that date cannot come soon enough given that this is the first mainline entry in the franchise since 2006.

If you simply cannot wait to get your hands on Visions of Mana, you’re in luck.

A new demo has launched across various storefronts, including on the Xbox Store, PlayStation Store, and via Steam.

Simply head over to your console’s respective store, search for Visions of Mana, and the free demo should pop up to download.

The demo will feature “a section of the story, battles, and exploration” which is vague but I suppose that’s what you want from a demo.

If you do choose to pick it up, you’ll get three weapons to use in the full game: Gladius (a small sword for Val), Falx (great sword for Val), and a Horn Lance (lance for Val).

ICYMI: Square Enix will release Life is Strange: Double Exposure later this year. Take a look at the game in action below.

“Visions of Mana is a brand new title in this series revolving around the sacred sword and mana.

The protagonist Val and his childhood friend Hinna, the newly appointed Alm of Fire, set off on a journey to the Mana Tree,” reads the game’s synopsis.

“This game’s iconic vibrant and vast semi-open field contains adorable yet ferocious monsters, allowing you to enjoy swift three-dimensional battles using the power of the Elementals. Through adventures with friends met along the way, they start to see the truth about the world. Must we accept our fates?”

The early reception to the demo is a tad underwhelming.

“The movement is really clunky. It does not feel good to jump and run,” wrote Reddit user KMoosetoe. “The UI is too busy, the character design is atrocious [...] This is Square Enix’s worst game since Forspoken.” Oh my.

As always though, there’s two sides to every coin.

“The movement isn‘t nearly as bad as people make it out to be? It‘s completely fine for a JRPG, I don‘t feel the ‘moving through molasses’ thing at all. Everything feels responsive, combat with the big sword has a nice weight to it. Honestly probably better than I expected,” wrote t-bonkers.

The demo is free so you may as well see which side of the fence you sit on. It looks utterly delightful on the surface, after all.