A deep dive into the SaGa series' revival: Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven. Many discovered the SaGa franchise through older console releases. For me, Romancing SaGa 2 on iOS served as my introduction almost a decade ago, a journey initially marked by struggles due to my preconceived JRPG expectations. Today, I'm a devoted SaGa enthusiast (as evidenced by the photo below), and I was thrilled by the recent announcement of Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven, a complete remake for Switch, PC, and PlayStation.
This dual-review features my hands-on experience with an early access demo on Steam Deck and an interview with Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven's Game Producer, Shinichi Tatsuke (also behind Trials of Mana's remake). Our conversation covered the remake's development, lessons learned from Trials of Mana, accessibility features, potential future ports, and even coffee preferences. The interview, conducted via video call, has been transcribed and edited for clarity.
TouchArcade (TA): What's it like remaking beloved titles like Trials of Mana and now Romancing SaGa 2?
Shinichi Tatsuke (ST): Both Trials of Mana and the Romancing SaGa series predate the Square Enix merger, originating from the Squaresoft era. They're legendary Square titles, and it's an honor to helm their remakes. Both games, originally released nearly 30 years ago, presented significant opportunities for improvement. Romancing SaGa 2, with its unique systems, remains distinctive even today, making it a compelling candidate for a modern remake.
TA: The original Romancing SaGa 2 was notoriously challenging. I personally experienced a game over within the first ten minutes! The remake offers multiple difficulty settings. How did you balance fidelity to the original with improved accessibility, especially for newcomers encountering the SaGa series for the first time with modern visuals?
ST: The SaGa series' difficulty is well-known among its dedicated fanbase, both domestically and internationally. While some consider this difficulty integral to the SaGa experience, others see it as a barrier to entry. Many are familiar with the series but haven't played it due to perceived difficulty.
We aimed to cater to both veteran and new players. The solution? A new difficulty system. "Normal" mode targets standard RPG players, while "Casual" mode prioritizes narrative enjoyment. Our development team included core SaGa fans, ensuring a balanced approach. Think of it like adding honey to spicy curry – the original Romancing SaGa 2 is the spicy curry, and casual mode is the honey, making it more palatable for newcomers.
TA: How did you balance the original experience for veterans with quality-of-life improvements? How did you decide which features to modernize while maintaining the challenge for long-time fans?
ST: The SaGa series isn't just about difficulty; it's also about accessibility of information. The original lacked visible enemy weaknesses and other crucial stats, forcing players to figure things out. We felt this was unfair, so we made weaknesses visible in the remake. We addressed other overly difficult elements to create a fairer, more enjoyable experience for modern players.
TA: Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven runs exceptionally well on Steam Deck. Considering your experience with Trials of Mana on various platforms, was the game specifically optimized for Steam Deck?
ST: Yes, the full release will be fully compatible and playable on Steam Deck.
TA: How long was the development cycle for Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven?
ST: I can't disclose specifics, but main development began towards the end of 2021.
TA: What lessons from the Trials of Mana remake informed the development of Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven?
ST: Trials of Mana taught us valuable insights into player preferences for remakes. For example, players generally prefer soundtrack arrangements that remain faithful to the originals, while leveraging modern technology to enhance audio quality. We also learned that offering a choice between original and rearranged soundtracks is well-received, a feature we included in Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven. We also adjusted the graphics, opting for taller characters and lighting effects instead of texture-based shadows, to better suit the SaGa aesthetic.
TA: Trials of Mana eventually came to mobile. Are there plans to bring Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven to mobile or Xbox?
ST: Currently, there are no plans for those platforms.
TA: Finally, what's your coffee preference?
ST: I don't drink coffee; I dislike bitter beverages. Beer is also not for me.
Thanks to Shinichi Tatsuke, Jordan Aslett, Sara Green, and Rachel Mascetti for their time and assistance.
Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven Steam Deck Impressions
Receiving a Steam key for the pre-release demo filled me with both excitement and apprehension. The reveal trailer was stunning, but I was unsure about the Steam Deck experience. Thankfully, Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven not only looks and sounds fantastic on the Steam Deck OLED but also made me reconsider playing it on PS5 or Switch. The few hours spent with the demo were incredibly impressive.
The remake boasts excellent visuals and audio. It gradually introduces core battle mechanics and stats. Returning players will appreciate quality-of-life improvements, refined combat flow, and new audio options. For newcomers, it's a fantastic entry point into the SaGa series. The visuals enhance accessibility, but it remains true to the spirit of Romancing SaGa 2. Even on the original-difficulty setting, the challenge remains.
The visuals exceeded my expectations. While I enjoyed Trials of Mana's remake, Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven might be the superior remake (though time will tell). The Steam Deck port is exceptionally well-optimized. The game offers extensive audio and visual customization options, including selectable soundtracks (original and remake), English and Japanese audio, and various graphics settings.
The PC port allows adjustments to screen mode, resolution (up to 720p on Steam Deck), frame rate (30 to unlimited), v-sync, dynamic resolution, graphics presets, anti-aliasing, texture filtering, shadow quality, and 3D model rendering resolution. Even with high settings (shadows on medium), I achieved a near-locked 90fps at 720p on my Steam Deck OLED.
For my initial playthrough, I chose English voice acting, which was good, but I'll likely switch to Japanese for a later playthrough. The care and effort in creating a modern yet authentic SaGa experience are evident.
I eagerly anticipate the full game's release and exploring the console versions. Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven is a must-have for RPG fans. Hopefully, this will encourage more players to explore the SaGa series. Square Enix, please give us SaGa Frontier 2 next!
Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven launches on October 24th for Steam, Nintendo Switch, PS5, and PS4. A free demo is available on all platforms.
