Romancing SaGa's Sequel, Enhanced!

Many long-time fans discovered the SaGa series through its numerous releases across past console generations. For me, Romancing SaGa 2 on iOS was my introduction almost a decade ago, a game I initially found challenging due to my typical JRPG playstyle. Today, however, I'm a devoted SaGa enthusiast (as evidenced by the photo below), so I was thrilled to see Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven, a complete remake, announced for Switch, PC, and PlayStation.

For this dual review, I played the Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven Steam Deck demo and interviewed its producer, Shinichi Tatsuke (also behind Trials of Mana's remake). Our conversation covered the remake, lessons learned from Trials of Mana, accessibility, potential Xbox and mobile ports, coffee preferences, and more. This transcribed interview has been edited for brevity.

TouchArcade (TA): What's it like remaking beloved games like Trials of Mana and now Romancing SaGa 2?

Shinichi Tatsuke (ST): Trials of Mana and the SaGa series predate the Square Enix merger, originating from the Squaresoft era. These are legendary Square titles, and it's an honor to remake them. Both games, originally released nearly 30 years ago, offered significant improvement opportunities. Romancing SaGa 2 is uniquely designed, with systems that remain innovative even today. Its distinctive gameplay makes it an excellent candidate for a modern remake.

TA: The original Romancing SaGa 2 was notoriously difficult (I got a game over in the first ten minutes!). The remake offers multiple difficulty settings. How did you balance faithfulness to the original with accessibility, especially for newcomers encountering the SaGa series for the first time with updated visuals?

ST: The SaGa series' difficulty is well-known, and many dedicated fans appreciate this aspect. However, the high difficulty threshold deters potential players. Many are aware of the series but haven't played it due to perceived difficulty.

We aimed to please both veteran and new players. The solution? A new difficulty system: Normal and Casual modes. Normal caters to standard RPG players, while Casual prioritizes narrative experience. Our development team included core SaGa fans, ensuring a balanced approach. Think of it like adding honey to spicy curry—the original game's high difficulty is tempered by the Casual mode.

TA: How did you preserve the original experience for veterans while adding quality-of-life improvements? How did you choose which features to modernize?

ST: The SaGa series isn't just about difficulty; it's also about understanding the game's mechanics. The original lacked visible enemy weaknesses and other stats, forcing players to figure them out. We considered this unfair and improved it by displaying weaknesses. We addressed other overly difficult aspects to create a fair, enjoyable experience for modern players.

TA: The Steam Deck demo ran exceptionally well. Considering your experience with Trials of Mana on multiple platforms, was the game optimized specifically for Steam Deck?

Editor’s Note: This question predates the official Steam Deck compatibility rating.

ST: Yes, the full game will be compatible and playable on Steam Deck, as you've experienced in the demo.

TA: How long was the Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven development process?

ST: I can't give specifics, but main development began in late 2021.

TA: What lessons from Trials of Mana's remake informed Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven?

ST: Trials of Mana taught us player preferences for remakes. For example, players generally prefer soundtracks faithful to the original, but with enhanced quality due to modern technology. We offered both original and rearranged soundtracks, a feature carried over to Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven. We also learned about visual preferences; SaGa characters are taller and the art style is more serious than Trials of Mana's more adorable aesthetic. We used lighting effects for shadows in SaGa, unlike the texture-based shadows in Trials of Mana. We leveraged past experiences while also innovating.

The interviewer thanked Tatsuke and the team for the English "Romancing SaGa 2 Primer" video.

TA: Trials of Mana eventually released on mobile. Are there plans for Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven on 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 drinks and beer.

Thanks to Shinichi Tatsuke, Jordan Aslett, Sara Green, and Rachel Mascetti for their time.

Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven Steam Deck Impressions

Receiving a Steam key for the Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven demo filled me with excitement and apprehension. The trailer was stunning, but I was unsure about the Steam Deck experience. Fortunately, the game is excellent on the Steam Deck OLED, surpassing my expectations. The few hours I spent with the demo made me reconsider playing on PS5 or Switch.

The game looks and sounds fantastic. The remake gradually introduces battle mechanics, stats, etc. Returning players will notice quality-of-life improvements, smoother combat, and new audio options. Newcomers will find this an excellent introduction to the SaGa series. The visuals enhance accessibility, but it remains true to the Romancing SaGa 2 spirit. Even on the original difficulty, it's challenging.

The visuals are superior to my expectations. While I enjoyed Trials of Mana's remake, Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven might be even better (though my preference for the original game may influence this). The PC port is impressive. Audio and graphics options are extensive, including original/rearranged soundtracks, English/Japanese audio, and various graphical settings.

The PC port allows adjustments to screen mode, resolution (720p support 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.

I used English audio for my first playthrough. The voice acting is good, but I'll likely try Japanese later. The remake successfully modernizes Romancing SaGa 2 while preserving its essence.

I eagerly await the full game and will compare the demo's console performance. Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven is a must-have for RPG fans. I hope this sparks interest in other SaGa games; Square Enix, please give us SaGa Frontier 2 next!

Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven launches October 24th on Steam, Nintendo Switch, PS5, and PS4. A free demo is available on all platforms.