A deep dive into the SaGa series often begins with its extensive library across past console generations. For me, Romancing SaGa 2 on iOS served as my introduction almost a decade ago. Initially, I struggled, misinterpreting its gameplay as a typical JRPG. Now, I'm a devoted SaGa fan (as evidenced by the photo below), thrilled by the recent announcement of Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven, a complete remake for Switch, PC, and PlayStation.
This dual-feature review involves my hands-on experience with an early Steam Deck demo of Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven, coupled with an interview with Game 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 interview, conducted via video call, has been transcribed and edited for conciseness.
TouchArcade (TA): What's it like remaking beloved titles like Trials of Mana and now Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven?
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 remaking them is a huge honor. Both games, originally released nearly 30 years ago, offered significant opportunities for improvement. Romancing SaGa 2's unique systems, remarkable even by today's standards, made it a compelling candidate for a remake. Its uniqueness remains captivating for modern gamers.
TA: The original Romancing SaGa 2 was notoriously challenging (I got a game over within 10 minutes!). The remake offers multiple difficulty settings. How did you balance preserving the original's essence with enhanced accessibility, especially for newcomers encountering the SaGa series for the first time with its updated visuals?
ST: The SaGa series' difficulty is well-known, particularly among its dedicated fanbase in Japan and globally. Many consider the difficulty integral to the SaGa experience. However, others perceive it as a significant barrier to entry. Many are familiar with the series but haven't played it due to its 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. The development team included core SaGa fans, making this a collective decision. Think of it like adding honey to spicy curry – the original Romancing SaGa 2 is the spicy curry, and the casual mode is the honey, easing the difficulty.
TA: How did you balance delivering the original experience for veterans while incorporating quality-of-life improvements? How did you choose which features to modernize while maintaining the challenge for long-time fans?
ST: The SaGa series isn't solely about difficulty; it's also about accessibility. The original lacked visible information, such as enemy weaknesses and defense stats. This wasn't necessarily difficult, but unfair. For the remake, we made enemy weaknesses visible, addressing this unfairness. We adjusted areas that were excessively difficult in the original to create a fairer, more enjoyable experience for modern players.
TA: Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven runs exceptionally well on my Steam Deck. Considering Trials of Mana's releases on PlayStation 4, Switch, and mobile, was the game specifically optimized for Steam Deck?
ST: Yes, the full release will be compatible and playable on the Steam Deck.
TA: How long was the development of Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven?
ST: I can't provide 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 about player preferences regarding remakes. For example, regarding soundtracks, players generally prefer arrangements faithful to the originals, but with enhanced quality due to modern technology. We incorporated this into Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven, offering both original and rearranged tracks as selectable options, a feature well-received in Trials of Mana.
We also adjusted the graphics. Mana's characters are shorter and more "adorable," while SaGa's characters are taller and the aesthetic is more serious. We used lighting effects for shadows in SaGa, unlike the texture-based shadows in Mana. We leveraged previous knowledge but also developed new approaches for this remake.
TA: Trials of Mana eventually came to 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. I don't drink beer either.
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 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 is exceptional on the Steam Deck OLED. My demo playtime made me reconsider getting it on PS5 or Switch; it's that good.
The game looks and sounds fantastic. The remake gradually introduces battle mechanics, stats, etc. For returning players, quality-of-life improvements enhance information presentation and combat flow. For newcomers, it's an excellent entry point into the SaGa series. The visuals enhance approachability, but it retains the core Romancing SaGa 2 experience with a modern update. The "original" difficulty setting remains challenging.
The visuals exceeded expectations. While I enjoyed Trials of Mana's remake, Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven might be the superior remake (though that's subjective). The Steam Deck PC port is particularly impressive. Audio and language options include the original or new soundtrack, English or Japanese audio, and various graphics settings.
The PC port allows for 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 at medium), I achieved a near-locked 90fps at 720p on my Steam Deck OLED.
I used English audio for my initial playthrough. The voice acting is good, but I'll likely play with Japanese audio later. The remake successfully modernizes the game while preserving its SaGa identity.
I eagerly anticipate the full game and the console demo. Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven is a must-have for RPG fans. Hopefully, this will encourage more players to explore other SaGa titles. 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.
