Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven – A Remake Fit for Modern Players: An Interview and Steam Deck Impressions
Many longtime gamers discovered the SaGa series through its numerous releases on past consoles. My own journey began with Romancing SaGa 2 on iOS almost a decade ago. Initially, I struggled, approaching it like a typical JRPG. Now, I'm a devoted SaGa fan (as evidenced by the photo below), so I was thrilled to see the announcement of Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven, a complete remake for Switch, PC, and PlayStation.
For this review, I played the early access demo on Steam Deck and interviewed Shinichi Tatsuke, the game's producer (also behind Trials of Mana's remake). Our conversation covered Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven, lessons learned from Trials of Mana, accessibility, potential Xbox and mobile ports, coffee, and more. The interview, conducted via video call, has been transcribed and edited for brevity.
TouchArcade (TA): What's it like remaking beloved games like Trials of Mana and now Romancing SaGa 2?
Shinichi Tatsuke (ST): Both Trials of Mana and the SaGa series predate the Square Enix merger – they're legendary SquareSoft titles. Remaking them is an incredible honor. Both games, released nearly 30 years ago, offered opportunities for significant improvement. Romancing SaGa 2, with its unique systems, remains distinctive even today. Its uniqueness made it a compelling candidate for a remake.
TA: The original Romancing SaGa 2 was notoriously challenging. The remake offers multiple difficulty settings. How did you balance faithfulness to the original with accessibility for new players?
ST: The SaGa series' difficulty is well-known, especially among its dedicated fanbase. Some believe the difficulty is integral to the SaGa experience. Others find it a barrier to entry. Many know about the series but haven't played due to perceived difficulty.
To cater to both groups, we introduced adjustable difficulty levels: Normal and Casual. Normal targets standard RPG players, while Casual prioritizes narrative enjoyment. Our development team included core SaGa fans, making the decision a collaborative one. Think of it like adding honey to spicy curry – the original game's difficulty is the spice, and the casual mode is the honey, making it more palatable.
TA: How did you balance preserving the original experience for veterans while adding quality-of-life improvements?
ST: The SaGa series isn't just about difficulty; it's about the challenge of understanding the game mechanics. The original lacked visible information, such as enemy weaknesses and defense stats, forcing players to figure things out independently. We felt this was unfair, so we made weaknesses visible in the remake. We addressed other overly difficult aspects to create a fairer, more enjoyable experience for modern players.
TA: The Steam Deck version runs exceptionally well. Was it optimized specifically for the 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 give specifics, but major development began in late 2021.
TA: What did you learn from the Trials of Mana remake that you applied to Romancing SaGa 2?
ST: Trials of Mana taught us player preferences regarding remakes. For example, players generally prefer soundtrack arrangements faithful to the originals, but with enhanced quality given modern technology. We included an option to switch between original and rearranged tracks, a feature well-received in Trials of Mana and included here. We also learned that graphic styles need to be adjusted to fit the specific game. SaGa needed a more serious tone than Mana's more adorable style.
TA: Will Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven come to mobile or Xbox?
ST: There are no current 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)
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 trailer looked fantastic, but I worried about the Steam Deck experience. Thankfully, Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven is not only excellent on the Steam Deck OLED but made me question the need for PS5 or Switch versions. The game looks and sounds superb, and the tutorial gently introduces battle mechanics and stats. Quality-of-life improvements enhance information presentation and combat flow, even with the original game's challenging difficulty. It's a great entry point for newcomers.
The visuals are far better than expected, surpassing even my enjoyment of Trials of Mana's remake (possibly due to my greater fondness for Romancing SaGa 2). The PC port's performance on Steam Deck is impressive. Audio options include selectable soundtracks (original or remake) and languages (English or Japanese), along with extensive graphics settings. I maxed out most settings (with medium shadows) and achieved a near-constant 90fps at 720p. The English voice acting is good, but I'll likely try the Japanese audio later.
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 others to explore the SaGa series. 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.
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