SaGa 2 Remaster Gets Interview

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 proving quite challenging due to my preconceived JRPG approach. Today, however, I'm a devoted SaGa fan (as evidenced by the image below), pleasantly surprised by the recent announcement of Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven, a complete remake for Switch, PC, and PlayStation.

This dual feature explores my experience with the Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven Steam Deck demo and an interview with Game Producer Shinichi Tatsuke (also behind Trials of Mana's remake). Our conversation covered various aspects, including the game's development, lessons learned from Trials of Mana, accessibility, potential future ports, and even coffee preferences. The 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 considered legendary Square titles, and remaking them is an incredible honor. Both games, originally released nearly 30 years ago, offered 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 experienced a game over within ten minutes on my first playthrough! The remake offers multiple difficulty settings. How did you balance faithfulness to the original with improved accessibility, especially for newcomers encountering the SaGa series for the first time with modern graphics?

ST: The SaGa series' difficulty is well-known, attracting a dedicated fanbase both domestically and internationally. While some consider difficulty essential to the SaGa experience, others find it a significant barrier to entry. Many are aware of the series but haven't played due to perceived difficulty.

To cater to both veteran and new players, we introduced adjustable difficulty settings: Normal and Casual. 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 a wider audience.

TA: How did you balance the original experience for veterans with quality-of-life improvements? How did you choose which features to modernize while maintaining the challenge for seasoned players?

ST: The SaGa series isn't solely about difficulty; it's also about accessibility. The original game obscured crucial information like enemy weaknesses and defenses, forcing players to deduce them. This wasn't necessarily challenging, but unfair. For the remake, we made weaknesses visible, addressing this unfairness. We've adjusted other excessively difficult aspects 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 your experience with Trials of Mana on various platforms (PS4, Switch, mobile), has the team optimized the game specifically for the Steam Deck?

ST: Yes, the full game will be compatible and playable on the Steam Deck.

TA: Can you comment on the development time for Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven?

ST: I can't provide specific details, 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: Our work on Trials of Mana provided valuable insights into player preferences for remakes. For example, we learned that players generally prefer soundtrack arrangements 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 incorporated into Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven.

We also made adjustments to the graphics. The character styles differ between the Mana and SaGa series; SaGa characters are taller and the art style is more serious. We used lighting effects to create shadows, unlike the texture-based shadows in Trials of Mana, to maintain a realistic feel suitable for the SaGa universe. While we utilized many lessons from Trials of Mana, we also developed new techniques specifically for this remake.

At this point, I expressed appreciation for the "Romancing SaGa 2 Primer" video.

TA: Trials of Mana eventually released on mobile. Are there plans to bring Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven to mobile or Xbox?

ST: We currently have no plans for those platforms.

TA: Finally, what's your coffee preference?

ST: I don't drink coffee; I dislike bitter drinks. I also don't drink beer.

Acknowledgements 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 Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven demo filled me with excitement and apprehension. The reveal trailer looked stunning, but I was unsure about the Steam Deck experience. Thankfully, the game not only runs flawlessly on my Steam Deck OLED but also surpasses my expectations, making me reconsider playing it on PS5 or Switch.

The game looks and sounds fantastic on the Steam Deck. The remake gradually introduces core mechanics, offering quality-of-life improvements, smoother combat, and new audio options. For newcomers, it's an excellent entry point into the SaGa series. The visuals enhance accessibility, while retaining the core Romancing SaGa 2 experience. Even on the most challenging difficulty, the game remains engaging.

Visually, the remake exceeds expectations. While I enjoyed Trials of Mana's remake, Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven might be superior, possibly due to my preference for the original game. The Steam Deck port is remarkably well-optimized. Sound and language options include the original and new soundtracks, English and Japanese audio, and extensive graphics settings.

The PC port offers extensive customization: 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 mostly maximum settings, I achieved a near-locked 90fps at 720p on my Steam Deck OLED.

I used English audio for my initial playthrough, finding the voice acting good. I'll likely play through with Japanese audio later. The remake successfully modernizes Romancing SaGa 2 while retaining its unique charm.

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.