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, mistaking it for a typical JRPG. Now, my fondness for the SaGa franchise is evident (see the image 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 feature involves my hands-on experience with the Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven Steam Deck demo (via early access code) and an interview with Game Producer Shinichi Tatsuke, also behind Trials of Mana’s remake. We discussed the game, 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): Having remade the beloved Trials of Mana, and now Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven, another classic, how does it feel?
Shinichi Tatsuke (ST): Both Trials of Mana and the Romancing SaGa series predate the Square Enix merger, hailing from the Squaresoft era. They're legendary Square titles, and it's an incredible honor to oversee their remakes. Both games, originally released nearly 30 years ago, offered significant room for improvement. The remake process was incredibly rewarding.
Romancing SaGa 2, with its unique systems, remains distinctive even today. Its uniqueness made it a compelling candidate for a remake, even after 30 years, ensuring its appeal to modern players.
TA: The original Romancing SaGa 2 was notoriously challenging (I experienced a game over within 10 minutes!). The remake offers multiple difficulty settings. How did you balance faithfulness to the original with accessibility, especially for newcomers encountering their first SaGa game with modernized graphics?
ST: The SaGa series' difficulty is well-known, boasting dedicated fans worldwide. Some argue that difficulty is integral to the SaGa experience. However, others perceive a high barrier to entry due to this difficulty, preventing them from exploring the series. Many are aware of SaGa but haven't played it due to perceived difficulty.
To address this, we introduced adjustable difficulty settings: 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. It's like adding honey to spicy curry – the original game's difficulty is the spice, and the casual mode is the honey, making it more approachable.
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 longtime fans?
ST: The SaGa series isn't just about difficulty; it's about the challenge of understanding the game. The original lacked visible information like enemy weaknesses and defenses, requiring players to deduce them. This wasn't necessarily difficult, but unfair. For the remake, we made this information visible, creating a fairer, more enjoyable experience. We addressed other overly challenging aspects to enhance the modern experience.
TA: The Steam Deck performance impressed me. Considering my Trials of Mana experience across PS4, Switch, and mobile, has the team 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 development for 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 Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven?
ST: Trials of Mana taught us player preferences for remakes. For example, regarding soundtracks, players prefer arrangements faithful to the originals, but with enhanced quality due to modern technology. We offered a choice between original and rearranged tracks in Trials of Mana, a feature carried over to Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven.
Other aspects, like graphics, were handled differently. Mana's adorable style contrasted with SaGa's more serious tone. We used lighting effects for shadows in SaGa, unlike the texture-based shadows in Mana, to maintain realism. We leveraged past experiences while also innovating.
The interviewer thanked Tatsuke for the "Romancing SaGa 2 Primer" video.
TA: Trials of Mana reached 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, including beer.
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 demo generated excitement and apprehension. The trailer looked fantastic, but Steam Deck compatibility was uncertain. Fortunately, Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven exceeded expectations, making the PS5 or Switch versions almost unnecessary. The quality is exceptional on Valve's handheld.
The game's visuals and audio are stunning on Steam Deck. The remake gradually introduces mechanics, offering quality-of-life improvements, refined combat flow, 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 original-difficulty setting, the challenge remains.
The remake surpasses my expectations. While I prefer the original Romancing SaGa 2 to Trials of Mana, only time will tell which remake is superior. The Steam Deck PC port is exceptionally well-optimized. Audio and language options include original or new soundtracks, English or Japanese audio, and various graphics settings.
The PC port allows adjustments to screen mode, resolution (720p supported 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 near-locked 90fps at 720p on my Steam Deck OLED.
I used English audio for my initial playthrough, finding the voice acting good. I might switch to Japanese for a later playthrough. The care taken in modernizing the game while preserving its SaGa essence is commendable.
I eagerly await the full release and console versions. Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven is a must-have for RPG fans. Hopefully, this will encourage exploration of 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.
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