Despite adoring JRPGs and playing essentially every major one that releases these days, there is one series that has never enticed me: SaGa. While I appreciate the non-linear nature and multiple playable characters in these games, every one I tried lost me one way or another. At least, that was true until now. Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven finally helped me understand why players like this series.
I played the original Romancing SaGa 2 when it came to Switch. It also lost my interest quite quickly. Thankfully, this remake feels like a direct proposal to newcomers and uninterested JRPG fans like myself, while also being a victory lap for existing SaGa fans. The core of this experience is the same as the original, but with a new fully 3D coat of paint and some much-needed quality-of-life features.
No, you don’t need to play any other SaGa game to enjoy this non-linear experience. The story kicks off with seven memorable heroes that once (supposedly) saved the world, but are now apparently engaging in some less heroic deeds. After a pretty linear prologue, you are set off to do whatever you want in terms of building an empire to inevitably defeat these seven fallen heroes in whatever order you like.
The crux of this JRPG experience is its unique and surprisingly great emphasis on player choice. Pretty much every aspect of the game is up to you to decide. With few exceptions, you pick which hero to go after and fight next. You also get to choose who the emperor is and how to customize the capital city of Avalon to your liking.
Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven is unlike any other JRPG I’ve played, including in its own Square Enix series. This is a true fantasy epic. Don’t go into this game expecting a typical linear group of heroes saving the world. Instead, this is a game that focuses on a thousand years-long saga of various heroes and parties.
Much of this thematic aspect comes from the permadeath feature, which might be my favorite part. Every character has their usual HP, BP (think mana or MP), and skills in battle. But if a character loses all of their HP, they also lose a life point, or LP. If their LP, which is extremely rare to restore, reaches zero, they die for good. And, yes, this even includes the emperor you play as.
However, this is just a feature of the game and not a “game over” like most JRPGs. If your emperor dies, you just keep moving on with the story. You move on to the next generation of the empire and pick the next successor. Better yet, this person also inherits the skills and powers of the previous emperor. This means you are encouraged to actually lose and move throughout the generations.
I will admit, though, this aspect does make Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven a bit too impersonal at times. Outside of a couple of key characters, I never really connected with anyone. Since I knew they could die at any moment, I didn’t get attached to any particular party member or ruler.
This is a general sacrifice this title makes for its element of player choice. It extends to the overarching plot as well. The story here is pretty barebones and nothing too special. This is possibly intentional to give focus on the player’s decisions. While I like the decent English voice acting, it also adds little to the overall experience.
If you’re looking for the next JRPG to wow you in terms of characters and plot, this might not be the one. That said, if you’re looking for a game with quirky features you won’t find anywhere else, I say give it a go. This even applies to the turn-based combat. This is by far my favorite turn-based battle system in the SaGa series so far. It is fast but flashy and full of many different skills.
There are about 30 different classes party members could have throughout the adventure, plus a ton of weapon types. Someone might have a bow and spear, plus fire spells. Another character might have a shield and be more like a tank but also have healing. The title avoids the usual methods of progression and leveling up, too.
Characters learn new skills naturally as you battle with them. There will be a golden exclamation point next to an attack, such as using your spear. Keep using that skill enough and they will randomly learn a new move. It is always fun to see what new skill someone might learn. You have to be careful, though, as this game does use a resistances and weaknesses system. Oddly enough, it reminds me of Square Enix’s Octopath Traveler series in the presentation of the bar underneath the enemies, but not much beyond that.
The game is challenging enough but never too grindy in my experience. This is despite the general lack of traditional levels. Not only do you learn skills mid-battle, but you gain attributes like more HP the more fights you do. You also level up the weapons or spell type you used in combat, rather than the character’s basic level. I actually rather like this Final Fantasy II-like way of doing it since I would level up what I actually care to use for a character.
There are also other great additions in combat like United Attacks. This is essentially a Limit Break for the party that builds up over time and lets the player execute extraordinarily powerful moves. These are especially useful against the tough bosses.
There is a surprising amount of content, both old and new, on top of the base experience. There is a city builder-like system where you unlock buildings like shops and upgrade them throughout the generations. You can visit the university and take on fun little exams Yakuza: Like a Dragon-style for special rewards. And then there are the memories scattered throughout the world to find as collectibles. These give some much-needed insight into the seven heroes and why they seek revenge.
All of these systems come together to make for the first Romancing SaGa game I ever finished and truly enjoyed. Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven is a great JRPG in a packed year of them well worth checking out. Whether you are new to the series or a familiar veteran, there is something to enjoy. Sure, the 3D visuals are colorful and pretty, but nothing too spectacular, and the title certainly lacks the dedicated characters and plot of other JRPGs. However, it makes up for this with the fantastic focus on player choice that is uniquely rewarding and memorable.
Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven releases for the Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, and PC on October 24, 2024.
In this non-linear RPG, rule and expand the Empire of Varennes across multiple generations. Discover a vast array of story experiences as you fight the Seven Heroes in an epic battle that plays out over thousands of years. PC version reviewed. Review copy provided by company for testing purposes.
Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven is the premier way to check out this intriguingly non-linear JRPG. Players go about the battle against seven fallen heroes and the various generations of an empire with a solid level of player choice. Though the graphics, gameplay, and voice acting aren’t extraordinary, they do enough to make this a remake worth playing for newcomers and existing fans alike.
- You can defeat most of the seven heroes in any order you want
- Permadeath is a huge feature here, as essentially any character can permanently die at any moment
- I like to spam attacks with the gold exclamation points next to them to have a chance of learning a new skill
Published: Oct 23, 2024 07:00 am