SA2 Interview and Steam Deck Preview Exclusive

Experience the Reimagined Classic: Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven

Many longtime gamers discovered the SaGa series through past console generations. For me, the iOS release of Romancing SaGa 2 was my introduction 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!), 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 review covers my experience with an early Steam Deck demo and an interview with Game Producer Shinichi Tatsuke (also behind Trials of Mana's remake). We discussed Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven, lessons learned from Trials of Mana, accessibility, potential Xbox and mobile ports, coffee preferences, and more. The interview, conducted via video call, has been transcribed and edited for brevity.

TouchArcade (TA): Having remade beloved titles like Trials of Mana and now Romancing SaGa 2, what's that like?

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, originally released nearly 30 years ago, offered significant opportunities for improvement. Romancing SaGa 2's unique systems, innovative even today, made it a perfect candidate for a modern update.

TA: The original Romancing SaGa 2 was notoriously challenging (I got a game over in the first ten minutes!). The remake offers multiple difficulty settings. How did you balance faithfulness to the original with improved accessibility for newcomers?

ST: The SaGa series' difficulty is legendary, attracting hardcore fans worldwide. However, this difficulty also creates a barrier to entry for many. We aimed to please both veteran and new players by introducing adjustable difficulty levels: Normal mode for standard RPG players and Casual mode for those prioritizing narrative. It's like adding honey to spicy curry—the original game's intense difficulty is softened by the casual mode option.

TA: How did you balance preserving the original experience for veterans with quality-of-life improvements?

ST: The SaGa series isn't just about difficulty; it's about the challenge of understanding its mechanics. The original game obscured crucial information like enemy weaknesses and defenses. We felt this was unfair, so the remake clearly displays this data, creating a more balanced and enjoyable experience. We adjusted other overly challenging aspects to enhance fairness for modern audiences.

TA: The Steam Deck performance is impressive. Was the game optimized specifically for it?

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

TA: How long was development?

ST: I can't disclose specifics, but main development began in late 2021.

TA: What did you learn from the Trials of Mana remake that you applied here?

ST: Trials of Mana taught us player preferences. For soundtracks, players generally prefer arrangements faithful to the originals, but with improved quality enabled by modern technology. We offered both original and rearranged tracks, a feature well-received and included in Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven. We also learned about graphic styles and adapted them to SaGa’s more serious tone using lighting instead of texture shadows.

TA: Will this come to mobile or Xbox?

ST: No current plans.

TA: Coffee preference?

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

(TA's Steam Deck Impressions)

My pre-release Steam Deck experience was overwhelmingly positive. Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven looks and sounds fantastic, with gradual introductions to gameplay mechanics. Quality-of-life improvements enhance combat flow and information presentation. The visuals are more approachable for newcomers, while retaining the challenge of the original for veterans. The PC port runs exceptionally well, achieving near-locked 90fps on my Steam Deck OLED at 720p with high settings. Audio options include the original and new soundtracks, and English and Japanese voiceovers.

The remake is a polished and improved experience, potentially surpassing Trials of Mana's remake in quality. The game’s extensive graphical settings allow for customization to suit various hardware. While the English voice acting is good, I plan to try the Japanese audio in the full release.

Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven is a must-have for RPG fans. I hope this sparks interest in other SaGa titles. Square Enix, please give us SaGa Frontier 2 next!

Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven launches October 24th for Steam, Nintendo Switch, PS5, and PS4. A free demo is available on all platforms.