SaGa 2 Interview & Steam Deck Preview

A deep dive into the SaGa series for newcomers and veterans alike. My journey into the SaGa universe began with Romancing SaGa 2 on iOS, a game I initially found challenging due to its unique gameplay. Now, a devoted fan (as evidenced by the photo below), I was thrilled by the recent announcement of Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven, a complete remake for Switch, PC, and PlayStation.

This double feature includes my hands-on experience with an early demo on Steam Deck and an interview with the game's producer, Shinichi Tatsuke (also behind Trials of Mana's remake). Our conversation covered various aspects, including the remake's development, lessons learned from Trials of Mana, accessibility features, potential future ports, and even coffee preferences. The interview was conducted via video call, transcribed, and edited for brevity.

TouchArcade (TA): What's it like remaking beloved classics 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, originating from the Squaresoft era. These are legendary titles, and it's an honor to remake them. Nearly 30 years have passed since their original releases, providing ample opportunity for improvement. Romancing SaGa 2, with its unique systems, remains distinctive even today, making 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 fidelity to the original with accessibility for newcomers, many of whom will likely experience SaGa for the first time with this modern iteration?

ST: The SaGa series' difficulty is well-known, and many hardcore fans consider it essential to the series' identity. However, this difficulty also presents a significant barrier to entry for potential players. Many are aware of the series but haven't played it due to perceived difficulty.

To address this, we introduced a difficulty system with "normal" and "casual" modes. Normal caters to standard RPG players, while casual allows players to focus on the narrative. This was a collective decision by the development team, which includes core SaGa fans. 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 palatable for newcomers.

TA: How did you balance delivering the original experience for veterans while incorporating quality-of-life improvements?

ST: The SaGa series isn't just about difficulty; it's also about accessibility of information. The original lacked visible data like enemy weaknesses and defenses, forcing players to figure things out. We felt this was unfair, so we made weaknesses visible in the remake. We addressed other areas that made the original too difficult, striving for fairness and enjoyment for modern players.

TA: The game runs exceptionally well on Steam Deck. Was it specifically optimized for the platform?

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

TA: How long was the development process?

ST: I can't give specifics, but main development began towards the end of 2021.

TA: What lessons from Trials of Mana informed the development of Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven?

ST: Trials of Mana taught us about player preferences regarding remakes. For example, players often prefer soundtracks that are faithful to the original but with improved quality. We implemented this in Romancing SaGa 2, offering both original and rearranged soundtracks. We also learned that players appreciate choices regarding music, so we included this option. The graphics also differed; Mana characters are shorter and more adorable, while SaGa characters are taller and more serious. We used lighting effects in SaGa to create realism instead of texture shadows like in Mana. We leveraged past experiences while also innovating.

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.

(Thanks to Shinichi Tatsuke, Jordan Aslett, Sara Green, and Rachel Mascetti for their time.)

Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven Steam Deck Impressions

Receiving a Steam key for the demo filled me with excitement and apprehension. The reveal trailer was stunning, but I worried about the Steam Deck experience. Fortunately, the game is excellent on the Steam Deck OLED, surpassing my expectations. The few hours I spent with the demo made me question the need for PS5 or Switch versions.

The game looks and sounds fantastic on the Steam Deck. The remake gradually introduces core mechanics, offering quality-of-life improvements and new audio options. For newcomers, it's a great entry point, while veterans will appreciate the enhancements. The visuals are more approachable, yet it retains the core Romancing SaGa 2 experience. Even on the original difficulty setting, the challenge remains.

The visuals are significantly better than anticipated. While I loved the Trials of Mana remake, Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven might be the superior remake, likely due to my greater fondness for the original game. The PC port on Steam Deck is surprisingly well-optimized. The game offers extensive customization options for screen mode, resolution, frame rate, v-sync, dynamic resolution, graphics presets, anti-aliasing, texture filtering, shadow quality, and 3D model rendering resolution. I achieved near-locked 90fps at 720p on my Steam Deck OLED with mostly high settings.

I used English audio for my playthrough; the voice acting is good, but I might try Japanese later. The game successfully blends modern features with the essence of the SaGa series.

I eagerly anticipate the full game and exploring the console versions. 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 on October 24th for Steam, Nintendo Switch, PS5, and PS4. A free demo is available on all platforms.