SaGa stands as one in all Sq. Enix’s longest-running collection, nevertheless it’s additionally had a tough time outdoors of Japan. If you happen to decide up a random SaGa sport, you may most likely perceive why: SaGa video games are JRPGs that do not do issues in the best way most abroad gamers would anticipate. SaGa tends to focus extra on complicated, interweaving programs of fight, character progress, and questing. And that is supplemented by narratives that are inclined to act extra as connective tissue that hyperlink areas and goals collectively as an alternative of the sprawling, character-driven tales the style has develop into identified for. Wandering round blindly and piecing out what to do and the way issues work in a SaGa sport will be extremely compelling, however some entries within the franchise lean towards immensely irritating. Romancing SaGa 2 is extra the previous than the latter, however its earlier releases have been nonetheless an acquired style.
Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven is a full-on remake of a sport many followers think about the collection’ apex–if not among the many best RPGs of all time. If there’s any sport within the collection that would attain out and seize a brand new viewers in a method no different SaGa sport has earlier than, that is the one that would do it.
Romancing SaGa 2’s story begins ages previous to the fashionable day, when seven heroes fought to rid the land of evil forces. Their deeds have develop into the topic of fantasy and legend, and as occasions have grown ever extra troubled, the folks have yearned for his or her return. Within the latest previous, Emperor Leon and his two sons hear rumblings of the heroes’ revival, however quickly be taught the horrible truth–the heroes have themselves develop into brokers of evil, they usually slay each Leon and his son Victor in a vicious assault. Regardless of this loss, there may be nonetheless hope: Inheritance Magic, which permits an Emperor to move reminiscences, skills, and energy all the way down to an appointed successor, starting with younger prince Gerard.
The inheritance system is one in all Romancing SaGa 2’s most-distinctive gameplay parts. Defeating the depraved seven heroes will not be completed overnight–in reality, it would take many generations and a whole bunch of in-game years, and every successive Emperor–whom you’ll be able to usually choose–takes up the duty of their forebear the place they left off. Even for those who party-wipe–a situation that, in most different RPGs, would result in a Sport Over, you as an alternative decide a brand new Emperor, amass a brand new social gathering, and hold going.
Since your quest spans centuries, you are allowed a sure diploma of freedom in learn how to strategy the duty of defeating the heroes. Here is the place one of many remake’s finest options shines: It gives useful tips to the place quests and factors of curiosity are, serving to to alleviate the “what am I capable of do now” drawback that SaGa is infamous for. Most areas within the sport are opened by exploration of a geographical area, being given info from an NPC, or by dialogue decisions throughout questlines. You are not obliged to do the nice majority of the sport’s quests past the start and ending occasions, however doing so can yield rewards: opening up new playable character courses, supplying you with entry to new areas, or giving your Avalon Empire further territory, that means more cash to your Imperial coffers–just to call a couple of. It is also potential to shut off some questlines completely by making particular decisions or just working out of time. You are not going to see the whole lot Romancing SaGa 2 has to supply in a single playthrough, so it is best to not fear about optimization and as an alternative comply with the hunt threads you discover attention-grabbing and enjoyable.
You may be spending an enormous chunk of your time taking part in Romancing SaGa 2 in fight. That is one place the place the remake has acquired a large overhaul over the unique. Battles are nonetheless turn-based, however as an alternative of inputting your entire social gathering’s instructions for the flip directly and seeing fight play out, you get a timeline the place you’ll be able to see when enemies will act relative to your party–and each motion you select executes instantly earlier than shifting on to the subsequent character. The unique’s Weapon and Spell Factors have additionally been consolidated collectively into Battle Factors, that are spent to make use of each spells and weapon abilities throughout fight, making useful resource administration easier.
Additionally new is the Overdrive Gauge. Much like Octopath Traveler, enemies have weapon and elemental weaknesses that might be revealed when hit by assaults. Exploiting these weaknesses fills up the Overdrive Gauge. When full, you should utilize it to have a number of social gathering members fireplace off particular assaults in a sequence. Not solely does this help you use a number of abilities in speedy succession with out a BP price, nevertheless it additionally augments the injury these abilities do considerably. As the sport progresses and the enemies’ stats develop to match yours, utilizing the Overdrive Gauge will develop into extremely vital to fast and decisive victory–and utilizing it for an enormous, highly effective combo strike by no means stops feeling satisfying.
However with a purpose to get probably the most out of fight, it’s important to perceive how SaGa’s programs differ from what you are used to–though this specific remake makes a visual effort to demystify a few of its extra complicated parts. As an alternative of gaining ranges, characters acquire stats and proficiencies primarily based on their actions in battle: for instance, for those who use spears loads when preventing, your spear ability ranges will enhance enormously in flip, affecting the injury you do with that weapon. Stat progress is considerably much less obtuse than different SaGa titles, as you’ll see how shut you’re to creating beneficial properties on the finish of battle.
Studying assault methods additionally works in a definite method. Not solely does utilizing weapons and magic enhance your proficiency, however relying on a confluence of things, you even have the chance to “glimmer” new abilities in the course of fight. These abilities are tied to particular weapons and have their very own branching timber. While you’re near studying a brand new method, you may see a lightweight bulb subsequent to one in all your current abilities, indicating an opportunity of you glimmering a brand new ability for those who use it. This can be a marked enchancment over among the earlier SaGa installments, the place you basically needed to hold utilizing abilities in hope that one thing would set off finally. The abilities realized by one character will be registered and taught to others in generations that comply with, offered they’ve adequate proficiency ranges to equip them.
Formations might be realized as you progress–you normally be taught a brand new formation with each new Emperor–and placement of your Emperor and allies can have an amazing impact by giving assorted standing buffs/debuffs, in addition to affecting AoE methods. You may need to strategize as a lot as you’ll be able to, as a result of there’s nonetheless one scary SaGa staple to speak about: permadeath. Each character has a beginning quantity of Life Factors while you draft them into your social gathering, they usually lose one each time they’re KOed in fight. When their LP runs out, they’re gone, together with your present Emperor (although you are allowed to choose a brand new Emperor and stick with it). It isn’t as dangerous right here as in different collection video games, however having to run again and draft new social gathering members as a result of any person gave up the ghost for good mid-dungeon continues to be not an interesting prospect. Since LP restoration is extraordinarily uncommon, the necessity to hold your band away from getting KOed as a lot as potential provides an exciting stress to each common fights and boss battles.
If this all appears like an attention-grabbing mixture of programs, that is as a result of it really is. Regardless of how initially abrasive they are often, when a SaGa sport manages to seize you, it is arduous to flee. Romancing SaGa 2’s presentation and quality-of-life enhancements do a incredible job of constructing this far simpler for collection newcomers (and those that could have bounced off of different video games within the collection) to dive into. Even the story’s been expanded upon considerably: it is nonetheless not as front-and-center as you could be used to, however you may discover a very attention-grabbing story of how the Seven Heroes misplaced their method by discovering reminiscences and piecing collectively bits over the course of your marketing campaign.
It isn’t fairly excellent, nevertheless. As the sport progresses, battles get longer and extra arduous–enemies scale stats up as your social gathering does–and even standard-issue foes are inclined to hit arduous. Whilst you recuperate to full HP after every battle, you may steadily end up straggling on the finish of a dungeon, drained from having to make use of numerous high-BP abilities simply to do an inexpensive quantity of injury. Restorative objects exist, however can be found in very restricted portions for probably the most half, so plenty of your time in dungeons winds up making an attempt to navigate to keep away from encounters–which turns into irritating throughout these occasions when imprecise platforming comes into play.
There’s another excuse to keep away from encounters, as nicely. Whereas this remake does a strong job at guaranteeing sport parts extra clear, there’s nonetheless one that is still very mysterious: how the sport’s timer works. A mixture of unseen components, together with the variety of battles and completed-event flags decide when a generational shift to the subsequent Emperor will occur and what number of years move in-between. This may be extremely disruptive, interrupting present questlines and necessitating a time-consuming full social gathering reorganization. Not less than you’ve gotten the choice now to your present Emperor to instantly abdicate and reset these unseen timers, nevertheless it’s nonetheless a component the place giving the participant extra info could be a profit.
Regardless, Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven is an excellent remake of a basic sport that not often acquired due recognition outdoors of Japan. It is stuffed with programs which might be enjoyable to discover and make the most of alongside a core gameplay conceit that is still distinctive. If you happen to’re in search of a unique tackle JRPGs–or only a distinctive RPG in general–this is a prolonged journey you may need to make investments plenty of time into.