Many longtime gamers discovered the SaGa series through past console releases. For me, Romancing SaGa 2 on iOS was my introduction almost a decade ago. Initially, I struggled, approaching it like a typical JRPG. Now, I'm a huge SaGa fan (as evidenced by the photo below), so I was thrilled to see Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven, a complete remake, announced for Switch, PC, and PlayStation.
For this dual feature, I played the Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven Steam Deck demo and interviewed 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, and more. This interview, conducted via video call, has been edited for brevity.
TouchArcade (TA): What's it like remaking beloved games 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 (the Squaresoft era). They're legendary Square titles. It's an honor to remake them, especially given their age (nearly 30 years!). The remakes offered significant improvement opportunities. Romancing SaGa 2, with its unique systems, remains unique even today, making it a compelling remake candidate.
TA: The original Romancing SaGa 2 was notoriously difficult (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 accessibility, especially for newcomers encountering SaGa for the first time with modern graphics?
ST: The SaGa series' difficulty is well-known, attracting hardcore fans worldwide. However, many potential players are intimidated by this reputation. We aimed to please both groups—veterans and newcomers. The solution was a new difficulty system: normal and casual modes. Normal caters to standard RPG players, while casual prioritizes story enjoyment. Our team included core SaGa fans, ensuring a balanced approach. Think of it like adding honey to spicy curry (the original game) to make it more palatable for everyone.
TA: How did you preserve the original experience for veterans while adding quality-of-life improvements? How did you choose which features to modernize?
ST: The SaGa series isn't just about difficulty; it's also about how opaque the game systems are. The original lacked visible enemy weaknesses and other crucial stats, requiring players to deduce them. We felt this wasn't challenging, but unfair. The remake makes weaknesses visible, among other adjustments to create a fairer, more enjoyable experience.
TA: The Steam Deck performance is impressive. Was the game specifically optimized for it?
ST: Yes, the full game will be compatible and playable on the Steam Deck.
TA: How long was development?
ST: I can't give specifics, but major development started in late 2021.
TA: What did you learn from Trials of Mana that you applied to Romancing SaGa 2?
ST: Trials of Mana taught us player preferences for remakes. For example, soundtracks: players prefer arrangements faithful to the originals, but with improved quality possible due to modern technology. We also learned that offering both original and rearranged soundtracks is appreciated (as in Trials of Mana), so we included that option here. Graphically, we adjusted character heights and used lighting effects (instead of texture shadows like in Mana) to suit the SaGa's more serious tone. We used past experience but also innovated in new areas.
Editor's Note: The interviewer thanked Tatsuke for the English "Romancing SaGa 2 Primer" video.
TA: Trials of Mana reached mobile. Are there plans for Romancing SaGa 2 on mobile or Xbox?
ST: No current plans for those platforms.
TA: Finally, what's your coffee preference?
ST: I don't drink coffee; I dislike bitter drinks. I don't drink beer either.
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 was exciting and slightly nerve-wracking. The trailer looked great, but I worried about Steam Deck compatibility. Thankfully, it's excellent, making me reconsider PS5 or Switch versions. It's that good.
The visuals and sound are fantastic. The remake gradually introduces battle mechanics and stats. Quality-of-life improvements, enhanced combat flow, and audio options benefit both returning and new players. The visuals enhance accessibility, yet it retains the core Romancing SaGa 2 experience. Even on the hardest difficulty, it remains challenging.
The visuals exceed expectations; I believe it surpasses Trials of Mana's remake (though my preference for the original game might influence this). The PC port, at least on Steam Deck, is surprisingly good. Extensive graphical and audio options are available (screen mode, resolution, framerate, v-sync, dynamic resolution, presets, anti-aliasing, texture filtering, shadow quality, 3D model resolution). I maxed out most settings, maintaining a near-locked 90fps at 720p on my Steam Deck OLED. I used English voice acting initially but might try Japanese later.
I'm eager to play the full game and compare the console demo. Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven is a must-try RPG. I hope this boosts 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.
