SaGa stands as one in all Sq. Enix’s longest-running sequence, nevertheless it’s additionally had a tough time exterior of Japan. When you choose up a random SaGa sport, you will 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 likely to act extra as connective tissue that hyperlink places and targets collectively as an alternative of the sprawling, character-driven tales the style has grow to be recognized 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 take into account the sequence’ apex–if not among the many best RPGs of all time. If there’s any sport within the sequence 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 trendy day, when seven heroes fought to rid the land of evil forces. Their deeds have grow to be the topic of fantasy and legend, and as instances have grown ever extra troubled, the folks have yearned for his or her return. Within the current previous, Emperor Leon and his two sons hear rumblings of the heroes’ revival, however quickly study the horrible truth–the heroes have themselves grow to be brokers of evil, they usually slay each Leon and his son Victor in a vicious assault. Regardless of this loss, there’s nonetheless hope: Inheritance Magic, which permits an Emperor to cross reminiscences, talents, and power right 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 truth, it can take many generations and lots of of in-game years, and every successive Emperor–whom you possibly can typically choose–takes up the duty of their forebear the place they left off. Even in case you party-wipe–a situation that, in most different RPGs, would result in a Recreation Over, you as an alternative choose a brand new Emperor, amass a brand new get together, and preserve going.
Since your quest spans centuries, you are allowed a sure diploma of freedom in find out how to strategy the duty of defeating the heroes. This is the place one of many remake’s finest options shines: It affords useful tips to the place quests and factors of curiosity are, serving to to alleviate the “what am I in a position to do now” drawback that SaGa is infamous for. Most places within the sport are opened by means of exploration of a geographical area, being given data from an NPC, or by means of 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 lessons, providing you with entry to new areas, or giving your Avalon Empire further territory, that means extra money on your Imperial coffers–just to call a number of. It is also potential to shut off some questlines completely by making particular decisions or just operating out of time. You are not going to see all the pieces 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 fascinating and enjoyable.
You will 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 all your get together’s instructions for the flip without delay and seeing fight play out, you get a timeline the place you possibly can 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 less complicated.
Additionally new is the Overdrive Gauge. Much like Octopath Traveler, enemies have weapon and elemental weaknesses that shall 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 get together members fireplace off particular assaults in a series. Not solely does this help you use a number of abilities in instant succession with out a BP price, nevertheless it additionally augments the harm these abilities do considerably. As the sport progresses and the enemies’ stats develop to match yours, utilizing the Overdrive Gauge will grow to be extremely vital to fast and decisive victory–and utilizing it for an enormous, highly effective combo strike by no means stops feeling satisfying.
However so as to get essentially the most out of fight, you must perceive how SaGa’s programs differ from what you are used to–though this explicit remake makes a visual effort to demystify a few of its extra complicated parts. As a substitute of gaining ranges, characters achieve stats and proficiencies primarily based on their actions in battle: for instance, in case you use spears quite a bit when combating, your spear ability ranges will enhance significantly in flip, affecting the harm 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 good points on the finish of battle.
Studying assault strategies 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. If you’re near studying a brand new method, you will see a light-weight bulb subsequent to one in all your present abilities, indicating an opportunity of you glimmering a brand new ability in case you use it. It is a marked enchancment over among the earlier SaGa installments, the place you primarily needed to preserve utilizing abilities in hope that one thing would set off finally. The talents discovered by one character will be registered and taught to others in generations that comply with, offered they’ve ample proficiency ranges to equip them.
Formations shall be discovered as you progress–you often study 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 strategies. You will need to strategize as a lot as you possibly can, 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 get together, 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 select a brand new Emperor and keep on). It isn’t as unhealthy right here as in different sequence video games, however having to run again and draft new get together members as a result of someone gave up the ghost for good mid-dungeon continues to be not an interesting prospect. Since LP restoration is extraordinarily uncommon, the necessity to preserve 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 seems like an fascinating 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 onerous to flee. Romancing SaGa 2’s presentation and quality-of-life enhancements do a implausible job of creating this far simpler for sequence newcomers (and those that could have bounced off of different video games within the sequence) to dive into. Even the story’s been expanded upon considerably: it is nonetheless not as front-and-center as you is likely to be used to, however you will discover a very fascinating story of how the Seven Heroes misplaced their method by means of discovering reminiscences and piecing collectively bits over the course of your marketing campaign.
It isn’t fairly good, nevertheless. As the sport progresses, battles get longer and extra arduous–enemies scale stats up as your get together does–and even standard-issue foes are likely to hit onerous. When you get well to full HP after every struggle, you will ceaselessly 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 harm. Restorative objects exist, however can be found in very restricted portions for essentially the most half, so a number of your time in dungeons winds up attempting to navigate to keep away from encounters–which turns into irritating throughout these instances when imprecise platforming comes into play.
There’s another excuse to keep away from encounters, as nicely. Whereas this remake does a stable job at guaranteeing sport parts extra clear, there’s nonetheless one that is still very mysterious: how the sport’s timer works. A mix of unseen elements, 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 cross in-between. This may be extremely disruptive, interrupting present questlines and necessitating a time-consuming full get together reorganization. At the very least you have got the choice now on your present Emperor to instantly abdicate and reset these unseen timers, nevertheless it’s nonetheless a component the place giving the participant extra data could be a profit.
Regardless, Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven is an outstanding remake of a basic sport that hardly ever acquired due recognition exterior of Japan. It is full of programs which can be enjoyable to discover and make the most of alongside a core gameplay conceit that is still distinctive. When you’re on the lookout for a unique tackle JRPGs–or only a distinctive RPG in general–this is a prolonged journey you will need to make investments a lot of time into.