Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven – A Remake Fit for Modern Gamers: An Interview and Steam Deck Impressions
Many longtime gamers discovered the SaGa series through past console generations. For me, Romancing SaGa 2 on iOS was my introduction almost a decade ago. Initially, I struggled, treating it like a typical JRPG. Now, I'm a devoted SaGa fan (as evidenced by the photo below), so 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 Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven Game Producer Shinichi Tatsuke (also behind Trials of Mana's remake). We discussed the remake, lessons learned from Trials of Mana, accessibility, potential Xbox and mobile ports, coffee, and more. The interview, conducted via video call, has been transcribed and 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, originating from the Squaresoft era. They're legendary Square titles, and remaking them is an incredible honor. Both games are nearly 30 years old, offering ample room for improvement. Romancing SaGa 2, with its unique systems—still unique today—was a perfect candidate for a remake. Its distinctiveness would resonate with modern players.
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 accessibility, especially for newcomers encountering the SaGa series for the first time with modern graphics?
ST: The SaGa series' difficulty is well-known, with dedicated fans worldwide. Some believe difficulty is essential to the SaGa experience. Others find it a barrier to entry. Many know the series but haven't played it due to perceived difficulty. We aimed to satisfy both groups by introducing difficulty options: Normal and Casual. Normal caters to standard RPG players, while Casual prioritizes story and narrative. Our development team included core SaGa fans, making this a collective decision. It's like adding honey to spicy curry—the original Romancing SaGa 2 is the spicy curry, and Casual mode is the honey, making it more accessible.
TA: How did you balance the original experience for veterans with quality-of-life improvements? How did you choose which features to modernize while maintaining challenge for veteran fans?
ST: The SaGa series isn't just about difficulty; it's about understanding the game. The original lacked visible information like enemy weaknesses and defense stats, forcing players to figure things out. This wasn't challenging, but unfair. The remake displays weaknesses, making it fairer and more enjoyable. We addressed other overly difficult aspects to create a better modern experience.
TA: Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven runs exceptionally well on my Steam Deck. Considering my experience with Trials of Mana on various platforms, was the game optimized specifically for the Steam Deck?
ST: Yes, the full game will be compatible and playable on the Steam Deck.
TA: How long was the development of Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven?
ST: I can't give specifics, but main development began towards the end of 2021.
TA: What did you learn from the Trials of Mana remake that informed Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven?
ST: Trials of Mana taught us player preferences for remakes. For example, players generally prefer soundtracks faithful to the original, but with enhanced quality due to modern technology. We offered both original and rearranged tracks in Trials of Mana and included that option here. We also learned about graphical preferences. Mana's characters are shorter and more adorable. SaGa's aesthetic is different, so we adjusted character height and used lighting effects for realism instead of textural shadows. We leveraged past experiences and added new elements specific to this remake.
TA: Trials of Mana came to mobile. Are there plans for Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven 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 and assistance.)
Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven Steam Deck Impressions
Receiving a Steam key for the pre-release demo filled me with excitement and apprehension. The trailer looked fantastic, but I worried about the Steam Deck experience. Thankfully, it's excellent. The few hours I played made me reconsider getting it on PS5 or Switch. It's that good on the Steam Deck.
The game looks and sounds amazing. The remake gradually introduces battle mechanics, stats, and more. For those familiar with Romancing SaGa 2, quality-of-life improvements enhance combat flow and information presentation. Newcomers will find it an excellent entry point. The visuals enhance accessibility, but it's still very much Romancing SaGa 2 with a fresh coat of paint. Playing on the original difficulty setting remains challenging.
The visuals surpassed expectations. While I loved the Trials of Mana remake, I believe Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven will be superior (though this is subjective). The Steam Deck PC port is surprisingly good. The game offers extensive customization options: screen mode, resolution (720p supported on Steam Deck), frame rate (30 to unlimited), v-sync, dynamic resolution, graphics presets, anti-aliasing, texture filtering, shadow quality, and 3D model rendering resolution. I maxed out most settings (medium shadows) and achieved a near-locked 90fps at 720p on my Steam Deck OLED.
I used English audio for my playthrough. The voice acting is good, but I'll likely switch to Japanese for the full game. The effort to modernize while retaining the SaGa feel is evident.
I eagerly await the full game and will explore the console demo. Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven is a must-have for RPG fans. Hopefully, this will encourage players to explore other SaGa titles. Square Enix, please give us SaGa Frontier 2 next!
Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven launches October 24th on Steam, Nintendo Switch, PS5, and PS4. A free demo is available on all platforms.
