Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven Review

As a seasoned gamer with decades of experience under my belt, I must say that Romancing SaGa: Revenge of the Seven has been a refreshing and delightful journey for me. Having dabbled in various iterations of the series over the years, this remake has managed to strike a perfect balance between nostalgia and modernization.

At the start of this year, one of my gaming goals for 2024 was to dip my feet into the pool known as Square Enix’s SaGa series. This franchise has been growing alongside its more popular sibling, Final Fantasy, but for various reasons, I never explored these games before. But that changes now! The SaGa series had an unexpectedly great year with not just a brand-new game, Emerald Beyond, but also a complete remake of Romancing SaGa 2, titled Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven. And let me tell you, I’m really enjoying it so far.

Initially, Romancing SaGa 2 debuted on the Super Famicom in the 90s; it was only accessible in Japan until 2016 when we in the West received a remade mobile version. As I had barely spent three hours with that earlier version, I embarked on “Revenge of the Seven” with minimal prior exposure, essentially playing it as a novice to the franchise. Consequently, I can’t provide detailed comparisons between the original and the remake. However, conversing with friends who are deeply immersed in the series, I discovered that “Revenge of the Seven” has been significantly expanded upon.

In “Revenge of the Seven,” instead of centering around a specific character or group of protagonists, the game’s narrative revolves more around inheritance, lineage, and leaving a lasting impact. Over spans of hundreds of years and numerous generations, you assume the role of the Emperor/Empress of Avalon in the realm of Verennes. Your objective is to cultivate and expand your kingdom while dealing with the Seven Heroes, foretold to bring about the destruction of the world. Known for their open-ended gameplay, the “SaGa” series allows players to determine their own approach to the story. In this game, the choices you make shape your experience, giving each player a unique SaGa journey.

Each time I launched the game, it always felt like embarking on a fresh journey, with minimal expectations regarding what challenges might arise. I’d either select a location on the expansive map needing assistance or venture off into one of the larger zones at random, and set off. More often than not, my eagerness and anxiety were focused on discovering exciting rewards – be it a new skill, character class, or hidden secret – at the end of the quest, or locating Mr. S (the iconic yellow mascot from the SaGa series). My primary concern was usually uncovering what lay over the next hill rather than the impending danger posed by the Seven Heroes. I was always eager to explore the unknown.

As a gamer, I’m free to shape my gaming experience in this game across various dimensions, from party composition to character development. I get to pick my squad from a diverse roster of predefined characters, each belonging to distinct classes like robust infantry or enchanting mages, with more choices opening up as I journey through the game, conquering quests scattered worldwide.

In simpler terms, the characters in your party lack depth when it comes to their stories and personalities; they’re mostly defined by their combat abilities. Their appearances don’t change much either, with minor variations like hairstyles and color schemes distinguishing one character from another across generations. I would have appreciated more attention given to making these characters relatable, but aside from a few exceptions, they serve primarily as tools rather than companions I care about personally. This issue is made worse by the fact that, upon completing quests, you can leap forward over a century, replacing your current party members with their look-alike descendants.

In the SaGa series, acquiring skills, referred to as “Glimmers,” relies on chance and the power level of your weapon or magic. The more frequently a character uses an item, the greater the damage they inflict with it. A new feature in this release is a small lightbulb icon that appears next to a skill, suggesting a chance to learn something new if you use it repeatedly. For those who are new to the series like myself, I found this detail particularly helpful. While learning something remains largely dependent on luck, the prospect of potential rewards adds an exciting element to searching for Glimmers, enhancing my overall experience in the game. For die-hard SaGa fans, this graphic can be turned off, but for beginners like me, it’s a great addition to the gameplay.

Revenge of the Seven features subtle UI improvements that make it the most approachable SaGa entry I’ve played. Seeing the turn order during combat, status effects or buffs on targets, or even an enemy’s weaknesses and resistances goes a long way. On the flip side, I applaud the developers for offering the option to turn off most of that information for those wanting an experience closer to the original release.

The changes made in this version exceed mere aesthetic and accessibility adjustments; they introduce novel mechanics and narrative aspects that should thrill both veterans and newcomers of Romancing SaGa 2. By capitalizing on an enemy’s vulnerabilities, you progressively fill a bar which, when complete, allows you to execute a Combined Assault. These strategic team-up moves amplify the effects of abilities that multiple characters possess, often shifting the balance in challenging encounters. I found myself counting the number of times these maneuvers rescued me during battles against the Seven Heroes. Each character class also acquires unique skills they can master, such as replenishing their BP (the game’s equivalent to MP) with basic attacks or enhancing item effectiveness in combat. Once a character learns a skill, their offspring will inherit it, making strategic planning beneficial.

Perhaps the most intriguing addition for returning players are the special pedestals found around the world. Interacting with these will teleport you to the distant past to witness the hidden origins of the Seven Heroes and get clues about how they became what they are in the present. I always enjoyed stumbling upon these, and the game does a good job signaling when one is near, with glowing blue lines leading you to them if you get close enough. I think SaGa fans will really appreciate the depth these stories add to Romancing SaGa 2.

Romancing SaGa: Revenge of the Seven is akin to savoring a steaming hot bowl of soup on a crisp autumn evening – it’s comfort at its finest. This game serves as a perfect escape, allowing me to unwind, improve skills, explore troubled villages, and unveil hidden secrets in the process. The narrative was entertaining with its intriguing twists and turns, but it wasn’t the primary factor that kept me engaged. Instead, the engaging gameplay earned that distinction. After a tiresome day, there’s nothing more soothing than settling down with a refreshing drink, propped feet, and getting lost in the gameplay.

For those eager to explore one of Square’s classic series, I wholeheartedly recommend giving Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven a try, or at least sampling the free demo available now. Whether it suits your tastes or not, it’s exciting to witness this franchise being revitalized. Here’s hoping that Romancing SaGa 3 will receive a similar remake treatment in the future as well.

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2024-10-23 14:26