Romancing SaGa 2 Returns: Exclusive Interviews and Steam Deck Hands-On

Many long-time gamers discovered the SaGa series through past console releases. For me, Romancing SaGa 2 on iOS was my introduction almost a decade ago. I initially struggled, mistaking it for 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 review, 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 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—they're legendary Squaresoft titles. Remaking them is a huge honor. Both games are nearly 30 years old, offering ample room for improvement. Romancing SaGa 2, with its unique systems (then and now!), was a perfect candidate for a remake. Its distinctive gameplay remains fresh for 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 its updated visuals?

ST: The SaGa series' difficulty is legendary, attracting dedicated fans worldwide. However, this difficulty also presents a barrier to entry for many. Many know of SaGa but haven't played it due to perceived difficulty.

To appeal to both veterans and newcomers, we introduced adjustable difficulty. "Normal" mode caters to standard RPG players, while "Casual" mode prioritizes story and narrative. Our team included core SaGa fans, ensuring a balanced approach. Think of it like adding honey to spicy curry—the original game's high difficulty is softened by the casual mode option.

TA: How did you balance the original experience for veteran fans with quality-of-life improvements? How did you choose which features to modernize while maintaining the challenge?

ST: SaGa isn't just about difficulty; it's about the unfairness of the original. Hidden enemy weaknesses and other stats made the original feel unbalanced. The remake addresses this by explicitly displaying weaknesses and other crucial information, creating a fairer, more enjoyable experience for modern players. We focused on making the game fair while retaining its core challenge.

TA: The Steam Deck version runs incredibly well. Considering your work on Trials of Mana across various platforms (PS4, Switch, mobile), was the game optimized specifically for the Steam Deck?

ST: Yes, the full release will be compatible and playable on Steam Deck.

TA: How long was the development of Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven?

ST: I can't give exact details, but major development began in late 2021.

TA: What did you learn from the Trials of Mana remake that informed the development of Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven?

ST: Trials of Mana taught us player preferences for remakes. For example, regarding soundtracks, players often prefer arrangements close to the originals, but with enhanced quality afforded by modern technology. We included the option to switch between original and rearranged soundtracks, a feature well-received in Trials of Mana and carried over here. We also adjusted the graphics style, making characters taller and using lighting effects instead of textures for a more serious tone, reflecting the SaGa universe.

(At this point, I thanked Tatsuke and the team for the English-language "Romancing SaGa 2 Primer" video.)

TA: Trials of Mana eventually 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.)

Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven Steam Deck Impressions

Receiving a Steam key for the Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven demo filled me with excitement and apprehension. The trailer looked amazing, but I wasn't sure about the Steam Deck experience. Thankfully, it's fantastic. The demo convinced me to skip the PS5/Switch versions; it's that good on the Steam Deck.

The game looks and sounds superb. The remake smoothly introduces combat, stats, etc. Returning players will appreciate the quality-of-life improvements, smoother combat, and audio options. Newcomers will find it an excellent introduction to the SaGa series. The visuals are approachable, yet this is still very much Romancing SaGa 2, refreshed and enhanced. Even on the hardest difficulty, it retains its challenge.

The visuals exceed expectations. While I loved the Trials of Mana remake, this might be even better (though that might be my bias toward the original game). The PC port, at least on Steam Deck, is surprisingly good. The PC port offers extensive graphical settings (screen mode, resolution, frame rate, v-sync, dynamic resolution, presets, anti-aliasing, texture filtering, shadow quality, 3D model resolution). I maxed out most settings, achieving a near-locked 90fps at 720p on my Steam Deck OLED.

For audio, I used English initially. The voice acting is good, but I'll likely try Japanese later. The game successfully blends modernization with its core SaGa identity.

I eagerly await the full release and will explore the console demo. Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven is a must-have for RPG fans. Hopefully, this will introduce more players to the SaGa series (and convince Square Enix to release 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.