RomSaGa2 Interview & Steam Deck Preview

A deep dive into the SaGa series often begins with its classic console releases. For me, Romancing SaGa 2 on iOS served as my introduction almost a decade ago. Initially, I struggled, approaching it like a typical JRPG. Now, I'm a devoted 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.

This review covers my hands-on experience with an early demo on Steam Deck and an interview with the game's producer, Shinichi Tatsuke (also behind Trials of Mana's remake). We discussed Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven, lessons learned from Trials of Mana, accessibility, potential Xbox and mobile ports, coffee preferences, 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 Romancing SaGa series predate the Square Enix merger, hailing from the Squaresoft era. They're legendary Square titles, and it's an honor to remake them. Both games, originally released nearly 30 years ago, offered significant room for improvement. Romancing SaGa 2, with its unique systems, remains distinctive even today, making it a compelling candidate for a modern remake.

TA: The original Romancing SaGa 2 was notoriously challenging. I experienced a game over within 10 minutes! The remake offers multiple difficulty settings. How did you balance faithfulness to the original with accessibility?

ST: The SaGa series' difficulty is well-known, attracting a dedicated fanbase. However, this difficulty also creates a barrier to entry for many. Many know the series but haven't played it due to perceived difficulty.

To address this, we introduced difficulty options: Normal and Casual. Normal caters to standard RPG players, while Casual allows players to focus on the narrative. Our development team included core SaGa fans, ensuring a balance between accessibility and the original's challenge. Think of it like adding honey to spicy curry – the original game's difficulty is the spice, and the casual mode is the honey.

TA: How did you modernize the game while preserving the original experience for veteran fans?

ST: The SaGa series isn't just about difficulty; it's about understanding the game's mechanics. The original lacked visible information, such as enemy weaknesses and defenses. This wasn't necessarily difficult, but unfair. In the remake, weaknesses are clearly displayed, creating a fairer, more enjoyable experience. We addressed other areas of unfair difficulty to improve accessibility for modern audiences.

TA: Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven runs exceptionally well on Steam Deck. Was it optimized specifically for the device?

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

TA: How long was the development process?

ST: I can't provide 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 regarding remakes. For example, players generally prefer soundtracks faithful to the originals, but with improved quality. We offered both original and rearranged tracks in Trials of Mana, a feature we carried over to Romancing SaGa 2. We also learned about the importance of graphics; while Trials of Mana had a more adorable style, Romancing SaGa 2 needed a more serious aesthetic. We used lighting effects instead of textural shadows, aiming for realism suitable for the SaGa franchise.

TA: Will Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven come to mobile or Xbox?

ST: There are 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 filled me with excitement and apprehension. The trailer looked fantastic, but I worried about Steam Deck compatibility. Thankfully, Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven is excellent on the Steam Deck OLED. The few hours I spent with the demo made me question the need for the PS5 or Switch versions.

The game looks and sounds superb on the Steam Deck. The remake gradually introduces battle mechanics, stats, and more. Quality-of-life improvements, enhanced combat flow, and new audio options enhance the experience for both veterans and newcomers. The visuals are more approachable, but this is still Romancing SaGa 2 with a fresh coat of paint. Even on the original-difficulty setting, it remains challenging.

Visually, the remake surpasses my expectations. While I enjoyed Trials of Mana's remake, Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven might be superior (though time will tell). The Steam Deck port is exceptionally well-optimized. The game offers various audio and visual settings, including original and new soundtracks, English and Japanese audio, and extensive graphical options. Even with high settings, I achieved near 90fps at 720p on my Steam Deck OLED.

I played with English voice acting, which is good, but I'll likely try the Japanese audio later. The remake successfully balances modernization with the essence of SaGa.

I eagerly await the full game and will compare the demo's console performance. Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven is a must-play for RPG fans. I hope this sparks interest in other SaGa titles, but Square Enix needs to deliver 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.