SaGa Insights: Producer Interview + Steam Deck Preview

Many longtime fans discovered the SaGa series through past console releases. For me, Romancing SaGa 2 on iOS was my introduction almost a decade ago. Initially, I struggled, playing it like a typical JRPG. Now, I'm a devoted SaGa enthusiast (as evidenced by the photo below), and I was thrilled by the recent announcement of Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven, a complete remake for Switch, PC, and PlayStation.

This dual review covers my experience with an early Steam Deck demo and an interview with the game's producer, Shinichi Tatsuke (also behind Trials of Mana's remake). We discussed 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 titles 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, hailing from the Squaresoft era. These are 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 boasts unique systems, then and now. Its uniqueness makes it a compelling candidate for a modern remake.

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 SaGa for the first time with modern visuals?

ST: The SaGa series' difficulty is well-known, attracting hardcore fans globally. However, many potential players are deterred by its reputation. We aimed to please both groups – veterans and newcomers – by introducing a new difficulty system. "Normal" mode caters to standard RPG players, while "Casual" mode prioritizes narrative enjoyment. Our development team included core SaGa fans, making this a collective decision. It's like adding honey to spicy curry – the original's difficulty is the spice, and the casual mode is the honey.

ST (cont.): We believe the SaGa series isn't just about difficulty, but also about understandability. The original hid crucial information like enemy weaknesses and defenses. This wasn't challenging, but unfair. The remake reveals weaknesses, making it fairer and more enjoyable. We adjusted other overly difficult areas to enhance the experience for modern players.

TA: The Steam Deck demo runs exceptionally well. Considering your experience with Trials of Mana on various platforms (PS4, Switch, mobile), was the game optimized specifically for the Steam Deck?

Editor’s Note: This question predates the official Steam Deck compatibility rating.

ST: Yes, the full release will be compatible and playable on the Steam Deck, as you've experienced in the demo.

TA: Can you comment on the development time for Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven?

ST: I can't give specifics, but main development began toward the end of 2021.

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

ST: Trials of Mana taught us player preferences. For example, regarding soundtracks, players generally prefer arrangements faithful to the originals, but with enhanced quality due to modern technology. We offered a choice between original and rearranged tracks in Trials of Mana, a feature we've included in Revenge of the Seven. Visually, Trials of Mana had a more "adorable" style, while Revenge of the Seven maintains a more serious tone, utilizing lighting effects instead of textural shadows. We applied past knowledge and developed new techniques for this remake.

The interviewer thanked Tatsuke and the team for the English "Romancing SaGa 2 Primer" video.

TA: Trials of Mana reached mobile. Are there plans for 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. Beer, too.

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 Revenge of the Seven demo filled me with excitement and apprehension. The trailer looked fantastic, but I worried about Steam Deck compatibility. Thankfully, the game is excellent on the Steam Deck OLED, surpassing my expectations. The few hours I played made me reconsider getting it on PS5 or Switch.

The visuals and audio are superb on the Steam Deck. The remake gradually introduces combat, stats, and more. Existing players will appreciate quality-of-life improvements, while newcomers will find it a welcoming entry point to the SaGa series. The visuals enhance accessibility, but this remains true to the spirit of Romancing SaGa 2. Even on the original-difficulty setting, the challenge remains.

The visuals exceeded my expectations; I believe this might be a better remake than Trials of Mana's. The PC port, at least on Steam Deck, is impressive. Extensive settings allow for customization of screen mode, resolution (up to 720p on Steam Deck), frame rate, v-sync, dynamic resolution, graphics presets, anti-aliasing, texture filtering, shadow quality, and 3D model rendering. Even with high settings, I achieved a near-locked 90fps at 720p.

For audio, I used English initially, finding the voice acting good, but I'll likely try Japanese later. The game successfully blends modern elements with its SaGa identity.

I eagerly anticipate the full game and its console versions. Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven is a must-play RPG. Hopefully, this will introduce more players to the SaGa series (and inspire a SaGa Frontier 2 remake!).

Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven launches October 24th on Steam, Switch, PS5, and PS4. A demo is available on all platforms.