Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven Looks Like It Will Be The Best of the Series - Tokyo Game Show 2024

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At Gamescom this year, I had a couple of appointments to check out some of Square Enix's upcoming titles, including one for Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven. Sadly, the appointment was canceled, but luckily, I was able to make one for the Tokyo Game Show and finally got a chance to play the game! I am so glad I did too, because I love the non-linear aspect of the series, and of all the original titles, I am so glad Square chose to remake this one.

As I just mentioned, this game is a full remake of the original Romancing SaGa 2, released in 1993 in Japan. It later got a remaster released worldwide, but this remake is kicking things up a notch. The original game's 2D-pixel visuals have been updated into 3D models; we have Japanese and English voiceovers, original and rearranged music compositions, and so much more. And after playing it, I think this will be an essential JRPG to add to our libraries.

In my demo, I played as Gerard, son of the current king, who led his team to fight against a goblin invasion of his kingdom. It wasn't a super long time, but I did get a taste of the combat, visuals, and non-linear aspects of the game. In my time with it, I got to go into multiple different battles, have some branching conversations, and travel to new locations, and it really does feel like the definitive version of a Romancing SaGa game.

A lot of what makes Romancing SaGa 2 so unique is carried over to the remake, and I just love it. The game is very non-linear, so a lot of the choices you make and objectives you choose to tackle first alters the story. So every conversation and choice can cause chain reactions that alter how you challenge the Seven Heroes or even how you expand the empire. We also have a unique lineage system that passes down knowledge and abilities based on the next protagonist you choose to play as. The game is meant to span thousands of years, so you will choose between characters of over 30 different classes to take up the mantle.

Unlike other JRPGs, there aren't really any experience levels or traditional ways to leveling up. You do gain some technique Points to increase your health, BP, and weapon mastery, but you will gain new attacks/abilities depending on what you do during combat. This kind of progression feels so much more natural and realistic over the traditional leveling system most RPGs/JRPGs have, and I like that there are some hints as to which attacks may give us a new ability. You also have formations, which can provide bonuses based on your team composition, and United Attacks, which are combination attacks to turn the tide of battle.

It all comes together beautifully in a 3D style that feels similar to the recently released Trials of Mana, which makes sense since it's the same studio developing it. The colors are vibrant, and the models are detailed. And even though it is a newer game, it still feels like I am playing Romancing SaGa through and through. All the choices and their impact and the way you gain experience and abilities feel so much more impactful based on what you do, not just following along a path already charted for you. Even in that little slice, I felt like I was creating my own story and getting a unique experience that I was dictating, and that's the beauty of this series. Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven is shaping up to be the best Romancing SaGa game, and I really can't wait for its release soon.

Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven can be pre-purchased on Steam for $49.99 ahead of its October 24th release date. It is rated Steam Deck Playable due to small in-game text, but personally, I would be surprised if this wasn't a great portable experience since it is also releasing on the Nintendo Switch.

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