SaGa Remaster Interview, Steam Deck Preview

Many long-time fans discovered the SaGa series through its numerous releases on past consoles. For me, Romancing SaGa 2 on iOS was my introduction almost a decade ago. I initially struggled, mistaking it for a typical JRPG. Today, I'm a devoted SaGa enthusiast (as the photo below shows!), so 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 features my hands-on experience with an early Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven demo on Steam Deck, along with an interview with Game 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 preferences, 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. It's an honor to remake them, nearly 30 years after their original release. The remakes offered significant improvement opportunities. Romancing SaGa 2 is exceptionally unique, with systems that remain innovative today. Its uniqueness made it a compelling remake candidate, even after all these years.

TA: The original Romancing SaGa 2 was notoriously challenging. I recall a game over within 10 minutes! The remake includes 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 modern graphics?

ST: The SaGa series' difficulty is legendary, attracting hardcore fans worldwide. However, this difficulty also creates a high barrier to entry, deterring potential players. Many know about SaGa but haven't played it due to perceived difficulty.

We aimed to please both veteran and new players. The solution was a new difficulty system: Normal and Casual modes. Normal caters to standard RPG players, while Casual prioritizes story enjoyment. Our development team included core SaGa fans, making this a collaborative decision. It's like adding honey to spicy curry—the original is intensely difficult, so Casual mode offers a more approachable experience.

TA: How did you preserve the original experience for veterans while incorporating quality-of-life improvements? How did you choose which features to modernize while maintaining challenge for experienced players?

ST: The SaGa series isn't just about difficulty; it's about understandability. The original hid crucial information like enemy weaknesses and defenses, forcing players to figure it out. This wasn't difficult, it was unfair. For a modern audience, we made this information visible, creating a fair and enjoyable experience. We adjusted other overly difficult aspects for a better modern experience.

TA: Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven runs exceptionally well on my Steam Deck. Considering my Trials of Mana experience across various platforms (PS4, Switch, mobile), has the team optimized for Steam Deck specifically?

Editor’s Note: This question was asked before the game received its official Steam Deck compatibility rating.

ST: Yes, the full game will be compatible and playable on 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 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 for remakes. For example, soundtracks: players generally prefer arrangements faithful to the originals, but with improved quality afforded by modern technology. We added an option to switch between original and arranged tracks, a feature well-received in Trials of Mana and included here.

We also learned about visual differences. Mana's adorable style contrasts with SaGa's more serious tone. We used lighting effects instead of textural shadows to maintain realism in SaGa's world. We leveraged previous knowledge but also developed new techniques.

At this point, I thanked him and the team for the helpful "Romancing SaGa 2 Primer" video.

TA: Trials of Mana eventually released on mobile. Are there plans for Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven on mobile or Xbox?

ST: Currently, there are no 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 pre-release demo was exciting and nerve-wracking. The trailer looked amazing, but I worried about Steam Deck compatibility. Thankfully, Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven is fantastic on the Steam Deck OLED. The demo hours made me reconsider PS5 or Switch versions; it's that good.

The game looks and sounds superb. The remake gradually introduces battle mechanics, stats, etc. Returning players will appreciate quality-of-life improvements, enhanced combat flow, and new audio options. Newcomers will find it an excellent entry point, with approachable visuals while retaining the core Romancing SaGa 2 experience. Even on the original-difficulty setting, it's challenging.

The visuals exceeded expectations. While I loved Trials of Mana's remake, this might be better (possibly due to my greater affection for the original Romancing SaGa 2). The PC port's quality on Steam Deck is impressive. Audio and graphics options are extensive, including original/remake soundtracks, English/Japanese audio, and various graphical settings. I achieved near-locked 90fps at 720p on my Steam Deck OLED with mostly high settings. I used English audio for the demo but might switch to Japanese for the full game.

I eagerly await the full release and console demo. Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven is a must-try RPG. Hopefully, this will introduce more players to the SaGa series. Square Enix, please give us 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.