Some series never die, and Romancing SaGa 2 is one of them! With each passing anniversary, the situation seems to improve even more. You may recall that in 2018, this beloved title returned to consoles and PC, slightly revamped from its nostalgic past (and by “past,” we mean 1993). Now, in 2024, it’s time for another nostalgic revival, but this time Square Enix has decided to go all out: Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven is not just the same game thrown back on the market with a bit of extra content. No: it’s the same game, but completely reimagined in high definition and 3D graphics. Essentially, it has been rebuilt from the ground up, in a remake that demands attention for its visuals alone. We gladly gave it our attention: you’re about to read our preview, as we await the official launch set for October 24, 2024.
Dynasties and Vengeful Heroes: The Plot of Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven
Not much has changed in the plot you may remember from Romancing SaGa 2, but since there are entire generations of new players, it’s appropriate to refresh our memory on the main characters, given that in an RPG like this, the main narrative is crucial for experiencing the whole story. Many might even feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of characters, which are once again at the centre of the events in Revenge of the Seven. So why talk about “revenge”? It’s simple: once upon a time, ancient legends narrate, the world was protected by seven heroes who fought and defeated the demons of the underworld, thus safeguarding the population. The heroes promised to return if the threat to humanity ever resurfaced.
But humanity, as we know, quickly forgets its benefactors; so it was with the seven legendary heroes. Betrayed despite their role in defending the world, they were exiled, and now they have returned to take revenge on their detractors. Over time, they have been literally corrupted by evil, making them more dangerous than the foes they once vowed to fight. To resolve the situation—because the world is once again under the simultaneous threat of demons and the “Seven”—it falls to the emperor of Avalon, the kingdom that existed back then and still stands today. However, one heir alone isn’t sufficient to manage such a crisis: the narrative of Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven spans several centuries, and it’s up to us to decide who will ascend the throne and lead the fight against the (former) seven heroes one by one.
A True Remake
Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven is a true remake, unlike the 2018 re-release that originated from smartphones before arriving on consoles. While the plot remains largely intact, with added interludes to make things clearer, the impression is that of engaging with a brand-new video game, created using current generation graphics engines and offering an experience on par with today’s titles. The average quality is in line with the 3D RPGs developed by Square Enix, thus quite good, notwithstanding fairly linear dungeons and brightly visible, interactable items. The situation seems to improve in the castle of Avalon and in the towns, but again, this is just a preview, and we’ll need the final version to assess the overall quality (including graphics) of the update.
The user interface and combat have seen great improvements, both updated for modern times. Navigating through menus and consulting maps, as well as managing the party of main characters, the imperial succession, and all essential information for any respectable RPG, is now much simpler. The combat system, besides its graphical and technical aspects, has undergone an update aimed at enhancing immediacy (especially for the younger audience) at the expense of the “ancient” turn-based battles. In practice, you still attack “one at a time,” but a bar at the top of the screen shows the sequence of actions, making everything more dynamic. Think of battles in any Atelier Ryza game to get a good sense of how Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven works now. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as it makes everything more intuitive, particularly in differentiating between varied physical attacks, magic, and the use of helpful items in combat. Additionally, a mixed attack bar fills up turn by turn, involving the whole team, with its progress always visible on the right side of the screen.
Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven also now features three difficulty levels: the lowest is designed for pure story enjoyment, the middle presents a “normal” challenge, and finally, the highest is tailored for veterans. In the early hours of gameplay, the intermediate level posed no challenge at all, so we plan to opt for the highest in our review (as these can be adjusted any time during gameplay without any penalties). On a mid-range PC, the visual appeal is not spectacular yet not regrettable either, settling into a noteworthy and appreciable level.
Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven is the modern re-release of a classic from 1993. This time it’s a true remake, completely rethought from the original title, and the graphical and technical quality, with its 3D models and attention to detail in the environments, confirms Square Enix’s commitment to what already seems to be a genuine tribute to the series. In this preview, we appreciated the balance between a complex narrative context and accessibility for newcomers, without losing the original spirit of Romancing SaGa; and the update to combat, finally suited to modern demands for immediacy (which doesn’t compromise the depth of the experience). We reserve our final verdict for the launch, scheduled for the end of October.