Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven Review

Back at the beginning of the year, one of my gaming resolutions for 2024 was to wet my toes in the pool that is Square Enix's SaGa franchise. While this series had grown up alongside its more famous sibling, Final Fantasy, these were always games that, for one reason or another, I just passed on. But no more! The SaGa series has had a surprisingly good year with the release of not only a completely new entry, Emerald Beyond, but also a ground-up remake of Romancing SaGa 2 in the form of Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven — a game that I find quite lovely.

The first release of Romancing SaGa 2 was on the Super Famicom in the 90s. It was locked to Japan until 2016 when we in the West got a redone mobile version. Prior to this new release, I had spent maybe three hours with that version, so I went into Revenge of the Seven nearly completely blind as a relative newcomer. Therefore, I won’t be able to speak much on the minute differences between the original version and remake. However, speaking with friends who are far more familiar with the franchise, I learned that Revenge of the Seven has added a lot.

Instead of focusing on a single character or party of heroes, Revenge of the Seven’s theme centers more on inheritance and lineage, as well as how to leave things better than when you found them. Spread over hundreds of years and multiple generations, you control the Emperor/Empress of Avalon in the realm of Verennes, building up and expanding your kingdom while contending with the Seven Heroes prophesied to destroy the world. Going into the game, I knew that SaGa titles are known for their open-ended nature, allowing players to decide how they want to tackle the story, and Revenge of the Seven is no different. How you go about it is up to you, with moments that let you shape your realm, making each person’s SaGa experience unique.

Every time I booted up the game, I always felt like I was going off on a new adventure, with little idea of what was in store for me. I would pick a point on the large overworld map that needed my help, or take a random path in one of the larger zones, and off I went. Most of the time, I was far more curious and concerned about what cool reward — be it a new ability, character class, or secret — was waiting for me at the end of the quest, or where Mr. S (the little yellow mascot of the SaGa series) was hiding, than I was about the looming threat of the nefarious Seven Heroes. I was all about seeing what lay beyond the next hill.

This open-ended approach extends to almost every aspect of the gameplay, from party makeup to stat growth. You choose your party from a list of premade characters belonging to specific classes, such as tanky heavy infantry or spell-slinging mages, with plenty of options unlocking as you progress through the game, completing quests around the world. Every class can use every type of weapon and wield any school of magic, so long as their respective skill in it is high enough. Classes mainly dictate the general areas they excel in (i.e. higher strength, better health, etc.) and a unique ability that can be unlocked. For the most part, everyone you pick is a blank slate for you to mold, so if you want a magic-slinging Monk or a greatsword-wielding archer, go right ahead.

Your party members don’t offer much in terms of story or personality; they’re mainly defined by their skills in combat. Even their designs are rather static, with only slight changes in hairstyles and color palettes differentiating characters from one generation to the next. I do wish there had been more effort put into making me care about my party members, but outside of a few special characters, they were there for their utility, not because I liked them personally. This disconnect is exacerbated by the fact that, as you complete quests, you may suddenly jump forward more than a hundred years, with all the characters you were using being replaced by their similar-looking descendants.

Learning skills, known as "Glimmers" in the SaGa series, depends on chance and the level of the weapon or magic involved. The more a character uses something, the more damage they will do with it. New to this release is a small lightbulb icon that appears next to a skill, indicating the chance of learning something new if you use it. For SaGa purists, this graphic can be turned off, but for someone like me, who is still getting their feet wet with the series, I loved this little detail. It doesn’t change the fact that learning something is still largely a game of luck, but knowing there was a possible reward waiting elevated the whole Glimmer hunt experience for me.

Revenge of the Seven features subtle UI improvements that make it the most approachable SaGa entry I’ve played. Seeing the turn order during combat, status effects or buffs on targets, or even an enemy's weaknesses and resistances goes a long way. On the flip side, I applaud the developers for offering the option to turn off most of that information for those wanting an experience closer to the original release.

The updates here go beyond cosmetic or accessibility improvements, with new mechanics and story elements that should delight even those familiar with Romancing SaGa 2. By exploiting an enemy’s weaknesses, you fill a bar that, once full, lets you activate a United Attack. These special team-up attacks unleash powerful versions of skills multiple characters have, and they can quickly turn the tide of difficult fights. I lost count of how many times these saved me in battles with the Seven Heroes. Each character class also has a special ability they can learn, such as regaining BP (this game's equivalent to MP) when using basic attacks or improving item efficacy in battle. Once a character learns an ability, their descendants will inherit it, which is handy.

Perhaps the most intriguing addition for returning players are the special pedestals found around the world. Interacting with these will teleport you to the distant past to witness the hidden origins of the Seven Heroes and get clues about how they became what they are in the present. I always enjoyed stumbling upon these, and the game does a good job signaling when one is near, with glowing blue lines leading you to them if you get close enough. I think SaGa fans will really appreciate the depth these stories add to Romancing SaGa 2.

Romancing SaGa: Revenge of the Seven is like a bowl of hot soup on a cool autumn day — pure comfort food. This is a game I can just enjoy and relax with, grinding out skills, discovering villages in trouble, and seeing what I uncover along the way. The story was fun, with some neat twists and surprises, but it was never the main reason I kept playing. That accolade goes to the gameplay. I loved unwinding from a long day with a cold drink, my feet up, and just playing.

The unique approach to genre staples may not be for everyone, but for anyone looking to check out one of Square's legacy franchises, I’d recommend Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven in a heartbeat, or at the very least check out the free demo that’s out and see for your self. Regardless, it’s great to see new life being breathed into the franchise, and I hope Romancing SaGa 3 receives a similar remake treatment one day as well.