Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven Interview With Game Producer Shinichi Tatsuke and Steam Deck Hands-On Preview

A deep dive into the SaGa series often begins with its extensive history across various consoles. For me, the iOS version of Romancing SaGa 2 served as my introduction almost a decade ago, a journey initially marked by struggles due to my misapplication of typical JRPG strategies. Today, however, my fondness for the SaGa franchise is undeniable (as evidenced by the accompanying image). The recent announcement of Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven, a complete remake of Romancing SaGa 2, for Switch, PC, and PlayStation, came as a welcome surprise.

This dual-review features my hands-on experience with the Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven Steam Deck demo (accessed via an early code) and an interview with Game Producer Shinichi Tatsuke, the mind behind Trials of Mana's remake. Our conversation covered Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven, lessons learned from Trials of Mana, accessibility features, potential Xbox and mobile ports, coffee preferences, and more. The interview, conducted via video call, has been transcribed and edited for conciseness.

TouchArcade (TA): What's it like remaking beloved titles like Trials of Mana and now Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven?

Shinichi Tatsuke (ST): Both Trials of Mana and the Romancing SaGa series predate the Square Enix merger, originating from the Squaresoft era. They're legendary Square titles, and remaking them is a tremendous honor. Both games' original releases were nearly 30 years ago, providing ample opportunity for improvement in these remakes. It was a rewarding experience.

Romancing SaGa 2, with its unique systems, remains distinctive even today. Its inherent uniqueness made it a compelling candidate for a remake, even after more than 30 years, ensuring its appeal to modern gamers.

TA: The original Romancing SaGa 2 was notoriously challenging. I recall a game over within the first 10 minutes of my first playthrough! The remake offers multiple difficulty settings. How did you balance faithfulness to the original with improved accessibility, especially for newcomers encountering the SaGa series for the first time with its modernized visuals?

ST: The SaGa series' difficulty is well-known, particularly among its dedicated fanbase in Japan and internationally. Many consider the difficulty integral to the SaGa experience. However, others find the high difficulty a significant barrier to entry. Many are aware of the series but haven't played due to perceived difficulty.

To address this, we aimed to cater to both veteran and new players. The solution was a new difficulty system: Normal and Casual modes. Normal mode targets standard RPG players, while Casual mode prioritizes narrative accessibility. Our development team included core SaGa fans, making this a collaborative decision. Think of it like adding honey to spicy curry—the original Romancing SaGa 2 is the spicy curry, and the Casual mode is the honey, making it more palatable for new players.

TA: How did you balance delivering the original experience for veterans while incorporating quality-of-life improvements? How did you choose which features to modernize while maintaining challenge for longtime fans?

ST: The SaGa series isn't solely about difficulty; it's also about accessibility. The original lacked visible information, such as enemy weaknesses and defense stats, forcing players to deduce them. We felt this wasn't challenging, but unfair. For this remake, we've made weaknesses visible, creating a fairer, more enjoyable experience. We adjusted areas that were excessively difficult in the original to improve accessibility for modern audiences.

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

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

ST: Yes, the full game 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 provide specifics, but the main development began towards the end of 2021.

TA: What lessons from the Trials of Mana remake informed the development of Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven?

ST: Trials of Mana taught us valuable insights into player preferences for remakes. For example, regarding soundtracks, we learned that players generally prefer arrangements faithful to the originals, albeit with enhanced quality due to modern technology. We also learned that offering a choice between original and rearranged soundtracks was well-received, a feature we included in Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven.

We also made unique adjustments for Romancing SaGa 2. Character proportions differ from Trials of Mana due to differing aesthetic styles. We used lighting effects for shadows in Romancing SaGa 2 instead of texture-based shadows used in Trials of Mana to maintain a more serious, realistic tone.

At this point, I expressed appreciation for the "Romancing SaGa 2 Primer" video, which helped introduce the game to a wider audience.

TA: Trials of Mana eventually released on mobile. Are there plans to bring Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven to 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 beverages. Beer is also not for me.

Thanks to Shinichi Tatsuke, Jordan Aslett, Sara Green, and Rachel Mascetti for their time and assistance.

Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven Steam Deck Impressions

Receiving a Steam key for the Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven demo generated both excitement and apprehension. The reveal trailer was impressive, but I was uncertain about the Steam Deck experience. Fortunately, the game not only runs flawlessly on the Steam Deck OLED but surpasses my expectations, making other platform versions seem less appealing.

The game's visuals and audio are exceptional on the Steam Deck. The remake gradually introduces core mechanics, offering quality-of-life improvements, refined combat flow, and new audio options. For newcomers, it's an excellent entry point, with visuals enhancing accessibility while retaining the essence of Romancing SaGa 2. Even on the original-difficulty setting, the challenge remains significant.

Visually, the remake exceeds expectations, potentially surpassing Trials of Mana's remake (though this is subjective). The Steam Deck port is surprisingly well-optimized. Audio options include original and new soundtracks, English and Japanese voiceovers, and various graphical settings. I used English for my initial playthrough but may switch to Japanese later. The game successfully balances modernization with its distinctive SaGa identity.

The PC port offers extensive customization: windowed/borderless/fullscreen modes, resolution options (including 720p for Steam Deck), frame rate control (30-unlimited), v-sync, dynamic resolution, graphics presets, anti-aliasing, texture filtering, shadow quality, and 3D model resolution. Even with high settings (shadows on medium), I achieved a near-constant 90fps at 720p on my Steam Deck OLED.

I eagerly anticipate the full game's release and exploring the console versions. Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven is a must-play for RPG fans. Hopefully, this will encourage others to explore the SaGa series, but Square Enix needs to deliver SaGa Frontier 2 next!

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