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 library across past console generations. For me, Romancing SaGa 2 on iOS served as my entry point almost a decade ago. Initially, I struggled, mistaking it for a standard JRPG. Now, as the photo below demonstrates, I'm a devoted SaGa fan. The recent announcement of Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven, a complete remake for Switch, PC, and PlayStation, was a welcome surprise.

This dual feature covers my experience with an early demo code of Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven on Steam Deck, along with an interview with Game Producer Shinichi Tatsuke (also behind Trials of Mana's remake). Our conversation touched upon the remake, lessons learned from Trials of Mana, accessibility, potential Xbox and mobile ports, coffee preferences, and more. The interview, conducted via video call, has been transcribed and edited for brevity.

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 it's an honor to remake them. Both games, originally released nearly 30 years ago, presented opportunities for significant improvement. Romancing SaGa 2, with its unique systems, remains distinctive even today, making it a compelling choice for a remake.

TA: The original Romancing SaGa 2 was notoriously challenging (I got a game over in the first ten minutes!). The remake offers multiple difficulty settings. How did you balance fidelity to the original with improved accessibility, especially for newcomers encountering the SaGa series for the first time with modern graphics?

ST: The SaGa series' difficulty is well-known, particularly among its dedicated fanbase. Some consider this difficulty essential to the series' identity. However, many are deterred by this perceived high barrier to entry. Many know of SaGa but haven't played due to its reputation.

To address this, we aimed to satisfy both veteran and new players. The solution was a new difficulty system: Normal and Casual modes. Normal caters to standard RPG players, while Casual allows players to focus on the narrative. Our team included core SaGa fans, making this a collective decision. Think of it like adding honey to spicy curry – the original game's difficulty is the spice, and the Casual mode is the honey, making it more accessible.

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

ST: The SaGa series isn't just about difficulty; it's also about understanding the game mechanics. The original lacked visible information, such as enemy weaknesses and defenses, forcing players to figure things out. This wasn't necessarily difficult, but unfair. In the remake, we've made these elements visible for a fairer and more enjoyable experience. We adjusted areas that were overly difficult in the original to ensure a better experience for modern players.

TA: Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven runs exceptionally well on Steam Deck. Considering your experience with Trials of Mana on multiple platforms, was the game specifically optimized for Steam Deck?

ST: Yes, the full game will be compatible and playable on the Steam Deck.

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

ST: Trials of Mana taught us much about player preferences for remakes. For example, regarding soundtracks, players generally prefer arrangements faithful to the originals, but with improved quality due to modern technology. We incorporated the option to switch between original and rearranged tracks, a feature well-received in Trials of Mana, into Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven. We also adjusted the graphics; Mana's characters are shorter and more adorable, while SaGa's characters are taller and the aesthetic is more serious, requiring different lighting and shadow techniques.

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

ST: No plans at this time.

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 demo was exciting but also slightly concerning. The reveal trailer looked fantastic, but Steam Deck compatibility was unknown. Thankfully, Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven is not only excellent on the Steam Deck OLED but made me question the need for PS5 or Switch versions. The game looks and sounds great. The remake gradually introduces battle mechanics and stats. Quality-of-life improvements, updated combat flow, and new audio options enhance the experience for both returning and new players. The visuals are more approachable, yet it retains the core Romancing SaGa 2 experience.

The remake surpasses my expectations. While I enjoyed Trials of Mana's remake, Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven might be superior, possibly due to my preference for the original game. The Steam Deck port is particularly impressive. The game offers extensive customization options for screen mode, resolution, frame rate, v-sync, dynamic resolution, graphics presets, anti-aliasing, texture filtering, shadow quality, and 3D model rendering resolution. Even with high settings, I achieved near-locked 90fps at 720p on my Steam Deck OLED.

Audio options include English and Japanese voice acting, and the choice between the new and original soundtrack. The remake successfully modernizes the game while preserving its essence.

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. I highly recommend trying it out.