''Romancing SaGa 2'' is a 1993
role-playing video game
A role-playing video game (commonly referred to as simply a role-playing game or RPG, as well as a computer role-playing game or CRPG) is a video game genre where the player controls the actions of a character (or several party members) immers ...
developed and published by
Square
In Euclidean geometry, a square is a regular quadrilateral, which means that it has four equal sides and four equal angles (90-degree angles, π/2 radian angles, or right angles). It can also be defined as a rectangle with two equal-length adj ...
for the
Super Famicom
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES), commonly shortened to Super NES or Super Nintendo, is a 16-bit home video game console developed by Nintendo that was released in 1990 in Japan and South Korea, 1991 in North America, 1992 in Euro ...
. It is the fifth entry in the ''
SaGa
is a series of science fantasy role-playing video games by Square Enix. The series originated on the Game Boy in 1989 as the creation of Akitoshi Kawazu at Square (video game company), Square. It has since continued across multiple platforms, ...
'' series. It received an expanded port for Japanese mobile devices from
Square Enix
is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational holding company, production enterprise and entertainment conglomerate, best known for its ''Final Fantasy'', ''Dragon Quest'', ''Star Ocean'' and ''Kingdom Hearts'' role-playing video game ...
in 2011. This version was remastered by
ArtePiazza
is a video game development and computer graphics studio based in Japan. Their name derives from the Italian words for "art" and "a public square".
History
The company is best known for its involvement in the development of the '' Dragon Quest' ...
and released worldwide between 2016 and 2017 by Square Enix for
Nintendo Switch
The is a hybrid video game console developed by Nintendo and released worldwide in most regions on March 3, 2017. The console itself is a Tablet computer#Gaming tablet, tablet that can either be docking station, docked for use as a home video ...
,
PlayStation 4
The PlayStation 4 (PS4) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Announced as the successor to the PlayStation 3 in February 2013, it was launched on November 15, 2013, in North America, November 29, 2013 in ...
,
PlayStation Vita
The PlayStation Vita (PS Vita, or Vita) is a handheld video game console developed and marketed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on December 17, 2011, and in North America, Europe, and other international territo ...
,
Android,
iOS
iOS (formerly iPhone OS) is a mobile operating system created and developed by Apple Inc. exclusively for its hardware. It is the operating system that powers many of the company's mobile devices, including the iPhone; the term also includes ...
,
Microsoft Windows
Windows is a group of several proprietary graphical operating system families developed and marketed by Microsoft. Each family caters to a certain sector of the computing industry. For example, Windows NT for consumers, Windows Server for serv ...
and
Xbox One
The Xbox One is a home video game console developed by Microsoft. Announced in May 2013, it is the successor to Xbox 360 and the third base console in the Xbox series of video game consoles. It was first released in North America, parts of ...
.
Set during the history of the kingdom of Avalon, the player takes on the role of a dynasty of rulers as they fight the Seven Heroes, former saviors of the world corrupted into demons. Gameplay features
nonlinear
In mathematics and science, a nonlinear system is a system in which the change of the output is not proportional to the change of the input. Nonlinear problems are of interest to engineers, biologists, physicists, mathematicians, and many other ...
exploration and expansion of the game world and narrative, with the turn-based battles featuring group formations. As with other ''SaGa'' titles, there are no
experience point
An experience point (often abbreviated as exp or XP) is a unit of measurement used in some tabletop role-playing games (RPGs) and role-playing video games to quantify a player character's life experience and progression through the game. Experi ...
s and character attributes and skills are dependent on actions taken in battle. A key mechanic is choosing the next ruler of Avalon, who will inherit the abilities of the previous ruler.
Production began in 1992 after a prolonged concept period during which original staff were working on the ''
Final Fantasy
is a Japanese video game, Japanese science fantasy anthology media franchise created by Hironobu Sakaguchi and developed and owned by Square Enix (formerly Square (video game company), Square). The franchise centers on a series of fantasy and ...
'' series. Returning staff members including series creator
Akitoshi Kawazu
is a Japanese game designer, director, producer and writer. After joining Square (video game company), Square (later Square Enix) in 1985, he went on to become a central developer for the first two ''Final Fantasy'' titles, then acted as creato ...
as director, lead designer and writer; illustrator
Tomomi Kobayashi
is a Japanese illustrator. She is best known for her character design and illustration work in the '' SaGa'' series of video games by Square Enix. Kobayashi has been termed an "iconic" artist for Japanese role-playing games, and has had multipl ...
; and composer
Kenji Ito
, also known by the nickname , is a Japanese video game composer and musician. He is best known for his work on the ''Mana'' and '' SaGa'' series, though he has worked on over 30 video games throughout his career as well as composed or arranged ...
. The delayed start to production allowed Kawazu to rethink the game design, changing the multiple protagonists of ''Romancing SaGa'' to focus on a single dynastic line with associated gameplay elements. The remaster, which was initiated by Kawazu, adjusted to remove bugs while preserving the sprite artwork.
''Romancing SaGa 2'' is the best-selling of the three ''Romancing SaGa'' titles, having sold over 1.5 million copies in Japan. Reception of the original version was generally positive, while its worldwide remaster also saw praise from critics for its battle system and inheritance mechanic. The original Japanese release was supplemented by multiple guidebooks and a manga adaptation.
Gameplay
In ''Romancing SaGa 2'', the player plays as the Emperor or Empress of
Avalon
Avalon (; la, Insula Avallonis; cy, Ynys Afallon, Ynys Afallach; kw, Enys Avalow; literally meaning "the isle of fruit r appletrees"; also written ''Avallon'' or ''Avilion'' among various other spellings) is a mythical island featured in the ...
, a castle located in the northwest corner of the game's world map. The Treasurer, in the throne room, tells the player the fund reserve in his or her castle treasury. Development of new equipment and spells, and establishment of services in Avalon will consume funds. The Treasurer also fills the Emperor with walking about funds if the player needs it. Also in the throne room is the Accountant. He tells the player how much money he or she collects per battle. When the player controls more land on the map, the amount increases. In the southeast corner of the throne room is the Chancellor. He tells the player what problems need to be solved in the world and where to solve them. Solving the problems he points out aids the player to advance to the next generation. The Fighters are the default characters that join the player early in the game. They are not the best characters, but as the player advances through the game, he or she will get other characters who specialize in areas that the Fighters are weak in. The Formation Soldiers demonstrate any battle formations the player happens to know and will collaborate with the player to make new formations. If the heir the player chooses knows a formation, it is recommended that the player consult the Formation Soldiers. Throughout the game, the player will be able to expand the capital. They will not appear until the player cleared a generation though after accepting the offers to start the public works.
Synopsis
In the backstory of ''Romancing SaGa 2'', a group of seven warriors dubbed the Seven Heroes who saved the world from monster invasions but vanished immediately afterwards. After a millennium, the Seven Heroes have returned, but are now corrupted by dark powers and begin attacking the continent. Leon, ruler of Avalon, begins a campaign against the Seven Heroes which is passed down to his younger son Gerard after he dies, then on to subsequent heirs named by each ruler and inheriting their abilities through a special spell. Over time, Avalon expands into an empire, with its ruler and a chosen group of warriors killing each of the Seven Heroes.
When six of the seven are defeated and the final Emperor or Empress takes power, it is revealed that the Seven Heroes faced up to this point were copies, and the seventh copy has gone to protect the Heroes' original bodies. The final Emperor or Empress, whose inheritance magic has worn off, defeats first the final copy, then the true Seven Heroes. The story is bookended by a minstrel retelling the game's events and concluding that the Empire of Avalon was turned into a commonwealth after the Seven Heroes' defeat; the still-living Emperor or Empress listens to the minstrel. Later versions of ''Romancing SaGa 2'' include an optional dungeon revealing that the Seven Heroes were betrayed by their people the Ancients due to fear of the power they gained by absorbing monsters with an earlier version of the inheritance spell, returning from the realm of monsters to exact revenge on the Ancients.
Development
Following the completion and release of ''
Romancing SaGa
''Romancing SaGa'' is a 1992 role-playing video game developed and published by Square for the Super Famicom. It is the fourth entry in the ''SaGa'' series. It was subsequently released for the WonderSwan Color in 2001 and mobile phones in 2009. ...
'' in early 1992, almost all staff from the title were recruited to work on the latest ''
Final Fantasy
is a Japanese video game, Japanese science fantasy anthology media franchise created by Hironobu Sakaguchi and developed and owned by Square Enix (formerly Square (video game company), Square). The franchise centers on a series of fantasy and ...
'' title, meaning production on any ''SaGa'' sequels were halted.
Ultimately series creator
Akitoshi Kawazu
is a Japanese game designer, director, producer and writer. After joining Square (video game company), Square (later Square Enix) in 1985, he went on to become a central developer for the first two ''Final Fantasy'' titles, then acted as creato ...
was pleased, as he would otherwise have had no time to innovate on the ''Romancing SaGa'' design and might well have left ''Romancing SaGa 2'' mechanically similar to its predecessor. Production began in April when new employees had joined the company and Kawazu could create a production team.
Kawazu acted as director, lead designer, and scenario writer.
The only returning staff besides Kawazu were programmers Yuki Anasawa and Hiroshi Takai, illustrator
Tomomi Kobayashi
is a Japanese illustrator. She is best known for her character design and illustration work in the '' SaGa'' series of video games by Square Enix. Kobayashi has been termed an "iconic" artist for Japanese role-playing games, and has had multipl ...
, and the sound team of composer
Kenji Ito
, also known by the nickname , is a Japanese video game composer and musician. He is best known for his work on the ''Mana'' and '' SaGa'' series, though he has worked on over 30 video games throughout his career as well as composed or arranged ...
and sound designer Minoru Akao.
The mostly-new staff meant that Kawazu's sometimes-drastic changes to the game mechanics were easily accepted.
Production lasted one year, and had a staff of around twenty people.
The staff included planner
Akihiko Matsui
is a Japanese video game developer and battle designer working for Square Enix. He was one of the directors for ''Chrono Trigger'' and worked on several battle systems for the ''Final Fantasy'' series.
Career
After finishing his work on ''Romanci ...
, who joined the project following work on ''
Final Fantasy V
is a fantasy role-playing video game developed and published by Square in 1992. It is the fifth main installment of the ''Final Fantasy'' series. The game first appeared only in Japan on Nintendo's Super Famicom (known internationally as the Su ...
'' and would go on to co-direct ''
Chrono Trigger
is a 1995 role-playing video game developed and published by Square. It was originally released for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System as the first game in the ''Chrono'' series. The game's development team included three designers th ...
''; and future composer
Yasunori Mitsuda
is a Japanese composer, musician, and sound producer. He is best known for his work in video games, primarily for the ''Chrono (series), Chrono'', ''Xeno (series), Xeno'', ''Shadow Hearts'', and ''Inazuma Eleven (series), Inazuma Eleven'' franch ...
as a sound designer.
Another new team member was Kyoji Koizumi, who helped design the battle system.
Kazuyuki Ikumori acted as graphic designer, with his work focusing on background environments, and the opening and ending sequences. This was his only work on ''SaGa'' as he was transferred into the ''
Final Fantasy
is a Japanese video game, Japanese science fantasy anthology media franchise created by Hironobu Sakaguchi and developed and owned by Square Enix (formerly Square (video game company), Square). The franchise centers on a series of fantasy and ...
'' series later on.
It was produced by Tetsuo Mizuno, then-president of Square who would go on to found
AlphaDream
was a video game development company founded in 2000 by Tetsuo Mizuno and Chihiro Fujioka in Tokyo, Japan. In partnership with Nintendo, it produced software for the Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, Nintendo 3DS, and Nintend ...
.
Kawazu wrote the scenario in parallel to the gameplay system development, with some planned story elements needing to be dropped due to cartridge limitations.
Changing from the multiple disparate protagonists of ''Romancing SaGa'', the narrative and gameplay instead focused on a ruling dynasty over several generations.
Written as a traditional fantasy, the narrative was designed to advance based on the number and order of bosses defeated, with almost all other elements being a wide selection that player could choose from freely.
The Seven Heroes were portrayed in-game as former allies who had drifted apart to pursue their own goals in subsequent years.
Subier was the first of the Seven Heroes to be created, with his name being a double meaning pun on the Japanese god
Ebisu and the
Ebisu neighbourhood where Square was based. The names of male members in the Japanese versions were anagrams of station names along the
Yamanote Line
The Yamanote Line ( ja, 山手線, Yamanote-sen) is a loop service in Tokyo, Japan, operated by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East). It is one of Tokyo's busiest and most important lines, connecting most of Tokyo's major stations and urban ...
. The one female member Rocbouquet was a challenge, with Kawazu eventually making her name an anagram of
Ikebukuro, a commercial center in Tokyo.
Their concept and number drew inspiration from the
Seven Lucky Gods
In Japanese mythology, the Seven Lucky Gods or Seven Gods of Fortune (, shichifukujin in Japanese) are believed to grant good luck and are often represented in netsuke and in artworks. One of the seven (Jurōjin) is said to be based on a historic ...
.
As with other ''SaGa'' titles, the gameplay mechanics were laid out first before the storyline and worldview, with the leading mechanic this time being the inheritance of skills through a lineage.
The inheritance mechanic was part of a scrapped concept for the
original ''SaGa''. The central concept was that while the game's ending was set, what happened during the intervening millennium of history was up to the player.
As with other entries, the gameplay was designed to be open-ended and influenced a great deal by player choices.
Kobayashi was surprised at hearing of a sequel to ''Romancing SaGa'', and being asked back to design the cast.
Compared to her book illustrations with at most six characters, ''Romancing SaGa 2'' had dozens of characters to design.
She began with characters from the Avalon Empire, particularly the first two rulers Leon and Gerard. Leon was originally designed with dark skin and a dour look, but this was scrapped, with the current version being designed around a long-haired flamboyant type.
Gerard's role and personality resulted in a more youthful and "boyish" design, though she had hoped to design a more unconventional protagonist after her work on ''Romancing SaGa''. Her favorite character designs were the more challenging ones, such as the android character Coppelia.
Music
Following his work on ''Romancing SaGa'', Ito was left feeling completely burned out. Recalling his work on the game, Ito said he had worked through feelings of suffering from that creative exhaustion.
He worked as both composer and arranger on the title.
As with ''Romancing SaGa'', Ito differentiated the soundtrack from the music of ''Final Fantasy'' by adding more percussion instruments.
The soundtrack includes arrangements of tracks by
Nobuo Uematsu
is a Japanese composer and keyboardist best known for his contributions to the ''Final Fantasy'' video game series by Square Enix. A self-taught musician, he began playing the piano at the age of twelve, with English singer-songwriter Elton Jo ...
; "Heartful Tears" from ''
The Final Fantasy Legend
''The Final Fantasy Legend'', known in Japan as ''Makai Toushi SaGa'', is a video game released for the Game Boy in December 1989 by Square Co. It is the first game in the ''SaGa'' series and the first role-playing video game for the system. S ...
'', and "The Legend Begins" from
its sequel.
Two music albums were published by
NTT Publishing
NTT Publishing Co., Ltd. (エヌ・ティ・ティ出版株式会社 ''Enu Ti Ti Shuppan Kabushiki gaisha'') is a Japanese publishing and record label company, which is an affiliate company of NTT.
The company has published many albums, includin ...
in 1995, the official soundtrack and an arrange album.
A remastered album was released in 2014 by
Square Enix
is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational holding company, production enterprise and entertainment conglomerate, best known for its ''Final Fantasy'', ''Dragon Quest'', ''Star Ocean'' and ''Kingdom Hearts'' role-playing video game ...
, which included the original main battle theme which had been left out of the original album release. The remaster was supervised by Ito.
A reissue which included an interview with Kawazu and Ito was released in 2020
Release
''Romancing SaGa 2'' was released on December 10, 1993.
Three guidebooks were published by NTT Publishing in association with Square; two in December 1993, and a complete guide in February 1994.
A manga adaptation was released in three volumes by
Tokuma Shoten
is a publisher in Japan, headquartered in Shinagawa, Tokyo. The company was established in 1954 by Yasuyoshi Tokuma in Minato, Tokyo. The company’s product portfolio includes music publishing, video game publishing, movies, anime, magazines, m ...
between August 1994 and April 1995. The first volume was written by Hiroshi Morimoto, while the rest was written by Mayumi Hazuki. All volumes were illustrated by Kazuki Mendo.
Like the other Super Famicom ''SaGa'' titles, ''Romancing SaGa 2'' was never released outside Japan.
Square localization staff member
Ted Woolsey
Ted Woolsey is an American video game translator and producer. He had the primary role in the North American production and localization of Square's role-playing video games released for the Super NES between 1991 and 1996. He is best known for ...
attributed it to a lack of manpower and the wish to keep staff on the production of ''
Final Fantasy VII
is a 1997 role-playing video game developed by Square for the PlayStation console. It is the seventh main installment in the ''Final Fantasy'' series. Published in Japan by Square, it was released in other regions by Sony Computer Entertai ...
'' and ''
Trials of Mana''.
In a later interview, Kawazu attributed the lack of localization both to its unconventional gameplay and the large amount of text in need of translation.
The game received
Virtual Console
A virtual console (VC) – also known as a virtual terminal (VT) – is a conceptual combination of the keyboard and display for a computer user interface. It is a feature of some Unix-like operating systems such as Linux, BSD, illumos, Unix ...
re-releases on the
Wii
The Wii ( ) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Nintendo. It was released on November 19, 2006, in North America and in December 2006 for most other Regional lockout, regions of the world. It is Nintendo's fifth major ho ...
in 2010, the
Wii U
The Wii U ( ) is a home video game console developed by Nintendo as the successor to the Wii. Released in late 2012, it is the first eighth-generation video game console and competed with Microsoft's Xbox One and Sony's PlayStation 4.
The W ...
in 2014, and the
New Nintendo 3DS
The is a handheld game console produced by Nintendo. It is the fourth system in the Nintendo 3DS family of handheld consoles, following the original Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo 3DS XL, and Nintendo 2DS. The system was released in Japan on October 1 ...
in 2017. The Wii version became unavailable with the shutdown of Wii's online services.
For these versions, the game received a higher-than-expected
CERO rating due to references to alcohol and drugs.
The game was ported to mobile phones.
It originally released for
i-mode
NTT DoCoMo's i-mode is a mobile internet (distinct from wireless internet) service popular in Japan. Unlike Wireless Application Protocols, i-mode encompasses a wider variety of internet standards, including web access, e-mail, and the packet- ...
on November 1, 2010;
an
EZweb
au, or au by KDDI, is a Japanese mobile phone operator. au is a brand marketed by KDDI in the main islands of Japan and by Okinawa Cellular in Okinawa for their mobile cellular services. au is the second-largest wireless carrier in Japan, wit ...
version followed on Marsh 3, 2011.
The port included a new dungeon called the Maze of Memories, featuring the background lore for the Seven Heroes. Several bugs and exploits from the original were fixed, with a new area included to replace a popular exploit to increase in-game funds. New character classes were distributed as paid
downloadable content
Downloadable content (DLC) is additional content created for an already released video game, distributed through the Internet by the game's publisher. It can either be added for no extra cost or it can be a form of video game monetization, enablin ...
.
This version shut down in 2018, when the services for older mobile titles were shut down.
Remaster
Kawazu had been considering remaking or remastering ''Romancing SaGa 2'' since 2012 for smartphones.
It was chosen due to its popularity, and the fact that Kawazu had already remade ''Romancing SaGa'' for the
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 (PS2) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on 4 March 2000, in North America on 26 October 2000, in Europe on 24 November 2000, and in Australia on 3 ...
.
He approached multiple companies in Japan and overseas, but abandoning the idea as phone technology at the time was still not able to handle that type of game.
The remaster was produced by
ArtePiazza
is a video game development and computer graphics studio based in Japan. Their name derives from the Italian words for "art" and "a public square".
History
The company is best known for its involvement in the development of the '' Dragon Quest' ...
, who had previously worked on ports of the ''
Dragon Quest
previously published as ''Dragon Warrior'' in North America until 2005, is a franchise of Japanese role-playing video games created by Armor Project (Yuji Horii), Bird Studio (Akira Toriyama) and Sugiyama Kobo (Koichi Sugiyama) to its publi ...
'' series.
Kawazu was introduced by ArtePiazza based on this work, and while initially concerned about there being too many changes, ArtePiazza's enthusiasm for the project and their wish to remain faithful to the original assuaged his doubts. While generally faithful, the remaster included animated sprites for the Seven Heroes boss characters, and redesigned and adjustable UI which allowed for touchscreen operation and player customization.
The remaster was designed using the
Unity
Unity may refer to:
Buildings
* Unity Building, Oregon, Illinois, US; a historic building
* Unity Building (Chicago), Illinois, US; a skyscraper
* Unity Buildings, Liverpool, UK; two buildings in England
* Unity Chapel, Wyoming, Wisconsin, US; a h ...
game engine
A game engine is a software framework primarily designed for the development of video games and generally includes relevant libraries and support programs. The "engine" terminology is similar to the term "software engine" used in the software i ...
, chosen for its convenience when porting to other platforms and user-friendly technology.
Similarly, the pixel art resolution was left unaltered, with the team instead enlarging and multiplying the pixels used to bring the Super Famicom sprites up to modern graphical standards.
This was done partly for budgetary reasons, and partly due to fan love of the original.
While it was considered to adjust the game balance to make the game easier, the team decided instead to directly port the earlier mobile re-release. The only adjustments made were further bug fixes.
One of the most frequent issues with updating the graphics was creating sharper background designs while preserving the pixel art of players and enemies, while also accounting for the gameplay display and mechanics around enemy encounters.
Through all these adjustments, the remaster includes all the code from the Super Famicom original.
The game was first released in Japan on March 24, 2016 for
Android,
iOS
iOS (formerly iPhone OS) is a mobile operating system created and developed by Apple Inc. exclusively for its hardware. It is the operating system that powers many of the company's mobile devices, including the iPhone; the term also includes ...
and
PlayStation Vita
The PlayStation Vita (PS Vita, or Vita) is a handheld video game console developed and marketed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on December 17, 2011, and in North America, Europe, and other international territo ...
by Square Enix.
Following the Japanese release, popular demand prompted a Western release of the port.
Part of the wish behind the localization in addition to a Japanese release was requests from fans worldwide to revive the ''SaGa'' series following a prolonged period of dormancy.
The remaster's producer Masanori Ichikawa noted that releasing the game across so many platforms was a new challenge to Square Enix, as Xbox and Steam are not as popular in Japan but are popular worldwide.
The Western version released first on iOS and Android on May 26, 2016.
The Western Vita version was initially delayed due to unspecified issues.
On December 15, 2017, it released on Vita,
Nintendo Switch
The is a hybrid video game console developed by Nintendo and released worldwide in most regions on March 3, 2017. The console itself is a Tablet computer#Gaming tablet, tablet that can either be docking station, docked for use as a home video ...
,
PlayStation 4
The PlayStation 4 (PS4) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Announced as the successor to the PlayStation 3 in February 2013, it was launched on November 15, 2013, in North America, November 29, 2013 in ...
,
Microsoft Windows
Windows is a group of several proprietary graphical operating system families developed and marketed by Microsoft. Each family caters to a certain sector of the computing industry. For example, Windows NT for consumers, Windows Server for serv ...
and
Xbox One
The Xbox One is a home video game console developed by Microsoft. Announced in May 2013, it is the successor to Xbox 360 and the third base console in the Xbox series of video game consoles. It was first released in North America, parts of ...
.
These later versions included auto save, Xbox Play Anywhere support, cross save between Vita and PS4, as well as an option to turn off the remastering content and play it just like it was originally made.
Reception
In Japan, the game topped the ''
Famitsu
formerly ''Famicom Tsūshin'', is a line of Japanese video game magazines published by Kadokawa Game Linkage (previously known as Gzbrain), a subsidiary of Kadokawa. ''Famitsu'' is published in both weekly and monthly formats as well as in the fo ...
'' sales chart in
December 1993. ''Romancing SaGa 2'' went on to sell nearly 1.5 million copies worldwide, as of March 2003. It is the best-selling entry in the original ''Romancing SaGa'' trilogy, followed by the original game and ''
Romancing SaGa 3
''Romancing SaGa 3'' is a 1995 role-playing video game developed and published by Square for the Super Famicom. The sixth entry in the ''SaGa'' series, it was also the last developed for the platform. Originally released on the Super Famicom syste ...
''.
''
Famitsu
formerly ''Famicom Tsūshin'', is a line of Japanese video game magazines published by Kadokawa Game Linkage (previously known as Gzbrain), a subsidiary of Kadokawa. ''Famitsu'' is published in both weekly and monthly formats as well as in the fo ...
'' gave it a score of 26 out of 40.
''
GameRevolution
''GameRevolution'' (formerly ''Game-Revolution'') is a gaming website created in 1996. Based in Berkeley, California, the site includes reviews, previews, a gaming download area, cheats, and a merchandise store, as well as webcomics, screenshots ...
'' reviewed this title for the
Nintendo Switch
The is a hybrid video game console developed by Nintendo and released worldwide in most regions on March 3, 2017. The console itself is a Tablet computer#Gaming tablet, tablet that can either be docking station, docked for use as a home video ...
, saying that the game at first appears like a very average game from the time it originally came out, but praised the system of choices that changes and guides the gameplay, as well as the unique aspect of ruling an empire and eventually being about to issue commands to followers.
''Nintendo World Report'' said the game lacked interesting stories or characters, but called the gameplay system rewarding with many weapons to choose from and skill points to use.
Reviewing the PlayStation 4 version, ''
Push Square
Gamer Network Limited (formerly Eurogamer Network Limited) is a British mass media company based in Brighton. Founded in 1999 by Rupert and Nick Loman, it owns brands—primarily editorial websites—relating to video game journalism and oth ...
'' disdained the menu system taken from the previous mobile remake, and noted balance issues that made the traditional process of leveling up characters potentially hurt the player as the bosses grow stronger as you do.
Reviewing the iOS version of the game, ''
TouchArcade
''TouchArcade'' is a mobile video game website that launched in 2008. Arnold Kim of ''MacRumors'' worked on the site and its editor-in-chief was Eli Hodapp from 2009 to 2019.
''TouchArcade'' has been recognized as one of the best mobile game ...
'' loved how radically different it was from what kinds of games
Square Enix
is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational holding company, production enterprise and entertainment conglomerate, best known for its ''Final Fantasy'', ''Dragon Quest'', ''Star Ocean'' and ''Kingdom Hearts'' role-playing video game ...
had released in the
Apple App Store
The App Store is an app store platform, developed and maintained by Apple Inc., for mobile apps on its iOS and iPadOS operating systems. The store allows users to browse and download approved apps developed within Apple's iOS Software Devel ...
until then. Despite enjoying the game, they noted the games unexplained gameplay systems and called the games balance system "atrocious". They also mentioned the poor translation into English and the lack of Mifi game controller support.
Legacy
''Romancing Saga 2'' expanded the non-linear gameplay of its predecessor. While in the original ''Romancing Saga'', scenarios were changed according to dialogue choices during conversations, ''Romancing Saga 2'' further expanded on this by having unique storylines for each character that can change depending on the player's actions, including who is chosen, what is said in conversation, what events have occurred, and who is present in the party. Several of the game music tracks were featured in ''
Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call'' as downloadable content.
''
PCGamesN
''PCGamesN'' is a British online video game magazine focusing on PC gaming and hardware. It has a full-time team of over a dozen writers and is the oldest owned-and-operated site within publishing group Network N.
History
Parent company Netw ...
'' credits ''Romancing SaGa 2'' for having laid the foundations for modern
Japanese role-playing video game
While the early history and distinctive traits of role-playing video games (RPGs) in East Asia come Video games in Japan, from Japan, many have also been Video games in South Korea, developed in South Korea and Video games in China, in China. ...
s. The game's progressive, non-linear,
open world design and subversive themes influenced modern Japanese role-playing video games such as ''
Final Fantasy XII
is a role-playing video game developed and published by Square Enix. The twelfth main installment of the '' Final Fantasy'' series, it was first released for the PlayStation 2 in 2006. It introduced several innovations to the series: an open ...
'' (which
Akitoshi Kawazu
is a Japanese game designer, director, producer and writer. After joining Square (video game company), Square (later Square Enix) in 1985, he went on to become a central developer for the first two ''Final Fantasy'' titles, then acted as creato ...
worked on), ''
Final Fantasy XV
is an action role-playing game developed and published by Square Enix. The fifteenth main installment of the ''Final Fantasy'' series, it was released for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in 2016, Microsoft Windows in 2018, and as a launch title ...
'', ''
Nier: Automata'' and ''
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild''.
Notes
References
External links
Official Mobile Phone version website
*
{{Authority control
1993 video games
Android (operating system) games
Fantasy video games
IOS games
Japan-exclusive video games
Mobile games
Nintendo Switch games
PlayStation 4 games
PlayStation Vita games
Role-playing video games
SaGa
Science fantasy video games
Single-player video games
Super Nintendo Entertainment System games
Video games developed in Japan
Video games featuring protagonists of selectable gender
Video games scored by Kenji Ito
Virtual Console games
Virtual Console games for Wii U
Windows games
Xbox One games
Xbox Play Anywhere games