Revenge of the Seven: A Fresh Look at an Old Classic

Square Enix has been giving some love to its older franchises, and Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven is the latest to get a makeover. This game is a remake of the 1993 original, which was known for its unique storytelling and party mechanics. The remake tries to keep what made the original special, but it falls short in some areas. The story is set over 1000 years and follows the Emperor of Avalon as they expand their empire. You'll start with the emperor, Leon, and his son, Gerard. But as time passes, you'll need to choose new successors from your party. This is where the game's non-linear storytelling comes in. You can tackle different nations in any order, which adds variety to your playthrough. One of the game's standout features is its generational mechanic. Each new emperor inherits the skills and abilities of their predecessors. This life simulation aspect keeps the game engaging. However, the characters themselves aren't very memorable, which can make the story feel boring at times. The battle system is more traditional and simplified compared to other SaGa games. It uses a BP system that acts like MP in most RPGs. The key to battles is exploiting enemy weaknesses to build the Overdrive gauge and perform United Attacks. But the system lacks the strategic depth of games like Octopath Traveler or Persona. On the Switch, the game has some issues like long load times and frame rate stutters. The visuals are also not impressive. The game could have benefited from an HD2D approach, which would have given it more charm. But there are some good quality-of-life features, like multiple difficulty options and full HP replenishment after battles.