Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven

94%
Game Brain Score Based on 505 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • music
Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven Game Cover
Romancing Saga 2: Revenge of the Seven remakes an overlooked gem into a modern-looking feast for old-school JRPG fans, though some wrinkles still show.
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In "Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven," players embark on a journey to save their empire from impending doom, as the legendary Seven Heroes return after thousands of years. This full remake of the 1993 RPG features non-linear gameplay, Japanese and English voiceovers, and newly arranged compositions. Carry over your demo save data and immerse yourself in an exciting adventure suitable for newcomers and franchise fans alike.

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Windows
  • Play​Station
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

94%
Audience ScoreBased on 505 reviews
story58 positive mentions
grinding30 negative mentions
  • An excellent remake that improves upon the original JRPG with enhanced graphics and quality of life features.
  • The combat system is engaging and strategic, with the glimmer mechanic allowing characters to learn new skills mid-battle.
  • The generational system adds depth to gameplay, allowing players to pass down skills and abilities to new emperors, making each playthrough unique.
  • Some platforming sections can be frustratingly precise, leading to unnecessary deaths.
  • The party organization after each generational change can be tedious and time-consuming.
  • Difficulty spikes in certain boss fights can feel unfair, especially in higher difficulty modes.
  • story246 mentions

    The story in this game is generally considered basic and linear, serving primarily as a backdrop for gameplay rather than a focal point. While it features a unique lineage system that allows players to experience the narrative through successive generations of emperors, many reviewers note that character development is minimal and the plot lacks depth. Overall, the game is praised for its mechanics and exploration, with the story being enjoyable but not the main draw for players.

    • “The intricate storytelling, unforgettable characters, and the sheer joy of discovering hidden secrets make it a game that lingers in your mind long after the credits roll.”
    • “The game masterfully combines deep storytelling, rich content for completionists, and engaging character development.”
    • “The story offers a lot of freedom, allowing you to explore in any order you like.”
    • “The point of playing an RPG is to feel a part of the story, and Romancing Saga 2 fails to integrate the player with the story in any meaningful manner.”
    • “The story is pretty linear and sparse, but it gives the player a lot of room for their own headcanon of events, who they choose as their emperor and their party members, and what happens each generation.”
    • “The story itself is still... basically non-existent.”
  • gameplay182 mentions

    The gameplay of "Romancing Saga 2: Revenge of the Seven" is characterized by its deep and innovative mechanics, including a unique turn-based combat system, a "glimmer" mechanic for spontaneous ability learning, and a time-skip feature that adds strategic depth. While the game retains some archaic elements, it successfully modernizes the experience with quality-of-life improvements, making it accessible for newcomers while still rewarding for veterans. Overall, players appreciate the addictive gameplay loop and the emphasis on mechanics over narrative, though some find the learning curve steep and the permadeath mechanic challenging.

    • “A stunning remake with an addictive gameplay loop and wide open structure.”
    • “The gameplay is highly addictive, and the visuals are stunningly beautiful, offering a refreshing and vibrant aesthetic.”
    • “The core difficulty levels span are suitable for JRPG fans, saga fans, and players that really want to push the game mechanics in satisfying ways.”
    • “I've played most of them but rarely for very long; they just were too hard to break into, between the difficulty and lack of explanation of the bizarre mechanics.”
    • “It sucks, because the story and game mechanics are good, but worthless if you die in 1 hit every battle with zero way to stop it.”
    • “The game is stressful and unfun in all the worst ways, and the choices you have in your direct combat gameplay are boring as fuck.”
  • music47 mentions

    The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, particularly for the remastered soundtrack composed by Kenji Ito, which enhances the overall experience while allowing players to switch between the original and remastered versions. While many praise the quality and emotional impact of the tracks, some reviewers express a desire for greater variety and more unique compositions, especially during battles. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's nostalgic and immersive atmosphere.

    • “The remastered soundtrack complements the visual enhancements, offering a rich auditory backdrop to the adventure.”
    • “The music is absolutely phenomenal—every track is a burst of energy and emotion that keeps you hooked throughout.”
    • “Kenji Ito never disappoints when it comes to the soundtrack, and the ability to go between the original and remake compositions is a nice touch.”
    • “While they added several quality of life features, there was way more that they could have improved upon: needed more music variety, battles dragged on overly long, and as far as I could tell there wasn't a way to disable battle animations (watching the full animation of the same tech 400 times gets super tedious).”
    • “Kenji Ito, being the only returning member of the original staff, has delivered a fantastic OST, but outside of two new tracks for the Dread Queen fight, the OST leaves something to be desired as again, the game needed more content on that too, especially since normal bosses still reuse Kujinshi's battle theme for no good reason.”
    • “Like the original, there's a low amount of unique music for areas.”
  • graphics45 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received a mixed but generally positive reception, with many praising the transition from 2D to a detailed 3D world that maintains the original's spirit while modernizing the visuals. While some users noted a generic art style and occasional muddy textures, others highlighted the vibrant aesthetics and immersive character designs, likening them to classic JRPGs. Overall, the visuals are considered solid, with a charming presentation that appeals to both nostalgic fans and newcomers, despite some criticisms regarding the simplicity and occasional awkwardness of the PC port.

    • “The environments and character models are crafted with attention to detail, providing a fresh yet nostalgic aesthetic.”
    • “The gameplay is highly addictive, and the visuals are stunningly beautiful, offering a refreshing and vibrant aesthetic.”
    • “The graphics, sound, and music are all top-notch.”
    • “The dev team was lazy using the same character graphic on all the playable characters and just renaming them.”
    • “If you're feeling nostalgic for PS2 era JRPGs, this is where this game takes its roots, not just in the designs but down to the graphics and animations which are unfortunately very dated, not an issue for fans of the genre, but will obviously drive away potential newcomers.”
    • “Graphics are a little muddy for a PC port but otherwise fantastic.”
  • grinding32 mentions

    Reviews highlight a mixed perspective on grinding in the game, with some players appreciating the depth and addictive nature of the grind, while others find it tedious and overly time-consuming. Many note that the game balances grinding with strategic challenges, as enemy difficulty scales with player progress, discouraging mindless grinding. Overall, while some enjoy the grind as part of the experience, others feel it detracts from the enjoyment, particularly in longer battles and repetitive mechanics.

    • “The icing on the cake is that for once, the post-game content isn't grindy; it isn't some maze or tower that you mindlessly hack your way through. It actually makes you hyped for more and is exactly what you're looking for at the end of an RPG.”
    • “The game is so well designed that even on hard mode you can beat the whole thing with no grinding, simply by using the correct equipment, spells, evasions, and skills.”
    • “While they added several quality of life features, there was way more that they could have improved upon: needed more music variety, battles dragged on overly long, and as far as I could tell there wasn't a way to disable battle animations (watching the full animation of the same tech 400 times gets super tedious).”
    • “I'm finding it boring and tedious, just as I felt Octopath Traveler was after dozens of hours.”
    • “The game is good but it is also very grindy.”
  • character development16 mentions

    Character development in this game is a mixed bag; while some reviews highlight the rich backstory and engaging character designs, many criticize the lack of meaningful character growth due to mechanics like resurrection and timeskip systems. Players seeking deep narrative and memorable characters may be disappointed, as the focus leans more towards gameplay mechanics and customization rather than traditional character arcs. Overall, the character designs are praised, but the narrative depth and development are seen as lacking.

    • “The game masterfully combines deep storytelling, rich content for completionists, and engaging character development.”
    • “If you are looking for interesting character development and team composition, tactical engagement and innovative concepts with generation skip, class development and engaging encounters, this game is for you.”
    • “Peak JRPG story, character development, excellent graphics and inheritance system.”
    • “There's absolutely no character development because of the resurrection mechanic.”
    • “This game itself is pretty great, but it lacks one major aspect, and that is the character development... the timeskip system doesn't allow for any good memorable characters, so the story doesn't even matter at all...”
    • “But yeah, don't expect a story-driven RPG with character development and stuff like that.”
  • replayability14 mentions

    The game offers significant replayability due to its open-world design, varied difficulty levels, and the impact of player choices on quests and character development. Players can explore different strategies, tackle areas in any order, and experience multiple playthroughs through new game plus modes, enhancing the overall replay value. However, some players may find the prospect of replaying the game daunting, depending on their personal preferences.

    • “A game that can be quite fair or challenging depending on the difficulty you choose, and there's some replay value in various decisions made during quests.”
    • “The game feels like a true open-world JRPG sandbox where you can walk away from the marker and do something completely different. This has a lot of replayability potential because the order you do areas and bosses has no restrictions. The game is massive, areas are different, chests and items are truly hidden, and the combat and customization are just fantastic.”
    • “The two NG+ difficulties add a bunch more replayability as you can see all of the variations to the main campaign across multiple playthroughs.”
    • “Now to some, this adds replayability, while to those like me who struggle to replay a game, this can be upsetting.”
    • “Now that I think of it, it definitely lends itself to a higher replay value, but the stakes are mostly gone because of it.”
    • “The replayability is up to the player, as playthroughs can be quite different based on choices and the order the heroes are tackled.”
  • optimization13 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization is a mixed bag; while many players report smooth performance and good optimization for low-end hardware, some experience issues like FPS drops and stuttering. The graphics and quality-of-life features are well-received, contributing to a generally polished experience, though forced motion blur is noted as a workaround for performance dips.

    • “Well optimized with a lot of quality of life features.”
    • “The game runs smoothly, and the art is nice—it actually reminds me of Dragon Quest XI, and I wonder if it might even use the same engine.”
    • “The game is well optimized for low-end hardware.”
    • “However, some performance issues, including fps drops and stuttering occur.”
    • “Motion blur is forced on to mask fps drops and traversal stuttering.”
    • “Performance: no issues whatsoever.”
  • emotional4 mentions

    Players express a deep emotional connection to the games, highlighting moments of profound sadness, such as the death of a character, and a sense of legacy and resolution in the story's conclusion. The nostalgia and care evident in the remastered versions evoke strong feelings, making the experience both familiar and refreshing. Overall, the emotional depth and complexity of the narratives resonate strongly with players, leaving a lasting impact.

    • “I cried when Victor died.”
    • “That said, while the story is fairly simple, the ending was pretty touching, making it feel like there was a legacy being made and you had finally finished a struggle that lasted for centuries.”
    • “Again, I cannot say it enough as a 36-year-old dude who grew up playing fan-translated versions of these games among the FFL games we got in NA, but no game has made me feel a weird nostalgic tingle. You can feel the love they put into this for sure, even with the remastered soundtracks and just overall updates to make everything feel the same, yet fresh.”
  • humor3 mentions

    The game features a strong sense of humor, highlighted by bizarre and humorous enemies, as well as witty character dialogue during battles. Players appreciate the engaging turn-based combat, which is complemented by the comedic elements that enhance the overall experience.

    • “The pacing is great, and the turn-based combat is surprisingly engaging, with many bizarre and humorous enemies to face.”
    • “The characters sometimes say funny things in battle.”
    • “This game was so far ahead of its time, it's not even funny.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    The monetization strategy of the game appears to prioritize attracting a broader audience over catering to its original fanbase, leading to dissatisfaction among long-time fans who feel neglected. This shift, driven by increased budget and marketing efforts, resembles the approach taken with "Guilty Gear Strive," where the focus on new players may alienate dedicated supporters.

    • “As a fan, I do not know who this game was made for. The unicorn of the 'wider audience' the producer mentioned surely made this game more popular than the previous releases, largely because it's not really a saga game anymore. The executives decided this deserved more budget and advertisement than the others, so what we're left with is a Guilty Gear Strive situation where the original fanbase gets a fat middle finger in favor of pandering to people who never cared and probably will not care outside of this game.”
  • stability1 mentions

    Overall, users report that the game runs smoothly and looks great, with no significant stability issues noted. While it may not be next-gen in terms of graphics, the performance is solid, and players appreciate the ability to customize settings for an optimal experience.

    • “The game is not next-gen or anything, but it looks and runs great.”
    • “I really like how much customization there is for your party with formations, equipment, techs, spells, and abilities.”
    • “I love the areas and how different they can be from each other, and the details in the towns.”
  • atmosphere1 mentions

    The atmosphere is reminiscent of classic Dragon Quest games, which some players find soothing, though it may also lead to a sense of drowsiness.

    • “It has a Dragon Quest-like atmosphere to it, and that really puts me to sleep.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

78% average critic score

Buy Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven

Play time

50hMedian play time
53hAverage play time
50-60hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 4 analyzed playthroughs

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