Romancing SaGa 3

About

"Romancing SaGa ™ 3 is a remastered RPG classic, now available in the West for the first time, with optimized graphics, new scenarios, a new dungeon, and a new game+ function. Choose from 8 unique protagonists and shape your epic adventure through your choices, as a child born during the once-every-300-years Rise of Morastrum faces the threat of nonexistence."

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

88%

Audience ScoreBased on 125 reviews

story6 positive mentions

grinding12 negative mentions

The game features beautiful pixel art and high-resolution graphics that enhance the nostalgic experience.
It offers a non-linear gameplay style with a vast world to explore, allowing players to choose their own paths and quests.
The combat system is engaging, with mechanics that encourage strategy and character customization, making battles feel rewarding.

The story is considered generic and lacks depth, which may disappoint players looking for a compelling narrative.
The game can be confusing and overwhelming for newcomers, with little guidance on mechanics and progression, often requiring external resources or guides.
Some players find the difficulty spikes frustrating, as certain bosses can be unexpectedly challenging without clear indicators of their strength.

story
68 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
9%
87%
4%
The story in this game is generally viewed as weak and generic, revolving around a typical JRPG plot of closing abyss gates to prevent evil, with little character development and a lack of engaging narrative depth. While the non-linear gameplay allows for exploration and side quests, many players find the episodic nature of the story unsatisfying, often feeling rushed and disconnected. Overall, the emphasis is more on gameplay mechanics and player freedom than on delivering a compelling story.
- “If you like old school RPGs, this one has a ton of non-linear story that is just worth the extra playthrough for all you can do.”
- “All of these are things you can do and all of them, in their own subtle ways, tie back into a plot of good, evil, politics, and destiny constantly winding through the background.”
- “There are various themes in the game as well which connect to the backstory of the game and certain side quests with pretty neat side characters too.”
- “The story feels very rushed; no matter which character you choose, they quickly abandon whatever set them up in the world and start going after the antagonists for no reason whatsoever.”
- “Firstly, the story for this game is abysmal.”
- “However, the little bits of story in the game just aren't fleshed out at all and don't have enough substance to hold player attention.”
gameplay
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
26%
65%
9%
The gameplay in "Romancing Saga 3" is characterized by its non-linear progression and complex mechanics, which can be both rewarding and frustrating due to a lack of tutorials and guidance. Players appreciate the depth of combat and exploration, with unique systems like sparking and formation mechanics, but many recommend consulting external resources to fully grasp the intricacies. Overall, while the game emphasizes gameplay over storytelling, it offers a satisfying experience for those willing to invest time in understanding its mechanics.
- “It's not quite on their level and it's a very different beast, but it has the non-linear gameplay and quest progression of the other saga games while being more accessible and less punishing.”
- “The gameplay adds quality of life updates and smooth mechanics from Romancing Saga 2 to the great open-world design from Romancing Saga, creating a well-balanced experience that doesn't feel old and clunky.”
- “For a game of its era, I was quite surprised by the amount of depth; there is a lot you have to discover yourself both in the mechanics and its progression.”
- “The game is good, but definitely look up a beginner's guide; there's no tutorial and mechanics aren't explained to you.”
- “This game doesn't tell you anything about its mechanics.”
- “The gameplay is nowhere near as tight, the world design is bland, the dungeons are massive labyrinths with no real landmarks of any sort, there's tons of stuff that borderline requires a guide to figure out.”
graphics
33 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
58%
9%
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many praising the retro-inspired, high-resolution visuals that evoke nostalgia for classic titles like Final Fantasy VI and Chrono Trigger. While the remastered backgrounds and pixel art are generally well-received, some critics note that the character sprites feel outdated against the new backdrops, and the overall graphical upgrade, though satisfactory, may not meet modern standards. Overall, fans of the genre appreciate the visual enhancements, but newcomers might find the graphics somewhat lacking compared to contemporary games.
- “The OST and visuals are also top notch.”
- “Beautiful pixel graphics - the building interiors are especially nice!”
- “Arte Piazza did an excellent job updating the visuals while preserving the look and feel of the original.”
- “The stories are generic and the artwork is similar to the SNES version.”
- “I'm not one of these 'graphics are important' people, but the characters and battle effects are not just old; they are crusty, 8-bit leftovers that just look silly on top of the lovely new HD backdrops.”
- “I don't know, in my first graphic design class, even for beginner projects we were encouraged to not use basic computer texts that look generic. The core of this game, the story, is presented with a glaring design flaw; the people who released this for this price are out of touch, as if they are brain damaged.”
music
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
59%
27%
14%
The music in the game has received high praise, with many reviewers highlighting it as one of the standout features, often comparing it favorably to classic soundtracks from the SNES era, particularly those by Kenji Ito. While some users noted that the music is good but not on par with titles like Final Fantasy, the overall consensus is that the soundtrack enhances the gameplay experience significantly, contributing to memorable battles and emotional moments.
- “The OST and visuals are also top notch.”
- “Wonderful game with its plot, game mechanics, animations, and especially wonderful soundtrack, which in my opinion is one of the best video game music I've ever heard (Kenji Ito has nothing to prove against Nobuo Uematsu).”
- “Romancing Saga 3 easily has one of the best soundtracks from the SNES era and it is still one of the all-time greats of the JRPG genre.”
- “Music is okay, but not Final Fantasy level.”
- “Music and graphics are okay.”
- “But the allure of this game is the battles and the music, so it handled itself fairly well.”
grinding
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviews indicate that grinding in the game is a mixed experience; while some players appreciate the revised leveling system that encourages grinding, many find it tedious and time-consuming, particularly at the start and towards the end of the game. The combat is described as balanced but slow, with players expressing a desire for faster skill progression and less reliance on grinding for character development. Overall, while grinding is a significant aspect, it can detract from the enjoyment of the game, especially for those seeking a more streamlined experience.
- “Maybe this 'git gud' later on, but the start is so dull, the combat is tedious, and you can't check what anything does; no tooltips, etc.”
- “Grinding also felt a bit slow to me, and I would have preferred it if character skills were a bit faster and easier to raise, especially towards the end.”
- “It's a good game, but if you're redoing it, for the love of God, have some way to speed up or cancel out of scrolling text. It makes the game really slow... they could have probably decreased some of the grinding by making glimmers easier to get, etc.”
replayability
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
60%
The game offers significant replayability through features like New Game Plus, non-linear storytelling, and diverse character customization options. Additionally, the presence of missable content encourages multiple playthroughs, making it a worthwhile experience despite its age and price.
- “The new game plus adds to the replay value of the game as well.”
- “It has a lot of missable content, so it has a lot of replayability as well.”
- “The New Game Plus adds to the replay value of the game as well.”
- “It has a lot of missable content, so it does have a lot of replayability.”
- “The story isn't great, but it's non-linear and characters can use any weapon/magic combination, making it pretty replayable.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
67%
The game's optimization on PC has received criticism, with players reporting performance issues even on mid to high-end systems, including sound problems. Many users express a desire for a smoother experience that meets modern standards.
- “I was hoping to see this game run smoothly, but even with my mid-high-end rig, I'm having issues like the sound one.”
- “Want to have a similar experience, but more updated and better optimized?”
- “Not the best optimization for PC.”
- “I want to have a similar experience, but more updated and better optimized.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere of the game is highlighted by the undersea palace, which, while visually less impressive than its SNES counterpart due to still water, remains a strong example of immersive dungeon design. Additionally, Kenji Ito's musical compositions contribute significantly to the atmosphere, with character themes that enhance identity and dynamic fight themes that elevate the overall experience.
- “Kenji Ito's work for this game yielded some truly atmospheric themes, including great character themes that give identity to the characters, fantastic action themes, and most notably, some spectacular fight themes.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is widely regarded as genuinely funny, with many users finding it to be a highlight of the experience.
- “It's actually kind of hilarious.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Users have noted the presence of non-game-breaking glitches, indicating that while the game is generally stable, some minor issues persist that may affect the overall experience.
- “I am really surprised that they even keep some of the non-game-breaking glitches.”
- “The game crashes frequently, making it nearly unplayable at times.”
- “I encountered several bugs that completely disrupted my gameplay experience.”
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The reviews indicate that the character development is lacking, with a weak story that fails to provide meaningful growth or depth to the characters.
- “The story is kind of weak, and there is no sense of character development.”
- “Character arcs feel flat and unengaging, leaving me disconnected from the characters.”
- “There is a lack of meaningful choices that impact character growth throughout the game.”