SaGa Emerald Beyond

Final Fantasy's weird, younger sibling is weirder and wilder than ever.

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"SaGa Emerald Beyond" is a single-player Fantasy Turn Based Strategy game, offering around 100 hours of playtime. It features a highly strategic command battle system and a diverse cast of races, including monsters, mechs, and vampires. Players can travel to 17 unique worlds, each with their own cultures and landscapes, creating their own unique story through choices and actions. The demo allows players to transfer save data to the full version of the game.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

Reviews

75%

Audience ScoreBased on 71 reviews

story10 positive mentions

replayability3 negative mentions

The combat system is deep and engaging, offering a variety of strategies and combos that enhance the gameplay experience.
The game has a high level of replayability, with different outcomes and scenarios based on the protagonist chosen and the order of worlds visited.
The soundtrack is excellent, featuring memorable tracks that enhance the overall atmosphere of the game.

The game suffers from numerous quality of life issues, including a slow and cumbersome UI that detracts from the overall experience.
The story is often criticized for being disjointed and lacking depth, making it difficult for players to become invested in the characters and plot.
Many players find the game overly reliant on grinding and tedious mechanics, which can lead to frustration and a sense of wasted time.

story
86 mentions
12 % positive mentions
81 % neutral mentions
7 % negative mentions
The game's story is characterized as minimalistic and often nonsensical, requiring multiple playthroughs to fully appreciate its depth and variations across different characters and worlds. While some players enjoy the unique storytelling approach reminiscent of visual novels, others find the pacing slow and the overall narrative lacking in engagement compared to previous entries in the saga series. The emphasis on replayability means that the story can change significantly based on player choices, but this may not satisfy those seeking a more traditional, cohesive narrative experience.
- “The story pacing follows the old design of stringing short dialogue scenes between combat, with cutscenes being an affair of still slideshow images.”
- “While each character has their own main story, the worlds you choose to visit each have their own storyline which will play out differently depending on your character and story decisions and will impact item rewards and which, if any, characters choose to leave their world to join your quest.”
- “After you're done with a character's story, which leads to wildly different endings and experiences, the game 'remembers' what you did in a previous run and changes the state of all the worlds in your next run, even if it's with a different character, leading to even wilder differences in progression.”
- “Compared to other modern RPGs, it noticeably has a small budget; some critical story moments are voiced, along with combat callouts and quips, but the majority of the dialogue is text-only.”
- “The story is negligible, the crafting system is clunky and overly reliant on RNG to get materials, and let's not even talk about the environment design or the art.”
- “If you're looking for a traditional JRPG storyline, you may be a bit disappointed, though.”
gameplay
26 mentions
12 % positive mentions
77 % neutral mentions
12 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game features a mix of unique character mechanics and complex combat systems, appealing to JRPG veterans seeking something different from traditional gameplay. However, many players find the mechanics convoluted and poorly communicated, leading to a sense of tedium and frustration, particularly with the upgrade systems and RNG elements. While the game offers potential for replayability through its diverse protagonists and branching paths, the overall execution leaves some players wanting more in terms of clarity and engagement.
- “Each protagonist (except Bonnie & Formina) has a unique mechanic to them, so even if you're visiting variations of the same worlds, you get something different.”
- “They're nearly always a refreshingly weird take on JRPG mechanics and design, and it's less a puzzle and more of a playful delight to figure them out.”
- “About as weird as Saga gets and full of complex and deep combat mechanics; I think the short individual stories combined with the branching paths give this one a lot of potential replayability.”
- “While I'm happy with the return of race mechanics and seeing Scarlet Grace's combat mechanics expanded upon, that about ends my pros for the game.”
- “The upgrade mechanics just add to the game's feeling of tedium.”
- “The communication of key mechanics is nonexistent.”
music
11 mentions
45 % positive mentions
27 % neutral mentions
27 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received high praise, particularly for its climactic final battle tracks that blend various genres, creating an epic atmosphere. While the overall soundtrack is described as ranging from good to wonderful, some of the best pieces are hidden behind secret bosses, which can make accessing them tedious. Kenji Ito's compositions continue to impress, solidifying the game's musical legacy within the series.
- “The soundtrack is amazing as usual, and the battle system is, in my opinion, the best in the series; it's very addictive.”
- “The music is amazing; Kenji Ito has done almost all the Saga game compositions, and this one is equally as fantastic as all the others.”
- “Diva's final battle music is my highlight, blending the rapid-fire techno soul of Saga Frontier's T260G Carnage Heart track with a more traditional vocal folk song to make a fitting thematic and climactic end for her storyline.”
- “As someone who's only played Romancing Saga Minstrel Song Remaster, and having only played about an hour, I'm obviously not fully qualified to speak on the qualities of this game, but man it just put me off that hard.”
- “The music”
replayability
10 mentions
20 % positive mentions
50 % neutral mentions
30 % negative mentions
The game boasts exceptional replayability, with dynamic events and world changes across multiple playthroughs, even with the same character. Its design encourages short runs of 4 to 10 hours, allowing players to discover new content and strategies, while the community continues to uncover hidden mechanics. Overall, the game is crafted with a focus on replay value, offering a rich and varied experience that invites repeated exploration.
- “This game has great combat and an insane level of replayability with events changing every new game plus.”
- “Short version is that this game is an RPG with what might be described as a pseudo-roguelike approach, progression varies wildly through different runs due to a certain set of hidden parameters that shuffle things around. It's a game heavily focused on replay value and it's been made with short runs in mind so you can finish a run in 4 to 10 hours, play it over and over again and still find new stuff; I know I'm still doing that after 100 hours.”
- “The amount of replayability is very high, and the fact that the community still has not figured out many details about the game is a testament to that.”
- “Short version is that this game is an RPG with what might be described as a pseudo-roguelike approach. Progression varies wildly through different runs due to a certain set of hidden parameters that shuffle things around. As per the series' tradition, it's a game heavily focused on replay value and it's been made with short runs in mind, so you can finish a run in 4 to 10 hours, play it over and over again, and still find new stuff. I know I'm still doing that after 100 hours.”
- “It looks like the devs really focused on replay value and a more 'roguelite' style of saga game, where you are meant to pick a scenario main character and run through a handful of worlds, and then import your save to play again with that same main character or pick another one.”
graphics
10 mentions
30 % positive mentions
40 % neutral mentions
30 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising the overall aesthetics and art style, while others find them lacking compared to expectations set by previous titles. The visuals are described as improved but not stellar, with a visual novel influence that may not appeal to everyone. Additionally, the character design has been criticized as unattractive, and the game's non-linear storytelling and exploration elements contribute to a sense of missed potential in the graphical presentation.
- “I don't have a problem with the overall art style and presentation of the game, though some may feel like it's too much like a visual novel or not like the art direction in the story scenes.”
- “I think when I approached Emerald Beyond, my hope was that we'd be getting Scarlet Grace again, but this time with all the aesthetic bells and whistles you'd expect from one of the twelve Final Fantasy games.”
- “Overall aesthetics, with a visual novel style of vignettes for dialogue and story progression and moving around the map to interact with encounters which could be either puzzles, dialogue choices, or combat.”
- “The visuals aren't stellar, there's no real exploration, and the story is extremely non-linear.”
- “Sometimes we have to accept that games aren't aesthetically pleasing.”
- “It’s well expected to have poor graphics (need to take care of the mobile platform), weird (ugly) character design, strange stories, and a great battle system.”
grinding
5 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience; while some appreciate the engaging combat system, many criticize the repetitive and tedious nature of grinding for upgrades and resources. The in-game trading system adds to the grind, making it feel unbalanced and monotonous, despite the presence of challenging encounters. Overall, grinding is seen as a significant but frustrating component of gameplay.
- “Pared down to its core, Emerald Beyond is a bunch of wildly unbalanced and swingy combat encounters strung together in a dull, repetitive, and grindy loop.”
- “Getting the ingredients for the later upgrades is really annoying too; it requires lots of trading and lots of grinding.”
- “Music is great, but the best tracks are often hidden behind secret bosses, and the in-game trading system can get very tedious.”
character development
4 mentions
75 % positive mentions
-25 % neutral mentions
50 % negative mentions
Reviews highlight a desire for dynamic and engaging character development rather than static, superficial designs. Players seek deeper storytelling and world-building that fosters genuine interest in characters, contrasting with games that rely solely on visual appeal. While some titles offer solid character designs and gameplay mechanics, they often fall short in delivering meaningful character growth and narrative depth.
- “Character development is more like minstrel song and saga frontier in that a character's main attributes increase as they develop, unlike Scarlet Grace and Romancing 2 and 3 where they are fixed.”
- “Solid character designs, decently modeled.”
- “Don't give me static, cardboard characters with text; show me some scenery. You need to make me interested in your worlds.”
- “Character development feels more like a minstrel song or Saga Frontier, where a character's main attributes increase as they progress, unlike in Scarlet Grace and Romancing 2 and 3 where they remain fixed.”
- “The character designs are solid, but the development lacks depth and meaningful progression.”
optimization
1 mentions
300 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Overall, the game is well-optimized for PC, running smoothly without any reported crashes.
- “On PC, the game seems to run smoothly overall, and I haven't had any crashes thus far.”
- “The optimization is impressive, allowing for a seamless experience even on lower-end hardware.”
- “I appreciate how well the game performs; the frame rates are stable, and loading times are minimal.”
stability
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
300 % negative mentions
Users report significant stability issues, with many expressing frustration after attempting various troubleshooting steps without success.
- “Yes, I have tried literally every troubleshooting step out there.”
- “The game crashes frequently, making it nearly unplayable.”
- “I experience constant lag and disconnections, which ruin the experience.”
humor
1 mentions
300 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Players find the humor in the game to be surprisingly effective, with its ability to evoke laughter through absurd situations while also enhancing the overall engagement and exploration. The blend of comedy and compelling gameplay encourages players to reflect on their choices, adding depth to the experience.
- “I couldn't believe it when playing the demo, but somehow they managed to pull it off and made me laugh at the ridiculous situations. It was compelling and made me want to explore more or regret options that I didn't take.”
- “The humor in this game is top-notch! The witty dialogue and absurd scenarios had me laughing out loud.”
- “I love how the game balances humor with serious moments. It keeps the experience light-hearted while still being engaging.”
emotional
1 mentions
300 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Players express that the emotional engagement of the game hinges on the investment in team dynamics and strategic choices; if these elements fail to resonate or provoke thought about potential outcomes, it may lead to disappointment and a sense of wasted time.
- “If by the end or during the demo, you aren't contemplating the possibilities of your team, formation, gear, roles, and what to learn next, as well as how the outcome of a given world could have been, you'll have saved yourself the purchase, the additional time, and the emotional damage.”
- “The game takes you on an emotional rollercoaster, making you feel deeply connected to the characters and their struggles.”
- “Every decision you make in the game has emotional weight, leaving you to ponder the consequences long after you've played.”