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

70%

Audience ScoreBased on 167 reviews

story20 positive mentions

grinding12 negative mentions

The combat system is deep, engaging, and offers a high level of strategy, making battles feel rewarding and dynamic.
The game features a unique structure with multiple protagonists and worlds, providing high replayability and varied experiences with each playthrough.
The quirky and humorous writing adds charm to the game, making the absurd scenarios enjoyable and entertaining.

The story is mediocre and often feels disjointed, lacking character growth and depth, which may disappoint players looking for a strong narrative.
The mechanics can be convoluted and difficult to grasp, leading to frustration, especially for newcomers to the series.
The visual presentation is low-budget, with a pop-up book style that may not appeal to everyone, and the UI can be cumbersome and slow.

story
181 mentions
11 % positive mentions
81 % neutral mentions
8 % negative mentions
The game's story has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it mediocre, quirky, and at times nonsensical, often comparing it unfavorably to previous titles in the Saga franchise. While the non-linear storytelling and character-driven narratives offer some replayability and unique experiences, the overall execution is criticized for being minimalistic and lacking depth, with a heavy reliance on visual novel-style presentation that may not appeal to all players. Despite these shortcomings, some players appreciate the variations in storylines and character interactions that emerge through multiple playthroughs.
- “For example, I played through Ameya's scenario twice and I've gotten to visit different worlds and meet different characters, but when I got to one of the worlds that I already had visited with Ameya, this time I went with Diva No. 5, the storyline for that world went in a different direction, even being able to recruit a different character than I did with Ameya.”
- “The game doesn’t just benefit from playing multiple times, it requires it to see the full extent of the worlds and the story.”
- “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.”
- “Very mediocre story, and the translation does not do the culture and environment justice.”
- “Except for Saga Frontier 2, the Saga series has never been strong in the story department, but this one is probably the worst among them.”
- “Due to the length of one playthrough (10-15 hours), the 'original' part was so limited that you don't really care about the characters and story.”
gameplay
60 mentions
5 % positive mentions
90 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Saga: Emerald Beyond" is characterized by its complex and convoluted mechanics that require time to master, appealing primarily to veteran JRPG fans seeking a departure from traditional gameplay. While the combat system is praised for its depth and potential for replayability through unique character mechanics, the overall presentation and initial exploration are criticized for being lackluster and tedious. Players may find enjoyment in the experimental nature of the game, but the communication of key mechanics and the opening experience may deter newcomers.
- “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.”
- “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.”
- “Saga: Emerald Beyond stands tall with its superb battle mechanics, which are just as addictive as they are enjoyable.”
- “The communication of key mechanics is nonexistent.”
- “The combat and general gameplay loop might be fine, but the opening presentation is so bad, and the story is already kinda meh, on top of there being basically no exploration for the first hour, that I just can't be bothered for 50 dollars when Sand Land is right there.”
- “This is fine on paper, but the mechanics are so sloppy and so riddled with RNG that none of this works correctly.”
music
28 mentions
54 % positive mentions
36 % neutral mentions
11 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising it as "fantastic" and "amazing," highlighting Kenji Ito's compositions as a standout feature. The soundtrack is noted for its range, from "good" to "absolutely wonderful," and includes epic tracks for significant moments, such as final boss battles. Overall, the music enhances the gameplay experience, contributing to the game's addictive nature and nostalgic feel.
- “The music is fantastic, and it is everything I wanted after playing Scarlet Grace to death recently.”
- “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.”
- “[best-in-class engaging and addictive combat, tons of character customization and variety, highly replayable, a smorgasbord of saga references, a bangin’ soundtrack.]”
graphics
23 mentions
17 % positive mentions
65 % neutral mentions
17 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with some players finding them an improvement over "Scarlet Grace," while others criticize the character design and overall aesthetic as lacking polish and depth. The visual style leans heavily towards a visual novel format, which may not appeal to everyone, and the game is noted for its low-quality in-game images and mobile-centric design. Overall, while the visuals have their merits, they are often described as mediocre and not particularly engaging.
- “The visuals are not going to please everyone, and the overworld is very similar to what Scarlet Grace did, but with a twist.”
- “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.”
- “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.”
- “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.”
- “The product feels like an ongoing draft, with low-quality in-game screenshot images and AI-generated front artwork.”
- “There will be some players who don't mind the pages and pages of dialogue, and won't care about the seemingly made-for-mobile art styles, but it's hard not to see these dragging 'Saga Emerald Beyond' down towards mediocrity and below.”
replayability
23 mentions
30 % positive mentions
57 % neutral mentions
13 % negative mentions
The game boasts exceptionally high replayability, with a roguelite structure that encourages players to explore multiple scenarios and characters across varied worlds. Each playthrough offers unique experiences due to hidden parameters that alter progression, ensuring that even after numerous runs, players continue to discover new content. The combination of short play sessions, engaging combat, and branching narratives contributes to its status as a game designed for repeated enjoyment.
- “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.”
- “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.”
- “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.”
grinding
12 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is frequently criticized for being tedious and repetitive, with players noting that acquiring ingredients for upgrades and engaging in combat encounters can feel unbalanced and monotonous. While some players appreciate the combat system, many find the overall experience to be a dull grind, exacerbated by a cumbersome trading system. However, those who enjoy grinding may still find the game appealing despite its flaws.
- “Getting the ingredients for the later upgrades is really annoying too; it requires lots of trading and lots of grinding.”
- “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.”
- “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
8 mentions
50 % positive mentions
38 % neutral mentions
13 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is criticized for being static and lacking depth, with players expressing a desire for more engaging storytelling and world-building rather than relying solely on character design. While some appreciate the solid modeling of characters, many feel that the development system resembles older titles where attributes increase over time, contrasting with more recent games that feature fixed character growth. Overall, there is a call for more dynamic and immersive character experiences rather than superficial designs.
- “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, and lately, you guys have been half-assing it.”
- “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.”
stability
3 mentions
100 % positive mentions
-67 % neutral mentions
67 % negative mentions
Overall, user feedback on stability is mixed; while some players report that the game runs smoothly without issues, others have struggled despite attempting various troubleshooting steps.
- “This game runs great for me.”
- “I've experienced no crashes or bugs during my playtime.”
- “The performance is consistently smooth, making for an enjoyable experience.”
- “Yes, I have tried literally every troubleshooting step out there.”
- “Yes, I have tried literally every troubleshooting step out there.”
optimization
3 mentions
67 % positive mentions
-67 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Overall, the game runs smoothly on PC with no reported crashes, indicating good optimization. However, some players note that the visual novel presentation may impact the storytelling experience, and the game's difficulty can be brutally challenging at times, which may affect player enjoyment.
- “On PC, the game seems to run smoothly overall and I haven't had any crashes thus far.”
- “The visual novel presentation significantly impacts the story, and the limited amount of voiced performance detracts from the overall experience.”
- “The game can be brutally difficult at times, which can be frustrating for players who are looking for a more balanced challenge.”
- “There is a noticeable lack of level progression, making it hard to feel a sense of growth or achievement throughout the game.”
humor
2 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Players find the humor in the game to be surprisingly effective, with many enjoying the absurd situations that elicit genuine laughter. This comedic element not only entertains but also enhances the gameplay experience, encouraging exploration and reflection on choices made.
- “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.”
emotional
2 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by the potential for players to deeply engage with their team's dynamics and strategies, leading to a sense of investment in the outcomes. If players do not find themselves contemplating these possibilities, it may indicate a lack of emotional connection, suggesting that the game may not be worth their time or money.
- “If by the end or during the demo, you aren't considering 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.”