SaGa Frontier 2 Remastered review: As the world turns

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It’s an exciting moment for fans of the SaGa series as Kawazu’s team has been successfully expanding its influence with innovative remasters, culminating in the creation of a brand-new game and a full remake. This has strengthened SaGa’s position within Square Enix’s arsenal. In light of these achievements, the release of SaGa Frontier 2: Remastered presented an opportune moment for a “stealth release,” or “shadow drop,” to gauge the reaction of RPG enthusiasts. I eagerly anticipate its success, as a new installment in the SaGa series promises enjoyment, and this remaster is a testament to the art of preserving and enhancing classic games simultaneously.

First introduced for PlayStation in 1999, SaGa Frontier 2 deviates significantly from its predecessor, SaGa Frontier, which adhered more closely to traditional SaGa gameplay conventions. In general, the SaGa series features multiple protagonists, non-linear narratives, and intricate character development systems that encourage risk-taking and exploration. However, Frontier 2 presents a narrative more akin to reading a historical text, with chapters organized in a sequential manner. Although you have the option to jump ahead or read chapters out of order, the story remains linear and isn’t influenced by your discoveries or choices that seemingly alter the game’s random elements. Each chapter is outlined in a menu, complete with titles and dates that can be compared to a broader historical record. While certain elements may be missed, the plot does not evolve based on your findings or choices.

Dungeons and Drag… ging a giant sword to disrupt order and right generational wrongs?

Fundamentally, Frontier 2 presents two narratives unfolding across multiple decades, eventually merging as the world evolves and events simmering beneath the surface erupt. One tale revolves around Gustave, who was once destined for a throne but was exiled when it’s revealed he lacks magical abilities. The other follows Wil, a Digger exploring caves worldwide in search of Quells; he unearths a peculiar artifact that appears to be the catalyst for calamity wherever it’s found. While Gustave’s journey illustrates the transient and delicate nature of human power structures, Wil’s narrative delves into an imaginative quest encompassing a struggle between family ties and duty.

You could consider these interconnected tales as two distinct faces of a role-playing game (RPG) coin. One side, represented by Gustave, is heavily focused on narrative and minimizes combat, while the other, symbolized by Wil, retains the classic elements of RPGs such as battling skeletons in dungeons and leveling up.

Gustave’s journey employs SaGa’s systems to achieve a specific goal, with limitations on equipment, control over characters, and creative uses of mechanics like weapon durability for narrative purposes. On the other hand, Wil’s story features characters that join and depart your team, but offers opportunities to delve into dungeons and make choices that affect your overall progress. This unique approach aligns with SaGa’s exploration of video game storytelling structures.

Initially, I wasn’t certain how to feel about Frontier 2, given it was my first time playing it. However, Gustave’s captivating narrative, filled with unexpected twists and emotionally resonant conclusions, drew me in so much that I momentarily overlooked any initial reservations. As for Wil’s segments, they initially posed a challenge, but the innovative additions for the remaster and my enjoyment of grinding in SaGa made the overall experience more balanced. The game’s stunning visuals, with intricately designed character sprites and hand-painted, watercolor backgrounds that maintain their quality when zoomed, were almost enough to secure a top spot on my personal rankings. However, a few features or elements from the original game proved irritating at best and downright frustrating at worst.

Polishing a gem

To begin, let’s discuss the positive aspects of the updated game. Initially, one issue with the original version was that when new characters were introduced, their stats weren’t adjusted, and if a character you had invested in was sidelined, their equipment was taken away along with them. This often led to surprising situations where you would find yourself primarily evading enemies for survival. In many instances, the game would surprise you like this, then thrust you into a dungeon from which there was no escape to recuperate. Consequently, you could find yourself in quite a few peculiar predicaments. The revamped version introduces Parameter Inheritance, a feature that allows two characters to be linked together so they share stat improvements.

In addition to the Japan-exclusive mini-games from the PocketStation, you can simultaneously run these, and they will craft gear for your character. This feature seems less like a deliberate challenge, typical of SaGa games, but rather an unexpected side effect. It’s refreshing to see Square Enix utilize these mini-games in their remasters, especially as such features are often overlooked or forgotten over time. It’s exciting to witness their smart application in modern gaming.

Smells like “we can’t release Breath of Fire 3 on the PSP” around here

The Duel system, which is intended to spice up the traditional turn-based, 2D RPG combat, has been a frustrating aspect for me each time I had to interact with it. It seems like an attempt by executives to explain why Madden and the [Currently Popular Shooter Game] haven’t attracted more players, even though this isn’t necessarily the case here. However, it does give off a whiff of unnecessary tinkering. In this system, you are either allowed or compelled to engage in single combat where you select actions based on your gear and skills, which essentially reflect the abilities you’ve already gained through normal gameplay.

This feature offers an opportunity to innovate and develop fresh tactics for SaGa’s Glimmer system, essentially providing more maneuverability. Essentially, it seems that the frequency of “Sparks” during regular fights is lower to motivate players to engage in Duels. However, the character transition from charming 2D sprite to jarring, pixelated 3D model can be off-putting, resembling a corporate edict more than anything else. Frankly, I find Duels unappealing due to their awkwardness and interference with enjoyable content. I dislike them in all contexts; they are not appealing to me anywhere.

As a fan, I found myself engrossed in a few segments of the story that presented a simplified tile-based strategy mini-game to depict an epic confrontation. Initially, these moments felt more like charming diversions compared to the intensity of the Duels. However, when the tension escalated and the final showdown arrived, it seemed as though the game was trying on a Fire Emblem cosplay.

In this climactic battle, I was presented with a seemingly impossible situation – an unwinnable scenario where I had to persevere against all odds, buying precious time for reinforcements to arrive.

In a SaGa game, the design of the map suggests there’s primarily one viable approach, but certain areas require direct interaction with Random Number Generator (RNG) elements, which can be frustrating as success often relies on luck and quick reflexes. This happens during crucial story moments, where repeated battles due to figuring out the solution can become infuriating. While this isn’t a persistent issue throughout the game, it significantly detracted from a key dramatic scene. The RNG-based battles that occur elsewhere are not difficult and don’t adequately prepare players for the strategic thinking required in those specific instances.

Upon completion of my adventures and as I reflect back, SaGa Frontier 2: Remastered stands out for me due to its captivating and unique narrative. Besides the habitual release of dopamine from the series’ mechanics and defiance of tradition that I appreciate, there were certain frustrating aspects, particularly the Duel system, which made me hesitate about replaying it via New Game+. The remaster has admirably updated the original while maintaining its integrity, and even addresses some significant issues without erasing them entirely. It may not be my favorite SaGa game, but it’s a notable addition to my beloved niche RPG collection. In truth, I’m thankful for the wait to experience the remastered version.

You can now play Saga Frontier 2 across multiple platforms including PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and 5, as well as mobile devices. For this review, we were given a Nintendo Switch code by the publisher.

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2025-04-04 17:28