Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven Interview With Game Producer Shinichi Tatsuke and Steam Deck Hands-On Preview

Many longtime gamers discovered the *SaGa* series through its numerous releases on past consoles. For me, *Romancing SaGa 2* on iOS was my introduction almost a decade ago. I initially struggled, mistaking it for a typical JRPG. Now, I'm a devoted *SaGa* fan (as the photo below shows!), and I was thrilled to see *Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven*, a complete remake, announced for Switch, PC, and PlayStation.

For this double feature, I played the *Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven* Steam Deck demo and interviewed its producer, Shinichi Tatsuke (also behind *Trials of Mana’s* remake). We discussed the remake, lessons learned from *Trials of Mana*, accessibility, potential Xbox and mobile ports, coffee, and more. This interview, conducted via video call, has been transcribed and edited for brevity.

TouchArcade (TA): Having remade the beloved *Trials of Mana*, and now *Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven*, another classic, how does it feel?

Shinichi Tatsuke (ST): Both *Trials of Mana* and the *SaGa* series predate the Square Enix merger – they're legendary Squaresoft titles. Remaking them is an incredible honor. Both games, originally released nearly 30 years ago, offered significant room for improvement. It was a fun challenge.

*Romancing SaGa 2*, with its unique systems, remains distinctive even today. We believed its uniqueness warranted a remake, offering a fresh experience for modern players.

TA: The original *Romancing SaGa 2* was notoriously challenging (I got a game over in the first 10 minutes!). The remake offers multiple difficulty options. How did you balance staying true to the original while enhancing accessibility, especially for newcomers to the *SaGa* series?

ST: The *SaGa* series’ difficulty is well-known, and many hardcore fans consider it essential. However, this difficulty also creates a high barrier to entry, deterring potential players. Many know the series but haven't played it due to perceived difficulty.

To address this, we introduced a difficulty system: Normal and Casual modes. Normal caters to standard RPG players, while Casual mode focuses on the narrative for those wanting a less challenging experience. Our team includes core *SaGa* fans, ensuring a balance between accessibility and preserving the series' essence. It's like adding honey to spicy curry—the original is very challenging, but casual mode makes it more palatable.

TA: How did you deliver the original experience for veterans while adding quality-of-life improvements? How did you choose which features to modernize while maintaining the challenge for longtime fans?

ST: The *SaGa* series isn't just about difficulty; it's also about understanding the game's mechanics. The original lacked visible information, such as enemy weaknesses and defenses. This wasn't necessarily difficult, but unfair. For the remake, we made these elements visible to create a fairer, more enjoyable experience. We also adjusted areas that were excessively difficult in the original.

TA: The Steam Deck performance is impressive. Considering your experience with *Trials of Mana* on multiple platforms, was the game optimized specifically for the Steam Deck?

ST: Yes, the full game will be compatible and playable on the Steam Deck.

TA: How long was the development of *Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven*?

ST: I can't give specifics, but main development began towards the end of 2021.

TA: What lessons from the *Trials of Mana* remake informed *Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven*?

ST: *Trials of Mana* taught us player preferences. For example, players generally prefer soundtrack arrangements faithful to the originals, but with enhanced quality due to modern technology. We also learned that offering both original and rearranged tracks is popular, a feature we included in *Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven*. We also adapted graphic styles to better suit each game's aesthetic. While we leveraged past experiences, many aspects were newly developed for this remake.

(TA thanks Tatsuke and the team for the “Romancing SaGa 2 Primer” video.)

TA: *Trials of Mana* eventually came to mobile. Are there plans for *Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven* on mobile or Xbox?

ST: We have no current plans for those platforms.

TA: Finally, what's your coffee preference?

ST: I don't drink coffee; I dislike bitter drinks.

(Thanks are given to those involved in the interview and preview.)

Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven Steam Deck Impressions

Receiving a Steam key for the demo was exciting but also slightly concerning. The trailer looked amazing, but I wasn’t sure about the Steam Deck experience. Thankfully, *Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven* is excellent on the Steam Deck OLED. The few hours I spent with the demo made me reconsider getting it on PS5 or Switch. It's that good.

The game looks and sounds fantastic. The remake gradually introduces core mechanics. For returning players, quality-of-life improvements enhance combat and information presentation. Newcomers will find it an excellent entry point into the *SaGa* series. The visuals enhance accessibility, but this remains true to the spirit of *Romancing SaGa 2*. Even on the original difficulty setting, it's still challenging.

The visuals exceeded expectations. While I enjoyed *Trials of Mana’s* remake, *Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven* might be the superior remake (though that remains to be seen with the full release). The PC port on Steam Deck is exceptionally well-optimized. Audio and language options include original and remake soundtracks, English and Japanese audio, and various graphical settings.

I set most graphics settings to maximum or high, with shadows on medium, achieving a near-locked 90fps at 720p on my Steam Deck OLED. I used English audio for my first playthrough, but I might switch to Japanese later. Regardless, significant effort has gone into modernizing the game while preserving its *SaGa* identity.

I look forward to the full game and exploring the console versions. *Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven* is a must-try for RPG fans. I hope this introduces more players to the *SaGa* series, and that Square Enix will consider *SaGa Frontier 2* next.

*Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven* launches October 24th for Steam, Nintendo Switch, PS5, and PS4 worldwide. A free demo is available on all platforms.

(Concluding remarks about other interviews and thanks to the reader.)