Home - RPG Games - Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven Review
Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven, developed by Square Enix, is an RPG masterpiece that has stood the test of time. Originally released for the Super Famicom in 1993, it has since been remastered and ported to modern platforms, including the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Steam, and mobile devices. What sets this game apart is its groundbreaking gameplay mechanics, compelling narrative structure, and an emphasis on player freedom.
This in-depth review explores every aspect of the game, including its story, gameplay, art style, soundtrack, and legacy. Whether you’re a long-time fan or a curious newcomer, this comprehensive analysis will reveal why Romancing SaGa 2 is an enduring classic. With over 3,000 words of detailed insights, this review leaves no stone unturned.
The Story: A Tale of Legacy and Sacrifice
At the heart of Romancing SaGa 2 lies an ambitious narrative that spans centuries. The game centers on the Avalon Empire, where players take on the role of a succession of rulers tasked with defeating the Seven Heroes. These legendary figures, once hailed as saviors of the world, have returned as corrupted villains, spreading chaos across the land.
Generational Storytelling
A standout feature of the game is its generational storytelling. As rulers age, abdicate, or die, their successors take up the mantle, creating a continuous sense of progression. Decisions made by one emperor can ripple across future generations, shaping the empire and the world itself. This mechanic not only enhances immersion but also raises the stakes of every choice.
Themes of Morality and Legacy
The story explores themes of morality, ambition, and the cost of power. The Seven Heroes—once revered—become a cautionary tale of hubris. Players must grapple with the burden of leadership, ensuring the survival of their empire while confronting the darkness that threatens to consume it.
Branching Paths
The non-linear nature of the story allows players to tackle the Seven Heroes in any order. Each hero has their own backstory and domain, adding layers of depth to the world-building. Side quests and optional events further enrich the narrative, rewarding exploration and curiosity.
Gameplay: A Revolution in RPG Design
The gameplay of Romancing SaGa 2 is a masterclass in innovation. It deviates from traditional RPG norms, offering players a sandbox-like experience where experimentation and strategy are paramount.
Freeform Exploration
Unlike most RPGs of its time, Romancing SaGa 2 grants players an open world to explore. The game’s map expands as the story progresses, revealing new regions, dungeons, and cities. Players can prioritize objectives based on their preferences, creating a personalized experience.
Imperial Succession System
The generational progression system is one of the game’s most iconic features. When a ruler dies or steps down, a successor is chosen from a pool of candidates. These successors inherit skills, magic, and equipment, maintaining continuity while allowing players to adapt their strategy.
Benefits: This mechanic adds a layer of strategy, as players must consider long-term planning.
Challenges: Losing a ruler unexpectedly can disrupt plans, forcing players to adapt on the fly.
Combat Mechanics
Combat in Romancing SaGa 2 is turn-based, but it incorporates several unique elements:
Formations: Players can assign characters to specific formations, each with distinct advantages and disadvantages. For example, some formations enhance defense, while others prioritize offense.
Skill Sparks: Characters can learn new skills mid-battle, adding an element of unpredictability and rewarding persistence.
Resource Management: Managing HP, SP (Skill Points), and LP (Life Points) is crucial. LP is especially critical, as a character with depleted LP cannot be revived.
Progression and Customization
Character growth is tied to the weapons and abilities they use. Magic is learned through research conducted in the empire’s capital, while weapons and armor can be upgraded by investing resources.
Graphics and Art Style
The original 16-bit art of Romancing SaGa 2 remains iconic. The remastered editions retain this charm while incorporating modern enhancements.
Pixel Art Excellence
The game’s pixel art is detailed and vibrant, with each region boasting its own distinct aesthetic. From lush forests to desolate ruins, the environments feel alive and immersive.
Modern Improvements
The remastered versions feature high-resolution graphics, improved animations, and a refined user interface. These updates make the game more accessible without sacrificing its retro appeal.
Character Design
The character sprites are expressive, and each hero and villain is meticulously designed to reflect their personality and role in the story. The Seven Heroes, in particular, are visually striking, with designs that evoke both awe and dread.
Soundtrack: A Symphony of Adventure
Composed by Kenji Ito, the soundtrack of Romancing SaGa 2 is a masterpiece. Its music perfectly complements the game’s epic scope and emotional depth.
Memorable Themes
Each region, battle, and pivotal moment is accompanied by a unique track. The overworld theme inspires exploration, while the battle music energizes players during intense encounters.
Adaptive Soundtrack
The music evolves with the story, reflecting the player’s progress and the shifting tone of the narrative. This dynamic approach enhances immersion and keeps the experience fresh.
Legacy and Influence
Romancing SaGa 2 has left an indelible mark on the RPG genre. Its innovative systems and bold design choices have influenced countless games, from Final Fantasy Tactics to modern open-world RPGs.
Critical Reception
While the game was initially overshadowed by more mainstream titles, its re-releases have garnered widespread acclaim. Critics and players alike praise its originality and depth, though its difficulty remains a point of contention.
Cultural Impact
The game’s themes of legacy and sacrifice resonate with players, making it a timeless classic. Its generational storytelling has inspired similar mechanics in titles like Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
Innovative Gameplay: The generational system and freeform exploration set it apart from traditional RPGs.
Deep Strategy: Combat and resource management require careful planning and adaptation.
Rich Storytelling: A narrative that spans centuries, with meaningful choices and consequences.
Timeless Presentation: Gorgeous pixel art and a phenomenal soundtrack.
Replayability: Multiple paths and outcomes encourage repeat playthroughs.
Cons:
Steep Learning Curve: The game’s mechanics can be overwhelming for newcomers.
Punishing Difficulty: Mistakes can have lasting consequences, which may frustrate casual players.
Sparse Guidance: Limited tutorials and hints can leave players feeling lost.
Final Thoughts
Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven is a triumph of design and storytelling. Its ambitious mechanics, compelling narrative, and timeless presentation make it a must-play for fans of the RPG genre. While its challenges may deter some, those who embrace its complexities will be rewarded with an unforgettable experience.
Whether you’re revisiting it on modern platforms or discovering it for the first time, Romancing SaGa 2 is a game that deserves your attention. Its legacy as a bold and innovative RPG is well-earned, and it continues to inspire new generations of players and developers alike.
Customer reviews for Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven
More JRPG fans should play this game. Even more so if you are fans of Octopath Traveler.The funs:
1. Great turn-based JRPG experience
2. A lot of characters, weapons, skills and abilities to tailor to your combat strategy
3. Allow quite a bit freedom of explorations and how you approach the quest progression
4. A good story i would say to keep you engage
5. Games run very smoothly
6. Very fast and responsive UI and navigation (very important if you like to spend 5 seconds max in menu)The pains:
1. The inheritance system makes you unable to like the characters as a person (as technically the characters is different person in every generations)
2. The generation timeskips feels too sudden at first (but you can manage once you realized what triggers it)In conclusion, highly recommended as a JRPG looking for something to play and never heard of Romancing Saga games. As a first time playing Romancing Saga's game this is so much fun.
A nonlinear jrpg with some cool mechanics. Because you can wander freely to explore and do most things in any order you want, the story is pretty simple. But where this rpg shines is in the freedom you have to grow your characters and teams however you like, as later generations inherit the growth of the past ones. Death is only a minor inconvenience in the big scheme of things, as you are looking at the long view as you create an empire and emperor strong enough to fight against the seven monsters threatening the world.Lots of depth and charming art style. I hope we eventually get RS3 someday like this!
Picked this game up thinking it would be a nice B-tier JRPG to spend some time on, didn't realise I was about to spend 40 hours in one of the best JRPG's I've ever played
Yeah here we go. Kind of has all the best things of major turn based RPGs without adding in a dumb mechanic to ruin things. I like how they do permadeath here, where every unit has a certain number of times they can be KO'd before it's off to the eternal dirt nap. You gain skills/spells/abilities depending on how much you use other skills. Switching party members is easy and allows for some pretty cool team setups. Town building makes sense. Generations inherit abilities. It's really fun.
Try the demo if you're unsure. You'll get a feel for the combat, though you won't have the party switching and town building mechanics until you play the full game.
I love everything about this game—an absolute masterpiece! If you are someone who enjoys turn-based tactics with an excellent story and strong character building, this is the game for you. I don't have any regrets playing easily one of the best turn-based tactics games ever. It's one of those games you can play at your own pace and enjoy at any given time.
This game clicked with me so much harder than I ever expected it too. I don't know if it's my favorite game from last year, but it's 10000% up there in the Nine Sols + Balatro tier for me. Incredible game. I love it so much
A very unique RPG. I feel most people don't realize that the focus isn't on a specific character but the Empire itself and defeating the seven heroes. I was hesitant at first as I like focusing on a character but it really grew on me. I'd go as far as saying its a true RPG, not like the RPGs today. There is no hand holding, you pick the path, and your choice on how you beat a quest can affect other things down the line.I've read people saying whats the point of battling if enemies scale with you, to that I say, fight all the bosses with just basic attacks, you won't get far. It focuses on leveling the weapon type itself as opposed to the character itself, which at first I didn't like but it really grew on me as well. To learn more abilities/spells you have to battle and level up that weapon/spell type otherwise you won't learn anything. And if combat is to easy, like any other game, up the difficulty.I've played many (J)RPGs in my time, this is definitely a must play if you're a true RPG fan.
If you're looking at this store page already, chances are you're the type of person who will like this game.Extremely creative mechanics that create an incredible emergent story. I wish I could wipe my memories and play it again from scratch.Give it a chance!
It was a lot of fun till I realised that there is 0 point to doing battles as enemies scale with you.... Which instantly made it incredibly boring as running past the entire game to the final boss is the best way to play, and fighting gets you literally nothing.
The game has level scaling. What's the point of levels, when enemies scale with you? Might as well get rid of leveling alltogether. Even worse, scaling is largely based on how many battles you fight, making it feel like you should avoid battles at all cost.
Having finished the game today, I have to give this a STRONG recommendation. I played through the game on Classic, and it is probably one of the best turnbased RPGs I've ever played. The story, while simple, was quite enjoyable, and the core gameplay was an absolute delight, each individual mechanic all came together into a perfect whole. If you're not playing this, you are doing yourself a disservice.
10/10. Best singleplayer game I ever played. Peak story, peak freedom, peak combat, peak vengeance - FOR THE EMPIRE!Story is like dark souls in exposition, where you grasp it little by little, but is also very classic and well written. All of the characters have their own distinct personalities. The writing is exceptional, one of the few games I found myself unable to skip everything because of how it compelled me to stay and engage. It's almost a problem with how grossly it intoxicated me and immersed me in another dimension.The game is open world-esque, in the sense where you can pick a direction and just decide to go in that direction, exploring beautifully hand-crafted regions, travelling the turbulent seas, the mountainous passes littered with monsters, the inhospitable arctic and malevolent deserts, all for the sake of vengeance. As well as to simply adventure and explore various cultures. Assisting in their plights as the benevolent emperor, or abandoning them as their problems do not concern you.The sequence of events take place over centuries, so if you decide not to do a quest, then 200 years later you can face the consequences. Or if you do make a decision during a quest, then there may be certain consequences you face as the emperor in subsequent generations depending on your decision. Which does mean it can lock you out of content, and such that you will never be able to unlock everything in one playthrough, incentivising NG+Difficulty certainly becomes a little lacklustre towards the end, it is at its most hardest towards the beginning, is modest at the middle, and trivial towards the end, where I am no longer worried about dying, cause nothing truly poses a threat to me anymore. If I want, I can obliterate an entire horde in a single spell, which becomes a problem for my retinue in case I want to glimmer a technique for them. I believe this is due to the cap for scaling on monsters, where in NG, they are capped to level 16 scaling, though I have heard this cap is removed for NG+A few minor problems I have that prevent this game from becoming 11/10 is that the formation system is a little wack. To get a formation you have to die or abdicate. Yet if you play well, you will never die or need to abdicate. Hence limiting your formations, unless you intentionally send your emperor on a lone expedition to their demise, you will find yourself limited in strategy. The formations are also unbalanced, I found myself using the Dragon Stance formation that I got at the very start of the game, and feeling that every formation I attained afterwards was a downgrade. Though that may just be my familiarity with the formation as well as the fact I had built my entire strategy and retinue using that formation as a guideline. So swapping was awkward and grotesque to my senses. However with how abilities are meant to be mastered, the game encourages usage of different party members, hence formations. At least, that was the vibe I got, but the Dragon Stance formation was so OP, I could just use the same strategy but with different people, as it would work regardless, which was surprising considering how I couldn't find anyone else praising this formation in the community.I also felt that some of the caves and enemy variety was a little limited. However the designs were so beautiful and unique, I didn't mind much, as well as the fact that I could still die if I was completely tuned out. The world is very immersive, and really did transport me to another world while I was playing. Some of the areas reminded me of Elden Ring in design.Difficulty is done well in this game. Reminding me of Assassin's Creed Origins, In the sense that monsters will mostly one shot you, at least in Hard (classic), however they aren't so tanky that you cannot one shot them in return, you are also given a variety of tools and status effects to completely nullify certain monsters, such as giving paralysis to [spoiler] chimeras [/spoiler] to completely break them, so they are unable to play the game, which would turn an otherwise arduous battle into a pinata.I love the story, I love the exploration and freedom, I love the combat, I love the environment and design. Masterpiece game. I never say this, but this game is worth to buy at full price. I got beyond 45 quid worth of enjoyment, in fact, this game opened my eyes to what can happen if developers were human and gifted both in talent and effort.
Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven is a game that constantly hints at greatness but rarely delivers on it. While the remake’s visual overhaul is undeniably attractive — lush environments, crisp character sprites, and a stable framerate — the beauty is only skin-deep. Beneath the polish lies a frustratingly uneven experience that feels more like a relic than a revitalization.
The game’s much-touted open-ended structure quickly becomes its own worst enemy. Instead of feeling like a world of possibilities, the lack of direction often leaves you wandering aimlessly, unsure if you’re progressing or just wasting time. The “Inheritance” generational system is conceptually intriguing, but in practice it’s clunky and poorly explained, forcing players to rely on external guides to understand core mechanics like enemy scaling or missable classes.
Narratively, the game is paper-thin. The premise — seven legendary heroes turned villains — has potential, but the story is delivered in sparse, disconnected fragments. Towns feel lifeless, with NPCs offering little more than shop menus and the occasional bland line of dialogue. Even cutscenes, while voiced, are surrounded by long stretches of silence from the world’s inhabitants, making the setting feel oddly sterile.
Combat, though serviceable, suffers from pacing issues. The hybrid of real-time and turn-based elements feels awkward, and the balance swings wildly — one moment you’re slogging through damage-sponge enemies, the next you’re one-shotting entire groups. Without clear feedback on weapon proficiency or skill growth, experimentation feels more like guesswork than strategy.
Ultimately, Revenge of the Seven is a remake that mistakes fidelity for improvement. It preserves the quirks of the original without smoothing over its rough edges, leaving newcomers alienated and veterans wondering why more wasn’t done to modernize the experience. For every moment of charm, there are hours of tedium — and in 2025, that’s a hard sell.
Verdict: A beautiful but shallow remake that fails to make its case to anyone but the most die-hard SaGa fans.
Ok i judge the game to soon it's good but that first time jump really threw me off guard i hated it and dropped the game after it decided to a give it a another shot not bad honestly.
Didn’t like the visual style at all, but the gameplay is still just as interesting and unique. The critical QoL improvements the devs added really made the whole experience a lot smoother and more enjoyable.
I'm usually more interested in story-focused JRPGs, but this one has been an exception.It's primarily focused on gameplay mechanics, party building & battles, yet it's done so well that it kept me hooked the entire way through. But be warned - you have to be willing to accept missing certain things on a play-through, as this game has quests/character classes/items you can't get all in one run.You'll have to pick one thing or another multiple times, and depending on how (and when) you tackle quests, you can get several different outcomes or miss things entirely. And you might think "Oh, well I'll just use a guide!" but that will only help so much, as A) there is no way to get/do everything regardless, and B) there are very few guides for this game.The latter is definitely annoying, as you might get stuck in a few parts, want to know enemy weaknesses, chest locations, puzzle resolutions, etc. & find that most info on this game is severely incomplete. At best, you'll find some half-finished user created guide for select early parts of the game, or potentially old posts on GameFAQs or Reddit, but there's a lot left in the dark. Sometimes, you can find info regarding the older remaster, but not everything is 1 to 1 with the remake.All that being said, this is a remake done right. I've had more fun with this & Octopath Traveler 2 than pretty much anything else Square Enix has put out in recent years.Getting to recruit dozens of different character classes, learning skills & magic abilities, upgrading those skills & abilities through use in combat, unlocking unique abilities for each class, unlocking new formations with each emperor generation, upgrading & forging new gear, and slowly building up your town buildings - all blend together so well!If you're a fan of JRPGs in general, give this game a chance. It's hard to find anything wrong with it. The story could be better, but everything around it is VERY strong.Highly recommend - 9/10
One of the best RPGs I've played. So much customization, team building and fun to be had. Game is tough but fair and kept the challenge from start to finish. The overarching story is...okay but the side quests are fun and meaningful. Overall, I cannot recommend this gem enough. Came out around Metaphor and cleared it by a mile to me.
One of the most addicting turn-based rpgs I have ever played. The SaGa games might not be everyone's cup of tea but when it clicks, it clicks man. From the music, the very in-depth combat, the non-linear aspect of the game, the successor system which makes this game stand out. Overall it's a great game and a faithful remake to the original super famicom game that was released in the 90's.
Look, this game obviously has its charms and the succession system has merit but the completely random time skips and complete lack of continuity throughout the first 20 hours has been something I just couldn't keep on with. It makes no sense why certain people are chosen to succeed and there is no difference between any of the chosen characters and team members right down to their voice acting. While this game is worth trying, the demo does not give you a clear idea of what the game is actually like. Its a no from me unfortunately.
