Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven Review – Turn Based Battles & Overhauled Graphics

Square Enix has been deep in the revitalization of older games, from Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core to Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth, and the most recent project to get a glow-up is Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven.

Originally released as Romancing SaGa 2 in 1993, the game was groundbreaking for its turn-based combat, deep narrative storytelling, and the ability to play through multiple generations of main characters.

Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven takes the story and gameplay of the original game and reimagines it for modern audiences. The switch to 3D models and environments from the original art style gives the game a polished look, but there are a few “old-school” elements that could challenge some gamers.

Key Details

• Publisher/Developer: Square Enix
• Platforms: PC via Steam, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4/5
• Price: $49.99
• Review Copy Provided: Yes

An Almost Perfect Update

Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven is a full remake of the original game, and rather than sticking with a pixel art style similar to what has been seen in Octopath Traveler, Square Enix has reinvented the world in 3D.

These visuals do a wonderful job of creating characters that players can relate to and build relationships with, especially with such a wide cast to remember as the story progresses. I especially liked how the change from pixel-created dungeons that were fully immersive, and towns that could be explored from the perspective of the main character.

However, as far as graphics go, something about Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven doesn’t feel as polished of much of Square Enix’s other remake and updated offerings. Faces are stiff, environments are basic, and more than once I found myself thinking it looked a bit like a PS2 game.

I want to state that I didn’t mind the style, and it didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the game, but a player base spoiled on hyper-realistic graphics and Unreal Engine makeovers may find the slightly dated direction a bit of a letdown.

However, if you are a fan of the styled look of Kingdom Hearts 2, like I am, you may actually enjoy this throwback to a different Square Enix era.

Dungeons, Dungeons, and More Dungeons

One thing you will be doing plenty of in Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven is dungeons. Right from the start of the game, players will travel from the Kingdom to a dungeon, and from there, every plot point requires exploration and defeat of a new dungeon.

Because of this, the primary element of gameplay is the turn-based battles – and boy are there a lot of them. With limited exploration options, and an extremely long opening tutorial that spans hours before all mechanics are fully available, the constant encounters with enemies can quickly bog down gameplay.

While the progression through each turn-based fight is fairly speedy, these battles aren’t balanced with much else. This makes each dungeon map feel pretty on-the-rails, with little purpose other than fighting things until you get to a boss.

I think this is the trap of remastering older games. While this style of gameplay was typical and standard in 1993, modern-day games with similar approaches have balanced the need for fighting and dungeon crawling with exploration, crafting, and social elements. These options outside of combat feel under-utilized and limited in Romancing SaGa 2, leaving players to battle constant encounter fatigue as they grind along for the next slice of plot.

I would have loved it if maps for the dungeons had been a bit more exploration-focused, or had puzzles added to break up some of the encounters.

I also hate to say it, but with such a focus on combat, I almost wish it had been replaced with real-time battles instead of turn-based. While I love a classic JRPG, I was feeling the grind, and not always loving it.

A Simple Story That Lacks Modern Polish

Romancing SaGa2: Revenge of the Seven has a fairly straightforward plot. Evil is trying to destroy the kingdom. As the sitting monarch, Avalon must be protected, so you must gather companions and fight the evil. This repeats over generations.

Unfortunately, Square Enix fans have been spoiled on lush, complex storylines with complicated character relationships. From the dense timelines of Kingdom Hearts to the emotionally devastating plot twists of Final Fantasy, fans of the content Square Enix puts out may find themselves feeling the dated storyline with lacking details.

I just wanted more from everything. I wanted to feel more connected to the main character. I wanted to feel more interest in the companions I kept in my team. I wanted to be rooted in the plight of the world. However, most of the time I was just trying to manage my dwindling Balm supply while dealing with onslaughts of minor monsters.

Games like Romancing SaGa 2 have a hard test to pass, with the bar set at such a high mark. While fans who played the originals may love the updates, modern gamers may jump in and wonder where the complexity is, and why they should care about the world they are saving.

Final Score – 7.5/10

Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven is a fun, combat-heavy remake of a beloved classic. Fans who played the original should absolutely pick this up, and those who enjoy a steady dungeon crawl will find comfort in the many fights they will face while saving the kingdom.

While the look of the game, storytelling, and overall gameplay take a hit due to a lack of modernization, the concept of seeing a kingdom develop over many lifetimes is exciting and fun. It just would have been amazing to see that world fleshed out a bit more, and for the updated gameplay to offer a wider assortment of activities for players to enjoy outside of fights.

**A Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven code for the Nintendo Switch was provided for the purpose of this review**

About the Author

Laura Gray

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Laura Gray, known as Ezra when not putting pen to paper, is a D&D enthusiast with a love of all things written. They are a collector of fantasy and sci-fi novels, a lover of cooking weird food, and a player of farming sims and Pokémon games. When not engrossed in a re-read of Anne McCaffrey or a deep dive into the Adventure Zone: Balance, they can be found sniffing the cats and napping in half-finished crochet projects.

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