SaGa Frontier 2 Remastered

Quotation forthcoming.

SaGa Frontier 2 Remastered is a solid port of a great JRPG from more than two decades ago. It keeps what was special about the original — the story and the characters — and adds to it with new plot elements. While we weren’t in love with the combat mechanics or the exploration puzzles, they don’t get in the way of a great story. Just like we don’t love everything about our family, we could overlook the game’s shortcomings to focus on what made it memorable.

Saga Frontier 2 Remastered is a unique, complicated relic of its time. A compelling cast of characters in a game that gives you glimpses of their personal struggles while focusing more on the long arc of history. A fresh feeling, flexible combat system tied to a series of dungeons that are thematically interesting but fundamentally humdrum. Special features and additions to this remaster that highlight its beauty, give better accessibility to weapon stocks, and give the tempo a much-needed speed boost, but feels incomplete compared to its remaster contemporaries. Ultimately, I had a gratifying experience playing this game in full and checking it off my bucket list, but it’s a game which should be seen more as an incremental improvement and way to preserve it on modern consoles than something that’s likely to draw in a new crowd.

Saga Frontier 2 Remastered has aged surprisingly gracefully, and a big part of that is thanks to the remaster. While the story takes a while to get going and doesn't have the same forward momentum as other peers, the big picture is a vast mosaic well worth experiencing. For old-school fans, this is a welcome addition to the collection. It has everything you might remember, only better and more polished than before. For those curious about classic RPGs, Saga Frontier 2 represents an island in time that, for the first time, is more accessible than ever. If we can't have a full remake, then this is the next best thing. Especially if it's your first time with the saga.

While SaGa Frontier 2 Remastered is a massive improvement over the original, and well worth playing, I remain cognizant of its flaws. The story is highly interesting and definitely fun to dive into, pondering to oneself, “What isn’t being told? What other dynamics are at play?” And yes, the new localization makes the plot far easier to comprehend. But there is a sparseness to the story’s presentation. Nearly 100 years pass and we’re just getting snapshots, vignettes for a handful of characters. That might be a little thin for players who prefer dialogue-heavy RPGs. This ain’t that.

When everything came together and the journey(s) ended, I knew I’d remember SaGa Frontier 2: Remastered for its compelling and distinct storytelling. That’s on top of the usual dopamine-spewing systems and aggressive contempt for convention I expect and enjoy from SaGa. But the annoying gimmicks, especially the Duel system, had me immediately second-guessing the prospect of hitting that New Game+ button. The remaster does a wonderful job making changes to the original without breaking anything, and even makes a big problem easier to deal with without paving it over to make it unobservable. This might not crack the top of my SaGa list, but it’s still a worthy entry in my favorite cult RPG series. Frankly though, I’m glad I waited for the remaster to try it.

25 years have passed since the release of this JRPG by Square, which proves, however, that it still has something to give thanks to an intriguing combat system, a ‘dual-track’ story, and restorations and enhancements that include new game modes, novel narrative elements, and streamlined gameplay that is very enjoyable to play.