Square Enix is pumping out new (and old) RPGs on a regular basis - with games like The DioField Chronicle and Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII to look forward to later this year. If these games weren't already exciting enough, it seems yet another classic could be getting a remaster.
As spotted by the Twitter account @asiangameprints (via Nintendo Everything), a listing has recently appeared on Play-Asia for SaGa Frontier 2 - originally released by Squaresoft on the PlayStation in 1999/2000. This includes a listing for the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4, with the "official release date" scheduled for next month on 25th August.
Here's Play-Asia's description:
"Saga Frontier 2 introduces a complete renovation of the RPG genre. Traditional computer polygonal fixtures are replaced with lush, hand-drawn watercolor graphics supported by an awe-inspiring musical score. Blending both freedom and linearity, this title utilizes the Multi-Scenario System giving players unparalleled freedom in choosing which scenario they want to play while other scenarios crisscross with one another. Complementing this feature are three innovative battle modes: Duel, Team, and Strategic. Depending upon the model selected, the player can control an individual character, a team, or several units to fight in battles, bringing depth and precision to the combat sequences."
Square Enix has made an effort to build this classic RPG series back up in recent years - with last year seeing the arrival of SaGa Frontier Remastered on the Nintendo Switch.
Would you be interested in returning to this game? Leave a comment down below.
[source twitter.com, via nintendoeverything.com]
Comments 24
This is 100% "you had me at Hello".
Nice!
Seriously though, what ever happened to Star Ocean 2? Thought the PSP version was getting ported over.
Classic Squeenix RPG's I'd like to see Ported/Remastered/Remade/Sequelized (and not a cruddy mobile port version) for Switch:
**Edit: my bad including Xenosaga as that’s Namco. But still!
... Wun can only hope.
@wuntyme8
I’m with you there on the Pixel Remasters. Patiently waiting for those.
A “finished” version of Xenogears would be awesome too.
@cainswo
Idk about Star Ocean 2 (probably the apex of the series for me), but I'd recommend checking out the port of Star Ocean First Departure R on Switch if you haven't already. It plays like a shorter, mini-SO2 in a lot of ways- as it's remade predecessor.
Here’s what I want: Collections of classic RPGs, ported with small quality-of-life features like fast forward and save states, but otherwise untouched. So, for instance, all the old Final Fantasies, or Saga Frontiers, collected on a single physical cart. Is that too much to ask?
I plan on playing the Saga series eventually but I really wish it was a listing for xenosaga 😔 Xenoblade fans that haven’t played yet deserve to experience that trilogy on modern hardware.
Fingers crossed for Terranigma getting the HD-2D treatment after Live a Live but that’s not something I’d hold my breath for.
I love that SaGa is back, keep em coming!
@wuntyme8 great picks. Happy Valkyrie Profile 1 is getting ported to the ps4, hoping a switch version comes after time but we’ll see.
Xenosaga is Namco so it’s up to them as for Xenogears.. nothing I’d want more but I have a feeling if it does get brought over Takahashi will have no hand in it whatsoever. Which would be ok if it’s just a straight port but I don’t think they’d bother with just porting the game untouched.
@JasmineDragon Seriously, I'm with you here. I haven't completed much of SaGa Frontier yet, but it was the first game I've played for years and years and years that made me feel like I was back in the '90s (in the best possible way). This is such an underrated series in general, and Frontier 1 strikes me as a darker, more developed take on the work begun in Live A Live.
Any competent ports from this series are guaranteed sales for me!
@wuntyme8
DQ 3 is getting remade at least
But you forgot to include on your list Chrono Trigger!
@Slowdive
I used to think/hope that, but with how many releases SE has this year for Switch I think they see it as "cannibalizing" their own sales. So it may have been pushed to next year.
It would be amazing if they release it with the additional GBA content for 4-6!
Never got to finish SF2 on the PSX, but I enjoyed playing it, so I hope they do a good job with this one.
Also, a pixel remaster of Final Fantasy VI would be great.
Ever since Square Enix sold away all their non-Japanese IPs they seem to be very busy with their Japanese ones as of late. Glad that SaGa Frontier 2 remastered is coming, hopefully they remastered Star Ocean: Second Evolution R and Star Ocean: Til the End of Time R too cause it looks like Star Ocean: The Divine Force is gonna be garbage.
i never got to play saga frontier 2 this will be a pleasant surprise..
I wanted to get into the SaGa series, so I bought Collection of SaGa on Switch and played through FF Legend 1.
And... wow, what an old janky GB RPG that was. I'm glad I had the double-speed feature from the collection, that's for sure. And I liked that you could save anywhere, which was useful in cheesing certain tricky situations.
I thought the mechanics were interesting if a bit esoteric - Human characters are reliable but expensive to maintain. Mutant characters gain stats randomly and can use magic, and Monster characters just need to transform into better monsters, making them powerful but unreliable. Right? I had a team of two humans, one mutant and one monster, and that seemed right for me. My mutant randomly became a stat powerhouse, but didn't really get many reliable spells so I just gave em regular weapons.
The presentation feels very much like an early GB game that didn't quite know how to really make a good-feeling GB game yet. It's nothing like GB Zelda or Pokémon that still feel great to play today - FF Legend 1 is a bit of a mess to play.
And the game didn't even have an ending lol. You beat the final boss, it says "well done" and then returns to the title screen. I've never seen an RPG that has the same kind of ending as a classic arcade game, what the heck. It's so funny.
I'm looking forward to trying the rest of the series for sure.
SaGa Frontier 2 is miles better than the first game. I'd say it's one of the best games in the whole SaGa series. It can be hard but the pixel-art sprites on top of hand-drawn watercolour background graphics are very beautiful, even today over 20 years later.
For those wanting to give it a go but afraid of it being hard: The Gustave route is almost always the best choice to start with. The Wil Knights route can be hard in the beginning.
@wuntyme8 Xenosaga is not from Square Enix, it's from Bandai Namco.
@wuntyme8 They only made Xenogears, not Xenosaga
@jamesthemagi
True. Tbh it’s so popular, obvious and demanded + I’ve played it so many times I didn’t include it. But most definitely that needs to and should happen. And at least they released Chrono Cross on the platform! Think it’s only a matter of time for Chrono Trigger to come… hopefully as an HD-2D remake with the anime cutscenes from the PS1 version.
… Wun can only hope!
@gr00ve @BTB20 @Zoda_Fett
My mistake. I’ve edited the initial comment with the correction. But the sentiment still remains! Thanks!
First game is a masterpiece. I never played the 2nd but I hope the remaster improves upon a lot of stuff.
Does this mean Unlimited SaGa might also appear one day? (fingers crossed) I had that on PS2 and it's slot-machine style battle system confused the hell out of me at the time because it was so different than Square's usual turn-based battles. Would love to give it another go, though...
^ I too have all of my appendages crossed that Unlimited Saga is released again soon. I had it on the PS2 and while it was a frustrating bumhole of a game, it was super interesting and different and I really want to play it again.
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