Previously only available on mobile phones, Square Enix is bringing Romancing SaGa 2 to home consoles and PCs next week, on December 15th. Originally released in 1993 by Square for Japan's Super Famicom system, Romancing SaGa 2 would later see several re-releases, for iOS and Android and a Japan-only PSVita release, before finally coming to Western shores later this month. This re-release for all three major consoles, PSVita and Steam also comes with a few new features, too. Four new original dungeons have been added, as well as new character classes, and a "New Game+" mode that allows players to hunt down items and characters they missed.
In celebration of this release, Square Enix is hosting a 20% launch discount across all platforms (including the iOS and Android versions). While no price has been announced yet, with the 20% discount, I would expect Romancing SaGa 2 to cost anywhere from $15-20 on your choice of platform. With the release looming next week on December 15th, the Steam page for Romancing SaGa 2 is up now, though again, without a way to pre-order.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qh_rNK6m1Ro&feature=youtu.be
Romancing SaGa 2 tells the tale of the royal family of the Varennes Empire, as they fight against the Seven Heroes. The former heroes disappeared for centuries before returning as demons, now threatening the stability of the land. One notable feature of the SaGa series is the focus more on sidequests, rather than an overarching story. Countless dialogue options and quest choices will affect which of the seven heroes you fight, and who your allies are in those battles, as well as your own successors. Upon its original release, Romancing SaGa 2 was lauded for including such a substantial narrative, something that has since become a trademark of the series.
One might wonder why Square Enix would decide to port a 24-year-old game now. In an interview with VG24/7, producer Masanori Ichikawa reveals that the company was surprised at the love for the mobile port. With so many fans taking to Twitter to profess their love for SaGa, Square Enix greenlit a new release for every major platform. An English-language Vita port has been in the works for some time, yet this announcement will likely come as a surprise to many. Ichikawa closes the interview by saying that he'd love to continue working on SaGa games and that he'd love to bring the next game, SaGa Scarlet Grace to a worldwide audience as well.
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The port is being handled by ArtePiazza and Square Enix. ArtePiazza previously worked on CGs for a number of the modern Dragon Quest games, yet Romancing SaGa 2 appears to be their first PC release. Nevertheless, this re-release appears to be a completely new port, rather than a port of the mobile version, which Square Enix has done for Final Fantasy games previously. We'll have a chance to get our hands on Romancing SaGa 2 on a number of platforms on December 15th.
