Romancing SaGa - Minstrel Song Remastered International

There's a strangeness to Square Enix's SaGa series that makes it stand out amongst its RPG peers, though that doesn't stop it getting lost amongst the slew of releases that Square Enix has been firing at us of late. Between Tatcics Ogre Reborn and Final Fantasy VII Reunion, it's somewhat unfair that Romancing SaGa Minstrel Song might get left off a lot of shopping lists this Christmas, and that would be wrong.

Because this game is very, very good.

Series creator Akitoshi Kawazu deserves a lot of credit for making an RPG that feels very much like its own thing. With countless JRPG's coming at us, whether remakes, remasters or just retro JRPG-inspired Kickstarter projects, the whole JRPG genre is a nightmare to navigate. This game doesn't help in that regard either - it's the international release of the remaster of a remake. Just let that sink in.

There's probably the perfect one out there for you, but what that might be is a whole journey just by itself. SaGa doesn't sit well into any one "style" of RPG as the games tend to be less narrative-driven adventures than open-worlds that will unveil depth when you dare to explore. 

The game feels like illustrations to a children's book, it's quite beautiful once you get used to it

You'll start the game with one of eight selectable characters, each with their own prologue, with the aim of preventing the resurrection of the God of Destruction. Each character starts their adventure in a different corner of the world of Mardias, visiting spots of interest, talking to the locals and unlocking quests as you do so. Some of these are time-limited or require a certain party member, so you have to be careful about what you do and when. Thankfully a notes menu will give you hints about each of the quests you've uncovered to provide some direction - this can be a life-saver as often-times things are a bit vague. Even with this help, you'll have to explore thoroughly to find what you need, so this is a JRPG that requires your full attention and a serious investment of time (so thanks to Red Art Games for sending this well ahead of time!). There's no hand-holding or obvious direction within the game and your choices will determine outcomes, so there's a very random element to SaGa Minstrel Song that you'll either love (as many do) or find frustrating. You can do what you want, or not, as you decide. It's what makes SaGa feel fresh - nobody will play it the same way, so the story is unique to you. Because the linear element is dispensed with, you may find powerful allies and equipment early on, or not. Much like life itself, who knows where you'll end up until you start walking?

Take on the task or don't, it's entirely up to you

As for battles, the game doesn't really encourage grinding either, a system employed by most genre stalwarts to unlock greater powers and new techniques. Monster encounters are low, so you'll generally only fight when you have to or need to, which I sort of admire but find to be a bit of a shame since some of the new abilities are fun to unlock. I'm always an early grinder in games like this, I like to give myself the best chance of success when I'm in hairier fights, but the game actively discourages this. Regardless, when you do level up, it's done randomly through battles, making each level up a surprise. This keeps things interesting but again, won't do  for JRPG players who like to organise their party and levels like a spreadsheet.

Once you do beat the game, there's New Game Plus, which carries over the techniques you've learned and gives you another crack at exploration and selecting different characters for your adventure. Other quality of life improvements include improved UI to make management easier, a marker for your current event rank, a 999 item-storage which can be accessed from any menu and a lot of the harder to access quests have been made easier to activate. It all makes the game more approachable without diminishing its unique charm. 

Menus are now friendlier and easier to navigate

There's also new content - the most immediate of these is the addition of four new characters - Marina, Flammar, Monica and Schiele, all of which will join you once you finish their quests. There is also - allegedly as I haven't unlocked this - a new set of events for Aldora, though accessing these requires a third playthrough and depends on how the other two playthroughs manifested, which makes this very hard to access. As I say, I haven't managed this (yet) but it's in the code if you have the patience for it. I'm not sure I like such a specific requirement in such a random game, it seems counter-intuitive, but perhaps that's just me.

Once you beat the super-boss, you'll have access to 13 more super-bosses to test your mettle against, should you wish to ramp up the challenge to ridiculous levels. 

While this new content rewards the most hardcore of players, I doubt most will ever see it due to how hard it is to access. This seems almost like wasted effort on the part of the developers, but I suppose it will feel far more rewarding for those that truly dedicate themselves to the game. I am however both filthy and casual, so I doubt I'll see the super-bosses in all their glory, no see what additional adventures await Aldora.

Graphically, the game looks good, though the style of the characters is definitely an acquired taste. Best described as resembling puppets (think classic Go Nagai X-Bomber) , the SD style certainly isn't typical chibi-fare but like the game itself, has its own unique charm. The music is bloody good though and should be appreciated by everyone.

Is SaGa Minstrel Song International Remake for everyone? No, it requires a certain type of player who relishes an open world of endless possibility. Is the title too long? Probably. But for those with the right set of stats, this is a game that will beguile, enchant and reward you endlessly. There's a reason the SaGa has endured over decades, why its fans love it so and will support each new iteration. If you join their ranks then expect to be chasing more titles from the series, as it becomes quite the addiction for its legions of fans. And yes, I might be one of them now.