I think SaGa Scarlet Grace: Ambitions is, by all normal means, still the series’ peak in terms of “quality.” I think it’s the better game, and might even be a better recommendation for your first SaGa game. Romancing SaGa: Minstrel Song Remastered sings to me in a way that game just can’t compare. Maybe it’s the PS2 design sensibilities, perhaps it’s the chibi models, or maybe it’s the music. I can’t quantify it, but I think depending on the person this is one of those games that will stick with you for life. This seemingly tiny package has so much meat and is one I just want to keep revisiting for years to come. It doesn’t hold your hand but instead beckons you to plunge into its depths and uncover its secrets. You’ll drown in systems that often feel like they’d never work together, but it all just does. There’s beauty in the chaos, if you embrace it.
Overall, Romancing SaGa: Minstrel Song Remastered is a fantastic re-do of a game that had lots of room for improvement. SaGa fans will eat it up, and even if you’ve played the original you may want to check this out for its new content and additions. The look of the game may turn some off, and there are certainly some awkward carry-overs from its PlayStation 2 origins. It’s also a SaGa game through and through, and that’s either going to have you jumping with joy or running for the hills. Only two left now before they have to make a new one, right?
While it isn't the best way to get into the SaGa series, Romancing SaGa Minstrel Song Remastered features a plethora of enhancements and new content making it worth your time if you're interested in checking out a more unique JRPG you might've missed back in the day. Hopefully it gets a physical release on Nintendo Switch in the near future.
Three decades after Romancing SaGa made its debut in Japan, players around the world have literally dozens of great choices when they decide which JRPG to tackle next, even if they’ve been exploring the genre for years. Romancing SaGa -Minstrel Song- Remastered doesn’t have the high profile that might allow it to jump to the top of most JRPG lists, but its quietly engaging experience is a bountiful reward for those who give it a proper chance.
Romancing SaGa -Minstrel Song- Remastered offers a trip back to when JRPGs didn’t just offer multiple playthroughs, they counted on them. This game expects you to miss numerous events and items, and to want to try again. Because of its complexity and general aimlessness, however, I’m not sure many will want to.
Romancing SaGa – Minstrel Song – Remastered ambitions and achievements still feel fresh today. The open-world system is remarkably well-implemented and the multiple-protagonist approach feels modern even in a game that has been on the market for decades, but control issues, the vague nature of the game, and a slow progression system drag it down. Unfortunately, this is a cult classic JRPG that is less than the sum of its parts.
In the end there are too many substantial knocks against the game to really recommend it at large. For a very specific type of gamer who wants a super deep, complex series of systems to dive into and a world free-form exploration system, they will enjoy this game; but the majority of players will be put off by the unnecessary complexity at so many levels, the lack of a clear progression, and many other small knocks that really take out what could have been cool.
SummaryIn the long, long ago of 1992, Square Enix released the fantastic Romancing SaGa on the Super Famicon in Japan. The fourth 'SaGa' game, it revolutionized the series with its non-linear structure and innovative mechanics.
13 years later, a remake was released for the PlayStation 2 in Japan as "Romancing SaGa: Minstrel Song" and later in ...