Romancing SaGa -Minstrel Song- Remastered Review: Bard, Sing For Me
The SaGa games are a lesser-known series from Square Enix that has largely been overshadowed by the popular Final Fantasy franchise. Thankfully, we’ve seen the resurgence of these underappreciated games in the West with the remasters of Romancing SaGa 2 and 3 in recent years. The first game from the SaGa series, titled The Final Fantasy Legend (I know, I found it confusing too), came out all the way back in 1989 on the original Game Boy by Akitoshi Kawazu before SquareSoft even merged with Enix! Romancing SaGa -Minstrel Song- is now getting updated content and a remaster on modern-day devices following the success of the aforementioned re-releases.
What is Romancing SaGa?
Romancing SaGa is actually the fourth game in the series, following the original The Final Fantasy Legend trilogy, and proved to be a revolutionary stepping stone for the future of the franchise. It introduced non-linear exploration across eight different playable protagonists, all featuring distinct backgrounds and stories. While it came out back in 1992 on the Super Famicom, it was actually fully remade in 2002 for the PlayStation 2 with the subtitle Minstrel Song appended to its name. The only minor difference is that the Western remake of Romancing SaGa dropped the Minstrel Song name, which might be confusing to those unfamiliar with the games. A 2022 remaster of the 2002 remake of the 1992 game is the topic we are going to take a look at today.
For those unfamiliar with the original game, Romancing SaGa is a turn-based Japanese role-playing game that introduced the series’ signature Free Scenario system and Glimmer mechanic. The Free Scenario system is quite self-explanatory, as it allows you to create your own narrative and explore the world however you wish. The Glimmer mechanic, on the other hand, allows your party members to learn new abilities during combat, depending on which weapons or skills they use. This modernized remaster of Minstrel Song contains more than just upscaled graphics and improved load times. It also includes numerous quality of life improvements and brand-new content as well. Still, the game’s unconventional take on gameplay, lack of direction, unforgiving difficulty, and extremely steep learning curve prevent it from being thoroughly enjoyed in today’s gaming day and age.
An Unconventional JRPG
In a way, it’s quite brilliant and brave for Square to push out such experimental ideas, even if they don’t mesh well with the general audience. Romancing SaGa easily distinguishes itself from other traditional JRPG experiences, and could be of great interest for anyone looking to try something different. This modernized remaster is the definitive way to enjoy the first entry in the Romancing series, especially with all the additional content that the developers have added. Multiple new playable characters have been included, with extra player classes, as well as new and enhanced boss battles. New Game Plus is also now an option for those looking to carry their progress over into a new playthrough. Keep in mind you can easily put 20-30 hours into this game on one go!
Romancing Saga -Minstrel Song- is set in the fictional world of Mardias, where you play between eight various characters, each starting on different parts of the map. The plot is easily the most difficult thing to discuss, especially since the game drops little to no background information on who you are and what you need to do. I will say it again: this game is not accessible to casual gamers or those looking for an easy breezy time. You begin completely lost and not knowing what to do, mostly because this is how the game was designed to be played. Who do you need to talk to? Where do you need to go? How do you recruit party members? What is your goal? Go wherever you please, talk to whomever you like, and do whatever you want. Your first entire playthrough, should you make it that far considering how unforgiving the game is, is essentially a tutorial for your subsequent runs on different characters. It takes some time getting used to, but when everything clicks, it really clicks!
Unforgiving and Confusing Mechanics
The rough execution of combat mechanics and overall progression is what drags Minstrel Song down. Barely anything is explained, so you are left to experiment and figure out the best way to carry out battle and level up your party members. Combat follows classic turn-based mechanics, where you pick a move for all your characters, and then the enemies do the same. Basic stats, such as health and stamina, increase as you partake in more combat. Gold and jewels take the place of traditional experience points, where you must spend jewels to level up your characters in their particular class. If a character is to be defeated in battle, they will lose one Life Point. Lose all LP, and you will lose that party member for good. This is extremely taxing and unforgiving, as some dungeons see you getting multiple characters wiped due to an unexpected difficulty spike. The saving grace, I guess, is that everyone heals back to full between each encounter, so you don’t have to worry about stocking up on healing potions. Oh, and if you choose to run away from battle, all your characters lose LP too. Like why?
On top of all of this, weapons have durability too, and can break in battle, so if you’re stuck in the middle of a dungeon swarming with enemies and broken weapons, you might as well restart a previous save. It doesn’t help that the monsters run faster than you in the overworld, so you can forget about outrunning them and escaping. They also land the first attack on you if they catch you with your back turned towards them, so all in all, it’s a lose-lose situation. The entire gameplay loop of dungeon crawling can be daunting and frustrating, so it’s better to look up a guide on how to adequately prepare your party before diving deep into a level.
A Lullaby of a Soundtrack
Minstrel Song Remastered runs impeccably smooth on PlayStation 5, with ultra-fast load times, and crystal clear upscaled HD graphics. Sure, the actual visuals themselves look outdated and chibi, but it’s the nostalgic factor that allows the game to retain its charm. The user interface and menu screens have been reworked to be less confusing, and the developers have added the option to speed the game up to 3x. An exceptional part that I do want to highlight is the music and soundtrack. Kenji Ito has truly blown it out of the water with his orchestral composition, showcasing an array of tracks that feature folk melodies and catchy battle tunes. New arrangements have also been added for enhanced boss battles. A nice added bonus is that you can listen to the entire soundtrack in the main menu as an extra feature. The game is also fully voice acted in both Japanese and English, with production values greater than I had expected. For a game that’s priced at a humble $24.99, this is a definite must-buy for fans of the series and newcomers looking to get their foot in the door.
Conclusion
It’s without a doubt that Romancing SaGa -Minstrel Song- Remastered comes with very little hand-holding and a steep learning curve that may be off putting in today’s limelight. However, its unique approach to non-linear gameplay and storytelling, in addition to its impeccable art direction and soundtrack, combine to create an exceptional adventure. Akitoshi Kawazu has truly created an unforgettable experience that only the most dedicated and patient players can fully appreciate. Set at a more than reasonable price point and filled to the brim with original and new content, Minstrel Song Remastered is welcoming you with open arms to explore the world of Mardias.
Final Verdict: 4/5
Available on: PC, Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5 (Reviewed), iOS, Android; Publisher: Square Enix; Developer: Square Enix; Players: 1; Released: Dec 1, 2022; ESRB: T; MSRP: $24.99 USD
Full disclosure: This review is based on a copy of Romancing SaGa -Minstrel Song- Remastered provided by the publisher.
