Square Enix has shared the first details and screenshots for their Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven remake detailing its character classes, combat systems, and more alongside launching preorder on the Switch eShop.
Character classes
There are more than 30 different character classes in the game, covering a wide range of races and professions. Each class has its own unique characteristics, with different proficiencies for weapons and spells.
Allow us to introduce some more of the characters you’ll meet in the game and their respective classes.
Nomad: Altan and Fatima
Altan is a nomad hailing from the beautiful Steppe, he boasts strength and dexterity in equal measure. He also specializes in bringing out the full force of axes to bear.
Fatima’s a nomad who hails from the beautiful Steppe. She not only has high dexterity and speed, but shows great potential for magic as well.
Crusader: Sophia and Georg
Sophia is a holy knight with great talent in the magical arts. She wields a wide variety of spells with power and precision in lieu of weapons.
Georg is a holy knight with great strength. He excels in close-quarters combat while seamlessly weaving spells in his defense.
Martial Artist: Karl
Having spent years honing his skills in the Dragon Lair, Karl’s innate strength makes him a natural martial artist.
As the Master Dragon, he leads the Dragon Lair and is responsible for the protection of the people of Nibel.
Corsair: Henrique
This corsair was raised upon the rough waves of the Longit Sea. Though he and magic are like water and oil, his agility makes him ideal for melee combat.
Saigo Clansman: Eirik
Eirik is a powerful member of the Saigo Clan with a strengthened and hardened body. He is a strong fighter who excels in heavy weapons.
The Saigo live and travel with the mu, a bovine species that make annual migrations across the frozen Nazelle Strait.
Salamander: Kelud
A Salamander hailing from Mt. Comroon, wielding pyrology as easily as they breathe. Their physical prowess is likewise not to be underestimated.
They make their home at the base of the volcano, loyal to their land despite the perils of the coming Wrathfount.
Amazon: Jeanne
Jeanne is a fearless warrior nurtured by the ruthless wilds of Salamat. Her greatest weapon in combat is her dexterity.
The Amazons used to live in Eirunep before the men of their tribe were lured away by Rocbouquet of the Seven Heroes, leaving only the women who formed their own unique community.
Battle
Next up, let’s talk about battles – and the abilities your retinue has.
Abilities
Each character class has a unique ability, offering the player a variety of advantages specific to each character. Boons offered by abilities include increased HP, enhanced magic damage, enhanced attributes, increased item drop rates, and more.
Abilities can be unlocked by having that character class participate in and win a certain number of enemy encounters.
After an ability has been learned, it can then be mastered by winning even more battles. Mastered abilities can then be equipped onto other character classes instead of being tied to its original class.
Pre-emptive Strikes
Approaching enemies unnoticed will prompt you to launch a surprise attack. Upon launching a successful pre-emptive strike, the encounter will begin with the enemy taking a small amount of damage and having their action speed reduced in the first turn. Furthermore, your retinue will gain some charge for the Overdrive gauge.
Making use of pre-emptive strikes will put the Emperor’s retinue in an advantageous position at the start of battle.
You can receive surprise attacks as well! Should the Emperor’s retinue be ambushed, the retinue’s formation will be thrown into disarray and they will be unable to flee from battle for a set amount of turns
United Attack Chains
As the game progresses, the number of retinue members that can act together for a United Attack can increase. It begins with a minimum of two characters and can be upgraded up to a five-chain United Attack. Encounters ending with a United Attack dealing the final blow will grant a TP (EXP) bonus to the entire retinue.
The Overdrive gauge, which is required to launch a United Attack, carries over between encounters. Once longer United Attack chains are unlocked, they can be used in battle by repeatedly building up the Overdrive gauge. Once a United Attack has been launched during an encounter, the next United Attack used within the same encounter will include more retinue members.
Techniques and Spells
Characters can spend Battle Points (BP) to use powerful techniques and spells in their repertoire. BP does not restore automatically between encounters; instead, it can be recovered by staying at inns, using consumables, or interacting with BP Recovery Zones.
Sword Technique: Fillet
Rapidly slice your foe into shreds.
Terrology Spell: Stone Shower
Rain stones down upon the enemy to deal damage.
Axe Technique: Treecleaver
Bring down your axe like one would split a mighty log. Deals critical damage to flora enemies.
Spear Technique: Petrify Rush
Aim directly for the pressure points on your foe, piercing them with great precision. Has a chance of inflicting Petrification on the target.
The Avalon Smithy
Once the Smithy has been established in the capital, the player will be able spend materials and crowns (the in-universe currency) to develop new weapons, shields, and armor, as well as reforge existing ones into a stronger form.
Once the sufficient materials and crowns have been spent, development or reforging can begin. A certain amount of time will need to pass before the equipment can be collected, which can be achieved either through winning battles or by triggering a time skip through progression of the story.
Materials needed to develop or reforge equipment can be obtained from treasure chests, throughout the overworld indicated by an interactable glow, or dropped by enemies in combat.
Retinue Composition
New character classes can be discovered and become recruitable by progressing through the various free-form scenario episodes that take place across the world.
Allies of recruited classes can be added into the Emperor’s retinue at any time by visiting a tavern.
World Map
Previously visited or unlocked locations can be seen on the world map screen. Quick travel is possible by selecting the location you wish to travel to on the world map.
Some areas have further sub-locations that can be selected for ease, such as being able to teleport directly into Castle Avalon’s throne room.
Free-form Scenario System
Your actions affect how the story progresses. For example, the order you visit locations and the things you do there can change how the narrative plays out.
Here’s an example:
The Dragon’s Lair
The Dragon Lair is the training grounds for the martial artists of South Varennes who were formerly known as the protectors of the region, although their reputation has been suffering as of late.
The people of the nearby town of Nibel have asked the martial artists to rid of some fiends that threaten their livelihood. However, physical techniques have little effect on the pudgy, amorphous bodies of the fiends in question, leaving the martial artists unable to do anything. As a result, the townsfolk have been losing faith in their abilities and reliability.
The leader of the Dragon Lair, the Master Dragon Karl, requests the Emperor to help clear the caves of fiends in their stead, but to leave the final fiend to him so that he may restore the honor of the martial artists and regain Nibel’s trust. The player can then choose whether to act only in the name of the Varennes Empire, or agree to collaborate and help the Dragon Lair save face.
The martial artists ask that the Emperor leave the final fiend in the caves to them so that they may restore their reputation with the nearby townsfolk.
Will you let them take credit for your work so that they may restore their honor…
…or will you simply take the final fiend for yourself? The decision you make will greatly affect your relationship with the Dragon Lair.
Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven is set to launch on October 24th for Windows PC (via Steam), Nintendo Switch, PS4, and PS5.