One of Square Enix' most underrated PlayStation-era JRPGs just shadow dropped on Steam
Saga Frontier 2 didn't exactly set the world on fire when it released for the original PlayStation in 2000—at least in the west—but time has treated it well. Like its predecessor, it ignores the then-ascendant move to 3D in favor of lavishly illustrated hand-drawn backgrounds and cheerful sprite work. As a result—and sure, this is subjective—its art style has held up remarkably well compared to the likes of Final Fantasy 7, for example.
Until now you've had to emulate SaGa Frontier 2 if you want to play it on PC. Not anymore: a remaster just dropped on Steam, after an announcement during the Nintendo Direct today. It follows the PC debut of the original SaGa Frontier, which was released in 2021.
The remaster includes sharper graphics, a modernized user interface, new game plus, and the ability to fast-forward combat. Surprisingly, there's quite a lot of new content too: there are new narrative events and playable characters, which should make another playthrough worthwhile. There's also an unspecified number of new "powerful, augmented" bosses to tackle, and a new Parameter Inheritance feature which lets you transfer stats between members of your party. You can also send out diggers to carry out expeditions, which net rewards if they're successful.
The SaGa series debuted in 1989 as a more challenging take on the Final Fantasy template. The most recent instalment released last year, in the form of SaGa: Emerald Beyond. It's fair to say the series has a much lower profile in the west compared to other Square Enix concerns; I haven't played Emerald Beyond and it didn't seem to gain much traction among PC gamers, but classic PlayStation JRPGs getting an airing on PC is always welcome.
It's not the only cult classic exhumation performed today: Raidou Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army is an old action-oriented Shin Megami Tensei spin-off from 2006, coming to PC for the first time in June.