For years, fans of Square Enix's library of JRPGs from the 1990s and 2000s have been asking for the publisher to bring those games back. Square Enix is now doing just that, with examples including the Final Fantasy Pixel Remasters, Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake, the Live A Live remake, and re-releases for Legend of Mana, SaGa Frontier, and more. It's time to add another classic JRPG to the list, as Square Enix has officially announced a remaster for Romancing SaGa: Minstrel Song.
Square Enix is updating Romancing SaGa: Minstrel Song for a new generation of video game fans. The remaster is confirmed to feature updated assets that should make Romancing SaGa: Minstrel Song look great even on modern platforms. Further, alterations are being made to the game that should improve playability, plus other unnamed usability features will be added to the game. The resulting product will be released on PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, iOS and Android this winter.
For those unfamiliar with Romancing SaGa: Minstrel Song, it's a turn-based JRPG that tells the story of eight different protagonists. Players will choose one of the eight, with the remaining options becoming recruitable party members. What follows is a non-linear story where each of the eight characters has their own personal adventure while also fighting to collect the Fatestones and prevent the resurgence of the evil god Saruin.
Romancing SaGa was originally released in 1992 for the Super Famicom. It remained exclusively available in Japan until 2005 when Square Enix would remake the game with 3D assets instead of 2D sprites. This remake added the Minstrel Song subtitle, and it's this version of the game that Square Enix is remastering for release in 2022.
The SaGa franchise of JRPGs is split into multiple different series. The first trilogy was released under the name Final Fantasy Legend. Romancing SaGa is the first game in the second trilogy of SaGa games, which were released between 1992 and 1995. Both Romancing SaGa 2 and Romancing SaGa 3 were remastered and released in 2017 and 2019, respectively. This new Romancing SaGa: Minstrel Song remaster should make the full Romancing SaGa series available on modern platforms.
Square Enix's decision-making regarding what games it brings back and how it re-releases them is always a curiosity. Final Fantasy received pixel remasters, Live A Live is being near entirely remade, and Romancing SaGa is only getting basic remasters. While SaGa fans would likely have preferred a more substantial update, it's still better to have a modernized version of the game than no access to it otherwise. Here's hoping Square Enix continues to bring back as many classic JRPGs as it's able.
Romancing SaGa: Minstrel Song releases this winter on PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, and mobile devices.