DaRmaZat On March 27, Square Enix, almost as a complete surprise, released the long-awaited HD remaster of SaGa Frontier 2. Yes, that JRPG classic from 1999. This revamped version of one of the most captivating JRPGs ever, not just known for its unique hand-painted watercolor graphics, is now available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5 and 4, PC, iOS, and Android.
With several new playable characters, additional scenes, new endgame content, adjustable resolutions up to 4K, an optimized user interface, and numerous other additional gameplay features, SaGa Frontier 2 Remastered should be the ultimate treat for those who have long been waiting for this game. This review covers the PC version.
A Dual-Layered Narrative to Admire
SaGa Frontier 2 Remastered takes place in the fantasy world of Sandail and unfolds through two separate storylines that ultimately turn out to be more connected than one might initially think. Quite literally, you are thrown into numerous events that, when mapped on a timeline, take place across eight different regions spread over the world map. The first plot follows Gustave XIII, who is banished by his father, King Gustave XII, at the age of seven after failing the Firebrand Ceremony—a magical ritual that proves one’s possession of Anima, the source of all magic in this world. Immediately afterward, he, his mother, Queen Sophie, and Master Cielmer—their former advisor and part-time magician—are exiled from the royal palace in Thermes. The three of them initially seek refuge in the city of Gruegel, later ending up in the village of Jade. Determined to prove himself without magic, this is where Gustave learns to forge weapons and prepares for a future war to reclaim his stolen place on the throne in Thermes. As you might expect, the story doesn’t end here, but in the beginning, the gameplay primarily involves admiring the beautiful visuals and reading the accompanying text, occasionally pressing a button to proceed to the next segment.
Things play out quite differently in the second storyline, where you’re immediately pushed into action. This plot centers around Wil Knights, a member of a wealthy family of “diggers”—adventurers who search for magical artifacts. After losing his parents, Wil moves to Westia at a young age and, at fifteen, decides to follow his family’s legacy in search of the legendary artifact “The Egg.” Wil’s quest takes him and his companions—such as Narcisse, Tyler, and Cordelia—to distant and dangerous locations like the Hahn Nova ruins and the icy plains of Weissland. Over the course of his adventure, just like Gustave, he becomes increasingly entangled in a multi-generational conflict with magical and political stakes.
Diverse Quality Improvements Without Sacrificing What Worked
As with SaGa Frontier 2 Remastered, when you start the game, you are given a menu with the choice to launch the authentic experience or enable the new content for your save file. The remaster includes various quality-of-life improvements, including an encyclopedia and a music player. One of the most notable additions is the ability to increase game speed using the right stick, allowing you to progress through longer segments more quickly without suffering from the traditionally slow pacing. You can also toggle between Run and Walk mode (or hold a controller button), enabling your protagonist to move even faster. Additionally, a useful message log allows you to review previously displayed text and dialogues—a handy feature since the story moves quickly and can be overwhelming at times.
The turn-based combat system, party management, and everything surrounding them remain just as deep as in the original edition. Battles occur in three different formats: Duels (one-on-one fights), Team Battles (up to four characters against an enemy group), and Strategic Battles (large-scale encounters with multiple units). You can assign roles to your warriors to refine their fighting styles or unlock additional skills. Just like in the original, you can also send your party members on excavation missions, allowing them to act as “diggers” in search of valuable artifacts or hidden locations.
Even More Gameplay Features
One of the most useful new gameplay features is Parameter Inheritance, which allows characters to inherit certain Growth Stats from each other. This feature, found in the Party Status menu, is only available if you choose to enable new content when starting a new game. It lets you transfer stats—such as Health Points, Weapon Points, Spell Points, and specific abilities—from one character to another within your party. This means that when a character leaves your party for any reason, their accumulated stats aren’t lost but can be passed on to another character. Personally, I found this very useful, as it allows you to give characters who join later in the game a significant boost using the stats of those who have been with you longer. Of course, you are not obligated to use it if you prefer to maintain the challenge.
Parameter Inheritance as one of the most useful new gameplay features.
Additionally, this remaster introduces several new functions aimed at improving inventory management. You can now transfer items to and from your Storage via menu options, and nearly all items can be moved to storage. There’s also a ‘scrap’ option, which lets you dismantle stored items to obtain Chips, which can then be exchanged for Crowns—the in-game currency.
Charming Nostalgia
The user interface now takes full advantage of modern aspect ratios, with plenty of space on the sides of the screen and a collapsible menu. You can also exit a chapter and return later without losing stats or inventory. Visually, the backgrounds have undergone an upscaling process similar to what was done for the remaster of SaGa Frontier 1. Additionally, navigating the world map has been made more user-friendly with icons that clearly indicate locations.
“A timeless, painterly aesthetic.”
Considering the context of the original release, SaGa Frontier 2 still remains one of the most visually unique JRPGs ever made. The remaster retains the fully hand-painted watercolor art style, preserving the timeless, painterly aesthetic of the backgrounds. Fortunately, the animations and sprites remain true to the original, bringing back that charming nostalgia characteristic of the series. While this remaster now supports 4K resolution, this also comes with a minor drawback: on larger screens, some details may appear slightly blurry. Another small issue is that the HUD sometimes lingers on screen longer than desired, with no apparent option to hide it manually—you simply have to wait. In terms of audio, however, this remaster does not disappoint in the slightest. The soundtrack remains phenomenal, with melancholic, subdued melodies and powerful tones that perfectly complement both the epic and tragic moments in the story.
Final Thoughts
This remaster of SaGa Frontier 2 strikes the perfect balance between preserving the authenticity of the original—out of respect for this timeless JRPG classic—and implementing modern enhancements that make the game more accessible to both veterans and newcomers alike. The many valuable additions, emotional storylines, strategic and deeply rewarding turn-based combat, and the gorgeous soundtrack more than make up for the somewhat pixelated visuals (depending on your screen size) and the slower-paced gameplay. A must-have for fans of classic (J)RPGs.
Additional Information
Release Date: March 27, 2025
Reviewed On: PC. Download code provided by the publisher and PR agency via BeyondGaming.
Developer: Square Enix, Bullets
Publisher: Square Enix
Official Website: https://saga-franchise.square-enix-games.com/en-gb/games/saga-frontier-2-remastered
Relevant links: SaGa Frontier 2 Remastered on STEAM
