SaGa Emerald Beyond Review
Release date: April 25, 2024
Series: Saga
Mode: Single-player video game
Composer: Kenji Ito
Genres: Role-playing video game, Adventure game
Developer: Square Enix
“Review Copy Provided By Square-Enix”
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SaGa is a venerable RPG series that has been captivating audiences for decades. The series traces its origins back 36 years to Final Fantasy II, a game that shares one of its lead designers, Akitoshi Kawazu, with the SaGa series. The first SaGa installment, released just a year after Final Fantasy II and known as The Final Fantasy Legend in North America, marked the beginning of its long-standing legacy. In recent years, a slew of re-releases has introduced these games to a new generation of players, culminating in the latest title, SaGa Emerald Beyond, which serves as the first fresh entry for many.
I have been with the series since 1992, having played through all of the previous SaGa games. As I approached SaGa: Emerald Beyond, I was already a committed fan, despite the previous game being one of my least favorites. Emerald Beyond promised a return to the series' strengths while preserving elements I cherished from SaGa Scarlet Grace. The game surprised me in both delightful and disappointing ways.
SaGa Emerald Beyond quickly became one of my most anticipated games. SaGa Scarlet Grace: Ambitions, which was my Game of the Year in 2019, set a high bar. Known for its radical departure from typical RPGs, Scarlet Grace captivated me with its unique world map, intricate cause-and-effect puzzles, one of the finest turn-based battle systems, and an exceptional soundtrack. Emerald Beyond had big shoes to fill, and in many respects, it succeeded, though it somewhat lost the balance that Scarlet Grace had achieved due to its broader scope.
For dedicated SaGa fans and those who enjoyed Scarlet Grace, my critique might seem irrelevant. Emerald Beyond is undoubtedly worth playing, and I plan to revisit it repeatedly.
The narrative of SaGa Emerald Beyond sprawls across several interconnected worlds, each with its protagonists, like Ameya on her quest to reclaim her stolen magic, and Bonnie and Formina investigating an assassination attempt. The game restricts players to exploring one world at a time until its story is exhausted, which can feel restrictive compared to the more open exploration in Scarlet Grace.
Character diversity in Emerald Beyond is broader than in previous entries. The game features humans, mechs, vampires, monsters, kugutsu, and ephemerals, each with unique growth mechanics and abilities. For example, mechs upgrade through equipment, whereas monsters enhance their abilities by absorbing those of defeated enemies.
The battle system in Emerald Beyond builds on and deviates from that of Scarlet Grace. It introduces a secondary timeline that adds complexity to the strategic placement and coordination of attacks, facilitating new types of combo maneuvers known as United Attacks. The game also introduces Pursuits and Chains, adding further strategic layers to combat.
Despite some narrative and gameplay linearity, the diverse character options and the game's inherent complexity offer varied playthroughs. SaGa's trademark obtuseness remains, challenging yet engaging, making Emerald Beyond a rich but potentially daunting experience for newcomers.
Emerald Beyond not only reflects the series' evolution in terms of gameplay but also boasts enhanced graphics and a superb soundtrack by Kenji Ito. The game's commitment to offering a profound, albeit subtly revealed, impact of player decisions on the game's world ensures that each playthrough can feel unique, though it may take several attempts to fully appreciate the game's depth.
While SaGa Emerald Beyond is an ambitious continuation of the series that will delight long-time fans, it might prove challenging for those new to SaGa's complex and distinctive RPG style. The game is a celebration of what fans adore about the series, with enough innovation to keep the experience fresh and engaging.
