Romancing SaGa -Minstrel Song- Remastered

When it comes to ambition in video games, few take risks and truly go for it where it counts. Romancing SaGa -Minstrel Song- Remastered drastically switches up the typical RPG (role-playing game) formula by giving players the freedom to do whatever they wish. Better still, depending on which of the eight characters you choose to play as, the world around you acts and reacts quite differently. Designed for multiple playthroughs, each character has their own thoughts and feelings regarding certain areas and situations. Where one faction will openly accept and cooperate with one character, another may block a character from entering a town completely, preventing multiple potential quests and characters. All of this comes together to simulate a living, breathing world enriched by the fact that you're only as much of a "main character" as you want to be – a refreshing change of pace from automatically being the "Chosen One" who's forced to save the world from destruction. Of course, this amount of freedom doesn't come without its hiccups.

This game's major "flaw" is that it can be punishing when you're trying to gain your bearings. The battle system is special in that your characters don't simply "level up." Instead, their stats are tailored to the weapons they use. The more you use a specific weapon, the stronger it'll be. But enemies get stronger as players do, which could result in a situation where all the opponents you encounter are entirely too strong, stopping your progress in its tracks. There are many improvements to the original remake – such as combat that includes a fast-forward button and a quick-save feature to avoid getting stuck or lost. Even considering its steep learning curve, the thrill of figuring out what you want to do next is well worth the cost. Sure, the game is exceedingly vague almost to its detriment. But then the amazing soundtrack kicks in, you learn more about the central characters and the world around them in fun, organic ways, you hear a rumor that takes you on another adventure, and you realize how singularly unique Romancing SaGa -Minstrel Song- Remastered is. Complex? Certainly. Worth the time and struggle? Absolutely.