The “Saga'' series began during the Square era before the merger, starting with “Makai Toushi Sa.Ga'', which was representative of the Game Boy, followed by “Romancing SaGa'' series, which was developed for the Super Famicom, and “Saga'', which was active on the first PlayStation. They have shown their presence in each era, such as in the SaGa Frontier series.
However, in the 2010s, there has been an increase in the use of browsers and smart devices, and the only completely new game for home use is “Saga Scarlet Grace'' released in 2016. Although remastered versions of past games with additional features have appeared, the demand for a completely new Saga for current consoles has only grown in intensity on social media.
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The wishes of these users will be rewarded at the “Nintendo Direct” held in September 2023.At this time, a completely new work in this series“Saga Emerald Beyond”It was announced that it will be available for Nintendo Switch/PS5/PS4/Steam/iOS/Android.
The long-awaited release date will be on April 25th of this month, about half a year after its announcement. What kind of gameplay will “Saga Emerald Beyond” have and what kind of experience will it provide? Based on the advance experience that gave us the opportunity to get a glimpse of it, we would like to provide you with a preview of this work ahead of its release.
Please note that this play is for the PS5 version. In addition, one of the main characters, “Diva Girlfriend Number 5'', is selected and the preview is based on the area touched at the beginning.
■The evolution and challenges of the “Saga” series, where the “standard shape” is changing
In order to talk about the feel and touch of “Saga Emerald Beyond”, let's first look back at the characteristics and appeal of the “Saga” series. However, it is difficult to explain the “Saga'' series in one word, and the way people express it and the points they pick up vary greatly depending on the person.
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This is because, although it can be broadly described as a “command battle RPG,” it has adopted a unique system from the beginning of the series, and new features have been added with each successive series. As a result, even games in the same series can have completely different gameplay experiences.
Still, there are some systems that are easy to pass down, and these are where the classic elements and evolutionary trajectory of the Saga series emerge.To give an example, it is a measure of overall strength.There is no “level”point,Get stronger with each battleLearn potential growth factors, skills and techniques“Flash”arbitrarily select the occurrence and development of events.“Free Scenario”connect attacks between allies to create more effects“alignment”etc. are probably representative.
These characteristics were firmly inherited in Saga Emerald Beyond. In addition, the content is not just inherited, but has been refined and sublimated to suit this work, making it exciting not only for new users but also for series fans.
The “Saga” series has continued to improve itself as an RPG that continues to evolve in its own way. With this completely new release, I was able to enjoy a more sophisticated version of “Saga.” I will share the key points of that experience, focusing on the battle and the field in general.