News – Romancing SaGa 2 English Version Available Now
Earlier on we reported on the upcoming English translation of one of Japan’s most famous 16-bit JRPGs, Romancing SaGa 2. Well as of May 26th, Romancing SaGa 2’s English version is officially available for the first time in its history. All in all, it’s not a stretch to say that this is one hell of a momentous occasion for non-Japanese speaking fans of the Golden Age of the JRPG.
Originally released back in 1993, Romancing SaGa 2 went on to achieve domestic sales in excess of one million. The series is best known for its “free scenario system”, whereby the player takes control of multiple different protagonists all from the same imperial bloodline. As such, the player experiences the ever-changing history of the Varannes Empire from multiple different viewpoints.
This system obviously goes on to play a key role in the story. A story which tells of the generation spanning struggle of the Varannes Empire, as they battle against the legendary Seven Heroes who once saved the land from evil, but have now returned in a corrupted form. The full plot synopsis which sets the stage for Romancing SaGa 2 can can be found below:
The Legend of the Sven Heroes.
As demons from every dimension threatened to consume the land, Seven Heroes rose to banish the evils to whence they came. Yet they vanished without a trace before they could revel in their victory.
Tales of the seven—Kzinssie, Subier, Dantarg, Noel, Bokhohn, Rocbouquet, and Wagnas—were told around the world, and many clung to the belief that they would reappear to bring order to the world. People raised their voice in prayer with each successive blight, seeking succor and salvation.
Peace eventually embrased the land without the intervention of the seven, and their story faded into faerie tales.
Nations rose and fell until only a select few remembered the Seven Heroes and their deeds of valor.
Yet eventually the peace was shattered and dusty tomes describing the Seven Heroes were unearthed. Though they did come as prophesized…
Given that the series originates from Final Fantasy, and has historically been a cornerstone of the Japanese RPG scene, a Romancing SaGa 2 English translation certainly is welcome. What’s also nice is to have this version so soon after the announcement. Expunging the months long wait that was standard for localisations back in the 90s.
Romancing SaGa 2 is available now for $17.99 on iOS and Android. Even better, it looks like the PlayStation Vita version is being translated into English too, according to series creator Akitoshi Kawazu on Twitter. In doing so though he did ask for patience, as currently there is no timeframe for the English version of Romancing SaGa 2 on Vita. However, in the meantime we do have the mobile versions, and after 22 years of waiting, what’s a little longer between friends?