The RPG Fanatic Review Show - SaGa Frontier Review Retrospective
1,209https://rpgfanatics.com The RPG Fanatic Show is for hardcore RPG gamers. This video containers spoilers about the games reviewed. You have been warned!
SaGa Frontier PS1 Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00002STPF/?tag=martbrotstud-20
I'm going to put a disclaimer here at the start, so nobody becomes upset later. Though I'll try to avoid it, there are some big spoilers about the storyline of the game in this review, mostly in the way of showing some clips of boss battles. If you don't like spoilers, don't watch this retrospective.
http://www.gamefaqs.com/ps/198537-saga-frontier/faqs/58412
Before we start, I want you all to know why I'm doing this review. As some are aware, I've been an outspoken critic about other game reviewers making statements about "JRPGs and "WRPGs" in a way that stereotypes the games made by the Japanese as being some kind of relic of the past, or criticizes the Japanese developers like Square-Enix as being "behind the times", so to speak, when it comes to RPG game mechanics.
SaGa Frontier is a game that the so-called "experts" in the "JRPG vs "WRPG debates" tend to overlook when they try to pigeonhole Japanese RPGs into stereotypes. SaGa Frontier is one of those games that defies the stereotypes and basically makes the JRPG vs WRPG arguments null and void. The reason? It has a lot of features people believe belong to the "WRPG" genre, and it was made by Square back in July 1997.
Additionally, SaGa Frontier is a game that tends to be disrespected by other English speaking game reviewers. A lot of reviewers were put off by the game's first impressions, and paid way too much attention to the game's 2D graphics. But in Japan the game sold over 1 million copies. SaGa Frontier is one of the top best-selling Playstation games in Japan, ranked at #15, and has had numerous re-releases.
So if you're someone who really buys into the nonsensical arguments made by other game reviewers who have convinced masses of people that a genre like "JRPG" really exists, this video should be very enlightening to you.
サガ フロンティア バトル曲メドレー (SaGa Frontier - Battle Theme)
Here's a quick summary of SaGa Frontier's many features:
-You can choose to play as 7 different main characters, who each have their own unique storylines; and a few of them also have multiple endings to their stories determined by what choices you make at key plot points.
-There are a total of 31 recruitable characters who can join your main characters in their quests.
-SaGa Frontier has non-linear gameplay; for many characters, it is possible to put off completing the main storyline and focus on side-quests from the very start of play.
-The combat system allows for the perma-death of characters.
-A huge amount of customization of your characters attributes and abilities.
-No character classes.
-No character levels.
-An innovative skill-based combat system where new abilities are learned by using similar abilities, and some skills become stronger the more you use them.
-A unique and difficult to master battle system that allows your team to unleash coordinated attacks, called combinations, and gain power based on what happens to them during combat.
-No random battles, instead you must bump into in-field enemies.
-The difficulty of the battles is determined by the strength of your main character.
Now let's start going down the list and dig in deeper about what SaGa Frontier is, and how it works:
Playable Characters
SaGa Frontier has 7 main characters you can choose to play as, and I will list them in the order of who's scenario I consider to be easiest and hardest;
Red, a teenage boy whose family is murdered by the mysterious Black X terrorist organization. Red's life is saved a superhero who grants Red the power to transform into a Kamen Rider style hero called Alkaiser.
Blue, a recent graduate of the magic academy who is tasked by his nation to master as many different magic styles as possible.
Emelia, a famous model who is wrongfully imprisoned for the murder of her fiance Ren. After breaking out of jail she joins a secret organization chasing after the real killer, who calls himself the Joker.
Asellus, a human girl who is forced to become a Half-Mystic when a horse carriage carrying the Mystic Lord Orlouge accidentally runs her over and Orlouge decides to give her his blood as an experiment. As a half-Mystic, she is despised by both humans and full-blooded Mystics, and escapes from the castle while being pursued by servants of the Mystic Lord.
T260G is an alien Mech who crash-landed onto the planet while attempting to complete a highly important mission. He is repaired by a young boy. T260G has forgotten his mission and must recover its lost memory files in order to do so.
Riki, is a Lummox, a fox-like creature from the monster world of Margmel. He is tasked by the village elder to gather the Rings of Margmel in order to save his world from extinction.
Other Videos By The RPG Fanatic Videogame Review Show
Other Statistics
SaGa Frontier Statistics For The RPG Fanatic Videogame Review Show
There are 119,356 views in 4 videos for SaGa Frontier. His channel published less than an hour of SaGa Frontier content, or 1.06% of the total watchable video on The RPG Fanatic Videogame Review Show's YouTube channel.