When RPG fans think turn-based, they run to the usual suspects: Final Fantasy, Persona, Dragon Quest, and even to a degree, Fire Emblem. These mammoth game series define the genre time and time again, with the former completely overhauling the system, without turn-based functionality in Final Fantasy VII: Revelation. What if I told you outside of Dragon Quest, there was still a true turn-based icon on the horizon (without the number 33)?
I’ve got good news! Romancing SaGa 3: Destinies United is back on the menu, and although it’s taking a little longer to bake, it embodies everything 90s fans love about turn-based RPGs just like the previous Romancing SaGa 2 remake. As a big fan of the original (and only being able to play it in HD on the PlayStation Vita in 2019), when I got the invitation to join the Romancing SaGa 3: Destinies United party for a small hands-on session, I couldn’t offer myself as tribute fast enough.
Although my time with Romancing SaGa 3: Destinies United was limited, it is everything I wanted from the 2019 release and then some — just like Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven. From what I played in that small session, Romancing SaGa 3, multiple protagonist POVs, and turn-based gameplay have never been so back.
For the uninitiated, Romancing SaGa is the other turn-based series developed originally by Square Enix (formerly Squaresoft), and it features a revolving door of viewpoints. Romancing SaGa ditched the typical RPG status quo and dropped players behind the visor of many characters. This new-at-the-time concept did wonders for world-building, and it’s safe to say Romancing SaGa walked so Octopath Traveler (and its sequels) could fly.
With introductions out of the way, I started the Romancing SaGa 3: Destinies United first demo in hostile territory. My party, led by Khalid (no relation to the DJ), had to go straight into the maw of danger, a dragon’s hoard called Gwayne’s Lair. Surprisingly, even without proper introductions, if you are a turn-based veteran, you will slip into the upgraded battle system without issue. Romancing SaGa 3: Destinies United deploys an overhauled UI oozing with efficiency, and it mirrors the Romancing SaGa 2 remake.
A huge addition that neither the original nor the PlayStation Vita had is that Romancing SaGa 3 and its main cast have been given full voice acting, so all character personalities have been given a boost. Anyone wondering how Khalid, Katarina or anyone in between would sound now has full voice representation. Aside from a shiny new coat of paint, and the characters being given a voice, Romancing SaGa 3: Destinies United feels great to play when in action.
Another quality-of-life addition to gameplay brought in from Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven is the opportunity to adjust difficulty levels. This works incredibly well with the self-healing your party does after each skirmish; although each fight could be tailored from story to life-or-death, you don’t have to hoard healing items for each encounter, and I dig it.
“Romancing SaGa 3: Destinies United feels great to play when in action.”
While exploring Gwayne’s Lair in Romancing SaGa 3: Destinies United, each fight doesn’t just net you experience; each time you unleash a Tech, your characters have the chance to learn a new skill. Khalid, for example, can swing a short sword or curved sword, and each use of Tech can net you a new skill mid-battle.
This system is a one-to-one copy of the updated battle system in Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven, down to the timeline of moves on the top of the screen that allows you to prepare for opponent turns. This allows for a lot more nuance than just waiting to attack again.
Strategy is also expanded to how you set up your party members. I put Peony, the flying (and very squishy) fairy, in the back row so she can unleash her mighty wind abilities from afar and take less damage, and, on the contrary, Khalid led the charge to soak up all the damage. When you deploy strategy in Romancing SaGa 3: Destinies United, the game listens and rewards the player.
After learning a wealth of skills and continuing along the path, I eventually came face to face with Gwayne himself. If dragon stereotypes are real, Gwayne fits the bill from his massive quaking, causing a tremor in the pile of riches he snoozes on. He’s Smaug from The Hobbit-adjacent, and he speaks with a low grumble that shakes the room. Romancing SaGa 3: Destinies United rolls out the red carpet for its adversaries like an enticing One-Punch Man scene, with a little theatre and some drama.
Fighting Gwayne is an ordeal. He strikes your party with many AoE attacks that push you into the red. Like all other Romancing SaGa titles, you have a myriad of faces to use in your party and Flurry, my resident healer (and snowman?) Flurry had his work cut out for him.
With a smooth strategy of Khalid taking the blows, Peony unleashing heavy damaging dragon and wind attacks (which Gwayne is weak to), and Flurry providing heals, Gwayne can be brought down with a struggle. It’s also worth mentioning that when your party learns an enemy’s weakness, it remembers, and this is a godsend. One thing is made clear through this encounter: Romancing SaGa 3: Destinies United focuses on bringing the epic in all-new form with the least amount of friction.
Romancing SaGa 3: Destinies United is shaping up to best version of the game with the small sample I played. With all of the quality-of-life additions brought from Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven, full voice acting, and character designs inspired straight from the 2D artwork from the original. If you’re a SaGa fan, or a turn-based efficionado, you should set your calendar notifications for February 16, 2027, for when the full release drops. I know I’m going to.
