While other JRPGs of the same era also touted sweeping stories and dramatic character arcs, none quite captured the direct decision making that Romancing SaGa 3 features. Similar to tabletop RPGs, the fun comes from roleplaying as a certain character and making decisions based on who they are in order to see that character’s story through. While you as the player do take control of one of eight main protagonists who does have a set archetype, at various points in the game you’ll have to make a decision that will greatly impact that character’s outcomes and the greater narrative. You can clearly feel the influences from tabletop RPGs mentioned by Kawazu-san in the branching decisions present in Romancing SaGa 3. Le Guin, and came into contact with tabletop RPGs through Dungeons & Dragons and computer RPGs through Ultima and Wizardry, being able to offer a title for the West is a great joy.” Kawazu-san commented, “as someone who read novels by Tanith Lee, Michael Moorcock, and Ursula K. Keep on reading to learn more about what makes Romancing SaGa 3 so good, and why it deserves to be included in the pantheon of beloved classic JRPGs.Īlthough the Romancing SaGa series is venerated as one of the definitive JRPG series, along with the likes of Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest, in Japan, you might be surprised to learn that some of the series’ major influences are decidedly western in origin.
Needless to say, Romancing SaGa 3 has the JRPG credentials behind it – but what sets it apart from other installments in the Final Fantasy or even Dragon Quest series? While the franchise itself may not be well known outside of Japan, western gamers should take heart in knowing that the series shares its roots with Final Fantasy, the SaGa series creator Akitoshi Kawazu having filled key development roles on the original Final Fantasy and Final Fantasy II. Until today, that is.Īn HD remaster version of Romancing SaGa 3 launches today in the west for the first time on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita, twenty-four years to the day from its initial release in Japan.
Romancing SaGa 3, on the other hand, could be raised by any number of Japanese fans, though you might be hard pressed to find any western gamers who have played it. For western and Japanese fans, there’s likely a lot of overlap between the titles they’d raise as all-time favourites, including titles like Final Fantasy VI, Chrono Trigger, and Xenogears. Countless classic titles were released during this decade and have since entered a ‘hall of fame’ of sorts amongst fans and critics.
For many JRPG fans, the ’90s was truly a golden age.
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