SaGa Frontier

About SaGa Frontier

SaGa Frontier (1997) is Square's first PlayStation SaGa, a non-linear science-fantasy RPG with seven protagonists across the worlds of the Regions, a million-seller in Japan that divided Western critics.

SaGa Frontier in Depth

Its Free Scenario System lets the player pick one of seven protagonists, all living in the same setting, the Regions, a group of worlds each with its own culture, level of technology and magic. From the start most characters can travel almost anywhere on regular inter-regional ships, explore pre-rendered field screens, talk to people to gather information, recruit allies and start quests. Each has a main quest plus optional ones, and a story changes depending on choices, events and who is in the party. The cast includes Asellus, a girl turned half-Mystic by a blood transfusion from the Mystic Lord Orlouge; the mage Blue, destined to fight his twin Rouge; Emilia, a former model framed for her fiancé's murder by the "Joker"; the bard Lute; Red, who becomes the superhero Alkaiser; Riki, a fox-like Lummox trying to save his world; and T260, an ancient Mec that has lost its memory.

Battles are turn-based, with 2D sprites against rotating 3D backgrounds. Most skills are learned in the middle of fights, spells are bought in shops, and party members can link combination attacks. Races include Humans, Mystics, Monsters and Mecs. Completing scenarios gives bonuses to the next, and finishing all seven opens the "2nd Division" room, where the player can fight every final boss and talk to the developers.

Making SaGa Frontier

Square Production Team 2 began work in December 1995, with Akitoshi Kawazu directing and producing, Koichi Ishii as planning chief, Kenji Ito composing and Tomomi Kobayashi illustrating. The team avoided 3D graphics because it did not yet know the hardware's capabilities, and Kawazu said time and disc space forced cuts, including parts of Asellus's story. It was the first game released abroad under the SaGa name rather than Final Fantasy.

It sold over 1.05 million copies in Japan in 1997, the year's fifth best seller there, and Famitsu's editors later voted it the 18th best PlayStation game. Western reviews were mixed, averaging 71% on GameRankings: critics admired the non-linearity in concept but said it made scenarios short and left players wandering without direction. IGN called it "the only bruised apple in Square's current collection of role-playing games", while GamePro gave perfect marks for graphics and fun. A remaster with the Fuse scenario was released in 2021.