SaGa Emerald Beyond (RPG): Introduction, Review & Rating | Walkthrough Notes

This is an introductory article for Square Enix's SaGa series title, "SaGa Emerald Beyond".
My impression after playing it is that, all things considered, it's one of the more accessible titles in the SaGa series.
There are tons of strategy guides out there, so I'll focus on writing about my impressions from actually playing the game.

The playtime is approximately 70 hours.
(Cleared Tsunaki and Ameya twice, and all other characters, Diva, Siugnas, Bonnie & Fermina, once)

Game Overview

This game is an RPG where you choose one of five main characters to play as.
You can start with any of the main characters, but since the difficulty levels differ considerably, there is a recommended play order.
The game is designed for multiple playthroughs, and while some protagonists can be completed in 2-3 hours, others can take nearly 10 hours.

By playing through the game multiple times, you can carry over character growth and equipment, so it's a good idea to carry over and strengthen your characters to a certain extent before playing the higher difficulty levels with the main character.

After choosing your protagonist, you'll be able to move around the field after the opening event.
On the field, a thread-like indicator shows you where to go next.
Following this will allow you to progress through the event, so you shouldn't have any trouble figuring out where to go.

Event types are distinguished by color.
Blue indicates a normal event, green indicates an important event related to game progression, and red indicates an optional encounter.
Walking around the field does not mean that battles will occur randomly.

When you select an event, the story will progress through text.
In some cases, the situation may escalate directly into a battle.
Depending on the choices you make, the subsequent events and their outcome may change.
If the event hasn't ended yet, you can use the rewind button to re-select your options.

Before the battle begins, some information will be revealed in advance.
The "Battle Difficulty" display in the upper left corner changes depending on the enemy's strength, so it's important to prepare properly if the enemy is listed as "Strong" or "Most Dangerous."

The battle system is basically the same timeline battle system as in "SaGa Scarlet Grace".
Each party member will choose their actions by consuming BP, a shared resource within the party.
If you have 5 BP, two people can use a cost 3 technique + a cost 2 technique, and if everyone uses a cost 1 technique, five people can move.
Characters who do not choose an action will automatically defend, so choosing not to act is also an important option to avoid taking unnecessary damage.

Incidentally, BP (Battle Points) increase depending on the formation, but also as turns pass and certain actions are taken.
While it's difficult to use powerful special moves at the start of a battle, in the later stages of the battle, when your maximum BP increases, it becomes easier to increase the number of attackers and string together more coordinated attacks.

Now, when lines connecting allies and enemies are linked on the timeline, a coordinated attack is triggered.
By coordinating attacks, they become guaranteed hits and receive damage bonuses, so chaining attacks together is fundamental to combat.
Depending on the technique used, the range of connections may vary, and the activation speed may differ from one technique to another.
It is important to act flexibly to disrupt the enemy's coordination and maintain the coordination of our own forces.

While the exact position on the timeline isn't fixed each turn, units with higher agility tend to be placed earlier.

In addition to collaboration, there is also a solo collaboration system called "Dokudanba" (meaning "dual-role").
If there are no players in the two squares before and after this player on the timeline, this attack involves using all remaining BP to perform a coordinated attack by yourself.
It doesn't activate very often when there are many people participating in the battle, but it becomes much more likely to occur as the number of players on both sides decreases.
It's extremely dangerous if the enemy gets to dominate the battlefield, so disrupting them is just as important as coordinating with them.

In addition, there are various other types of techniques, such as bump techniques that delay the enemy's turn, interrupt techniques that disrupt their actions, and protect techniques that protect allies.
All of these abilities can give you an advantage in battle, so mastering their use will help you fight more effectively.

After the battle ends, each character's stats will increase.
Since there are no levels in this game, each stat will increase slightly after each battle.
There are companions of various races, including humans, monsters, and mechs, and each has a different growth system.

One of the greatest appeals of the SaGa series is the ability to learn a wide variety of techniques through the "Inspiration" system.
You can swap out learned skills in the menu screen, so it's a good idea to replace them with more useful ones.
However, if you only use moves with high BP costs, it will be difficult to coordinate them, so you will struggle unless you set a balanced set of moves.

As your number of allies increases, the number of formations you can choose from will also increase.
Since attack and defense adjustments, as well as BP increase/decrease conditions, vary depending on the formation, it's important to choose a formation that suits your current party.
The formation effect feels more significant than in previous series, so I think it's a very important aspect.

When playing through the game a second time or later with a new protagonist, you can choose which items to carry over.
Be aware that if you carry over your battle rank, the enemies will be much stronger from the beginning.
By default, all settings except Battle Rank are carried over.
If you're attempting a challenging playthrough with a difficult character, it's best to play through the game multiple times to train and improve your skills before attempting the main story.

Review (no spoilers)

What I felt after playing this game was that it's considerably easier to play compared to previous SaGa series titles.

First of all, as a premise, my favorite game in the SaGa series is "SaGa Frontier 2".
I understand that SaGa Frontier 2 is a game design that emphasizes characters and story more than other games in the SaGa series, and I feel that the difficulty of the battles is similar to that of traditional RPGs (excluding the final boss battle).

This game, "SaGa Emerald Beyond," doesn't place as much emphasis on characters and story as "SaGa Frontier 2," and felt more like "SaGa Frontier 1."
While a certain level of understanding of the battle system is required, I felt that a fair amount of information was disclosed, making it easy to understand what to do next.
While there are some unfairly strong enemies, they can be avoided, and you'll never find yourself in a situation where you're stuck without realizing it.

In combat, the goal is clear: prevent the enemy from coordinating and dominating, while you aim to coordinate and dominate your own battles.
While there are various types of techniques such as interrupts and counters, which may seem complex, these are merely means to an end and you don't have to use them.
The puzzle-like feel of the game, where you have to improvise and think of the optimal course of action in different situations depending on the placement of allies and enemies on the timeline, is what makes it so addictive.
Each battle is quite long, so it takes some time, but I think this is the core of what makes this game fun.
Conversely, if you feel that the battle system doesn't suit you, you might want to avoid playing this game.
Personally, I found it enjoyable to strategize while being mindful of the turn order, similar to the Grandia series (although that one is semi-real-time).

Compared to previous installments in the series, I felt there were many more player-friendly systems, such as the disclosure of battle difficulty levels and the slightly easier retry system after a total party wipe.

The "Inspiration" system, which could be considered the signature system of the SaGa series, is still present in this game.

However, the feeling of being wiped out if the enemy unleashes their full power, creating a kill-or-be-killed atmosphere, perfectly embodied the harshness of the SaGa series.
The feeling of excitement when you have a sudden flash of inspiration during battle is typical of SaGa, and the occasional bizarre lines of dialogue that pop up in the scenario are also very much in the style of SaGa.
While it feels user-friendly enough to be accessible even to those who have never played the SaGa series before, there's also a sense of strictness in its approach, as if it's not trying to explain everything in meticulous detail.
There are some systems that you only notice after completing the game several times.

In battles against formidable opponents, it's not uncommon to see victories achieved by the skin of your teeth, with only one member remaining alive at the end of the fight.

Now, what I found new in this game was its game design, which is based on the premise of multiple playthroughs.
Using adjacent worlds that connect to various other worlds as a platform, you can choose from a wide variety of worlds and embark on adventures.
While the events waiting in each world are broadly the same, the starting point of the events and the story progression differ with each playthrough.
This results in a roguelike design that makes it less likely to get boring even after multiple playthroughs.
Even when visiting the same world, you can enjoy differences depending on the protagonist you choose and the choices you make, such as different characters joining your party or the setting of the main scenario.
By playing as multiple protagonists, you'll be able to enjoy the world of this game from many different perspectives.

Gameplay impressions (with minimal spoilers)

In this section, I'll write about specific gameplay details and memorable scenes in a rough, unstructured manner.
I've only included a little bit of strategy information towards the end.

The order in which I played was Tsunaki → Ameya → Tsunaki → Ameya → Diva → Siugnas → Bonnie & Fermina.
I carried over everything except my battle rank, and only carried over my battle rank when playing the final battle against Bonnie & Fermina.

Tsunaki and Ameya have relatively short scenarios, so I think they are good protagonists to play as first.
I think it's important to play as these two characters to get used to the game system.
After playing through Ameya's story for a while, I realized that equipment could be upgraded, and then I discovered the trading system and the teacher's trials/training.
These systems are crucial for strengthening your character through repeated playthroughs, so be careful not to overlook them like I did.
The trading system is most efficient when used after each battle, but it's a very tedious and time-consuming process.So I wondered if there wasn't a way to improve the situation a little more.

The Diva storyline is long, and it takes a long time to complete one playthrough, but I was able to thoroughly enjoy playing it.
The initial members are a diverse group of individuals, so it was fun to imagine a chaotic and lively journey.
However, since the pasts of the companions, which are usually explained in typical RPGs, are never mentioned, it actually made me imagine all sorts of things.
I'm incredibly curious about Bowdika, who seems to have a painful past; the mysteriously cheerful Wednesday and her true identity (she seems to be from Delta Base); Blurr, who seems to be from Kamala; and Imaku, who doesn't say a word (she speaks when other protagonists are around).
The fact that there's so much room for speculation and interpretation of the setting is what makes it so typical of the SaGa series.

Conversely, the Xiugnas arc, with its focus on the pasts of the initial companions and its storyline that delves into their backgrounds, felt like it had the most compelling narrative.
I also found it interesting that it has a somewhat unique system, thanks to its familiar management system.
Despite his arrogant demeanor, Siugnas is surprisingly caring, which I found to be a strangely human and appealing character.

The graphic impact of the scene at the beginning of Ameya's story where she and her school friends encounter a frog is so striking that it remains a very memorable and powerful image.
Encountering something like that would probably be traumatizing.

The inhabitants of Cosmos have a somewhat eerie appearance, but strangely enough, once you get used to their unusual looks, they start to seem cute.
I especially love the apologetic expression on Byaku's face; it's so cute.

Speaking of cute, we can't forget Magnus-chan from Delta Base.
She's unfortunate to be forced to do harsh work and treated badly, but her slightly naive and clumsy nature is cute.
I wanted to make him my subordinate.

I took a screenshot because Bonnie looked kind of cute clapping her hands in joy at the end of the battle.
When a battle is won, even the coolest characters show their joy at their teammates' growth, creating an indescribably funny effect.
This atmosphere really gives off that Saga vibe.

It was amusing to see Tsunaki, who usually acts like the protagonist in every scenario, being treated as a rather uncool guy in the Bonnie & Fermina storyline.
It's interesting how the same character can appear differently depending on the scenario.

Regarding combat, I felt that having Ameya, who has learned the Tower skill, significantly lowered the difficulty.
This strategy involves using two exclusive weapons and Power Raise to reduce the tower's BP cost to 1, forcing the enemy to use only those weapons.
If you equip her with paw-print shoes, she will always be at the left edge of the timeline, so she won't interfere with coordinated attacks even while casting spells (although you won't be able to activate Ameiya's special move).
Having mechanical units use Sparkling Mist to lower the enemy's speed makes it easier to coordinate your allies' actions during the turn the tower is activated, which is extremely powerful.
Ameya's technique is designed so that only the Tower is selected, ensuring that the Tower is always chosen during Overdrive.
I recommend Ameya because I think you can manage even the most difficult scenarios if you have her.

サントラ: SaGa Emerald Beyond Original Soundtrack(Amazon)