For those who have played Saga Frontier...

So I really loved Saga Frontier because of how the open-ended gameplay allows you to beeline for some of the super-strong characters/items/techs after you're familiar with the game.

Granted I haven't played SSG:A for too long (just chapter 2 of Urpina), I feel like its much, much harder to capture that emotion gained from "obtaining a power spike". Is that actually the case for this whole game or am I not aware of some useful information or mechanics about this game? I guess my question is, is the game actually that balanced? xD

You'll never get to the levels of brokenness you can find in other SaGa games until SUPER late game and after heavy grinding, but even then the true final boss and later scarlet fiends will mostly put a damper on that. You can do the typical SaGa thing of making a beeline toward really good items or characters (e.g. Twinspikes Spear, elemental weapons, Twister sword, etc.), but they don't carry you nearly as much as the other games.

SSG is all about grace under pressure (no pun intended) and clever use of the mechanics; getting a solid grasp on how to manipulate turn order is the only way to feel overpowered in this game—unless you want to grind like a madman or just keep rolling through NG+ to get OP items early.

You'll never get to the levels of brokenness you can find in other SaGa games until SUPER late game and after heavy grinding, but even then the true final boss and later scarlet fiends will mostly put a damper on that. You can do the typical SaGa thing of making a beeline toward really good items or characters (e.g. Twinspikes Spear, elemental weapons, Twister sword, etc.), but they don't carry you nearly as much as the other games.

SSG is all about grace under pressure (no pun intended) and clever use of the mechanics; getting a solid grasp on how to manipulate turn order is the only way to feel overpowered in this game—unless you want to grind like a madman or just keep rolling through NG+ to get OP items early

Ahh I see, thanks for the insight. Yep I guess they really "balanced the game well". Might still try to clear this game and then wait for the Saga Frontier remake for the broken goodness :D

Sl0bad posted...

Ahh I see, thanks for the insight. Yep I guess they really "balanced the game well". Might still try to clear this game and then wait for the Saga Frontier remake for the broken goodness :D

There is more balance than most JRPGs for sure, but at the same time this is a very nice, welcome thing because of the fact that there's very few "useless" weapons. The amount of viable builds to get through this game is staggering—even if there are some skillsets that are more efficient or practical than others.

I have a myriad of criticisms and nitpicks with some aspects of the battle system and the way this game handles quest and recruitment flags, but it really is an incredibly engrossing, multifaceted RPG. It resonates a strong SaGa vibe, and it really does feel like what Unlimited SaGa should have been in terms of streamlining and accessibility. I wouldn't go so far as to say that the game cares about your feelings, but it's kind of like a server who hates your guts but still comes back every couple of minutes to check on you to see if you're doing alright.

I haven't played Frontier in over 20 years, so I too am anticipating the remaster. But I would really recommend giving this game another shot because it is very rewarding. Make sure you pick up dual-wield with Urpina (you can find more details in the FAQs here) because it's the closest thing to feeling "broken" when you first get it :D

There is more balance than most JRPGs for sure, but at the same time this is a very nice, welcome thing because of the fact that there's very few "useless" weapons. The amount of viable builds to get through this game is staggering—even if there are some skillsets that are more efficient or practical than others.

I have a myriad of criticisms and nitpicks with some aspects of the battle system and the way this game handles quest and recruitment flags, but it really is an incredibly engrossing, multifaceted RPG. It resonates a strong SaGa vibe, and it really does feel like what Unlimited SaGa should have been in terms of streamlining and accessibility. I wouldn't go so far as to say that the game cares about your feelings, but it's kind of like a server who hates your guts but still comes back every couple of minutes to check on you to see if you're doing alright.

I haven't played Frontier in over 20 years, so I too am anticipating the remaster. But I would really recommend giving this game another shot because it is very rewarding. Make sure you pick up dual-wield with Urpina (you can find more details in the FAQs here) because it's the closest thing to feeling "broken" when you first get it :D

Mmm yeah, I can see what you mean by the SaGa vibe. It's got that kind of feel where every playthrough can feel unique when you get pleasant (or unpleasant xD) surprises here and there from the interplay of decisions you make and chance-based events that occur. Of course, that's assuming I'm not following a guide - and I think that might be the preferred way to enjoy SaGa games but as I've been growing older I've been convincing myself that I don't have time to NOT minmax on the first few playthroughs...

Yeah, I want to keep playing but haven't continued for a few days now... and I think I've found out why. Case in point is Urpina's dual-wielding. I got it as soon as possible, and yet the battle system just makes it hard to feel like it made a huge difference at all. Sure, her damage output may have increased by ~30% or more, but one unlucky encounter where they focus her down and you're back to square one. Oh look, she learnt an awesome dual-wield move! Too bad it costs a whopping 5 BP, and trying to level it by spamming it means you could potentially wipe in an Easy encounter... I mean, I still appreciate these unique and engaging battle system mechanics, but it does dampen your enjoyment of rewards from the game.