Unlimited Saga
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| Unlimited Saga | |
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| Developer(s) | Square Enix |
| Publisher(s) |  Square Enix |
| Designer(s) | Akitoshi Kawazu, Kyoji Koizumi |
| Release date(s) | December 19, 2002 June 17, 2003 October 31, 2003 |
| Genre(s) | Role-playing game |
| Mode(s) | Single player |
| Rating(s) | ESRB: Teen |
| Platform(s) | PlayStation 2 |
| Media | 1 DVD-ROM |
| System requirements | Memory card |
Unlimited Saga is a PlayStation 2 video game. As the ninth game in the SaGa series, it was released in 2002 in Japan by Square and in 2003 in the US and Europe by Square Enix. It should be noted that Unlimited Saga is the only game in the series not to capitalize the letter "g" in Saga. The reason for this is unknown.
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[edit] Gameplay
This game is known for its "reel system." In order to attack, one must time button presses on a slot-machine like reel. The reel system is also used for many other things, such as disarming and avoiding traps, disarming and unlocking treasure chests, and occasionally locked doors.
As in previous SaGa games, there is a LP (Life Point) system. However, unlike previous SaGa games, LP damage can be taken even when characters still have HP remaining.
In dungeons, the player moves around a two-dimensional map as in a board game. Each step takes one "turn." Other actions also take one turn. Monsters also move around dungeons. When attacked by a monster, there is no "run" command, and enemies cannot be escaped from, though they may be avoided.
[edit] Main characters
- Laura – A former pirate who finds herself embroiled in a young prince's troubles.
- Judy – A young witch whose goal is to save her grandfather who is trapped in a mirror.
- Ventus – A courier whose goal is to avenge his brother's death.
- Mythe – An inventor searching for a mysterious silver-haired girl.
- Kurt – A noble who intends to find out the origin of his cursed gauntlet.
- Ruby – A fake fortune teller who travels the world visiting various ancient ruins.
- Armic – A member of the Chapa tribe sent out to find items needed for a rain making ceremony.
[edit] Criticism
Upon its release in North America, Unlimited Saga was widely panned by critics. The most common complaints focused on the game's use of the reel mechanic, which arguably added too many random elements to the gameplay. Many were also turned off by the game's "board game"-like approach to exploration and the static nature of the game outside of battle. These sentiments were apparently shared by a large portion of the game-playing community, and as a result, the game failed to do remarkable business. However, the game did manage to garner a small but loyal fanbase of gamers that have embraced the very mechanics that were seen as flawed. Thus, it may be possible to classify Unlimited Saga as a cult video game, much like its predecessors, SaGa Frontier and the Game Boy SaGa/Final Fantasy Legend series.
[edit] Music
One of the high points of the game was certainly the music, composed by Masashi Hamauzu. He had previously composed the soundtrack for SaGa Frontier 2, and his departure from previous composer Kenji Ito's signature sound attracted considerable attention. His evolving style was especially apparent here; the resulting two-disc soundtrack showed two different sides of Hamauzu. The first disc displayed his calm and classical side, while the second mostly focused on his upbeat and experimental side.
