Saga Frontier

[Clo]

I just bought this game for 10 dollars at a used game store, remembering next to nothing about it except that when I was a kid I saw an ad for it in OPM that looked sweet.

I just started playing it, and I'm not sure what to think of it yet. I'm enjoying the battle system, and the backgrounds are beautiful. It seems like each character has their own unique storyline, which I find interesting. Right now I'm trying to recruit characters to better my party, because I have a feeling the game might be really hard if I wander around aimlessly?

What is everyone's opinion of this game? Has anyone played it?

[Jowy]

Who are you starting with? Emelia is recommended for first completion as she has the most flexibility with character recruiting. Always go with the Tarot magic over Arcane as that's the only way to recruit Gen in anyone that isn't T260G's saga; Conversely, getting gifted in Space Magic is the way to go; TimeLord is exponentially better than Kylin by a landslide. Be sure to pick up Rouge when applicable. Just avoid the effing Shrike Biolab, it's a total waste of time.

Oh, and crank out barehanded skills with Fou-Lu/Liza/whoever ASAP along with sword skills above any weapon. Killing final bosses without DSC and/or LifeSprinkler is a smurfing nightmare.

Wow this game is older than I thought. I kept this game like two weeks late from the video store when I worked on the science fair in seventh grade. Good times.

[Clo]

I started as Asellus because I was like, "Mystic, seems like it means magic" and decided to not look at a single walkthrough before I started playing it.

Then I realized the game is way more complicated than that. I just picked up Rouge, but I'm not sure if Asellus can get Fou-Lu and Liza, but I definitely want someone with those skills ASAP, considering right now I have Asellus, White Rose, Rouge and... the monster named Cotton.

I don't yet see how monsters are good for anything, but if I can be enlightened, then sure.

Really, I'm overwhelmed right now because it seems like I've been plopped down in the middle of this world with no direction as to where to go, and I really want to strengthen my party before I wander around these random dungeons and fight those... knight.... things? I'm trying to seek out a dungeon that will benefit me, with good items and a character, but I am not sure where. I just went to Sei's Tomb.

Not many people seemed to have played this game.

[Mercen-X]

The parts I remember most were a scene in a basement where rolly-poly monsters are bouncing around everywhere and at first, their kind of hard to avoid. I think it was that, like Chrono Cross, every single critter you come into contact with initiates it's own unique battle? So you can't just eliminate everything in the room by getting into a single fight. Also, I think I had ventured into an area that wasn't meant for my character (or at least not yet). I was used to playing stricter games like FF7 and certainly not used to the freedom to explore into an area where I could be killed shortly after starting the game.

My favorite memory is Red trying to recruit Blue. lol What a dick.

[Jowy]

Travel to Devin ASAP and study to become gifted in Arcane magic. This way you will unlock the side-quests and dungeons to grab I wanna say Fei-on and Annie. You'll trigger an event after moving from realm to realm shortly where you will be forced into a long-ish dungeon so be sure to have some healing items on hand. You can screw around in Sei's Tomb and get King Sei too.

I think like, four people I really know have any idea how the actual mechanics of this game work.

[Clo]

Travel to Devin ASAP and study to become gifted in Arcane magic. This way you will unlock the side-quests and dungeons to grab I wanna say Fei-on and Annie. You'll trigger an event after moving from realm to realm shortly where you will be forced into a long-ish dungeon so be sure to have some healing items on hand. You can screw around in Sei's Tomb and get King Sei too.

I think like, four people I really know have any idea how the actual mechanics of this game work.

Ah, thank you so much for the advice. This is exactly what I was looking for. I will dick around in Sei's Tomb for a bit, and then head to Devin. I feel better having some direction.

Yeah, the battles are initiated by a monster avatar that wanders around the screen. It's somewhat annoying because I don't actually know where I'm going, and the monsters regenerate when you leave the screen.

I've heard there was a Saga Frontier 2, I wonder if they fixed some of the annoying traits of the game? I am pretty baffled trying to understand this game. The battles are so odd -- the AMOUNT of variety allowed in battle (with the items, magics, and attacks) is so overwhelming.

[Mercen-X]

Shortly after my stint renting SaGa Frontier from Hollywood Video, I came across SaGa Frontier 2. 1) I hadn't finished any of the storylines in the first game and felt uncomfortable/disillusioned toward the series. 2) From what I read on the back of the game box when I picked it up and even from what I read on Wikipedia now, it seems there's only two protagonists whose stories you follow and apparently battles involve a Tactics-like recruitment I've never been comfortable with. I like to form attachments to my party members by learning their background stories and I don't see that happening in this version. Of course... I've never played it, so I don't know.

By the way, have you tried Ultd. SaGa? I'd suggest you avoid it. Unlimited SaGa broke my brain in its questing and battle systems alone. The questing involves being trapped on a pathway from the moment you make a decision and, if you save at a rest stop along the way, you could end up screwed because the pathway may double in toughness after the reststop where you were given no opportunity to change directions. Questing does not allow you to doubleback so you must make sure to make multiple saves before making any decision because there is no other way back from a situation where your only fate is death.
The battle system was, well, weird. Even melee attacks ran on a slot machine that determined attack strength and whether the attack was a hit or miss.

[Jowy]

It kinda starts making sense after you get steamrolled by an end boss once or twice. Go learn EnergyChain from the Magic Kingdom; it helps with some combo attacks. I have never played SF2.

[escobert]

The second game is one of my all time favorite games, I think it's just beautiful! You do get into both characters stories from their childhoods on. My favorite of the two is a Prince who can't use magic so is shunned from his Kingdom with his mother.

The first was fun to play. I played Lute first.

[Mercen-X]

The first was fun to play. I played Lute first.
I played the robot, T260G, first.

[Jowy]

Best choice! I figured this would be like the robots in the weird GameBoy Final Fantasy game I rented from PharMor and went with T260 too! Then i got road blocked and played Emelia.

[Mercen-X]

Similar experience. I think I played as Red next... or maybe he was third. Maybe Lute was next. I know I played as Blue long enough to see some magic counsel thing. Ack.

[Clo]

About how long is each character's story? I'm getting the feeling it's not that long.

[Jowy]

Like seven to ten hours maybe? Twelve if you try and snag every little thing.

[Mercen-X]

I also enjoyed Romancing Saga for the length of time I played that. I was desperately hoping at one point that I could recruit that guy in the dark armor (what the hell was his name?) I think it was Earl of Neidhart or something.

[krissy]

i loved the spreads in OPM about this game but all the reviewers had issues with it
but reading this thread i don't understand why they would

[escobert]

It is a little odd. It's not like most other games. but, that's why I love the series so much. It came to be what it wanted to be and not trying to be like FF or the Mana games.

[Jowy]

i think she gave up dudes