Saga Frontier - PlayStation Review at IGN

Final Fantasy, Chrono Trigger, LiveALive, Secret of Mana -- no question, Square knows how to make RPGs. However, the only bruised apple in Square's current collection of role-playing games would have to be SaGa Frontier.

Now don't get me wrong, SaGa Frontier has some strong points. Most Square games, almost all RPGs in general, possess a real linear story and game movement where you walk, fight, read, walk, fight, read -- that's just how they work. On the other hand, SaGa Frontier gives you a lot of freedom as to how fast you want to progress through a game... almost too much, though.

SaGa Frontier's major downfall is its 'Free Scenario System.' Sure, you can wander around to just about any town or area, I know this sounds good, but it poses many problems and I'll explain. Don't get me wrong, this feature is good in some respects because in most RPGs, in order to advance to another level or section, you either have to beat a boss or find some jewel to open up some hidden cave. SaGa Frontier does give you freedom from those constraints. However, you can get lost in the game, especially if you're new to RPGs, and ultimately, your goals can be obscured really easily. I'll admit it, I found myself on more than one occasion, asking my bedroom wall, "where in the hell am I supposed to go now?"

A lot of people are going to disagree with me when I say this, especially those people that are really big on graphics, but I think Square has done an excellent job in SaGa Frontier's presentation. Yes, you can say the game looks like a Genesis title, but if you study all the sprite-based games currently on the market, SaGa Frontier has a fresh and unique look that separates it from a lot of other RPGs. In fact, it's a look that I personally miss in most games. Call me nostalgic, but I miss cutesy sprites, and Square has successfully decorated those sprite-based characters with some really clean and colorful polygonal effects.

I may have ragged a bit on how the story and game progresses, but once you've gone through some of the scenarios, SaGa Frontier starts to move a little more comfortably. And maybe that's what Square was trying to accomplish -- free the gamer up and let him/her do whatever they want to do. Still, the game lacks a lot of direction and I think people who are accustomed to Square's traditional format are definitely going to be surprised and quite possibly discouraged.

In all fairness, SaGa Frontier has a great story, it's a little vague at first, but when all the scenarios begin to knit themselves together, the game starts to get really good. If you like role-playing games, and you're just itching for another Square RPG, SaGa Frontier is probably a safe purchase -- most Square games are. But if you get the chance, I'd rent it first.

Jay Boor

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