<s>
Romancing	B-Application
SaGa	I-Application
2	I-Application
is	O
a	O
1993	O
role-playing	O
video	O
game	O
developed	O
and	O
published	O
by	O
Square	O
for	O
the	O
Super	B-Application
Famicom	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
is	O
the	O
fifth	O
entry	O
in	O
the	O
SaGa	B-Operating_System
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
version	O
was	O
remastered	O
by	O
ArtePiazza	O
and	O
released	O
worldwide	O
between	O
2016	O
and	O
2017	O
by	O
Square	O
Enix	O
for	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Switch	I-Application
,	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
4	I-Operating_System
,	O
PlayStation	B-Device
Vita	I-Device
,	O
Android	B-Application
,	O
iOS	B-Application
,	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Windows	I-Application
and	O
Xbox	B-Device
One	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
Set	O
during	O
the	O
history	O
of	O
the	O
kingdom	O
of	O
Avalon	B-Language
,	O
the	O
player	O
takes	O
on	O
the	O
role	O
of	O
a	O
dynasty	O
of	O
rulers	O
as	O
they	O
fight	O
the	O
Seven	O
Heroes	O
,	O
former	O
saviors	O
of	O
the	O
world	O
corrupted	O
into	O
demons	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
with	O
other	O
SaGa	B-Operating_System
titles	O
,	O
there	O
are	O
no	O
experience	O
points	O
and	O
character	O
attributes	O
and	O
skills	O
are	O
dependent	O
on	O
actions	O
taken	O
in	O
battle	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
key	O
mechanic	O
is	O
choosing	O
the	O
next	O
ruler	O
of	O
Avalon	B-Language
,	O
who	O
will	O
inherit	O
the	O
abilities	O
of	O
the	O
previous	O
ruler	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Production	O
began	O
in	O
1992	O
after	O
a	O
prolonged	O
concept	O
period	O
during	O
which	O
original	O
staff	O
were	O
working	O
on	O
the	O
Final	B-Application
Fantasy	I-Application
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
delayed	O
start	O
to	O
production	O
allowed	O
Kawazu	O
to	O
rethink	O
the	O
game	O
design	O
,	O
changing	O
the	O
multiple	O
protagonists	O
of	O
Romancing	B-Application
SaGa	I-Application
to	O
focus	O
on	O
a	O
single	O
dynastic	O
line	O
with	O
associated	O
gameplay	O
elements	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Romancing	B-Application
SaGa	I-Application
2	I-Application
is	O
the	O
best-selling	O
of	O
the	O
three	O
Romancing	B-Application
SaGa	I-Application
titles	O
,	O
having	O
sold	O
over	O
1.5	O
million	O
copies	O
in	O
Japan	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
Romancing	B-Application
SaGa	I-Application
2	I-Application
,	O
the	O
player	O
plays	O
as	O
the	O
Emperor	O
or	O
Empress	O
of	O
Avalon	B-Language
,	O
a	O
castle	O
located	O
in	O
the	O
northwest	O
corner	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
world	O
map	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Development	O
of	O
new	O
equipment	O
and	O
spells	O
,	O
and	O
establishment	O
of	O
services	O
in	O
Avalon	B-Language
will	O
consume	O
funds	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
backstory	O
of	O
Romancing	B-Application
SaGa	I-Application
2	I-Application
,	O
a	O
group	O
of	O
seven	O
warriors	O
dubbed	O
the	O
Seven	O
Heroes	O
who	O
saved	O
the	O
world	O
from	O
monster	O
invasions	O
but	O
vanished	O
immediately	O
afterwards	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Leon	O
,	O
ruler	O
of	O
Avalon	B-Language
,	O
begins	O
a	O
campaign	O
against	O
the	O
Seven	O
Heroes	O
which	O
is	O
passed	O
down	O
to	O
his	O
younger	O
son	O
Gerard	O
after	O
he	O
dies	O
,	O
then	O
on	O
to	O
subsequent	O
heirs	O
named	O
by	O
each	O
ruler	O
and	O
inheriting	O
their	O
abilities	O
through	O
a	O
special	O
spell	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Over	O
time	O
,	O
Avalon	B-Language
expands	O
into	O
an	O
empire	O
,	O
with	O
its	O
ruler	O
and	O
a	O
chosen	O
group	O
of	O
warriors	O
killing	O
each	O
of	O
the	O
Seven	O
Heroes	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
story	O
is	O
bookended	O
by	O
a	O
minstrel	B-Application
retelling	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
events	O
and	O
concluding	O
that	O
the	O
Empire	O
of	O
Avalon	B-Language
was	O
turned	O
into	O
a	O
commonwealth	O
after	O
the	O
Seven	O
Heroes	O
 '	O
defeat	O
;	O
the	O
still-living	O
Emperor	O
or	O
Empress	O
listens	O
to	O
the	O
minstrel	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Later	O
versions	O
of	O
Romancing	B-Application
SaGa	I-Application
2	I-Application
include	O
an	O
optional	O
dungeon	O
revealing	O
that	O
the	O
Seven	O
Heroes	O
were	O
betrayed	O
by	O
their	O
people	O
the	O
Ancients	O
due	O
to	O
fear	O
of	O
the	O
power	O
they	O
gained	O
by	O
absorbing	O
monsters	O
with	O
an	O
earlier	O
version	O
of	O
the	O
inheritance	O
spell	O
,	O
returning	O
from	O
the	O
realm	O
of	O
monsters	O
to	O
exact	O
revenge	O
on	O
the	O
Ancients	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Following	O
the	O
completion	O
and	O
release	O
of	O
Romancing	B-Application
SaGa	I-Application
in	O
early	O
1992	O
,	O
almost	O
all	O
staff	O
from	O
the	O
title	O
were	O
recruited	O
to	O
work	O
on	O
the	O
latest	O
Final	B-Application
Fantasy	I-Application
title	O
,	O
meaning	O
production	O
on	O
any	O
SaGa	B-Operating_System
sequels	O
were	O
halted	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ultimately	O
series	O
creator	O
Akitoshi	O
Kawazu	O
was	O
pleased	O
,	O
as	O
he	O
would	O
otherwise	O
have	O
had	O
no	O
time	O
to	O
innovate	O
on	O
the	O
Romancing	B-Application
SaGa	I-Application
design	O
and	O
might	O
well	O
have	O
left	O
Romancing	B-Application
SaGa	I-Application
2	I-Application
mechanically	O
similar	O
to	O
its	O
predecessor	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
staff	O
included	O
planner	O
Akihiko	O
Matsui	O
,	O
who	O
joined	O
the	O
project	O
following	O
work	O
on	O
Final	B-Application
Fantasy	I-Application
V	I-Application
and	O
would	O
go	O
on	O
to	O
co-direct	O
Chrono	B-Application
Trigger	I-Application
;	O
and	O
future	O
composer	O
Yasunori	O
Mitsuda	O
as	O
a	O
sound	O
designer	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
was	O
his	O
only	O
work	O
on	O
SaGa	B-Operating_System
as	O
he	O
was	O
transferred	O
into	O
the	O
Final	B-Application
Fantasy	I-Application
series	O
later	O
on	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Changing	O
from	O
the	O
multiple	O
disparate	O
protagonists	O
of	O
Romancing	B-Application
SaGa	I-Application
,	O
the	O
narrative	O
and	O
gameplay	O
instead	O
focused	O
on	O
a	O
ruling	O
dynasty	O
over	O
several	O
generations	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
with	O
other	O
SaGa	B-Operating_System
titles	O
,	O
the	O
gameplay	O
mechanics	O
were	O
laid	O
out	O
first	O
before	O
the	O
storyline	O
and	O
worldview	O
,	O
with	O
the	O
leading	O
mechanic	O
this	O
time	O
being	O
the	O
inheritance	O
of	O
skills	O
through	O
a	O
lineage	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
inheritance	O
mechanic	O
was	O
part	O
of	O
a	O
scrapped	O
concept	O
for	O
the	O
original	O
SaGa	B-Operating_System
.	O
</s>
<s>
Kobayashi	O
was	O
surprised	O
at	O
hearing	O
of	O
a	O
sequel	O
to	O
Romancing	B-Application
SaGa	I-Application
,	O
and	O
being	O
asked	O
back	O
to	O
design	O
the	O
cast	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Compared	O
to	O
her	O
book	O
illustrations	O
with	O
at	O
most	O
six	O
characters	O
,	O
Romancing	B-Application
SaGa	I-Application
2	I-Application
had	O
dozens	O
of	O
characters	O
to	O
design	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
She	O
began	O
with	O
characters	O
from	O
the	O
Avalon	B-Language
Empire	O
,	O
particularly	O
the	O
first	O
two	O
rulers	O
Leon	O
and	O
Gerard	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Gerard	O
's	O
role	O
and	O
personality	O
resulted	O
in	O
a	O
more	O
youthful	O
and	O
"	O
boyish	O
"	O
design	O
,	O
though	O
she	O
had	O
hoped	O
to	O
design	O
a	O
more	O
unconventional	O
protagonist	O
after	O
her	O
work	O
on	O
Romancing	B-Application
SaGa	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Her	O
favorite	O
character	O
designs	O
were	O
the	O
more	O
challenging	O
ones	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
the	O
android	B-Application
character	O
Coppelia	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Following	O
his	O
work	O
on	O
Romancing	B-Application
SaGa	I-Application
,	O
Ito	O
was	O
left	O
feeling	O
completely	O
burned	O
out	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
with	O
Romancing	B-Application
SaGa	I-Application
,	O
Ito	O
differentiated	O
the	O
soundtrack	O
from	O
the	O
music	O
of	O
Final	B-Application
Fantasy	I-Application
by	O
adding	O
more	O
percussion	O
instruments	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
soundtrack	O
includes	O
arrangements	O
of	O
tracks	O
by	O
Nobuo	O
Uematsu	O
;	O
"	O
Heartful	O
Tears	O
"	O
from	O
The	B-Application
Final	I-Application
Fantasy	I-Application
Legend	I-Application
,	O
and	O
"	O
The	O
Legend	O
Begins	O
"	O
from	O
its	B-Application
sequel	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Romancing	B-Application
SaGa	I-Application
2	I-Application
was	O
released	O
on	O
December	O
10	O
,	O
1993	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Three	O
guidebooks	O
were	O
published	O
by	O
NTT	O
Publishing	O
in	O
association	O
with	O
Square	O
;	O
two	O
in	O
December	B-Application
1993	I-Application
,	O
and	O
a	O
complete	O
guide	O
in	O
February	O
1994	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Like	O
the	O
other	O
Super	B-Application
Famicom	I-Application
SaGa	B-Operating_System
titles	O
,	O
Romancing	B-Application
SaGa	I-Application
2	I-Application
was	O
never	O
released	O
outside	O
Japan	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Square	O
localization	O
staff	O
member	O
Ted	O
Woolsey	O
attributed	O
it	O
to	O
a	O
lack	O
of	O
manpower	O
and	O
the	O
wish	O
to	O
keep	O
staff	O
on	O
the	O
production	O
of	O
Final	B-Application
Fantasy	I-Application
VII	I-Application
and	O
Trials	B-Application
of	I-Application
Mana	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
received	O
Virtual	B-Application
Console	I-Application
re-releases	O
on	O
the	B-Operating_System
Wii	I-Operating_System
in	O
2010	O
,	O
the	B-Operating_System
Wii	I-Operating_System
U	O
in	O
2014	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
New	B-Device
Nintendo	I-Device
3DS	I-Device
in	O
2017	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	B-Operating_System
Wii	I-Operating_System
version	O
became	O
unavailable	O
with	O
the	O
shutdown	O
of	O
Wii	B-Operating_System
's	O
online	O
services	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
New	O
character	O
classes	O
were	O
distributed	O
as	O
paid	O
downloadable	B-Protocol
content	I-Protocol
.	O
</s>
<s>
Kawazu	O
had	O
been	O
considering	O
remaking	O
or	O
remastering	O
Romancing	B-Application
SaGa	I-Application
2	I-Application
since	O
2012	O
for	O
smartphones	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
chosen	O
due	O
to	O
its	O
popularity	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
fact	O
that	O
Kawazu	O
had	O
already	O
remade	O
Romancing	B-Application
SaGa	I-Application
for	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
remaster	O
was	O
produced	O
by	O
ArtePiazza	O
,	O
who	O
had	O
previously	O
worked	O
on	O
ports	O
of	O
the	O
Dragon	B-Application
Quest	I-Application
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
remaster	O
was	O
designed	O
using	O
the	O
Unity	B-Application
game	I-Application
engine	I-Application
,	O
chosen	O
for	O
its	O
convenience	O
when	O
porting	O
to	O
other	O
platforms	O
and	O
user-friendly	O
technology	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Similarly	O
,	O
the	O
pixel	O
art	O
resolution	O
was	O
left	O
unaltered	O
,	O
with	O
the	O
team	O
instead	O
enlarging	O
and	O
multiplying	O
the	O
pixels	O
used	O
to	O
bring	O
the	O
Super	B-Application
Famicom	I-Application
sprites	O
up	O
to	O
modern	O
graphical	O
standards	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Through	O
all	O
these	O
adjustments	O
,	O
the	O
remaster	O
includes	O
all	O
the	O
code	O
from	O
the	O
Super	B-Application
Famicom	I-Application
original	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
was	O
first	O
released	O
in	O
Japan	O
on	O
March	O
24	O
,	O
2016	O
for	O
Android	B-Application
,	O
iOS	B-Application
and	O
PlayStation	B-Device
Vita	I-Device
by	O
Square	O
Enix	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Part	O
of	O
the	O
wish	O
behind	O
the	O
localization	O
in	O
addition	O
to	O
a	O
Japanese	O
release	O
was	O
requests	O
from	O
fans	O
worldwide	O
to	O
revive	O
the	O
SaGa	B-Operating_System
series	O
following	O
a	O
prolonged	O
period	O
of	O
dormancy	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
remaster	O
's	O
producer	O
Masanori	O
Ichikawa	O
noted	O
that	O
releasing	O
the	O
game	O
across	O
so	O
many	O
platforms	O
was	O
a	O
new	O
challenge	O
to	O
Square	O
Enix	O
,	O
as	O
Xbox	B-Device
and	O
Steam	B-Application
are	O
not	O
as	O
popular	O
in	O
Japan	O
but	O
are	O
popular	O
worldwide	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Western	O
version	O
released	O
first	O
on	O
iOS	B-Application
and	O
Android	B-Application
on	O
May	O
26	O
,	O
2016	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
December	O
15	O
,	O
2017	O
,	O
it	O
released	O
on	O
Vita	O
,	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Switch	I-Application
,	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
4	I-Operating_System
,	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Windows	I-Application
and	O
Xbox	B-Device
One	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
These	O
later	O
versions	O
included	O
auto	O
save	O
,	O
Xbox	B-Device
Play	O
Anywhere	O
support	O
,	O
cross	O
save	O
between	O
Vita	O
and	O
PS4	B-Operating_System
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
an	O
option	O
to	O
turn	O
off	O
the	O
remastering	O
content	O
and	O
play	O
it	O
just	O
like	O
it	O
was	O
originally	O
made	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
Japan	O
,	O
the	O
game	O
topped	O
the	O
Famitsu	O
sales	O
chart	O
in	O
December	B-Application
1993	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Romancing	B-Application
SaGa	I-Application
2	I-Application
went	O
on	O
to	O
sell	O
nearly	O
1.5	O
million	O
copies	O
worldwide	O
,	O
as	O
of	O
March	O
2003	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
is	O
the	O
best-selling	O
entry	O
in	O
the	O
original	O
Romancing	B-Application
SaGa	I-Application
trilogy	O
,	O
followed	O
by	O
the	O
original	O
game	O
and	O
Romancing	B-Application
SaGa	I-Application
3	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
GameRevolution	O
reviewed	O
this	O
title	O
for	O
the	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Switch	I-Application
,	O
saying	O
that	O
the	O
game	O
at	O
first	O
appears	O
like	O
a	O
very	O
average	O
game	O
from	O
the	O
time	O
it	O
originally	O
came	O
out	O
,	O
but	O
praised	O
the	O
system	O
of	O
choices	O
that	O
changes	O
and	O
guides	O
the	O
gameplay	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
the	O
unique	O
aspect	O
of	O
ruling	O
an	O
empire	O
and	O
eventually	O
being	O
about	O
to	O
issue	O
commands	O
to	O
followers	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Reviewing	O
the	B-Operating_System
PlayStation	I-Operating_System
4	I-Operating_System
version	O
,	O
Push	O
Square	O
disdained	O
the	O
menu	O
system	O
taken	O
from	O
the	O
previous	O
mobile	O
remake	O
,	O
and	O
noted	O
balance	O
issues	O
that	O
made	O
the	O
traditional	O
process	O
of	O
leveling	O
up	O
characters	O
potentially	O
hurt	O
the	O
player	O
as	O
the	O
bosses	O
grow	O
stronger	O
as	O
you	O
do	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Reviewing	O
the	O
iOS	B-Application
version	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
TouchArcade	O
loved	O
how	O
radically	O
different	O
it	O
was	O
from	O
what	O
kinds	O
of	O
games	O
Square	O
Enix	O
had	O
released	O
in	O
the	O
Apple	B-Application
App	I-Application
Store	I-Application
until	O
then	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Romancing	B-Application
Saga	I-Application
2	I-Application
expanded	O
the	O
non-linear	O
gameplay	O
of	O
its	O
predecessor	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
While	O
in	O
the	O
original	O
Romancing	B-Application
Saga	I-Application
,	O
scenarios	O
were	O
changed	O
according	O
to	O
dialogue	O
choices	O
during	O
conversations	O
,	O
Romancing	B-Application
Saga	I-Application
2	I-Application
further	O
expanded	O
on	O
this	O
by	O
having	O
unique	O
storylines	O
for	O
each	O
character	O
that	O
can	O
change	O
depending	O
on	O
the	O
player	O
's	O
actions	O
,	O
including	O
who	O
is	O
chosen	O
,	O
what	O
is	O
said	O
in	O
conversation	O
,	O
what	O
events	O
have	O
occurred	O
,	O
and	O
who	O
is	O
present	O
in	O
the	O
party	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Several	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
music	O
tracks	O
were	O
featured	O
in	O
Theatrhythm	B-Application
Final	I-Application
Fantasy	I-Application
:	I-Application
Curtain	I-Application
Call	I-Application
as	O
downloadable	B-Protocol
content	I-Protocol
.	O
</s>
<s>
PCGamesN	O
credits	O
Romancing	B-Application
SaGa	I-Application
2	I-Application
for	O
having	O
laid	O
the	O
foundations	O
for	O
modern	O
Japanese	O
role-playing	O
video	O
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
's	O
progressive	O
,	O
non-linear	O
,	O
open	O
world	O
design	O
and	O
subversive	O
themes	O
influenced	O
modern	O
Japanese	O
role-playing	O
video	O
games	O
such	O
as	O
Final	B-Application
Fantasy	I-Application
XII	I-Application
(	O
which	O
Akitoshi	O
Kawazu	O
worked	O
on	O
)	O
,	O
Final	B-Application
Fantasy	I-Application
XV	I-Application
,	O
Nier	B-Application
:	I-Application
Automata	I-Application
and	O
The	B-Application
Legend	I-Application
of	I-Application
Zelda	I-Application
:	I-Application
Breath	I-Application
of	I-Application
the	I-Application
Wild	I-Application
.	O
</s>
