Breaking Down SaGa Emerald Beyond

Discover why SaGa Emerald Beyond struggles to engage players despite its semi-decent combat system.
Breaking Down SaGa Emerald Beyond

Highlights

  • The game's turn-based combat system stands out as a positive feature.
  • The lackluster art style and unmemorable characters hinder the overall experience.
  • Quests in the game often feel repetitive and fail to captivate players.

Many mobile games successfully transition to consoles, such as Honkai Star Rail and Genshin Impact. However, SaGa Emerald Beyond aims to join this league but falls short due to its lack of engaging gameplay and unappealing static dialogue screens.

While players seeking lengthy narratives may find some enjoyment, the excessive dialogue, tedious backtracking, and unattractive art style may deter most players. Despite its flaws, the turn-based combat in the SaGa franchise shines during battles.

Fans of turn-based combat will appreciate SaGa Emerald Beyond as it heavily relies on this mechanic. Players can strategize by viewing the attack order of enemies and allies before combat, allowing for tactical adjustments. While initially challenging, mastering the combat system can be rewarding. However, certain mechanics like Overdrive and Interrupts may confuse players due to vague explanations.

The game features a diverse cast of characters, but many lack depth, with only a few standing out amidst generic stereotypes. The game's art style, especially during dialogue scenes, appears bland and uninspired, failing to captivate players visually. Additionally, the abundance of dialogue may disengage players from the overall experience.

Despite its shortcomings, SaGa Emerald Beyond excels in enemy design, offering a variety of visually appealing foes. However, the game's narrative lacks character development, making the protagonist and supporting cast feel underdeveloped and forgettable. Quests, while functional, often rely on repetitive objectives and backtracking, failing to offer engaging gameplay.

The decision to release SaGa Emerald Beyond on mobile platforms may have impacted its overall quality, with lackluster visuals and uninspired characters detracting from the game's potential. While the combat system impresses, it isn't sufficient to elevate the overall experience. Despite some players appreciating the dialogue-heavy approach, the game's shortcomings may prevent it from achieving widespread acclaim.

SaGa Emerald Beyond is available on various platforms, including PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, iOS, and Android. Game Rant received a PC code for this review.