Unlimited Saga
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| Unlimited Saga | |
|---|---|
| File:Ulsagalogo.jpg | |
| Developer(s) | Square |
| Publisher(s) | Square (Japan) Square Enix |
| Designer(s) | Akitoshi Kawazu, Kyoji Koizumi |
| Series | SaGa series |
| Platform(s) | PlayStation 2 |
| Release |  December 19, 2002  June 17, 2003  October 31, 2003 |
| Genre(s) | Console role-playing game |
| Mode(s) | Single player |
Unlimited Saga (アンリミテッド: サガ, Anrimiteddo: Saga) is a console role playing game developed and published by Square (now Square Enix). It was released on December 19, 2002 in Japan, June 17 2003 in North America and October 31, 2003 in Europe. It is the ninth game in the SaGa video game series and the first game in the series to be released for the Sony PlayStation 2 video game console. 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.
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.
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.
Main characters
- Laura – Voiced by: Kelli Cousins – A former pirate who finds herself embroiled in a young prince's troubles.
- Judy – Voiced by: Hilary Haag – A young witch whose goal is to save her grandfather who is trapped in a mirror.
- Ventus – Voiced by: Chris Patton – A courier whose goal is to avenge his brother's death. Called Vent in Japanese.
- Mythe – Voiced by: Vic Mignogna – An inventor searching for a mysterious silver-haired girl.
- Kurt – Voiced by: James Marshall – A noble who intends to find out the origin of his cursed gauntlet. Called Cash in Japanese.
- Ruby – Voiced by: Jessica Boone – A fake fortune teller who travels the world visiting various ancient ruins.
- Armic – Voiced by: Tiffany Grant – A member of the Chapa tribe sent out to find items needed for a rain making ceremony.
Audio
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The music was 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.
Reception
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.