Emerald Beyond….what are they beyond, exactly? I have no idea, but what I do know is that the SaGa series is another of Square Enix’s oldest series, almost as old as Final Fantasy, and well known for being bold, strange, and experimental – sometimes to the point where the developers aren’t entirely sure how things are going to work.
Perhaps best known for the Gameboy era series Final Fantasy Legends and PS1 era title SaGa Frontier, the series has often experimented with new ways to tell its stories. This includes the “Free Scenario System” which means the game stars multiple playable characters who each have their own distinct stories crossing overand sometimes even conflict with the stories of the other heroes. Now, the iconic series is coming to the Nintendo Switch with a brand new title, SaGa Emerald Beyond, announced during the September 13 Nintendo Direct event.
Six heroes have untold numbers of destinies waiting to unfold.
Explore 17 worlds in whichever order you choose in #SaGaEmeraldBeyond, launching in 2024 for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Steam, iOS, and Android: https://t.co/oMaWZ3fx6E pic.twitter.com/gnECykbVZp
— SaGa Series (@SaGaGame) September 14, 2023
Emerald Beyond stars six playable main characters across 5 scenarios, a modest number for the series- eight is the record- but each appears to have a fully fleshed out story. Tsunanori Mido is a puppet master, while Ameya is a witch who pretends to be a schoolgirl. There’s crime fighting duo in Bonnie, a cowgirl who attacks hand and fist, and Formima, a woman in a headscarf in charge of the heavy munitions who are hunting down a mysterious organization. Siugnas is the so-called king of darkness, while Diva No. 5 is a mechanical songstress who has lost her body – and, more importantly, her voice – and must search to get them back.
Despite only having 5 distinct scenarios, Emerald Beyond boasts that its story will have more twists and variants than any previous title in the SaGa series. It features numerous branching paths across 17 different worlds, each with multiple locations and scenarios. That’s not including the fact that multiple other characters will also be recruitable, as several characters besides the mains have been seen in the stunning battle footage. This footage also promises the return of turn-stalling techniques and special flashy combo moves, both a series staple.
SaGa Emerald Beyond will be available on the Nintendo Switch via the eShop sometime in 2024. PlayStation, PC, Android, and iOS releases are also planned.
