The Curse of Accessibility: Why Many JRPGs Shun Challenge – And SaGa Takes a Different Path

You might know the situation: You pick up a JRPG that boasts a seemingly complex combat system and deep character progression. You look forward to mastering its mechanics, discovering synergies, and making truly tactical decisions. Yet, too often, this hope bursts faster than a goblin's slime in the tutorial. The reason? Most JRPGs, even with their elaborate systems, are designed so you can get through them with brainless grinding and simplistic strategies. Mindless button-mashing, repeating your strongest attacks, and simply over-leveling the enemy become the “recipe for success”—and that strips away any appeal of the supposed complexity. I feel absolutely no desire to play such games, as they don't challenge me. If I don't have to think, there's no added value for me. I miss the satisfaction of defeating a boss or regular enemies and knowing that I achieved it because I acted intelligently and understood the game's systems. This phenomenon, unfortunately, plagues many titles.

The Dilemma of Brainless Grinding

The core problem with many modern JRPGs is that tactics in combat often become irrelevant if you've perfected the strategy of grinding. You might build a party with interesting characters and seemingly diverse abilities (strategic level), but if you spend a few extra hours mindlessly repeating random encounters to gain a few more levels, even the biggest boss fights dissolve into nothingness.

If the game allows you to simply overwhelm the enemy numerically, then the careful selection of abilities, the exploitation of weaknesses, or the precise timing of buffs and debuffs lose all meaning. You just press the attack button or your strongest special ability, and the enemy's health bar drops. Even the so-called “tactical” decisions in combat reduce themselves to the same old pattern. Why bother with a complex “Break System” or an intricate positioning mechanic when you can just inflate your stats? This design devalues the work of developers who try to create depth and frustrates players who actually want to use that depth. It's the epitome of “brainless grinding,” where the joy of discovering systems is replaced by monotonous repetition.

SaGa: A Beacon of True Challenge

This is precisely where the SaGa series comes in—a true gem from Square Enix that vehemently resists this trend and offers an experience that stands out from the crowd. While other JRPGs often aim to appeal to the broadest possible audience, accepting a lower difficulty in exchange, SaGa embraces a radically different philosophy. It's the series for players who seek more than just a pre-written story and a linear power trip.

Akitoshi Kawazu, the brilliant creator of the SaGa series, profoundly shapes this design philosophy. Having grown up with tabletop games, he emphasizes a precise examination of game mechanics. His approach, which involves analyzing games more deeply than the average gamer, explains the often polarizing reception of the series. Kawazu himself views Final Fantasy 2 as a kind of precursor to SaGa, as it laid the groundwork for the experimental approach. He is apparently content with SaGa preserving its identity and appreciates fans who enjoy the games on their own merits. The influence of games like Ultima 4 on Kawazu, particularly the free exploration of ever-changing worlds, is a “secret sauce” of the SaGa formula. Despite less focus on a grand narrative, it's often the small, emotional, or inspiring moments within these freely designed worlds that truly count.

The SaGa games are famous—or infamous—for their complicated gameplay and unconventional format. They deliberately deviate from traditional JRPG norms by, for example, not featuring a traditional experience point grind in the classic sense. Characters often improve by “glimmering” new abilities mid-combat or through specific actions. Progress here isn't tied to mindless level grinding but to strategic combat and a deep understanding of their often opaque but incredibly rewarding systems.

In SaGa, bosses are typically puzzles that require specific team compositions, spell or skill combinations, and a keen eye for weaknesses. Trying to brute-force a SaGa boss usually leads to swift, humiliating defeat. The series thrives on experimentation and learning from failure, making every victory feel truly earned. Here, it's not about how many hours you've invested in tedious leveling, but how well you understand and apply the game's mechanics. That's the big difference: SaGa forces you to use your brain, rather than checking it at the door.

Why More Games Should Be Like SaGa

The design philosophy that characterizes SaGa and a few other outstanding titles, such as those in the Shin Megami Tensei series or certain complex CRPGs, is one we should see more often across the entire JRPG genre. It's a philosophy that prioritizes meaningful choices and strategic consequences.

Such games are distinguished by:

For players seeking more than just a power fantasy through numbers, games like SaGa offer a refreshing challenge. They demand patience, critical thinking, and a willingness to learn and adapt. The satisfaction derived from overcoming a truly difficult encounter through strategy, rather than just grinding, is a unique reward that makes these deep, turn-based RPGs so compelling.

It's a shame that many JRPGs don't follow this path. The urge to appeal to the broadest possible audience often leads to the underutilization of the creative systems implemented by developers. Yet, SaGa proves that there is another way—a way that respects the player's intelligence and encourages them to truly explore the depths of the gameplay. May more developers follow Kawazu's example and give us JRPGs that force us to think again.

Thanks for reading, TECC

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