Compared to other Japanese RPGs, the long-standing SaGa series from Square Enix has always been known for its high difficulty. This is not only due to its combat balance but also because its complex (and at times even arcane) game systems require time to master. Series creator Akira Toryu recently shared his unique perspective on difficulty design during an interview with Denfaminicogamer.

When asked if he deliberately designed the *SaGa* series to be challenging, Hashimoto explained that his design philosophy is rooted in pedagogical theories: "To allow players to grow, you must provide challenges that lie between 'giving up' and 'becoming bored.' Only then will their sense of accomplishment continue to accumulate."

However, the producer emphasized that he does not aim for an absolute balance—because that would lead to "some players quitting due to difficulty and others leaving because of boredom." Hashimoto can accept players giving up due to high difficulty, but he absolutely cannot tolerate a game being boring. Therefore, he prefers to lean toward a more challenging design approach.

"Rather than hear, 'This game is too simple and boring for me to play,' I'd rather be more challenging to avoid that kind of assessment. This may cause a lot of people to give up halfway through, but for me personally, it's much better for players to abandon the pit because of difficulty than to leave because of boredom. If it's so difficult that people quit, that's okay too. ”

This philosophy is even reflected in the design of the difficulty options. Kawazu opposes the inclusion of "easy mode" in the game, and even as a player, he is repulsed by such options: "I would never choose the easy mode, it feels like the developer is saying to me, 'Oh? Did you choose the easy difficulty?' It's so annoying. I think normal and hard mode are enough. ”

However, Kawazu also admits that the first time the SaGa series first got players to wonder, "What the hell is going on with this mechanic?". However, he pointed out that the core of the game's difficulty lies in understanding the system and using the right tactics, and in principle, all boss fights are designed to be fair and conquerable.