MS Saga Playthrough Complete!

Not exactly an easy endeavor, but after finally putting in the grind and picking up where I left off 14 years ago, I can proudly say that I’ve completed my journey with MS Saga: A New Dawn!

With a total playtime of around 50 hours, I’ve finally settled a personal debt that’s been lingering for nearly 20 years.

Without a doubt, MS Saga is truly a one-of-a-kind Gundam game. It had the potential to stand as a great JRPG if it had been completed in its intended form. However, in its released state, it feels like an old-school JRPG that compensates for cut content with brutal difficulty, something that may not sit well with modern audiences. Even as a devoted mecha fan, finishing it would have been a tall order if not for my personal commitment.

Back in the mid-2000s during high school, I picked up MS Saga by chance and managed to get about halfway through. Even without finishing it, the game left a lasting impression on me because of how unique it felt as a Gundam title.

Then in 2012, during my college years I gave MS Saga another shot, starting from scratch and reaching roughly 70% completion with about 22 hours logged before dropping it again for reasons I can no longer remember.

Fast forward to 2026: after finishing my fourth playthrough of Super Robot Wars Alpha 3, I returned to MS Saga once more. This time, I committed to finishing it.

What I didn’t expect was just how demanding the final stretch would be. Completing the last 30% of the game required nearly double the effort of the first 70%. Without that lingering sense of obligation, I honestly might not have followed through.

The biggest issue with MS Saga’s late game is its overwhelming grind, which likely stems from cut content during development.

MS Saga presents itself as a sweeping JRPG covering the Universal Century timeline; from Mobile Suit Gundam to Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack with side inclusions like Mobile Suit Gundam Wing and Mobile Fighter G Gundam.

The first half of the game, covering up to Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam, is relatively manageable. But the second half is where things fall apart.

Difficulty spikes become absurd, and by the final dungeon, it becomes clear that content is missing, particularly from Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ. Enemy variety feels incomplete, with almost no representation from Char’s Counterattack aside from the final boss, the Alpha Azieru.

This strongly suggests that the game’s development was cut short, forcing the developers to ship an incomplete product. As a result, the endgame feels dragged out, unbalanced, and prematurely truncated.

Late-game progression suffers the most. Many powerful units like those from Gundam Wing or the iconic Nu Gundam are unlocked far too late to matter.

Players face a frustrating dilemma:

• Challenge difficult content early to unlock rewards (often unfairly hard), or
• Progress normally and receive those rewards when there’s little game left to use them

Without emulator savestates, some of these challenges feel borderline unreasonable. Combine that with old-school encounter design; enemies appearing every few steps and dealing massive damage and the grind quickly becomes exhausting.

The worst offender has to be the Nu Gundam, which required key item only becomes available right before the final boss. It’s a baffling design decision and a clear example of poor pacing.

Despite the absurdity of MS Saga: A New Dawn’s endgame, I was determined to see it through in a way that would truly settle a 20-year-old debt. I went out of my way to unlock as many Mobile Suits as possible through side quests, ultimately assembling the following roster for my endgame party:

• Tristan – Deathscythe Hell Custom
• Fritz – Double Zeta
• Tremie – Wing Gundam Zero Custom
• Li Fang – God Gundam
• Rezner – Gundam Nataku
• Aeon – Nu Gundam

The standout performer was undoubtedly God Gundam. It allowed Li Fang to truly shine, dealing massive damage without heavy reliance on equipment.

Interestingly, while Nu Gundam is positioned as the main character’s ultimate unit, it actually suits Aeon better. Tristan, being a melee-focused fighter, benefits more from units like Sandrock or Deathscythe Hell.

One notable character is Hal, the game’s Char clone who pilots the Sazabi. He functions as what I’d call a crutch carry: a powerful DPS unit that shines when your team is underdeveloped.

However, once your roster is fully optimized, his value drops off. He lacks utility compared to Rezner and her Nataku, which can provide both clutch defense and consistent damage.

With the story complete, I’ve finally settled that 20-year-old debt.

The feeling is… complicated for sure. There’s relief, certainly but also a sense of emptiness. The sort that comes after finishing something that’s been quietly following you for decades.

A cathartic release, followed by a void.

I didn’t finish MS Saga because it was fun, at least not entirely. I finished it out of respect.

Despite its flaws, it remains one of the most unique Gundam games ever made. Its foundation was strong, and with proper development or a sequel, it could have become something truly special.

Instead, it stands as another example of unrealized potential from Japanese gaming industry, a passion project that never reached its full form.

There is still a post-game dungeon I could tackle in MS Saga, but after the late-game grind, I’m thoroughly burned out. Completionism can wait.

That said, given how significant MS Saga has been in my personal gaming journey, I do plan to write a more in-depth article as a proper homage, once I work through the rest of my backlog.