Game: Small Saga
Genre: Adventure, RPG, Turn-Based, Indie
System: Nintendo Switch (Also on Steam (Windows))
Developer | Publisher: Darya Noghani
Age Rating: EU 12 | US Teen
Price: US $19.99 | UK £14.99 | EU € 16,69
Release Date: August 14th, 2026
Review code provided with many thanks to Vertical Reach.
Small Saga is a 2023 indie turn-based RPG game developed and published by Darya Noghani, and now it has made its way to the Nintendo Switch with the port developed by Vertical Reach.
The Miniature World of Small Saga
At its heart, Small Saga resembles a classic turn-based RPG game, with enthralling music, beautiful art, smooth animation, and a pinch of contemporary/dark humour with its ingenious dialogues.
There are a few RPGs that stand out for how well they balance the pacing of the story and combat mechanics without it feeling too slow, repetitive, or dull, and Small Saga is definitely one of them.
Being such a sucker for turn-based games and strategic combat, I had a blast playing Small Saga. One of my favorite things about the game is how much it felt like playing an old-school RPG like Final Fantasy VII. Every piece of this game, from the boss battles to the exploration maps and art style, just shows how much love was put into this genre in particular and in bringing the world of Small Saga to life.
There are a few pop culture and media influences that make Small Saga’s world even richer, ranging from Redwall novels, the Secret of Nimh movie, to the Golden Sun RPG game. Even a certain character in the main party of Small Saga winks at Freya in Final Fantasy IX; if you know, you know! It’s always such a treat to catch references from other media in games like this one. If you’re curious for more fun facts like these, check out the Reddit AMA thread of the developer Darya Noghani.
A Story of Revenge That Became Something Bigger
In Small Saga, you venture below the streets of London, discovering the medieval kingdom of Rodentia, which serves as the home for the diverse British wildlife such as rats, mice, moles, squirrels, and shrews. This society of rodents either despises, admires, or pays tribute to the “Gods” living above them.
The story and the writing of Small Saga is something that I truly enjoy, since it gives you a unique perspective on how animals would feel in the presence of humans. Either afraid of the “power” that we possess; surprised by how advanced our society looks; or even hurt by how we have managed to wound nature in the name of “progress”. Small Saga has this special way of throwing you a line of dialogue that will either make you laugh or make you reflect and pause the game for some minutes.
You first play as the main protagonist, Verm. He is a mouse in search of vengeance against the Yellow God (an exterminator), the one who took away his tail and set him on this path of loneliness and revenge. In this journey, you will battle titans ranging from bigger mammals like cats, rabbits, and stoats, to name a few.
At the beginning of the game, Verm acts as this lone warrior, skeptical of everyone he meets, until he eventually has no choice but to team up with a cast of misfit rodents whom he learns to call friends.
As this game is rated for teens, there will be some mild blood and mild violent scenes when battling bosses. I’m thankful that it is not as graphic, and some scenes are left to your imagination. With that said, I was taken aback by how strong the game starts. It instantly makes you feel sympathy for Verm and makes you want to follow along his story to see how it will unfold.
As you proceed on your path to slaying the Yellow God, you´ll meet the rest of your party: Siobhan The Pyromancer, Bruce The Harlequin, and Gwen The Iconoclast. There are times when you control each member of your party and follow their own story. I personally love when a game allows you to dive deeper into every member rather than stay fully focused on the main protagonist alone. This makes you understand the different perspectives of one another and connect with them.
Gameplay of Small Saga
Small Saga is a pretty easy game once you understand the mechanics and the unique abilities of each member of the party. If you’re in for a more challenging experience, worry not! As there is a hard mode included, some bosses even have new movesets. I recommend saving the game every opportunity you have, since, as a good old-school RPG, if you die in mid-fight, you’ll be returned to the last save of your game. Don’t ask how I know that!
Small Saga also offers a straightforward in-game tutorial, with quick notes for the basic controls. You can only equip one weapon, one attire, and 2 food items per character at a time. Food items can only be used once per battle, but they’ll be available once again for the next fight.
As for the skill tree, each member has a unique branching path that will add more health points (hearts), strength points (swords), energy slots (diamonds), and enhance their abilities (star icon).
When fighting, every ability or attack requires a certain amount of energy to pull off; the attack menu will show you if it needs one, two, or even three energy points. One point is automatically generated per turn.
Just like any good RPG game, Small Saga includes a couple of sidequests that require you to travel all around London. Your pigeon friend Dizi will be taking you wherever you need to go, so be sure to look for him when duty calls. For every sidequest you complete, you can either gain seeds (the game’s currency), more skill points, or items that will turn the fight in your favor.
The only thing that bothers me from time to time is that some characters stand in a certain way that it’s difficult to approach them and trigger the dialogue options. There are times when I need to walk in circles around a rodent, while pressing A repeatedly until the dialogue gets triggered. Other than that, the controls are smooth and easy to remember.
A Fantasy World Beneath Our Feet
Where to even begin! The world of Rodentia is so creatively built. Small Saga itself takes place in modern times, but the rodent society is primarily medieval with kings, dukes, nobility, knights, etc. With a dialogue that ranges between formal medieval writing to Millennial, even Gen Z humor slang, such as “soft boi”, “you were fab”, “uwu”, “lol”. I had to read some dialogues twice to see that it wasn’t a typo. Since it’s based in London, there’s also a variety of dialects from Scottish and Irish characters.
As for the soundtrack, it is incredible. Sometimes I was just waiting to fight a boss just to listen to the battle theme again! Every place has its own tune and, by the end of the game, you feel like you know the place just by stepping on it and listening to the flutes, harps, and guitars come to life.
Last but not least, the beautiful pixel art is entirely the work of the developer. There are a few small cutscenes, and the animations just run so smoothly. It is visually stunning and a treat for the eyes.
Conclusion
I love how everything comes together in the world of Small Saga, from complex characters who discuss the morality of an empire, to the fascinating soundtrack and in-game dialogues mixing formal medieval writing and contemporary humor slang. Small Saga delivered all these elements just fine.
Small Saga also widens your perspective and reminds you that humans are not the only species living in this world. We are sharing our place in it, and our actions also impact other living beings in ways we don’t even stop to think about at times.
I’m such a sucker for narrative-driven games, where you’re in the front-row seat watching the main characters’ growth process in real time. Small Saga is sure an emotional roller coaster.
It is a short game with no grinding whatsoever; you’re just free to explore and battle the titans that appear on your path. If you’re someone who is nostalgic for older RPGs, or simply want to try a smaller and newer RPG game, Small Saga definitely scratches that itch. Be sure to check it out on the Nintendo Store or on Steam. On the Steam page, you can also get the soundtrack (which I highly recommend!) and the Travel Guide, an illustrated digital companion book to Small Saga.
Final Verdict: Two Thumbs Up
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