Video Game Review: Sakura Wars

Sakura Wars

SEGA

Action/Dating Sim

PlayStation 4

The Sakura Wars franchise has been going strong in Japan since 1996, with multiple sequels and spinoffs spanning across multiple console generations. Still, the series hasn’t seen a major entry since the PS3 era, leaving doubt that it would see a return. The JRPGs never made too big of a splash in the Western world due to the lack of localization of most of the titles. Sakura Wars (2020) marks not only a return for the franchise, but it also acts as a soft reboot for the series. The new game is getting a worldwide release, making this an excellent time to check the series out.

Sakura Wars takes place in an alternate steampunk version of Tokyo in the 1940s. Tokyo’s global defense force was recently decimated, leaving the inexperienced Flower Division to fill in their shoes. The Flower Division strives to entertain the locals during peacetime with theater while also protecting Tokyo when necessary. The story is simple enough and helping the Division find its footing is a joy as players get to know this version of Tokyo and those that live in it.

Players will play as Seijuro as they get to know their regiment, explore the city, and take care of combat missions. Sakura Wars has a bit of a leisurely tone  throughout. The setting is idyllic and the characters are endearing, making the world a delight to explore. The game has clear influences from visual novels, with tons of text and interaction. It’s a slower-paced game that rewards players for taking in the theme and embracing everything that Sakura Wars has to offer. Those who aren’t interested in the moments where you aren’t fighting in games like Persona 5 and Fire Emblem Three Houses will struggle to get much out of Sakura Wars. If you are a sucker for anime-style games that emphasize relationships you’ll feel right at home here.

The Flower Division mostly consists of Seijuro and five other women, all of which are different from each other and fall neatly into different anime tropes. Despite how cookie-cutter the women appear as at first, they soon grow into their own characters. Most of them are all still familiar by the end, but if the player spends enough time with them, they will see the characters grow significantly. The dynamic characters are a joy to get to know and are easily the best part of Sakura Wars. Romance plays a large part in Sakura Wars, so players will likely find themselves trying to court their favorite character. While it isn’t overly difficult to gain their favor, players will still need to make the right decisions and say the right things while interacting.

The script in Sakura Wars is enjoyable throughout, with pleasant dialogue and a decent story. Some of the conversations are pretty cheesy in an anime sort of way, but fans of the genre won’t find themselves turned off at all. The story in Sakura Wars is rather predictable and most of the twists don’t have any weight. Sakura Wars goes all-in on being a soft reboot and doesn’t take any wild chances. Instead, the game does a fantastic job of building the world and setting the tempo for the future. It’s a fairly uneventful game but still succeeds because of the fun dialogue.

Choosing the right thing to say can be a frustrating affair, as Sakura Wars suffers from having vague dialogue options. Those who have played games like the Mass Effect trilogy and Fallout 4 will understand these frustrations. The player will choose one dialogue option and then Seijuro doesn’t express himself the way the player would expect. It can be frustrating to bumble through dialogues just because it is predictable to predict what will happen next. Still, this doesn’t shatter the experience, and even the failed dialogue options are at least entertaining.

The jokes in Sakura Wars are hit and miss and mostly lean on the common tropes that fill anime. Choosing the wrong dialogue option can lead to hilarious results as Seijuro stumbles through an interaction. Sometimes the humorous moments are fun and creative. Other times it’s a typical scene where Seijuro sees someone’s underwear and is berated for being a pervert. How entertaining the jokes are will once again depend on the player’s comfort with the genre and subject matter.

Combat in Sakura Wars is different from previous entries, abandoning typical turn-based strategy for a more action-oriented style. The hack and slash gameplay is similar to Musou games where the player controls the characters who are piloting mechs. The combat feels like an afterthought in Sakura Wars and it certainly isn’t one of the game’s strengths. Unfortunately, the battles are clunky with some tough cameras and less than ideal hitboxes. Still, a few day-one patches make the action much more tolerable with features added like locking onto enemies and new control options. The combat also suffers from little character progression, so everything feels a bit underwhelming and the action loses its appeals as the game goes on. Fortunately, the combat doesn’t make a big splash in Sakura Wars, so players won’t spend much time hacking and slashing. Sakura Wars is one of the few action games where I am happy to see that there is very little action.

If the anime influence isn’t already obvious in the script and gameplay, it certainly is when you glance at the graphics and art style. The 3D anime characters look great, with fantastic designs by Tite Kubo, the creator of Bleach. Other artists who have worked on popular franchises like K-On!, Sword Art Online, and Persona are involved in the art as well.  The cutscenes are presented in 2D anime and are beautifully animated.

The sound design in Sakura Wars is also fantastic. The sound effects are fun and chirpy and are complemented by catchy tunes. The opening song composed by Kohei Tanaka (Known for One Piece) is infectious and players will be humming it long after turning the console off. The voice acting is stellar, with every character delivering performances full of energy.

Sakura Wars is a fine reboot for the franchise and a great first entry for new players. The combat is uninspired and grows stale over the course of the 15- 30-hour campaign. Fortunately, the world and the characters are full of charm and make Sakura Wars worth checking out. Fans of dating simulators and anime will likely enjoy getting to know the Flower Division.

Click For More Video Game Reviews