Sakura Wars

Sakura Wars was a surprise - from all the promotional material SEGA would have you believe it's some kind of action JRPG hybrid. The combat stuff turns out to be its weakest element. It's not bad, but it's also not where the magic happens. No, what this game does quite beautifully is the character development and romance. From the perviest moments of fan service through to the most heart-wrenching moments of insecurity that each of the characters displays, Sakura Wars offers a real emotional gamut, and whether you call it a blockbuster visual novel or an interactive anime, it's a rare thing for a game like this to be done to such substantial production standards. SEGA took a risk localising this after many years of popularity in Japan. Hopefully it pays off, and we see more localisations in the future.

An extremely polished, well put together sequel in a long running franchise that old fans and newcomers will enjoy. Its slow pace won’t be for everyone but it’s an enjoyable time from start to finish.

While it has been a long wait, Sakura Wars is a satisfying blend of everything that the franchise has done well for a new generation on PS4.

The huge effort and perceived budget that went into this game shows, and Sakura Wars makes a triumphant return after a 14-year retirement.

An engaging tale full of twists and turns, with an interesting way of interacting with the narrative. If you can handle the slow pace and stomach the perverse moments, you'll find a stylish adventure with one of the best soundtracks of the year.

Sakura Wars is an excellent reboot of the series and does right by the fans by subtly tying in mentions of its predecessors without overburdening new players. The game is fueled by its strong narrative and passionate cast of characters who fight against-all-odds for what they believe in. Sure, some of the arcs don't totally stick, and the romance can get a little messy, but it accomplishes the goal of giving fans a modernized Sakura Wars experience, without sacrificing what makes it unique.

Sakura Wars honors what came before it while offering a brand new experience that’s worth checking out.

Overall, Sakura Wars is a solid game that delivers in a lot of areas, story and dialogue choices to give your players control of their fate, and falls a little short in others, especially action/mech. There is far more positive than negative and I think the re-tooling and reboot of the series might gain more fans than lose them.

Sakura Wars has its drawbacks, and it is not only a weak combat system with forced battles in the championship, but also some templating, the length of some elements and spoilers-announcements between episodes. But all this is offset by deeply developed characters, beautiful animation and good humor. It is one of the best games of the genre in the last few years and the best that could happen to the series.

For a series that hasn’t had any new releases in a long time, this one from Sega really hits the mark for me. It is a game with evolving character arcs through talking and dating sim elements, which make your characters grow closer to one another. You will find yourself growing more attached to certain characters as you play through their stories and make you really connect with the game. The music in Sakura Wars is very well done and plays very well into the mood of the title. All in all, Sakura Wars is worthy of a play through if you've been itching for another great anime game in your library.Full Disclosure - This copy was provided by PR for the purposes of this review.

Fun but limited combat, punctuates a fantastic, character-driven drama about putting on shows and pulling a once beloved group and theatre out of its rut, and into the spotlight on an international level. It's a rip-roaring good time that has such faith in its world and style, that the love of the developers, writers, artists, and composers comes through at all points during the journey. This is a definite recommendation to those who like games that focus on narrative, and who can overlook the fairly uninspiring (yet enjoyable) combat, or who love to explore characters and motivations through dialogue. Also, for those new to the series: fear not. It's in line with the old series canon, but this one is self-contained and expands into a new era of the story.

Sakura Wars may be a crisp, fully 3D modern release, but every inch of the story, characters, and sound feels like it's straight out of the 90s. This soft-reboot may not revolutionise gaming as the original game did, but it still manages to deliver an expertly crafted love letter to those old-school stories and characters that will put a smile on anyone's face. The combat scenes may lack the same depth and intrigue as the story beats of the game, but they're a minor part of an otherwise unforgettable anime adventure.

Sakura Wars is a hard experience to put in words, but that experience doesn’t come around often. It is a captivating ride, striking a great balance between its funny and heartwarming moments. Just like the struggling theater group, the performance doesn’t always come together exactly as planned, but it has so much heart and charisma to leave the audience wanting an encore.

As a soft reboot, this new entry of Sakura Wars works perfectly as it offers some fresh ideas and changes to its gameplay mechanics while retaining the essence of the series, as well as most of the key aspects that turned it in one of the most beloved franchises in Japan. However, it is not suited for everyone as its combat controls feels clunky and basic and the combination of genres is unbalanced, so much that it will mostly appeal to those that love dating sims and visual novels.

At its very best, Sakura Wars made me feel like I was playing through a top-tier shonen or seinen anime, and while the lows certainly exist, they are infrequent and inconsequential enough to the core experience that it makes it easy for me to recommend the game to anyone with a passing interest. While it might be mechanically lacking in some aspects, it smooths over those rough edges with a ton of heart, and I’ll always take an ambitious game that sometimes fails to reach the heights it strives for over a boring, middle-of-the-road title.

Sega brings back to life Sakura Wars with a new chapter suitable for both old fans and newbies of the series.

Sakura Wars (2019) wants to refresh the franchise, while maintaining its core identity and narrative continuity. The rhythm and style of the story is perfect for a fan ofJapanese, anime-style productions and the characters, despite their tropes, let themselves be loved. The choice to simplify the battles so much is questionable, putting them practically in the background from every other point of view, but the Trust system, the stylish character design and the excellent dubbing manage to balance the accounts.

Sakura Wars is a great entry point to a fascinating series. If you wish Persona had a bit more action, you’ll find exactly what you’re looking for here. While the “sexy misunderstandings” are cringe worthy, the characters are fun to interact with and the giant robots are a joy to pilot.

Sakura Wars is a great little gem. It's the perfect title to get into the franchise and see why it's regarded so highly in Japan. Sakura Wars has some incredible writing and character development, it's hard not to fall in love with everyone you meet in the world. It's just a shame the combat isn't on the same level and at times take the steam away from the fantastic narrative.

Sakura Wars is full of personality and, even with some dodgy combat getting in the way, a surprisingly absorbing game. It has memorable characters and an even more memorable way to interact with them.

Sakura Wars isn’t for everyone, but fans of quirky Japanese imports, or those simply looking for something a bit outside their comfort zone, ought to give it a shot. The game’s action is run-of-the-mill, but its heartfelt character-driven story and polished anime-infused presentation largely make up for that. Sakura Wars may not win every battle, but it stands tall in the end.

Despite its gorgeous world and accessible veneer, Sakura Wars isn't going to win over the masses. It's simply too restrictive design-wise to achieve the broad appeal of games like Persona and Yakuza. For those willing to look past the blemishes, there's a certain beauty to be had here. It may not be the next Sega cult-hit, but Sakura Wars is a powerful love letter for series fans. It' not half-bad for anime fans, either.

Sakura Wars is the return/presentation of one of the most iconic series in the Japanese videogame industry. Dating simulator, visual novel, interactive anime and real-time combat system are the basics of this unique project. Sega is ready to captivate the world with its most daring game until the date. But, is the world ready?

Sakura Wars results in a mix of classic and new features which is entertaining. The story and character development is enjoyable, while the combat system has some flaws.

It might look too shallow (and it probably is) at first glance, but the representation of the characters is certainly charming. It's like giving life to a shonen TV show.

Even though the lackluster combat is a major detractor in an otherwise great return to form for the series, it doesn’t ruin the experience either. Despite being on hiatus for so long, this release proves that there is life left for the series, and I for one can’t wait to see what’s next in store for the world of Sakura Wars.

Appealing mix of visual novel, dating sim and mech battles, that will be fought for the first time in franchise history in realtime instead of turns – it almost feels like a musou brawler (for better or worse).

Sakura Wars isn’t going to be for everyone. It’s oddly paced, character-focused, and anime-inspired, but that’s also some of the best things about it. If even a tiny bit of you is interested in that description, there’s a chance you’ll really enjoy the craziness that Sakura Wars puts on the table.