Customer Reviews

Sakura Wars: So Long, My Love Premium Edition

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Sakura Wars is part of a long running series that, from what I have recently learned, was pretty prominent on the dreamcast and on into the PS2 era due to hybridizing dating sim elements (relationship building, player choosing responses to text prompts similar to KOTOR, and rewards/detriments for not building some kind of relationship with the other players) with solid srpg gameplay. That was a long sentence. Anyway, this is the latest installment of this game. I am not a fan of the series by any means-the previous games are all in Japanese, and I don't plan to learn that any time soon. So why did I pick this one up, and rate it so highly?

Two reasons-PS2 releases are getting more and more scarce monthly (and I love my black box), and the sheer novelty of the game. I have been at this game for a number of hours and so far, I don't regret the purchase in the slightest.

The graphics are solid (with still shots that change to reflect facial expressions and changes in situation), the voice acting is entertaining (and, if you get the premium pack, you get the full Japanese voice as well as the American on two separate game disks-that's right-YOU GET TWO COPIES OF THE GAME), the amount of engagement during conversations varies from button mashing, keeping meters up trying to be convincing, and other controller-based mini games (so you really can't get too bored with it), the transitions between fmv, conversation screens, and in game activity are really well handled, and the combat is awesome. The first fight took me nearly an hour, starting as a ground-based assault and moving to a space battle above the statue of liberty. This is where the relationship part of the game pays off, as my strong relationship with one of the other characters let us pull of a wicked group attack. Pretty ambitious stuff here.

One last note on the combat-I have to be honest here. One thing I hate about SRPGs in general is the grid-based movement and attack system. People don't move in plus signs. SW lets you move free-form, spending points for movement in any organic shape you want, in any direction you want. In the ground battle I was talking about, I had one of my party slip around the enemy up some stairs and attack from the side while the rest of the group used long range attacks. Very satisfying feature and added a lot to my sense of engagement with the game. Your space battles are done very similarly as well, though limited somewhat by dimensional space.

My only real gripe with the game is how long it takes at times to get to the action. But the setup work you are doing beforehand with party interaction makes sense, so this complaint is minimal at best.

Like I said earlier, the field is getting pretty empty in terms of PS2 games, with original releases being even more scarce. I figure if enough people buy this one Sony will get the idea of continuing this sort of thing for its loyal fan base. BUY IT-I am loving seeing this one at the top of so many best seller lists right now (even if I know the reason behind it).

As many of you might have heard, or seen on many websites. Sakura Wars: So Long, My Love (hereafter Sakura Wars V) is most likely going to be the last RPG released for the PS2, all 10 other games coming out for the system are either expansions to FF11 or movie games/sport games.

With that being said, Sakura Wars V is an absolutely amazing game, I can honestly say I cant remember the last time I enjoyed a PS2 game this much! The story is set in a 1928 'Steampunk' New York. You play as fresh out of training 19 year old LT.Shinjiro Taiga who thinks hes going to be part of the Flower Division his uncle Ichiro Ogami was a part of (Ichiro was a new member of the Flower Division in Sakura Wars 1,but is now commander of it,only 4 years later) You also get to have a brief conversation with Sakura while Shin is in Japan. When Shin goes to see his uncle he is then told that he (Shin) is going to go to New York to become leader of the newly formed Star Division. Shin is at first a mix of disappointed and happy. However when he gets to New York his Teammates (Cherion,Subaru,Ratchet,and his CO Sunnyside) all disapprove of such a green horn becoming Captain,as they were expecting Commander Ogami himself. Although through a series of events and meeting people who boost his confidence (who will later join the party) Shin manages to tough it out and become an actual part of Star Division. The game is also fairly long (about 50-60 hours) and has 8 Chapters total.

Sakura Wars V is played 2 different ways, the first (and for most of the game) you are an Usher at the little lip theater,all the girl characters are actresses,and your main job in the game at this point is to impress them with your answers,further in the game you will eventually have to woo them with your answers and the game becomes a little more intimate, then eventually come X-mas time you will get to take anyone of the girls on a date and end the game with them. Although Ratchets ending is only available during a 2nd play through save file. A RELOADED SAVE FILE FROM CHAPTER 7 will NOT WORK since it is a first play through save file. There are a total of 5 endings in the game with a bonus 6th&7th if you go on a date with Ratchet. I should also mention that there is a fair deal of Anime quality cut scenes throughout the game that compliment it well.

The 2nd part of the game is all about mech battles, the battle system is done in a strategy style but you are free to move anywhere on the field as long as you have enough mobility to do it. Attacks and pretty much anything else you do in battle affects mobility. In each chapter there are 2 battles (1 ground and 1 air) with the exception of chapter 8 which has 4 battles (2 of them are a joke though)

The graphics in Sakura Wars V do the job just good enough. The game was released in 2005 in Japan and the graphics back then were just good enough for PS2 the robot designs are nice and in all truthfulness you hardly ever see any of the characters with in game graphics 95% of the time you are looking at there animated images. The music in Sakura Wars suits the 1920's New York well and is just a pleasure to listen to. The Voice acting is some of the best I've seen NISA do. And the main character is voiced by the same man who does Bleach (and who has done many other RPG's as well)

Overall if you can still find this game,I'd recommend you pick it up as soon as you see it. The prices for the game have gone up all over the internet. And just like every other quirky title your going to be hard pressed to find it soon.

Sakura Wars: So Long, My Love Premium Edition

I have long been a fan of NISA and the games they have localized to the NA audience, and Sakura Wars: So Long My Love is another in a long line of excellent releases for the PS2.

When i began to see previews of the game and found out it wasn't only based on my favorite genre(RPGs/SRPGs) but also a dating sim, i knew i had to have it for my PS2 library. As an added bonus the packaged extras are a nice touch, especially for the price.

The game is divided into chapters and tells the stories of your fellow squad members, and progresses to an insanely fun final chapter. The character plots are well thought out and fit nicely into the story itself. I have to add that i played the English dub only, and the voice acting is well done if not top notch in my opinion.

It pays to note that like all RPG/SRPG games, this game is text heavy, but with a twist. You actually have to interact with the characters in the game at certain points by using the joysticks. This interaction takes up a huge chunk of the game, so if you prefer your games to be in a state of constant action this game might not be for you.

There is plenty of replay value with multiple endings to see, and there are plenty of unlockable items in the game. There is a place on the main menu that allows you to go and check out all you have earned as well which i found to be a nice touch.

At this point in time i have beaten the game twice, and i find myself wanting to open all the possible endings.

This is more then likely my last PS2 purchase, and i have to say it has been one of the best investments game wise i have made in 2010. That includes PS3 games as well. I also made it a point to go to the NISA website to thank them for releasing this game. That's just how great it really is.

If you love RPGs/SRPGs or even just dating sims, you can't go wrong with this game. This isn't the last game to be released on the PS2 in NA, but it is a nice tip of the hat near the end of what i consider to be the greatest gaming library of all time.

We finally get a fully translated and localized game in the long running Sakura Wars series. The story is excellent, with characters you actually care about. The gameplay is very well done, too- I'm usually someone who usually avoids strategy games, but this doesn't feel like a typical strategy game probably because you're not limited to a typical grid- you have much more freedom. I have to note that some of the battles were pretty tough for me probably due to my inexperience with strategy games, requiring multiple tries. I didn't really care too much for the English voice over, but luckily the PS2 version allows you to play with the Japanese voice track instead, something which should be a standard feature in any Japanese game. This is a great game to close out the PS2's life cycle.

Sakura Wars 5 is an excellent game, both for old players and newcomers. Unlike Tokyo or Paris, the game resets the stage at New York in the 20s. One thing I like about this series is that it injects so much energy into the player that when he or she plays, it totally changes the atmosphere of the room. The characters are all distinguished; and they interact with the player quite well, almost as if they are real people with real concerns in their lives. While the dialogues come back and forth, the characters hope the player can understand their feelings. This is what makes this dating RPG very unique for decades. Rarely do I see another game that carries the same level of emotional interaction with the player so far.

Other than the famous LIPS dating simulations, SW5 also combines local culture into stage design, usually in a lovely fashion. The evolutionary combat system is easy to maneuver and the challenge won't drive one crazy. Great music and drama remain the SW tradition that is carried from SW1~4. Although SW5 is a fresh start, the intriguing player experience has been successfully preserved. I sincerely hope that the team will continue carrying this love and its music to more people that have not tried this series yet; that is the mission of the new Star Division!

Imagine a time when you were playing a video game. Now imagine the game during conversations and cut scenes. Have you ever said to yourself -That's not what I would say (do)? Have you ever wanted to play a strategy game where mechs battle over New York city? Have you ever wanted a semi-date sim mixed with said strategy game? Have you ever wanted a Redheaded Texan Samurai? Well good news everyone! You can now say those things! You can now save that city from inside your mechanical armor! You can woo a digital woman! And you can fight along side a cowboy boot wearing Sunset Warrior!

Sakura Wars is a fun strat game with dating sim/visual novel aspects. If you enjoy those genres you will enjoy this game.

This game is a real treat at the end of the PS2's lifespan. All I knew about Sakura Wars before I played 'So Long, My Love' was it had multiple anime productions I was never interested in and it was a long running games series in Japan. But NISA's premium edition release in the States was enough to pique my interest and give it a shot. Furthermore, members of the development teamed worked on Skies of Arcadia and Valkyria Chronicles, two other great games.
If I had to compare it to something, it's like Persona 4 with a stronger emphasis on dialogue choices/character interaction, a lighthearted and more anime-esque story, and substituted with tactical rpg combat. It sounds like a strange hybrid but I've had a blast all the way through the game. The characters are wonderful and the dating simulation is fun thanks to each girl having an interesting personality. The battles, though few, are engaging and entertaining. The Japanese voice over is great, but your mileage may vary with the English voice over.
Now I'm a late comer fan of the series and I lament that the chances of the older titles getting released or future titles are almost impossible. This is your best chance of experiencing the uniqueness and joy of Sakura Wars, and hopefully not the last.

Almost 14 years after Sakura Taisen was released on the Sega Saturn, the beloved Japanese series finally makes it stateside with Sakura Wars: So Long, My Love. As stated various times, this is actually the 5th installment of the Japanese series. NIS perhaps chose this game to bring since it takes place in New York, and the Japanese culture references would be at a minimum so not to turn off your average American gamer. I have played Sakura Taisen 1-4 on the Dreamcast, but didn't play part 5 when released since I didn't own a modded PS2. I have done my best to try and separate this game from the previous 4, since this starts a new story arc in the series.

Sakura Wars: So Long, My Love puts you in the shoes of Shinjiro Taiga, a newly transferred Lieutenant from Japan. As it goes, your uncle is the main protagonist of the original Sakura Taisen series. The timeline is an alternate 1920s New York, where steam technology rules the world (and WWI never happened). You eventually report to a theater located right in the center of Times Square. Here's where some gamers might get confused: Wait? What? A military member having to work in theater? This is where some knowledge of the previous games comes in handy, but the in-game dialogue does a good job at explaining why. The heart of the game is the dialogue, and the responses you choose (or in some cases choose not to make). This directly affects the effectiveness and morale of your squad; members who trust you have higher attack/defense/movement and vise versa. The turn-based strategy portion is challenging and entertaining, but not groundbreaking. There are no experience points in the game (everything is based on character interaction) so therefore it is not necessary to lay waste to all enemy peons prior to reaching your objective.

The time in between battles can get long, and at times it does feel like you're reading a novel versus playing a game, but this is part of its charm: the game goes through great detail in describing the characters' pasts, aspirations, conflicts, etc. For those "completionist" gamers, this game provides 6 alternate endings to start. Although the average time to complete the game from start to finish is about 20 hours, another play through will allow you to explore areas of the story you didn't have time to. And finally, there is a mode in the menu called "A Free Day in NY" which allows you to do things 'outside' of the game (more features get unlocked when you complete the game with each character).

The PS2 version of this release comes with two discs: one with the original Japanese language track and the other with the English dub. These are considered two separate games, and the save games for each are not compatible with the other (games saved using the Japanese CD will not be able to be played with the English CD). I originally had no intent in playing the English dub (since it can be hit or miss). But after deciding to give it a shot, I played the entire game using the English track. Kudos should go to the English voice actors for a job well done in voicing the characters.

Gamers who are looking for a quick fix until (insert popular game) comes out will not enjoy Sakura Wars. Those who are willing to put time into a game to get the most out of it should seriously give this game a look.

You know, I've played plenty of games in my life. Many were either based on or wanted to be movies, books, tv shows, or, more than any of those, animes. But never have I played a game that did such a good job that I actually feel like I'm both playing an incredible game AND watching a humorous (if more than a little silly) anime. Sakura Wars: So Long, My Love nailed it.
The game is seperated into episodes, which is what they feel like. During these episodes, most of the time you will be in an adventure style game, either talking to your teammates and building relationships with them (which is how you power characters up) or exploring the 1920's steampunk New York City. And it isn't your typical teammate interractions where you just select a response and see what happens either. True, most of the time you are selecting a response, but it's almost always on a time limit. You have enough time to read each reply option and make a calm decision, but not enough time to carefully analyze each response and determine which you think will get the optimal reaction. It adds a fun element to it. On top of that, there are also many interactive response mini-games, where you either press the left stick up or down to determine the hero's enthusiasm level of his response, and mini-games where you are shown analog stick patterns on screen which you must quickly repeat. All of this adds a great new element to interactions that keeps them from getting boring.
At the end of episodes, you get into giant mecha battles. These battles are turn based strategy RPG style, but it isn't your typical grid system. You're free to move in all directions around you, using up some of your "mobility gauge" as you take any action. You can also attack as many times in a turn as you want, as long as you have the mobility left for your actions. But there's more than just attacking and moving. There are also team attacks, special attacks, charge up moves, guarding, and the hero can even change the overall strategy the team follows, call for help, or protect his teammates. In a game where the focus seems to mostly be on character interaction, you'd think they would slack on the combat portion, but they didn't, and it's really entertaining.
So to summarize, this is a great game for fans of dating sims, SRPGs, and animes. However, understand that there is a LOT of talking, and not so many battles. If all you want is action, you should look elsewhere. Otherwise, this is a great purchase that you won't regret.

The PS2 shall never be forgotten. So Long My Love indeed. This game is great. You like rpg's and dating girls? Man get this game. This game is over 30 hours long, and it will make you cry as you remember the good times of the PS2. I bought it, I should know. Now go ahead and say this review wasn't helpful, since that's all you haters ever do. This game is great.