Sakura Wars - REVIEW (PS4) 

“Part visual novel, part dating simulator and part tactical rpg” Me, a Fire Emblem fan: “say no more”

Fun Fact: This game runs on the hedgehog engine, the same engine that powers modern Sonic games.

This, FFVII Remake, Persona 5 R and Trials of Mana all came out in about a month's time... my wallet is sad but as a JRPG fan I am pretty damn happy. Haha

The Sakura Wars theme song alone has made me want to try this series for years. Thank you Project X Zone 2.

the reason why i like Sakura Wars at first: the main theme the reason why i like Sakura Wars now: the main theme , steampunk Japan

For those who don't know about Sakura Wars, Sakura Wars (Sakura Taisen) is a series of JRPGs with Dating Sim and Visual Novel gameplay elements that's been running for 24 Years. In Japan, the series is one of Sega's biggest and most popular franchises. The first Sakura Wars game was released on the SEGA Saturn in 1996 and was followed by five sequels, the fifth game, Sakura Wars 5: So Long My Love (Released in 2005) was the first game in the series to get an English release in 2010, five years after its original Japanese release. After the 2005 release of Sakura Wars 5, the series went on a fourteen-year hiatus until the announcement of Sakura Wars (New Sakura Wars (Shin Sakura Taisen)), the sixth Installment in the Sakura Wars series which serves as a soft reboot to the Series. It's also the second game to be given an official English release. The First Five Games Used a Tactical RPG Battle System while the new game uses an Action RPG Battle System. Outside of the games, The series was adapted into multiple anime series (Six OVA series, Two TV Anime and an Anime movie), multiple light novels, a manga, radio dramas and Live stage shows that's been running since 1997. Fun Fact: The first five Sakura Wars games featured character designs by Kōsuke Fujishima, The Creator of the Oh My Goddess! manga and character designer for eight of Bandai Namco's Tales of games (Including Tales of Phantasia, Zestiria and Berseria). Fun Fact 2: The Active and Real-time Machine System (ARMS) Battle System used from Sakura Wars 3 to 5 would later be the basis for the battle system used in the Valkyria Chronicles series, which is developed by much of the same team.

I dont understand why the characters being "visually enticing" is seen as a negative.

Really cool of you guys to give some small channels the spotlight like this, please do this more often!

It's a great credit to GameXplain that they actually have someone who has played the previous games review this game (especially since they were kinda niche in the West).

Not gonna lie, I only know this series because of SEGATA SANSHIRO

I definitely did not initially read the title as “Sakurai Wars”

I love that bigger channels are finally giving this series the love it deserves.

Part Visual Novel, Part tatical RPG, part dating simulator??? TAKE MY MONEY ALREADY

I like how characters have Tite Kubo all written on their design.

I very much hope so that SEGA releases all four of the games that we could never get in a huge compilation pack for the PS4. It was such as same they were never localized to the West during their prime.

This game is awesome. I genuinely recommend it to any jrpg fan. I really hope it will catch on and have good enough sales for a sequel and possible imports of the older games :)

It somewhat disappointing the game isn't a tactical rpg anymore, I still want to play the game. I a big fan of Kubo's art and I always wanted to play a Sakura War game since I heard that awesome Opening. I can't wait to play it tomorrow

Segata Sanshiro is proud of his wife. Also I literally now just remembered The sega hard girls fought her... ...it was onesided.

Kinda wish this game was still a tactical rpg, would make me be more interested. Luckily the first Sakura Wars was translated recently.

It's cool they got the voice actor for Kirito in SAO Abridged to do this review.

So basically Sakura Wars is Sega Wars franchise and Advance Wars is Nintendo Wars franchise.

I love this game so much. The graphics blew me away when I first launched it and the game play and dating sim parts are much more to my taste than in the predecessor on the Wii.

“There’s a very specific type of person who would probably be interested in Sakura war” Sounds like me.

>MarzGurl says she is a fan of Sakura Wars A woman of refinement and taste, I see!

never played any Sakura taisen game, but I love Sakura Shingujii character-design wise. Dunno how to put this, she gives some sort of 90`s anime realness

If you don't know this yet, the theatrical part of Sakura Wars is base on real-life Takarazuka Theater Group.

Good review! Hopefully this game will help bring more of the series over here in the states. At the very least, I don't have to spend extra like the new SRW games, though at least those are getting english translations at last. Although I swear I may die from a super robot overdose with how many games I'm already playing....well I lived a good life!

Looks interesting. I was always intrigued by the series but never really dug much deeper than listening to the old theme song (which is a 90s anime banger). Definitely gonna pick this up after I finish P5R

This is the sort of game that I’m interested in playing, but I don’t want to be seen playing.

I'll admit, the first time I heard about Sakura Wars was in the 3DS titles Project x Zone 1 and 2, Gemini was my favorite (A cheerful samurai Cowgirl! Whats not to like). When I have enough moner i will try this game. Thanks for the review and awesome work on it @marzgurl

With a name like LIPS in a game like this, you just know they came up with that anagram for the conversation system before they decided what it stand for.

I've read the manga when I was in middle school. They sold them in a book fair and It was the first manga I ever bought. I was never aware of how old the franchise was until I watched the series and the show is different from the books and games. They both told the same story but in a deferent way. I liked the 2020 Sakura game but the only complaint have about the game is the difficulty. It didn't feel like the game was getting harder and it doesn't give you an option like "easy", "normal" or "hard" Too easy in my opinion. However, regardless I'm glad the old franchise is back. But there are so many people who don't know what Sakura Wars is and the older series is too outdated. They should make a reboot or the original series with all the old characters like Sakura Shinguji, Ichiro Ogami, and Kohran Li. Bring the old crew back together again.

Good review, I was looking for one since I have heard good things of this franchise

I also played all the previous 5 main entries and really enjoyed this new entry when I also played it last year in Chinese. I will say that this is my favourite team among the previous 3 teams since I like all the five new female leads, unlike the previous entries where I only like one or maybe two of the characters. Yes, Hatsuho is Best girl! Although a bit disappointed on how they teased on what happened to the previous teams which are making fans wanting a sequel to this new entry.

Thanks for this review guys, Was introduced to a couple of these characters through project cross zone 1 and 2 so I've been looking forward to this title finally coming over to the West.

20 years ago i would've never thought i'll be playing the game, i grew up watching the anime. Can't wait till it drop.

I'm playing this for the first time over a year later and just now finding it's tailor made for me, lol. I actually owned Sakura Wars V (probably still do though I have no idea where it is) but never got around to playing it. It came out 4 years into the life cycle of the PS3 as a PS2 game. It was hard to find, and I think my original PS3 with BC kicked the bucket soon after I got it. That said, after having fun with New Sakura Wars, I'm tempted to find a PS2 to finally play V.

I loved the game I know many people didn’t like it but I loved the game it was so fun and enjoyable I hope there’s more to this I would love to play a sequel to this

Thanks for the detailed review, I may actually pick this one up. I do enjoy heavy story driven games, mainly the Legend of Heroes series, so this sounds like it right up my alley. Not too worried about the combat, I tend to flock to where good writing, character interaction and world building resides.

The game is in some deep, deep sale on Golden Week sale. If anyone's interested but was on the fence, like me, this is the time to buy it!

They released an Anime and a Manga Novel Series for this Game as well about the same time this game was released. They are going all out for this series. I got me a waifu pillow, some models and shirts myself! ;)

This game reminds me so much of iDOLM@STER: Xenoglossia. The iDOLM@STER is one of my favorite game series of all time, where you play as a producer who is trying to manage the lives and careers of a group of up and coming pop idols. Xenoglossia was an anime spinoff that threw ALL the idol stuff out the window and turned all of the girls into post apocalyptic mech pilots who are trying to save/destroy what little amount of humanity is left remaining. This is probably the closest we’ll ever get to a Xenoglossia video game. The communication segments is like traditional iDOLM@STER gameplay, while the battle portions are like the fight scenes in Xenoglossia. And once you mentioned that people from Pokémon, Persona, AND One Piece contributed to the creation of this game, it only sold me that much more! I’m very much looking forward to picking this up! Thank you so much for introducing it to me! I’m also always up for supporting SEGA whenever they give us something from one of their other franchises. Here’s hoping reception is positive and that we start to see more revivals of past SEGA franchises make their way into the modern era!

1:57 uhhhhhhh yeah, this game suddenly is on my radar. ha ha ahhhh daaaamn

I finished the game last night. The story and characters, though childish, have a cartoonish sincerity and charm to them that makes them very fun to watch and interact with. The music and voice acting are superb, even if it is not fully voiced. I will definitely replay it at some point to see all choices and scenes. However, the combat system is utterly inexcusable. It is mindblowingly repetitive and simplistic, not even fit for pure action genre, let alone a supposed rpg. What were they (Sega) thinking?!

Really glad to hear it was a good experience for you :) Really excited to play this tomorrow. Hoping we someday get the original games localized and remastered for modern platforms. Especially the PS2 version of the first game since that was the best version from what I've heard.

I’ve never played them, however I like the different elements touched on by the narrator and will probably purchase it. It was also nice the narrator was clear and concise throughout the entire narration, props to you, narrator.

this game looks story heavy and not a lot of battle - is this true or does it change later?

What great timing! Supposedly the anime that came out this season takes place after the events of this game.

I really hope this game can get the franchise started in other parts of the world, I love Sakura Wars sm :) stan Ichiro Ogami

Woo hoo! A glowing review for this game is just what I needed to get my hype flowing!

Definitely picking this up Edit: Got it a month ago and will finish it tomorrow. 11/10 game in my opinion.

Hmmm seems interesting enough. Once I'm done with P5Royal and FFVII REMAKE, I may give this a chance.

Good lord. I've never played the sega games, but I was a big fan of the anime series when I was 15. I'm now in my 30s and hearing the opening songs is deeply nostalgic.

I'm glad yall are starting to branch out and cover non-Nintendo games, great work!

I am not fond of visual novels, but Sakura Wars has been such an important IP for Sega JP that it makes me want to at least try it out. I was afraid the characters would be a one-note boring cast of female eye candy for the player and nothing else, but if you think they're well written, I'll give it a shot.

Oh you mean those guys from Project X Zone: The Game

I'm here from PSO2 lobby, they blast the OP non-stop all day long as background music, looks like their advertising worked.

Man I'm tempted to buy this full price, but that bit about replaying the same missions 6 times (I presume a route each girl) really bugs me. Is there anything in the game that makes replaying it worthwhile?

Nothing against Kubo Tite, but I was sad when it announced that Kozuke Fujishima wasn't going to do the arts for this one. Having played all 5 previews game, and being all time fan of the series back in 1996, I had to adjust for character design changes.

Great review! I'll be picking it up based on this. So happy it feels like coming home.

I'm here from ProZD's video. Was curious about the game

I have this coming in the next day or so and I am so excited!!! I recently been playing the Sega Saturn fan translation and it's so good!!!

i had no idea they were even making a game 4 this series?!

Man. I only know of thus series due to project cross zone. I'm actually interested in this series but I lack a ps4.

I really feel a HD remaster of the first 4 games in a similar way to the Ace Attorney Collection would have been much less riskier for Sega than making a modern reboot of Sakura Wars.

lack of english dub isnt a downside at ALL, its the best of both worlds, we keep the original voice acting and enjoy the game as much as it was intended, i would actully consider a dub version (without an option to change voice language back to JAP) a HUGE downside tho :)

''fully animated anime'' beautiful.

This game reminds of me front line evolution. In they took a great strategy game and dumbed down the combat to try to try to sell to the most number of gamers.number And both games seem to be mixed among old time fans.

I wish it was still a tactical game... Been looking for a new tactical rpg for ages

I love a good jrpg with dating aspects in it. While combat is generic and easy, it's how you interact with others where the meat of the game is. Each romance you choose is well written and the game makes it work. I even learned how to play koi koi in this game. Truly a fun game for any jrpg fan

This review sold me on this game. Picking it up for sure

I'm not gonna lie, if there's a lot of relatationship building, i'm in (i love the relationship building in Persona, thats the best bit of Persona)

I recognized that voice immediately! Hey MarzGurl!!!

Is there any reason why the game is still not showing in the PlayStation store..?

Just try and not get excited listening to the opening theme of ever Sakura wars. I've been a fan of the shows and can't wait to become a fan of the game this weekend.

Did Sega put any money at all in the marketing of this? Until I saw a thread on /v/ a couple of days ago I didn't even know this existed.

9:54 dunno if this is a bug becuz I didn't see it before but whats up with her nose?

I honestly do NOT know who or why someone would PURPOSELY go out of their way for something Negative 😕

I already played Shin Sakura Taisen last year. I absolutely loved it! Double dipping for the English edition.

This is Sega's chance. Once this is a success they will be resurrected and release the Sega Vision surpassing the sales of the Switch and destroying their competition once and for all. Segata Sanshiro shall rise again!

Thank you Project X Zone 1 and 2 for getting it noticed.

Awesome review! Also, you sound like you would make a great Tails (like from Sonic the hedgehog) voice actor.

Thank you so much for the review the game is on sale right now and I was on the fence while waiting for tales of arise. You were so thorough and unbiased and totally sold me on buying thanks again!

I cant find this on the Canadian PSN store for some reason(getting the physical copy anyway)

Wow this is an amazing review im not sure if the game is for me, but im new to this channel and this was super well informed. Thanks for the amazing review definitely gave me some great insight into the game!

the ad i get for this game on crunchyroll makes me want to gouge my eyes out.

this is on my to watch list.... looks like a good time, maybe not mind blowing but seems different quirky and interesting... and sometimes you need to play something that is wildly different.

Good review. Some nostalgia from when I was a kid hearing Marzgurl again.

This video is really well done and the person who voiced it has a great voice for this type of content

Why is this not on the PS store? checked both US and EU stores.

Been looking forward to this game for a long time. Don't have a PS4 yet but this might push me over.

Havent play a single sakura wars game or watch the anime but this seems like an interesting pickup for me

I think it is kind of fun to replay all the missions with different support-characters because they all have very different attacks and ultimate moves.

Lmao, of all people to review the game, and she can’t even mention the name of the creator of Bleach correctly... then talked about the character’s looks... NO SURPRISE!

Already preordered to support SEGA and a the SW game series.. That 's ripe for the picking.. specially after the over saturation of Otome.. There's not enough balance.. As for the review it was fair and a good perspective from a fan of the series.

Ok i thought this looked like bleach i love the character design. I'll definitely check this out.

Title Kubo made the character designs for this game, that's all I need to know.

Awesome review! I was off to buy 13 Sentinels on Amazon and saw Sakura Wars half off with only a few items left. Since I love this franchise and I have the DC Collector box I wanted to make sure it wasn't a dud. the loss of tactical is a bit sad but Kohei Tanaka is amazing (love the Alundra soundtrack!)

Whoa, I haven't heard MarzGurls voice for a long time but recognized it right away!

1:28 oh dope, I love fire emblem. I want to check it out “The battle mechanics have now transitioned from tactical rpg to action rpg” Oh...