Sakura Taisen 5 on March 23rd

Visual Novel Community Anime/Otaku Discussions
#1

I’m sure everyone here knows that Sakura Taisen 5 will be released on March 23rd this year for Wii and PS2. I’m sure the hardcore importers already know that ST5 is sadly the worst of the bunch. I was curious to know: how many here will buy ST5?

It’s no secret that NIS has spent quite a lot to get this game to US shores - they not only money to port the entire thing to the Wii system to get more customers, but also so there’s English and Japanese language versions (to appease SCEA and the hardcore gamers). Sakura Taisen 5 will literally make or break the chances of future (or rather past) Sakura Taisen titles will ever see English porting, however it’s no stretch of the mind to say that it could also have an impact on console bgaming.

Are people getting it to just support NIS and the niche, or are they passing to save money and find something else?

#2

My Sakutai love ended with ST4~

#3

Having never played any of them (though I bought copies of some so I could play them later when I could actually udnerstand them) of course I am buying ST5. Starving man in a desert and all that. You take what you can get.

Besides, if ST is anything like what I’ve heard, there are no Sakura Taisen games, which are bad games. (Main sequence only, obviously the columns ripoffs, etc and that one action game are not included). So ST5 might be a poor example of why Sakura Taisen got famous, but it still won’t be a bad game. And I never played it before.

Furthermore if it does in fact do well, the whole JRPG market expands again. People listen to sales figures, and there are several other major series that have never crossed the pond yet. And if Sakura Taisen does not bomb in the US, they may make enough money to look at restarting the series. I know ST5 killed it, and then the store closed etc. etc. but they could relaunch the series if it does well here. (In fact, didn’t they set ST5 in America precisely so they could aim to accomplish this and sell the series in America?)

#4

I will get it. I will reserve Gamestop store in either New York City or Leesburg (if I will get a job).

#5

I’m definitely getting this. I’ve wanted to play a Sakura Taisen game for a long time and even if it’s the worst of the series, it’s better than nothing.

Just curious though, what makes it the worst? Is the story that bad or is it the gameplay?

#6

I’ve pre-ordered it on account that I probably won’t be able to find it after March 23rd in store, ala Persona 1 & 2. Hell it took me years to track down Digital Devil Saga’s 1st disc after having owned the 2nd one for years.

I’ve always been curious about the Sakura Taisen games, and having nothing to draw reference from, I’ll probably think the game is great and wonder why my import playing friends say its horrible. Although it would be nice if ST5 did well enough stateside to get a new spinoff or something I guess, but I won’t hold my breath.

#7

Complicated answer.

Short story? It got old.

Long story? Pull up a seat¬Ö

Sakura Taisen was supposed to end at entry number four. It was an epic war story that finally came to an end, and Oogami had done what generations before him could not: end the Demon Wars once and for all. The entire point to ST4 - the ending animation, the choice Oogami had to make on one girl, and the poem Oogami sang - is that it ended (spoiler link). It was over. The tale had been told and it was a happy, thought bitter sweet in that many girls had their hearts broken, since only one could be truly happy. Then came along Sakura Taisen 5. Now it’s not like the hardcore fan base didn’t want a #5 ¬ñ they clamored for one… but it’s a perfect example of being careful what you wish for.

Now from a purely mechanical standpoint ¬ñ graphics, gameplay, and sound ¬ñ Sakura Taisen is superior to its predecessors. The fights are indeed more interactive and larger than life (in more ways than one). However that’s where it ends.

Straight and to the point: Sakura Taisen 5 is an inferior rehash of the same stories and characters that came before it. Shinjirou Taiga is a clone of Oogami Ichiro when he first joined Tokyo Troupe… an exact clone. Gemini is a crossbreed of Sakura and Erica: innocent, happy go lucky, clumsy. Sagiitta is the black version of Maria and Glycine: serious, no nonsense, tsundere. Subaru is just a more sexually ambiguous Leni with some Hanabi thrown in: might be a trap, intellectual genius, with some yamato nadeshiko here and there. Rikaritta is the obligatory lolicon that Iris and Coquelicot served: childish, wants to be seen as an adult, totally nonsexual romance, has an animal familiar. Diana is technically a new idea for Sakura Taisen, being a fragile sick girl, but we’ve seen that done before in other bgames, so it’s old and clich√©. And of course Ratchet, who is like Maria and Lobelia: big sister, romantically experienced, with a cold hearted side.

With the whole new location, a different reason why demons are suddenly appearing again - which makes no sense, given that Oogami and the gang supposedly ended it once and for all ¬ñ and new battle engine: Sakura Taisen 5 comes off as a reboot and cash cow. Thus it was received badly. The other matter is that the characters aren’t as “lovable” as the Tokyo and Paris troupes were. It’s like they ran out of ideas and were scraping the bottom of the barrel for personalities. Combining this along with the fact, that the characters are overt recycled templates of the previous generation, only makes it much worst. To throw more fuel to the fire: the plot in ST5 is basically the same as the plot in ST1. Just replace Tenkai with Nobunaga.

In many ways, ST5 actually CHEAPENED the franchise as a whole, because it made things in ST1 thru ST4 less epic by having it repeat all over again.

Now of course none of this will be picked up by first time gamers to the Sakura Taisen series – but import veterans obviously already know, and people familiar with the anime/manga/movie/ova will notice some recycled stuff. One key hurdle NIS is facing of course, is getting those old school veterans and people familiar with the anime/manga/movie/ova to buy copies of Sakura Taisen 5, even while they know this.

Thus me asking here. :stuck_out_tongue:

#8

I see, thanks. So you’re saying it would be like Team Ico making Shadow of the Colossus 2: The Revenge, and doing basically exactly the same game as they made the first time, down to every detail. The same story, I-can’t-believe-it’s-not-Bob character knockoffs, and rehashes of the last game’s bosses.

That would kinda suck, I suppose. But then, import gamers who know all this, would already feel a localized version to be a rehash of the same game they already played before, because they DID already play all the games before :smiley: I mean, wouldn’t an English version of Sakura Taisen 1just be a rehash of the Japanese version?

I can see that being a problem. Not knowing when to end it and walk away kills a lot of once-huge franchises. As much as I’d love to see, say, a Haibane Renmei continuation - the original series worked precisely because they didn’t explain jack squat (well not quite) and if they made a sequel that generally rehashed the first season I’d be pissed.

#9

Well partly that, and the notion that there can only be one Sakura Taisen saga. It was a once in a lifetime story to explore, and going through it a second time is both pointless and watered down. Series like Sister Princess are in the same boat - it was already perfect how it began, was told, and ended. Why dig the corpse back up again?

Don’t get me wrong: ST5 adds new ideas and elements, but it’s from the game mechanic prospective. Sadly the actual love story is just the same thing that happened before: a young inexperienced military commander with psychic power is sent to lead a unit of young inexperienced girls with a lot more psychic power, using the power of love to unify them into one coherent and invincible force.

Only… we experienced Oogami do that and do it better… :expressionless:

But I still think Ratchet is hawt. :wink:

EDIT
As for the original ST1 thru ST4 crew: I think the hammer for their coffin was slammed shut when the VA for Sumire (Michie Tomizawa) decided to retire from the industry. With the troupe no longer unified, it spelled the end for the regular live stage performances, which were a major factor of appeal in Japan for the hardcore otaku. Thus paving the way for the store to close, from lack of attention.

#10

I see. Yeah, that’s a problem. It ended. Then they had to keep it going. Other long running series have had to deal with this problem as well. Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest dealt with this by starting fresh with a new setting every time. But Sakura Taisen’s appeal was grounded in the cast.

If they weren’t ready to end it, then ST4 was a mistake. But if they hadn’t done ST4 the way you’re saying they did, people wouldn’t think it was so awesome.

That’s a great problem to have however. To be so awesome that people demand you keep doing what you were doing before … it’s not often I get done reading a book, playing a game, etc. and go “That was awesome. I wish it wasn’t over.”

#11

Forgot to mention this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-BOo1u86G4

Official English teaser for ST5. You get to hear Gemini’s new VA. Cliche, but seeing how she’s a Texan Cowgirl, very fitting. If the others are of the same quality, with the proper ethnic accents, I might even consider the English VA’s as better. :stuck_out_tongue: I can’t wait to hear Sagiitta.

Kinda odd how they show a few spoilers though. :expressionless:

Of course had you seen the earlier ST titles, then you’d remember the Mikasa doing exactly the same. :wink:

#12

I’m definitely picking up the PS2 version. Kind of pissed this series never got an English translation before, but maybe there’s an infinitesimal speck of hope that 1-4 will be released in NA someday.

#13

If this game doesn’t do well, the series is over in America. Time is kind to novels, and manga, and even music, in a way it’s not kind to video games. (There was a great article I read about Duke Nukem Forever that talked about this, actually - how someone could pull DNF into a releaseable state but it would have to happen soon, because as the technology continues to age, it won’t be awesome anymore in a surprisingly short time.)

It’s hard to come back a decade after the fact and say “hey, we want to release game X”.

If ST5 bombs, nobody would be willing to take the risk for years at least. Which would effectively mean “never”.

#14

As I said, “my Sakutai love ended with ST4.” I mean, I even left the Sakutai ML after I read about ST5. I tried to think Metal Yuki wouldn’t fall so low, but… :expressionless:

#15

I might buy a few and give the extras out as presents to those who haven’t played 1-4.

I think the notion that if this bombs, or even if it doesn’t do midly successful, happens we can nail the coffin shut on most types of b-game content beyond Persona and HM/RF games.

#16

Don’t gotta Wii.

Don’t live in the US.

… Do actually have a US ps2 but it’s not mine and I never use it. My likelihood of this title entering my house depends largely on whether my husband’s girl friend who plays jrpgs likes it and recommends it to him. (This is WHY we own a US ps2)

#17

The only good thing in ST5 is Lachette. After seeing the movie where she was introduced, I had to wait years for her to finally be in a game. It was worth playing for her ending. But Taiga sucks, he isn’t even an Oogami clone, even in ST1 Oogami had style and attitude. Taiga is just a lame pretty boy. Subaru was actually a cool character, but the rest of the cast flat out sucks. That’s my big gripe with ST5, the cast sucks. ST was always a series of lame, cheesy cliches and stereotypes. But it was done in a fun and entertaining way. Hell, I correctly guessed the ending of ST2 after only the very first battle, none of the games really have “actually good” plots. But 5’s cast is just TOO LAME. The trips to Harlem, the wheelchair, and don’t even ask about Rikarita. It’s painful whenever she comes on screen. Her story, dialog, it just made me cringe every time. Oh and the villain is stupid too. A totally unoriginal Japanese villain that’s been used in a million other games.

Sad part is that ST5: Episode 0 was actually a really fun game. It gave me such false hope. Damnit I’m gonna go play through ST3 for the 400th time as this topic is depressing. It’s hard to believe that ST3 and 5 are even in the same series sometimes. Speaking of which, why the hell didn’t they choose ST3? It’s on PS2, or what about the PS2 remake of ST1? Hell even the PSP ports of 1 and 2 could have been great… Oi, well that settles it, I’m gonna go grab a beer and play through Glycine’s story again. She’s just that awesome!

#18

I’ll be getting ST5. I’ll eat up just about any RPG with dating-sim elements. I doubt that the game will grab me like the Ar Tonelico series has, though.

NISA really went the extra mile with the extra disc just for the dual language track for the PS2. Too bad Wii fans are complaining that they don’t get the same treatment. :stuck_out_tongue: I was rather bummed that they cut half the Japanese voices out of Ar Tonelico 2, so this was a pleasant surprise.

#19

Yeah, originally, the impression had been given that all copies of the game would have that. But I guess it’s too expensive for that. I am surprised though that this is exclusive to the PS2 version and not the Wii version. I’d’ve thought the Wii version would be the one to get the spiffy special treatment.

I am, though, very glad that they’re not doing the sort of stunts they did with Ar Tonelico 2. The game killing bug aside, Ar Tonelico 2 got treated in a way reminiscient of the way things were done in the old days, like when Persona: Revelations got horribly mangled. After all, a bug is just a bug - even a game-killing bug is still ultimately something they did by mistake. Chopping out huge sections of VA is not a mistake, it’s deliberate. Rather than do that again, they decided to go with a 2-disc set. Great! Now here’s hoping their translation isn’t awful … the first Ar Tonelico had some issues there.

#20

ps2 emulator?