Sakura Wars
Sakura Wars (サクラ大戦) is a groundbreaking hybrid of strategy RPG and dating simulation set in an alternate 1920s steampunk Tokyo. As naval officer Ichiro Ogami, players command an all-female mechanized combat unit while building relationships that directly affect battlefield performance. The game pioneered the 'Live & Interactive Picture System' (LIPS) for real-time dialogue choices, blending tactical combat with visual novel elements in a way that influenced countless future titles.
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Story
Origins and development In 1990, Oji Hiroi at Red Entertainment (formally Red Company) decided to create Sakura Wars . Hiroi drew inspiration from Japanese stage shows when creating the project, initially titled " Sakura " ( 桜 ) . Because of a lack of interest from publishers, Hiroi shelved the project until he was approached by Sega vice president Shoichiro Irimajiri to develop a new project for the Saturn. Successfully pitching his project to Irimajiri, the game began production under the title Sakura Wars .
While the scenario and gameplay went through multiple redrafts, Sakura Wars always made use of a steampunk setting, a female lead and mecha combat. Development lasted three years, double the original estimate, and was Sega's most expensive project at the time. Many within both Red Company and Sega were skeptical of the game's success, but Hiroi remained confident. Following the critical and commercial success of Sakura Wars , Sega and Red Company expanded the original premise into a franchise, starting with Thou Shalt Not Die .
A recurring feature from Thou Shalt Not Die onwards was the use of subtitles drawn from famous poetry or other types of fiction related to a game's location or mood. A recurring poet was Akiko Yosano , whom Hiroi admired. Following Thou Shalt Not Die , the team moved onto the Dreamcast to develop Sakura Wars 3 , rebuilding the game engine and utilising the console's functions for gameplay elements. Following the release of Sakura Wars 3 , Sega discontinued the Dreamcast because of declining console sales, transitioning to a software developer and publisher.
Rather than move their planned next entry to the PlayStation 2, the team created a final Dreamcast entry as a celebratory title for series fans. This became Sakura Wars 4 , which was completed in 10 months as opposed to the usual two year development period of other entries. The original story planned for Sakura Wars 4 was moved for the team's next entry on the PlayStation 2. In 2005, Red Entertainment split from Sega after it bought back its majority share holding, although it continued to be involved in the Sakura Wars series.
The next entry, Sakura Wars V , formed part of a seven-game group dubbed "Sakura Wars World Project"; the aim was to release these games overseas. In the event, only Sakura Wars V was published overseas as Sakura Wars: So Long, My Love , and only three of the other planned games were released. The remaining three titles were cancelled in 2008. Sega and Red Entertainment greenlit Dramatic Dungeon: Sakura Wars in an attempt to revitalise the franchise using a new gameplay genre.
In August 2008, Sega decided to end the franchise, with the final Sakura Wars -themed event being a concert that month. Red Entertainment was bought by Chinese company UltaZen in 2011, with Sega retaining the Sakura Wars property. Fan demand eventually persuaded Sega to greenlight a new title in the series, which would both continue the narrative and feature a new cast.
Gameplay Systems
The gameplay of Sakura Wars incorporate role-playing , dating sim and visual novel elements. This blend of genres and styles resulted in it being labeled as a new genre dubbed "dramatic adventure" in its marketing. The original combination of narrative and tactical role-playing gameplay was inspired by the Fire Emblem series. The gameplay is split between adventure-style segments where the player explores environments and interacts with cast members; and battle sections where choices during the adventure segments come into play.
With the main female cast, the protagonist can pursue a romance. Romance options can be carried between the first four titles using save data. Throughout the series, the games have used different battle systems. The first Sakura Wars and its sequel made use of a traditional turn-based battle system on a tilted two-dimensional grid-based battlefield.
Each unit has two actions from a selection of five. The sequel expanded the selection to six, and included cinematic attacks. The leader could also issue commands to the entire squad to take specific battle formations. Sakura Wars 3 introduced the "Active & Realtime Machine System" (ARMS), which takes place in three-dimensional battle arenas.
Under this system, units have an allotment of Action Points (AP). AP are used up by moving around the battlefield. Units can perform one of six actions, with two actions per turn as in earlier titles. Each unit has special abilities, and attack ranges based on their weaponry.
For the 2019 Sakura Wars , the battle system was redesigned to use action-based combat, focusing on free movement within large arenas. Central to all the games and most spin-off titles is the "Live & Interactive Picture System" (LIPS). During conversations with characters and key story sections, the player is faced with critical choices with an imposed time limit. The concept behind LIPS was to maintain player engagement while making narrative rather than freezing time and allowing prolonged time for thought, a trend the staff found annoying.
The most basic version was established in the first Sakura Wars , then later expanded into "Double LIPS" with the incorporation of a personality meter which could indicate a character's feelings towards the player. Between Is Paris Burning? and So Long, My Love , a version called "Analog LIPS" was used. This allowed players to alter the intensity of a single response.
It also included interacting with the character and environments. So Long, My Love expanded it further with quick time events using the control sticks and buttons. The 2019 Sakura Wars continues this use of the LIPS system, featuring Analog LIPS and new free-roaming elements. Choices made during LIPS sections directly impact character performance in battle.
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About Sakura Wars
Sakura Wars is a classic video game released for the Sega Saturn on January 1, 1996. This title has become a beloved entry in the retro gaming library.
This wiki entry provides comprehensive information about Sakura Wars, including release details, gameplay information, and story synopsis. Whether you're looking to revisit a childhood favorite or discover classic games for the first time, Emulator Games Wiki has you covered.
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