Sakura Wars is a long-running Japanese series from SEGA that first debuted on the SEGA Saturn in 1996, and grew into a thriving franchise leading to sequels, spin-offs, anime, manga, and more.
Sakura Wars Rebooted
Now titled simply as Sakura Wars, it will act as a reboot to the franchise. similar to Yakuza 0; it will be a way for newcomers to be introduced to the franchise. With many of the original creators returning. The game will include several elements, such as RPG, dating sim, and visual novel mechanics. Players will take on the role of Seijuro Kamiyama, a newly appointed captain to a squad of theatre performers, who also serves the Japanese defense force and pilots mechs to fight off demons in Tokyo. An odd combination I must say, but players will have to build a relationship with team members to enable them to serve better in combat. Gameplay includes a high-energy combat system, featuring giant steam-powered mechs called the “Spiricle striker” that can only be piloted by those with strong spiritual power.
Visual details
Players will also be able to explore the city in their past time and appreciate the beautiful anime-style visuals. Producer Tetsu Katano further expands on this stating:
“The game engine used for Sakura Wars is called “Hedgehog Engine 2.” The background graphics, GI and local reflections are similar to our Sonic entries, but the facial expressions and body animation have been blended in for the characters to show the subtle expression. The teary-eyes and the twinkle of the glasses are also expressed in an animation style. We focused on the small details, like the fabric on clothing.” He goes on to say, “3D has been incorporated to enhance its visual expression, and battles have been changed to action so that users could feel a higher sense of immersion than ever before.
Sakura Wars will include Japanese voice acting with subtitles in English, German, French, and Spanish. The physical editions include a reversible cover featuring the original Japanese cover art for the game, and a sticker set featuring the main cast of the game.
For more info, you can check out the trailer above, or its official website. For a more in-depth read, head over to the PlayStation blog post.
Sakura Wars will be heading to the west on the PlayStation 4 on April 28th, 2020.
What do you think about Sakura Wars? Will you play it once its out? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.