Sakura Taisen 3
Paris the town of love, a new time of romance,
full of wonderful dreams and blossoming hope,
never forgetting the precious time we spend together...
Once more beneath the flag, Sakura Taisen 3 tops what its previous entries already did and strikes with a breath of fresh air in a different country underneath a new dawn and many new faces. Vibrant as ever, reaching new heights, and never letting one down with its unique formula and colorful cast of characters that with its systems always knows how to hit the right note. New beautiful bonds that form and a fresh town that feels like a second home. Coming from its first two iterations it's all one could've hoped for in a third entry and much more at that, proving itself as something truly exceptionally special.
Forming a bond between the various genres of an adventure game, romance game and SRPG enveloped in a similar fashion to an anime and a sheer insane production value, there's yet again a lot to cherish about this title that becomes all the more impressive in the way it consistently pulls everything off. Further enhancing and adding up to prior established systems to further polish them as with the LIPS system which remains as one of its key factors that makes each conversation all the more dynamic with not only the timed choices themselves but also the analog LIPS individualizing one's playthrough even more or conversations that build around multiple choices that almost feel like a mini game, whereas coming across one of its actual mini games here and there then just continues to add to the fun and provides a worthwhile change of pace besides the SRPG parts themselves that serve as a more substantial break from its quieter points. Utterly its gameplay loop stands incredibly strong, proving itself yet again, keeping its momentum and remaining a ton of fun to play in the unique way it plays out and a delightful amount of pure variety, without a doubt confirming its vast strengths within all the ADV parts, now with the whole town navigable instead of merely the theater, that couldn't be much better.
On top of this, its story therefore encompasses the usual Sakura Taisen charm that continually has its heart in the right place and builds up consistently to hit the right tones during each of its episodes leading up to a memorable finality. Driven by antagonists that can get pretty silly but therein end up being quite fun in the way they work within the story, resulting in quirky ass villains like the bunny guy who can barely be taken seriously in a primary positive sense, while others can turn out rather forgettable. Yet its character moments frequently hit the ball and remain a delightful core component that lifts the heavy work with a charming main cast, visualized by some stellar visuals. Even more insane at that is the way of high quality practically everything in this title feels and how everything is being presented, starting with the opening which looks genuinely impressive and could still easily stand strong today if it were released nowadays, further noticeable with most cutscenes that really do manage to set one in awe with some crazy good 3D animation and only refined by all the primary striking 2D art.
Within this its soundtrack at no point would have to hide itself either, on the contrary it ever so often has just the right flavor at hand, being just as incredible with many evidently beautiful songs that always do their best to enhance and enrich the entire atmosphere of each moment they play in, going from the outstanding opening song, 「御旗のもとに」, that excites one for the time that is to come, to some of its very romantic themes playing under sunrise while sharing an intimate talk with one of the heroines, up to the absolutely enchanting ending song, 「未来 (ボヤージュ)」, that at the end of this whole journey truly manages to bring tears out of one in tribute to all the emotions that accumulated over the time and meaningful relationships that formed. Paired with others that pay tribute to the time spent in Tokyo or bring forth the impact of its more emotional scenes and always capturing the full spirit of what this series fundamentally wants to be.
If this game in light of its new setting far away from Ogami's home of Japan has introduced one standout in this new setting of Europe within Paris, I'd argue it undeniably has to be Erica Fontaine who shined bright as an unforgettable character that truly hits home with her striking spirit. Not only did she become my favorite heroine out of the main cast of this title but she subsequently managed to even rival Sakura Shinguji as my favorite character out of this whole series and always kept my soul alive with the absolute delight she is. Her clumsy personality that feels so sincere and honest is portrayed perfectly in a way that is recognizable and all the more distinctive, making her adorable and likable in an immeasurable way that consistently goes directly into one's heart during each and every scene, while simply being fun to be around with. Naturally concluding from this from the outset she was my choice of heart, pursuing romance with her as she herself did with Ogami was the logical conclusion for this playthrough of mine and resulting from this all of the wonderful moments shared with her, of which there were lots, marked spending time with her each time as something irreplaceable and one thing that had to be treasured for every single second. Whether it might be her adorable good morning dance or unique attempts at cooking while always trying her best, all of it feels precious and couldn't bring a bigger smile to my face.
Not merely Erica though, likewise the other members of the Paris Combat Revue keep becoming more than engaging in this title with their unique traits and quirks that make each of them memorable and delightful to get to know. Each episode at that giving one of the heroines some deserved attention while neatly fleshing out their characters, making it fun and engaging to learn more about them through both the major story parts and also the little moments sprinkled all over the game with each event that can be found within the free movement segments. Going from Hanabi as my second favorite one out of the main heroines who was particularly engaging with her whole backstory, standing out nicely paired with her sweet personality, up to Lobelia who on a different note, given her rather crude nature and role, might be one of the most interesting characters who on the surface can feel more like an antagonist, but opposed to that at the core has her heart in the right place. Ci and Mell as side characters that work in the theater as maids besides the obvious main heroines are just as lovely and kept being a lot of fun to interact with as well, letting them truly grow close to one with their very charming supporting roles that catapult them as standouts. Getting to see as many of these events as possible with all these characters throughout one playthrough is just an absolute joy and interacting with them couldn't be a greater treat.
Revamped strategy RPG segments are a good deal of fun too given how the mechanics are implemented with primarily being able to freely move over the map compared to the more grid based system of the former entries, resulting in a bit more freedom that comes in handy combined with the action gauge which works incredibly well in the way it lets one freely choose which actions to take within the available meter. Everything feels very refined in a way that still feels familiar and in line with what the first two games did and already implemented, but at the same time elevates it even more and puts it into this new frame, making these segments at the end of the day all the more a joy to play sprinkled throughout, even if they might not be the main attraction and merely form a small part of the whole picture.
Between all of this, the romance manages to always come through, being a significant part of this series identity that couldn't be more beautiful. In unison the themes of love, passion and newly formed, deepened relationships never die down and instead blossom even more in the town of love itself, Paris, one more place full of miracles and surprises, acting as a beautiful new setting, shining light onto the heartwarming and ever so often very sweet and tender moments, just as the cherry blossoms in the prior two entries once already did.
Spending all this time together, the passage of time remains almost forgotten, though never did it stop moving and so this splendid time is almost over, after all having to part while wishing it could last forever, even if for only just one more moment. Not only is this yet another incredible sequel that in the same vein as Sakura Taisen 2 doesn't miss one bit as a continuation and stays on top of the highest heights the series reached, it is also sprinkled full of magical moments, warming one's heart while gently feeling like being embraced by all its strengths through its very heart.
「降り注ぐ陽射し 情熱が踊る
時よ止まれ恋が生れ見つめ合う
吹きすさぶ嵐 ふたりはもまれて
その絆 深くする
幸せの鐘は 暁に響く
あなたの恋 わたしの恋
たとえ未来 約束されていなくても
明日へ向かい あたしは祈る
いつか未来 輝きはじめ光りあれ
あなたのために わたしは祈る」
We may fall in love again, together in Ogami's finale, the end of a saga
Once more beneath the flag, Sakura Taisen 3 tops what its previous entries already did and strikes with a breath of fresh air in a different country underneath a new dawn and many new faces. Vibrant as ever, reaching new heights, and never letting one down with its unique formula and colorful cast of characters that with its systems always knows how to hit the right note. New beautiful bonds that form and a fresh town that feels like a second home. Coming from its first two iterations it's all one could've hoped for in a third entry and much more at that, proving itself as something truly exceptionally special.
Forming a bond between the various genres of an adventure game, romance game and SRPG enveloped in a similar fashion to an anime and a sheer insane production value, there's yet again a lot to cherish about this title that becomes all the more impressive in the way it consistently pulls everything off. Further enhancing and adding up to prior established systems to further polish them as with the LIPS system which remains as one of its key factors that makes each conversation all the more dynamic with not only the timed choices themselves but also the analog LIPS individualizing one's playthrough even more or conversations that build around multiple choices that almost feel like a mini game, whereas coming across one of its actual mini games here and there then just continues to add to the fun and provides a worthwhile change of pace besides the SRPG parts themselves that serve as a more substantial break from its quieter points. Utterly its gameplay loop stands incredibly strong, proving itself yet again, keeping its momentum and remaining a ton of fun to play in the unique way it plays out and a delightful amount of pure variety, without a doubt confirming its vast strengths within all the ADV parts, now with the whole town navigable instead of merely the theater, that couldn't be much better.
On top of this, its story therefore encompasses the usual Sakura Taisen charm that continually has its heart in the right place and builds up consistently to hit the right tones during each of its episodes leading up to a memorable finality. Driven by antagonists that can get pretty silly but therein end up being quite fun in the way they work within the story, resulting in quirky ass villains like the bunny guy who can barely be taken seriously in a primary positive sense, while others can turn out rather forgettable. Yet its character moments frequently hit the ball and remain a delightful core component that lifts the heavy work with a charming main cast, visualized by some stellar visuals. Even more insane at that is the way of high quality practically everything in this title feels and how everything is being presented, starting with the opening which looks genuinely impressive and could still easily stand strong today if it were released nowadays, further noticeable with most cutscenes that really do manage to set one in awe with some crazy good 3D animation and only refined by all the primary striking 2D art.
Within this its soundtrack at no point would have to hide itself either, on the contrary it ever so often has just the right flavor at hand, being just as incredible with many evidently beautiful songs that always do their best to enhance and enrich the entire atmosphere of each moment they play in, going from the outstanding opening song, 「御旗のもとに」, that excites one for the time that is to come, to some of its very romantic themes playing under sunrise while sharing an intimate talk with one of the heroines, up to the absolutely enchanting ending song, 「未来 (ボヤージュ)」, that at the end of this whole journey truly manages to bring tears out of one in tribute to all the emotions that accumulated over the time and meaningful relationships that formed. Paired with others that pay tribute to the time spent in Tokyo or bring forth the impact of its more emotional scenes and always capturing the full spirit of what this series fundamentally wants to be.
If this game in light of its new setting far away from Ogami's home of Japan has introduced one standout in this new setting of Europe within Paris, I'd argue it undeniably has to be Erica Fontaine who shined bright as an unforgettable character that truly hits home with her striking spirit. Not only did she become my favorite heroine out of the main cast of this title but she subsequently managed to even rival Sakura Shinguji as my favorite character out of this whole series and always kept my soul alive with the absolute delight she is. Her clumsy personality that feels so sincere and honest is portrayed perfectly in a way that is recognizable and all the more distinctive, making her adorable and likable in an immeasurable way that consistently goes directly into one's heart during each and every scene, while simply being fun to be around with. Naturally concluding from this from the outset she was my choice of heart, pursuing romance with her as she herself did with Ogami was the logical conclusion for this playthrough of mine and resulting from this all of the wonderful moments shared with her, of which there were lots, marked spending time with her each time as something irreplaceable and one thing that had to be treasured for every single second. Whether it might be her adorable good morning dance or unique attempts at cooking while always trying her best, all of it feels precious and couldn't bring a bigger smile to my face.
Not merely Erica though, likewise the other members of the Paris Combat Revue keep becoming more than engaging in this title with their unique traits and quirks that make each of them memorable and delightful to get to know. Each episode at that giving one of the heroines some deserved attention while neatly fleshing out their characters, making it fun and engaging to learn more about them through both the major story parts and also the little moments sprinkled all over the game with each event that can be found within the free movement segments. Going from Hanabi as my second favorite one out of the main heroines who was particularly engaging with her whole backstory, standing out nicely paired with her sweet personality, up to Lobelia who on a different note, given her rather crude nature and role, might be one of the most interesting characters who on the surface can feel more like an antagonist, but opposed to that at the core has her heart in the right place. Ci and Mell as side characters that work in the theater as maids besides the obvious main heroines are just as lovely and kept being a lot of fun to interact with as well, letting them truly grow close to one with their very charming supporting roles that catapult them as standouts. Getting to see as many of these events as possible with all these characters throughout one playthrough is just an absolute joy and interacting with them couldn't be a greater treat.
Revamped strategy RPG segments are a good deal of fun too given how the mechanics are implemented with primarily being able to freely move over the map compared to the more grid based system of the former entries, resulting in a bit more freedom that comes in handy combined with the action gauge which works incredibly well in the way it lets one freely choose which actions to take within the available meter. Everything feels very refined in a way that still feels familiar and in line with what the first two games did and already implemented, but at the same time elevates it even more and puts it into this new frame, making these segments at the end of the day all the more a joy to play sprinkled throughout, even if they might not be the main attraction and merely form a small part of the whole picture.
Between all of this, the romance manages to always come through, being a significant part of this series identity that couldn't be more beautiful. In unison the themes of love, passion and newly formed, deepened relationships never die down and instead blossom even more in the town of love itself, Paris, one more place full of miracles and surprises, acting as a beautiful new setting, shining light onto the heartwarming and ever so often very sweet and tender moments, just as the cherry blossoms in the prior two entries once already did.
Spending all this time together, the passage of time remains almost forgotten, though never did it stop moving and so this splendid time is almost over, after all having to part while wishing it could last forever, even if for only just one more moment. Not only is this yet another incredible sequel that in the same vein as Sakura Taisen 2 doesn't miss one bit as a continuation and stays on top of the highest heights the series reached, it is also sprinkled full of magical moments, warming one's heart while gently feeling like being embraced by all its strengths through its very heart.
「降り注ぐ陽射し 情熱が踊る
時よ止まれ恋が生れ見つめ合う
吹きすさぶ嵐 ふたりはもまれて
その絆 深くする
幸せの鐘は 暁に響く
あなたの恋 わたしの恋
たとえ未来 約束されていなくても
明日へ向かい あたしは祈る
いつか未来 輝きはじめ光りあれ
あなたのために わたしは祈る」
We may fall in love again, together in Ogami's finale, the end of a saga
Ghonf
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