Sakura Taisen plays six-four-two
Six new games across four years on the PlaySta—you get the idea!
Sakura Taisen is making its way to PlayStation 2 in the shape of six new games across the next four years. Although the Japanese can expect animated TV shows and even theatrical releases in addition to that, it looks as though Sakura will be making its way to the US, and hopefully to Europe, as part of Sega's "Sakura World Project" push. For the uninitiated, Sakura Taisen began life as a strategy RPG crossed with a dating game, set in the late 19th century during a war against demons. The Sakura of the title is the game's heroine, but originally the player took up the role of a solitary male, building relationships with the girls in his military unit as much as fighting battles. This combination of all sorts of genres including the fabled dating genre and a traditional fantastical plot born of Japanese oddness is enough to get the likes of me excited, and judging from the feedback around here, you lot too. The proposed "World Project" games fit into several genres, with the emphasis on adventure and action. Sakura Taisen: Atsuki Chishio Ni (spring 2003, essentially a remake of the first Saturn game) and Sakura Taisen 5: Saraba Itoshiki Hito Yo (2004) are said to be dramatic adventures, whilst Sakura Taisen 5 Action is the working title for an action game. Sakura Himenishiki Emaki is another working title, but this time we're told for a psycho-trip action game. Sounds odd. Making up the six are two pure adventure titles, working title Kouma and Sakura Taisen Monogatari. Sakura Taisen 5 Action, Sakura Himenishiki Emaki and Kouma are all pencilled in for a worldwide release, which is good news for Western gamers. Sega also announced a seventh game, Sakura Taisen 3 Windows (PC), but this is intended for release in Japan and China only.