Sakura Beach
- August 14, 2015
- Winged Cloud
- 13h median play time
Get on SteamIn Sakura Beach, players follow the story of Seiji, a lonely student who unexpectedly inherits a beach house. Here, he meets and befriends four girls, each with their own unique personalities and stories. Through visual novel-style gameplay, players will learn more about these characters and help Seiji build relationships with them, all while enjoying the beautiful beach setting.
PC
Windows
Linux
Reviews
- The art style is beautiful and visually appealing.
- The game features a cute and light-hearted story about friendship and romance.
- The soundtrack complements the beach setting and enhances the overall experience.
- The writing is often poor, filled with clichés and tired anime tropes.
- The main character is overly dense and unrelatable, making it hard to connect with the story.
- There is a lack of meaningful choices, leading to a linear and predictable plot.
- story179 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The story of "Sakura Beach" is a typical slice-of-life romance centered around a young man, Seiji, and his two childhood friends during a beach vacation, featuring common tropes of awkward situations and light drama. While some players appreciate the emotional depth and character development, many criticize the plot for being predictable, lacking substance, and failing to deliver on its potential, often feeling disjointed with repetitive themes. Overall, the narrative is seen as a mixed bag, appealing to those seeking a casual, cute story but disappointing for those looking for innovation or complexity.
“Incredible story and characters, took me on an amazing emotional journey.”
“The story is immaculate, rivalling such stories as Borderlands 3 and Minions: Rise of Gru.”
“Sakura Beach is a very well-made visual novel with a god-tier story and amazing characters; by the time this review is posted, I would have finished my 12th playthrough of this game.”
“The story is a mess; it wants to be serious but not so serious at the same time, which obviously doesn't benefit the game either.”
“The story (if you could call it that) is terrible and makes no sense at all, wandering pointlessly with random 'trying too hard to be deep and poignant' flashbacks, and then takes extreme turns of pointless 'wtf just happened??' moments.”
“The entire plot feels like taped together body parts of many Japanese comedy-romance tropes that it seems too predictable.”
- music45 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 62 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The music in the Sakura visual novels is generally described as calming and fitting for the scenes, though it often lacks variety and can become repetitive. While some players appreciate the ambiance it creates, others find it bland or annoying, particularly during specific scenes. Overall, the soundtrack is seen as a mixed bag, with some tracks being enjoyable while others detract from the experience.
“Despite it being cliche, I feel a sort of zen just relaxing to the music and the ambiance of the game; it has my favorite OST by far.”
“The soundtrack was the greatest thing that has ever reached my ears.”
“The background music fits with the backgrounds and CGs nicely, and the story won't get too boring.”
“The story is boring and the background music does not quite fit into the story.”
“There is no voice acting this time and the soundtrack is very bland and forgettable.”
“The music isn't catchy and it gets extremely repetitive; the story is bland as well.”
- graphics36 mentions
- 61 % positive mentions
- 31 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game are widely praised for their vibrant colors and beautiful artwork, enhancing the overall experience of the visual novel. While many reviewers highlight the stunning visuals and art style, some express disappointment with inconsistencies in character graphics and a lack of depth in the story. Overall, the artwork is considered the standout feature, making it a visually appealing title for fans of the genre.
“The visuals and the story drag you into this beautiful beach world.”
“The graphics are good since it's a visual novel; all the characters, scenery, everything is rich and vibrant in color, and it all complements the story perfectly.”
“The artwork is on another level; being the anime junkie that I am, I am proud to say this is one of the most well-polished pieces of art I have ever laid my eyes upon.”
“However, let me be honest here, I saw it coming when I realized the similar names and art styles.”
“Disappointed with the graphics.”
“Character graphics are often inconsistent.”
- humor19 mentions
- 95 % positive mentions
- -11 % neutral mentions
- 16 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with some players finding it genuinely funny and refreshing, particularly appreciating its slapstick moments and quirky dialogue. However, others feel that the humor often falls flat, overshadowed by a dull story or uncomfortable themes. Overall, while it has its comedic highlights, the effectiveness of the humor varies significantly among players.
“This game has a sad undertone, with funny, embarrassing, deep, and beautiful moments.”
“The characters are a bit cliché, but the dialogue is funny enough to not make you think about that too much. The English translation is also a bit weird, but I think it adds to the humor.”
“This game can be considered silly, but in a good way since it features quite a lot of slapstick humor. However, there are a lot of drama moments and existential crisis moments.”
“I guess this is supposed to be funny, but I just find it uncomfortable to read. I fear that if he ended up in a relationship with either of them, he would become miserable and henpecked.”
“The humor feels forced and often falls flat, making it hard to connect with the characters.”
“I expected some clever jokes, but instead, the humor is cringeworthy and detracts from the overall experience.”
- emotional18 mentions
- 94 % positive mentions
- -11 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its incredible storytelling and character development, with many players describing it as a transformative experience that evokes nostalgia and deep feelings. While some characters exhibit abusive traits, the overall narrative is praised for its heartwarming and touching moments, leading to a memorable journey that resonates with players on a personal level. Many reviews note that the emotional depth of the story, particularly its impactful endings, leaves a lasting impression, making it a must-play for those seeking an emotional gaming experience.
“Incredible story and characters, took me on an amazing emotional journey.”
“Absolutely life changing, the characters of Momoko and Ayumi really reminded me of my youth. I may be a 67-year-old man, but boy do I remember those lovely ladies from back in the day. The harem ending made me feel young again; I am glad I bought this. It has helped me forget about my trauma of watching my buddies die back in Vietnam. Thank you, Sakura Beach.”
“It was so touching!”
“The story was very boring and failed to evoke any emotional response.”
“I found the emotional depth lacking; it just didn't resonate with me.”
“The characters felt flat and unrelatable, making it hard to connect emotionally.”
- character development5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- -20 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is praised for its captivating writing and detailed imagery, contributing to a rich storytelling experience. However, some players find certain aspects of character development, particularly related to friendship and the protagonist, to be somewhat tedious or lacking in depth. Overall, while the character design is noted as impressive, opinions on the effectiveness of character development vary among players.
“But as I started playing it, I came to realize the absolute masterpiece this game is, the captivating writing allowing detailed imagery as you play, a great interface, and phenomenal character development.”
“The character design is amazing, the storytelling is unmatched, and the scenery is beyond beautiful.”
“The character designs feel incredibly foreign to the series, not just compared to the other games, but to its own as well.”
“Music, plot, characters, and character development (also lack of h-scenes if that's what you're into) were nothing worth mentioning.”
“A bit text-heavy on some 'plot' here and there to do with their friendship and the protagonist's character development (which is kind of boring) but nothing too bad.”
“Why break what doesn't need to be fixed? The character designs feel incredibly foreign to the series, not just compared to the other games, but to its own as well.”
- gameplay4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with some praising it as stunning, particularly with the Valve Index, while others criticize it as abysmal and unoriginal, suggesting it remains consistent with previous iterations. Overall, opinions vary significantly among players.
“The gameplay is absolutely stunning with Valve Index support! <3”
“Very good gameplay.”
“The gameplay is abysmal.”
“Gameplay: same as always.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere is characterized by a fun and positive vibe, largely enhanced by the presence of good friends, contributing to an enjoyable experience.
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Users express frustration with the repetitive nature of grinding in games, likening it to a tedious trope that has become overly familiar and needs to be re-evaluated or eliminated.
- replayability1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game boasts high replayability due to its lovable characters, engaging dialogue, and multiple branching story paths, ensuring that each playthrough offers a unique experience.
“This game has lovable characters, interesting dialogue, and multiple branching story paths, so each playthrough is different, which gives it a lot of replay value.”
“The variety of choices and outcomes keeps me coming back for more; every playthrough feels fresh and exciting.”
“With its dynamic gameplay and numerous side quests, I find myself discovering new things every time I play.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy has been criticized as a cash grab, disappointing fans who were expecting a substantial sequel rather than a simplistic clicker game. This approach has been perceived as a betrayal of the promises made to the community.
“And why is this what we're getting when we were promised Chapter 2 of Fantasy, and instead we get a clicker game? This feels like a cash grab and a slap in the face to fans who were waiting for the sequel.”
“The monetization in this game is outrageous. It feels like every feature is locked behind a paywall, making it impossible to enjoy without spending a fortune.”
“I can't believe how aggressive the monetization is. It ruins the experience when you have to constantly be bombarded with offers to buy in-game currency just to progress.”
