Sakura Fantasy
- May 29, 2015
- Winged Cloud
In Sakura Fantasy, players follow the story of a young ninja named Yuma who is on a mission to save Princess Chelle from the clutches of demon lord Bael. Using Yuma's ninja skills and the power of her magical fan, players will encounter a variety of enemies and allies while exploring a colorful world filled with Japanese mythology and folklore. The game features visual novel-style storytelling and adult-themed content, with multiple endings based on the player's choices.
Reviews
- Sakura Fantasy features a compelling story with interesting characters and a good balance of fan service.
- The game has improved writing and more choices compared to previous titles in the series, enhancing player engagement.
- The art and soundtrack are well done, contributing to an enjoyable visual and auditory experience.
- The game ends abruptly, leaving many plot points unresolved and disappointing players who were hoping for a sequel.
- Choices made during gameplay often have little impact on the overall story, reducing the sense of agency.
- The game is relatively short, with some players feeling it doesn't justify the price without a complete narrative.
- story616 mentions
- 37 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The story of "Sakura Fantasy" is generally viewed as engaging and well-crafted, featuring a female protagonist and a fantasy setting that offers potential for deeper narrative exploration. However, many players express disappointment over its incomplete nature, as it ends abruptly without resolution and lacks a confirmed sequel, leaving numerous plot threads unresolved. While the writing and character development show promise, the choices offered often have minimal impact on the story's progression, leading to mixed feelings about its overall execution.
“The story was great and the art and the women were well drawn.”
“I was amazed at the depth of the story.”
“It is a surprisingly well written and captivating story with good character development and world building.”
“The story never finishes and Winged Cloud never released the follow-up - and probably never will.”
“Do not buy this game if you care at all about the story, you will be disappointed by the abrupt ending.”
“Unfortunately, this is only the first part of a longer story that will most likely never conclude.”
- music74 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 39 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The music in "Sakura Fantasy" has received generally positive feedback, with many reviewers praising its lovely soundtrack composed by Zack Parrish, which features real instruments and fits the game's medieval fantasy themes. While some describe the music as generic and not particularly memorable, others highlight its ability to enhance the storytelling and emotional depth of the game. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a strong aspect of the visual novel, contributing to its appeal alongside the artwork and narrative.
“The music now appears to be real instruments instead of MIDI files, and there are a large number of sound effects as well.”
“The background music by Zack Parrish is great, containing a mix of pleasant and stirring piano, wind, and string instruments which are appropriate for the medieval fantasy themes in the story.”
“The music is a good accompaniment to the adventure and fits the mood of each scene.”
“The sound/music isn't anything that we haven't heard before in the previous games, and it's not great, but not bad, either.”
“Music is acceptable, and sound effects few and far between.”
“The music now appears to be real instruments instead of MIDI files, and there are a large number of sound effects also.”
- graphics46 mentions
- 52 % positive mentions
- 41 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game are generally praised for their high quality and appealing art style, with many noting the abundance of well-crafted CG scenes that enhance the visual experience. However, some criticism arises from the character designs being too similar and the event graphics lacking variety, which detracts from the overall dynamism of the visuals. Despite these shortcomings, the artwork and accompanying elements like voice acting and music contribute to a compelling and memorable visual novel experience.
“Visuals are great, all of the CGs are of very high quality and there are quite a lot of them too, which is really nice for such a short (5 hours) game.”
“This visual novel obviously shows that a lot of time and effort has gone into creating the high quality artwork and interesting storyline.”
“It also has great voice acting, artwork, and background music to make this visual novel stand out and remain an unforgettable classic among many of Winged Cloud's other titles.”
“Not everything is great though, the character designs suffer from being too identical, more so if you’ve played previous titles, and the event graphics look like pin-up shots that could have benefited from several variations of the same image to give the illusion that action is taking place while improving the visual feedback from what is written.”
“The artwork is pretty, but very basic.”
“Sakura Fantasy is an adult entry in Winged Cloud's lineup, however, and the story is interspersed with a number of graphical scenes of a sensual, if not sexual, nature, particularly when Raelin makes creative use of her special ability.”
- character development18 mentions
- 44 % positive mentions
- 39 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
Character development in this visual novel is a mixed bag; while some players appreciate the depth and progression of characters within a captivating story, others find the characters to be flat and forgettable, undermining emotional moments. The character designs are noted for their variety, but some critiques highlight a lack of distinctiveness among them, which can detract from the overall experience. Overall, the writing is praised for its engagement, though the depth of character development may not satisfy all players.
“This visual novel goes beyond the regular spiciness and actually delves deep into character development and plot.”
“The character design is amazing and varied, and every encounter with the characters ends in a different way.”
“It is a surprisingly well-written and captivating story with good character development and world-building.”
“Worst of all though is probably the characters, who are so flat and forgettable that I can't be bothered to care when they're supposed to have an emotional scene that leads to character development.”
“Character development is very straightforward.”
“There is actual character development as the story progresses.”
- replayability14 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The game offers moderate replayability due to multiple pathways and choices that unlock different scenes and collectibles, appealing particularly to completionists. However, some players feel that the necessity to replay is diminished since the main story can be experienced in a single playthrough, with many opting to seek uncensored content online instead. Overall, while there are incentives to replay, the value may vary depending on individual player preferences.
“There are plenty of choices in this one; while most don't do much, some are required to unlock different scenes, so there is some replayability.”
“The story as a whole is about 2-3 hours in length, depending on how fast you read, and with multiple different pathways (choices) adds a lot of replayability to the overall story.”
“You have many choices to make, and they are relevant; different choices allow for different collectible pictures to unlock. Replay value for the 100%ers out there!”
“Replay value, though, is debatable, since you only need to play once for the story and then go online to look for all the uncensored scenes.”
“The story as a whole is about 2-3 hours in length, depending on how fast you read, and with multiple different pathways (choices) adds a lot of replayability (or should it be re-readability?) to the overall story.”
“There is some replay value, with different scenes to unlock and different choices to make.”
- humor14 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is well-received, with players appreciating its blend of funny and serious elements, particularly through the engaging characters and their interactions. The writing is noted for being both understandable and entertaining, contributing to a magical and enjoyable narrative. However, some reviewers suggest that while the humor is effective, the game may not be worth the full price unless one is specifically interested in its adult content.
“I thought it had a very good, understandable, funny, and interesting story.”
“The story is magical, funny, and simple.”
“Enjoyable characters and funny moments.”
- gameplay12 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
Overall, the gameplay is criticized for lacking depth and engagement, with many users expressing a desire for more substantial content and better writing. While the sound and art are appreciated, they feel insufficient to compensate for the simplistic decision-making mechanics. Players seek a more immersive experience that emphasizes meaningful choices rather than just superficial interactions.
“That's where the fun in playing them lies, because you feel the weight of your decisions firsthand, thus making you think about what you decide to do next, rather than just 'pick your scene/heroine' gameplay, which can be interesting if the writing and art can make up for it.”
“The sound and art are pretty good, but there isn't much else I care for here: it needs more and better writing and/or some interesting gameplay.”
“If there was more gameplay to this, I would give it serious consideration.”
- emotional12 mentions
- 83 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by a heartwarming narrative filled with themes of friendship, love, and heroism, which resonates deeply with players, prompting strong emotional reactions. However, some reviewers criticize the characters as flat and forgettable, undermining the impact of key emotional scenes. Overall, while the story elicits a mix of laughter and tears, the effectiveness of its emotional depth varies significantly among players.
“Over the course of the story, Raelin interacts with Gwynne, Keira, Ardena, a young native Ethy, an unnamed guardsman, a slime and tentacle monster, and a siege monster in a heartwarming tale of friendship, love, courage, resourcefulness, and heroism.”
“Incredibly touching story... had to spend so much money on tissues I just gave up and used my old socks instead.”
“Not to mention, the choices I could make really made me feel in control of the main character's development; I really, really liked that.”
- atmosphere4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere is praised for its professional voice acting that complements the characters' ages and enhances the overall experience. Reviewers note the presence of interesting characters and improved writing, contributing to a compelling and immersive environment.
“Not exactly how I imagined their voices, but it's clearly professionally done and blends in perfectly with the atmosphere and the presumed age of the characters.”
“Interesting characters this time around and overall better writing wrapped up in a good atmosphere.”