Sakura Nova

About

Sakura Nova is a single player casual action adventure game with fantasy, romance, science fiction and erotic themes. It was developed by Winged Cloud and was released on October 20, 2016. It received positive reviews from players.

"Sakura Nova" is a visual novel game featuring sci-fi and fantasy elements. The story follows a group of cadets at a military academy, with the protagonist being a transfer student who possesses unique abilities. The game contains romantic storylines and choices that affect the player's relationships with the other characters.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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81%

Audience ScoreBased on 229 reviews

story41 positive mentions

character development3 negative mentions

Sakura Nova features beautiful artwork and character designs, enhancing the visual experience.
The game includes voice acting for the main characters, adding depth to the storytelling.
The story, while simple, offers multiple endings and character routes that provide some replayability.

The writing is often criticized for being shallow and predictable, with forced transitions to H-scenes.
The game is relatively short, with many players completing it in under two hours, leading to concerns about its value.
Some players have reported bugs and issues with unlocking certain content, detracting from the overall experience.

story
150 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
67%
6%
The story of "Sakura Nova" follows a young protagonist navigating a school environment filled with unique female characters, each with their own backstories. While the narrative starts predictably, it evolves with character development and plot twists, offering a mix of romance and fantasy elements. Although some reviews highlight its simplicity and predictability, many appreciate the engaging character interactions and the overall enjoyable experience, despite the adult themes overshadowing the plot's depth.
- “Sakura Nova follows the story of a young protagonist who, after a series of life events, finds themselves entangled in the lives of several beautiful, unique women.”
- “While the narrative starts off fairly predictable, with the protagonist being thrust into a school environment filled with potential love interests, the story gradually takes on a more complex tone, introducing plot twists and layers of character development that keep things engaging.”
- “For once we don’t have a story that’s based on ‘perversion’ or sexual innuendos; Sakura Nova actually has a decent storyline with backgrounds on all the characters that are explored as the story plays out before you.”
- “The story is highly disjointed.”
- “The story basically lacked any sort of depth and it had some of the absolute worst pacing I've ever seen in a visual novel.”
- “The plot is all over the place and the dialogues are shocking.”
graphics
32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
47%
9%
The graphics in the game are widely praised for their high quality and beautiful artwork, with many reviewers noting the stunning visuals that enhance the overall experience. While some mention a repetitiveness in the art style typical of Winged Cloud's games, the vibrant and clear graphics are generally considered a strong point, even if the integration with the story can feel disjointed at times. Overall, the visuals are described as solid and appealing, making them a highlight of the game.
- “The artwork is high quality, like most of Winged Cloud's games.”
- “The art work is absolutely beautiful with the Japanese voice over to go with it... I cannot express how important these two traits are in these types of novels, it brings the whole story to life!”
- “And one thing that everyone will definitely enjoy are the graphics that are amazingly well drawn and downright comparable to real life.”
- “The artwork can certainly feel repetitive if you've played other games by Winged Cloud; they're all very similar looking.”
- “The story is high fantasy, but the background artwork is a future colony in space; what a weird combination.”
- “Wanaca's character artwork is not the best here (seems lazily done, understandably, for a hastily finished, short game), and the R18 scenes are hilariously awkward with no transition or build-up whatsoever.”
music
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
47%
43%
10%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising its pleasant background tracks that enhance the gameplay and fit well with various scenes, while others find it average or forgettable. Notably, the soundtrack by Zack Parrish is highlighted as a standout, though some players feel that the music lacks memorability. Overall, while the music complements the game, opinions vary on its impact and quality.
- “The soundtrack by Zack Parrish is also pretty good and some tracks really stood out.”
- “This time around we have rather pleasant background music that really compliments the gameplay; it's soothing and not overbearing as some of the previous titles' music.”
- “I like the music that is in it; I feel like it matches pretty well with the situations that you are in.”
- “The music is about average.”
- “The 3 tracks can be labeled as 'somewhat exciting things are happening', 'neutral sounds while people talk' and 'frickin' music'.”
- “Soundtrack: forgettable”
gameplay
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
50%
25%
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with some praising its soothing soundtrack and ambient sounds that enhance the experience, while others criticize it for being overly simplistic and lacking depth. While some players find the gameplay addictive and enjoyable, others suggest there are better alternatives available that offer more engaging mechanics. Overall, the gameplay is seen as a blend of basic interaction and appealing audio elements, but it may not satisfy those seeking more substantial gameplay experiences.
- “This time around we have rather pleasant background music that really complements the gameplay; it's soothing and not overbearing like some of the previous titles' music.”
- “Further increasing the overall gameplay is the ambient music we have, with each scene or event in the game having a unique ambient sound that really livens up the story in those specific moments.”
- “Someone may enjoy the infectiously catchy soundtrack, while another may enjoy the amazingly addictive and infinitely replayable gameplay.”
- “I would rather just keep the art style of those visual novels reserved for the Sakura Dungeon game since at least it has some sort of gameplay.”
- “No gameplay, but hot anime chicks.”
- “The gameplay in Sakura Nova is so simplistic, so basic that every game company ever must be beating themselves up for not thinking of it first.”
replayability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
16%
17%
Overall, the game's replayability is mixed; while some players find it highly enjoyable and addictive, others criticize it for being low due to a thin story and quick completion time. Ratings vary, with some giving it a solid score of 7/10, suggesting it may be worth purchasing on sale rather than at full price.
- “Replayability off the charts.”
- “Someone may enjoy the infectiously catchy soundtrack, while another may enjoy the amazingly addictive and infinitely replayable gameplay.”
- “Replay value: 7/10”
- “I'm not sure if I would pay the full price for it, because of the rather low replayability. It doesn't take much time to finish it and reach every ending, so maybe grab it at some kind of sale.”
emotional
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
75%
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by a blend of lighthearted dialogue and surprising moments of depth that enhance character relationships, culminating in a wholesome ending. While some users found the story short and lacking, they still appreciated the emotional range and humor, making it a worthwhile experience for its price.
- “The dialogue is often lighthearted and playful, with occasional moments of emotional depth that help flesh out the relationships.”
- “Kaguya represented a complex problem, and that ending was actually wholesome, which surprised me considering the nature of this game.”
- “The story felt short and boring, lacking the emotional depth I was hoping for.”
- “I expected a more engaging emotional experience, but it fell flat.”
- “While the game is only $10, the emotional impact was minimal and left me wanting more.”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by a mix of action and magic, though it is often described as awkward and lacking finesse, particularly in the poorly executed R18 scenes. While some players appreciate the comedic elements, others find the character artwork and overall presentation to be subpar, detracting from the intended humor.
- “It's an adventure of action, magic, and humor!”
- “The R18 scenes are hilariously awkward with no transition or build-up, whatsoever.”
- “I was initially planning on making something funny or witty with my review here, but no.”
character development
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
100%
Character development in the game begins with a predictable narrative but evolves into a more intricate story, featuring unexpected plot twists and deeper exploration of both the protagonist and supporting characters like Kaguya, who is portrayed with her own flaws. This progression keeps the gameplay engaging and adds depth to the characters.
- “While the narrative starts off fairly predictable, with the protagonist being thrust into a school environment filled with potential love interests, the story gradually takes on a more complex tone, introducing plot twists and layers of character development that keep things engaging.”
- “I was surprised to see character development from the main character as well as Kaguya, who is flawed in her own right.”
- “The character development feels rushed and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with the protagonists.”
- “I expected more growth from the characters, but they remain stagnant throughout the game.”
- “The choices you make don't seem to impact character development, leaving the story feeling linear and unengaging.”