Sakura Spirit
- July 9, 2014
- Winged Cloud
- 4h median play time
An Exercise in apathy, neither solid nor liquid. Not exactly bad, but not very good either. Just a bit 'meh,' really.
Get on Steam"Sakura Spirit" is a visual novel adventure game where a high schooler, named Gushiken Takahiro, is transported to a mysterious land filled with fox spirits. To find his way back home, Takahiro must help the fox spirits and solve their problems while navigating through complex relationships and decisions. The game features romantic encounters, engaging storylines, and beautiful anime-style artwork.
Mac OS
PC
Windows
Linux
Reviews
- story1,726 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The story of "Sakura Spirit" is a mixed bag, with many players finding it charming yet overly simplistic and linear. While some appreciate its lighthearted and humorous narrative, others criticize its lack of meaningful choices and depth, often describing it as a short, generic tale that feels more like a prologue than a complete story. Overall, it appeals to those looking for a casual read with attractive visuals, but may disappoint those seeking a more engaging and interactive experience.
“I love the story in this game!”
“The story is lighthearted and fairly short overall, clocking in at roughly 3 hours.”
“Overall, I did like the setup of the story, the agreeable environment and world, and the very interesting characters.”
“The story was so boring and generic that I couldn't even read it all, just clicked through most of it, waiting for some interaction that never came.”
“The story is very short and very generic.”
“There is only one choice throughout the story, and the idea of a consequence in the story's description really is misleading.”
- graphics257 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 39 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game are generally praised for their high quality and appealing art style, with many reviewers highlighting the beautiful character designs and backgrounds. However, some players noted a lack of variety in character models and a limited number of unique artworks, which detracted from the overall experience. While the visuals are a strong selling point, the game is often described as more of a visual novel with minimal interactivity rather than a fully-fledged game.
“The visuals and audio harmonize to create the perfect ambience.”
“The artwork is phenomenal, the boobs are, of course, great.”
“The art style, the setting, and the general way the story portrayed the personalities of each of the characters in mind did the game justice.”
“The visuals are plain and the BGM quickly becomes annoying and repetitive, despite an extremely short playtime.”
“The artworks are of extremely low quality, the model of NPCs simplistic, and as for the girls, well, you have one model of body, and only two things change: eye colors and haircut.”
“However, what is unforgivable is the constant rehashing of the same pose for the same character for everything; I understand there is a limit to how much artwork you can get done, but when a person changes facial expressions/moods, they tend to also change stance as well to better emote that emotion.”
- music216 mentions
- 44 % positive mentions
- 47 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players praising its ability to enhance the atmosphere and fit various scenes, particularly noting its traditional Japanese influences. However, many also criticize the soundtrack for being repetitive and generic, with a limited number of tracks that can become annoying over time. Overall, while the music is generally considered decent and enjoyable, it lacks variety and memorability, which detracts from the overall experience.
“We are accompanied by an adapted typical Japanese music which fits very well the story.”
“The music was really well composed and I like how it changed to fit the scene, like how it gets more intense during action scenes.”
“The art is very detailed and the music fits each mood perfectly, although the tracks loop quite often.”
“The music is generic and mind-numbing.”
“The music can get annoying, to the point my cat would leave me forever alone whenever I'd open the game.”
“The music was really repetitive and started to get annoying.”
- humor136 mentions
- 98 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with many players finding it amusing and light-hearted, featuring funny moments, quirky characters, and playful dialogue. However, some reviews criticize the humor as forced or reliant on clichés, leading to a lack of depth in the storytelling. Overall, while the game offers entertaining and sometimes hilarious scenarios, opinions vary on its effectiveness and originality in delivering humor.
“The story is fun, we have some ecchi fanservice with hilarious scenes, some action, and a lot of strange situations we have to face always accidentally.”
“I definitely recommend because the dialogue kept me laughing to myself and smiling at bits...and just transported me to a world of voluptuous fox girls.”
“The situations are very funny and sometimes so absurd that you can't not laugh.”
“The characters are flat (I mean character trait-wise, otherwise they are anything but), the story is practically nonexistent, and the comedy is just tedious, forced, and unfunny.”
“Comedy is obviously a very subjective thing, but as far as I'm concerned, this is not funny.”
“It doesn't commit to the cheesecake (and beyond) enough for the pervs. It's not funny enough to tie all these shortcomings into something more.”
- gameplay81 mentions
- 15 % positive mentions
- 78 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The gameplay aspect of this title has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with many users stating that it lacks meaningful interaction and is primarily a visual novel with minimal choices. Players often describe the experience as repetitive and dull, with most actions reduced to simply clicking through text, leading to frustration over the absence of engaging gameplay mechanics. Overall, the consensus is that the game fails to deliver a satisfying gameplay experience, often feeling more like an interactive story than a traditional game.
“Amazing gameplay.”
“The plot line was spectacular and the gameplay was even better!”
“Possibly the greatest game I have ever played... the gameplay is so smooth and the storyline is like no other.”
“This is not a game because there is no gameplay here.”
“The gameplay is as generic as can be, but the art is very good.”
“There is no gameplay at all and there are no decisions to make, so you don't have any influence on the game at all.”
- emotional73 mentions
- 89 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its heartwarming and touching story, which resonates deeply with players, often leading to tears and a strong attachment to the characters. While some reviews criticize the overall narrative and dialogue as boring or cliché, many praise the emotional depth and impactful moments, particularly towards the end, making it a memorable experience for those who appreciate a blend of comedy, drama, and emotional storytelling. Overall, the game is recommended for those seeking a heartfelt adventure, despite its limitations in gameplay and narrative complexity.
“The ending made me cry, and I rarely ever cry.”
“It truly is a heartwarming story for the ages about coming of age and dealing with all the hardships you face in life.”
“This game... there's no words, only tears from the memories I have of it, and all those precious, heart-touching moments.”
“Boring story, cookie cutter characters, godawful dialog, no gameplay except click click click to advance the text.”
“Cliché boring story, I could have wasted my money and time on something better than this...”
“There's absolutely no interaction and a boring story.”
- character development41 mentions
- 32 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
Character development in this visual novel is largely criticized for being minimal and reliant on standard tropes, resulting in shallow character arcs that fail to evolve throughout the story. While some reviews highlight decent character designs and moments of potential growth, the overall consensus is that the lack of depth and meaningful development detracts from the experience, making it feel more like a collection of scenes rather than a cohesive narrative. A few reviewers noted that despite the enjoyable gameplay, the brevity and superficiality of character development left much to be desired.
“This visual novel was incredibly fun to play, and I'm glad I did. The story and character development were amazing, much more than what I expected going into this.”
“This game has a fantastic plot and amazing character development.”
“I loved the character development and the personalities behind them, even though the story was a bit short.”
“The heroines are based on standard tropes like tsundere or imouto/onee-san, with little to no character development.”
“Characters see little to no character development, leading to some situations coming off as weird or plain out of place, even if you don't take the visual novel seriously.”
“If you've seen a single manga, anime, or visual novel in your life, you'll probably pinpoint what character belongs to which stereotype after their very first line, and you'll have absolutely no character development beyond that ever.”
- replayability28 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Overall, the reviews indicate that the game suffers from a significant lack of replayability, primarily due to limited choices and branching storylines. Many players express disappointment with the minimal player input and the short length of the game, which diminishes the incentive to replay. While a few mention some potential for replay value through unlockables or different story paths, the consensus leans heavily towards the game being a one-time experience with little to no replay value.
“10/10 high replay value”
“High replay value, and very useful unlockables that can be used in real life.”
“It is infinitely more rewarding, has a wider range of art, and a much, much better story with replayability.”
“No real replay value or point.”
“There is nearly zero replay value, as the game contains only one choice.”
“The game itself was beautiful and the design was outstanding, but to be honest I was expecting a game or at least something like the hero project with multiple choices and different outcomes. It was a book, sort of like if you had a Final Fantasy game but without any fighting or cut scenes, just tons of dialogue. It was an outstanding read, but all in all it has no replay value.”
- atmosphere9 mentions
- 44 % positive mentions
- 22 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is generally praised for its well-crafted music and graphics, creating an immersive experience that can evoke deep emotions. However, some players feel that the inclusion of fan service disrupts the overall mood, and while the atmosphere can be engaging, it may not appeal to everyone, particularly those who dislike flamboyant aesthetics. Overall, the game offers a mix of enjoyable and distracting elements that shape its unique atmosphere.
“The music is atmospheric, the graphics are very well made, and the story isn't half bad.”
“Do you like an immersive atmosphere that will make you rethink your entire life and question reality itself?”
“It was a nice read though, the atmosphere is nice to get into and like I said the music's pretty cool, so I think it's worth the price if you've got some money spare and aren't sure what to buy.”
“Sometimes it got the mood right, but then comes the fan service which really disturbs the atmosphere of the story.”
“I originally did not want this as I am not a fan of graphic novels nor am I a fan of the ultra-flamboyant colors and atmospheres advertised by this game.”
“However, if you value story, character depth and development or atmosphere, then you would do well avoiding this title.”
- monetization6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy for this game has been criticized for relying heavily on misleading advertisements that emphasize superficial elements rather than the actual gameplay experience. Many users feel that the game is a cash grab, with a lack of meaningful content and choices, leading to disappointment after purchase.
“I don't even know why I bought this game, probably because it's on sale. I saw an advertisement for it from another multimedia source, and it's a visual novel??”
“The story description intrigued me, but the screenshots were advertising the game as softcore eye-candy and not a compelling experience.”
“This book is just a cash grab anime book.”
- grinding3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is criticized for being tedious and repetitive, with players feeling that the reliance on lowbrow humor and pop culture references quickly becomes tiresome. The lack of engaging story and character development further exacerbates the sense of monotony, making the gameplay feel like a chore rather than an enjoyable experience.
“The game relies heavily on pop culture references, lowbrow humor, and the overuse of common character tropes, all of which earns minor chuckles at the beginning of the game, but grows somewhat tedious later on.”
“If you're looking for cheap thrills and the chance to ogle 'kitsune' or 'samurai' chicks, hit up one of the many booru sites; they've got plenty more and with none of the painful misspellings and unnecessary tediousness this game provides.”
- stability2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Overall, users report a stable experience with no noticeable bugs or glitches, contributing to a smooth gameplay experience. The art style is considered acceptable by some, but it does not impact the game's stability.
“The game runs smoothly without any crashes.”
“I appreciate how stable the gameplay is; it never lags or freezes.”
“There are no glitches either that I have found.”
“Good things are that it has no bugs or glitches that I have found and its art style is okay for some.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The game is reported to run smoothly, providing a tolerable experience despite its shallow story and character development. While the optimization is commendable, the narrative elements are criticized for being underdeveloped and clichéd.
“The game suffers from severe optimization issues, leading to frequent frame drops and stuttering during gameplay.”
“I experienced long loading times that really disrupt the flow of the game, making it frustrating to play.”
“The graphics settings are poorly optimized, as even on lower settings, the game struggles to maintain a stable frame rate.”
