『 サクラ大戦4～恋せよ乙女～ 限定 』

I actually got this around Christmas this year, along with some other DreamCast and WonderSwan titles, but didn't bother to post any pictures or info. Since I've got nothing better to do, let's fix this.


What you see on the photos is the limited edition of Sakura Taisen 4: Koi Seyo Otome for the DreamCast. For those who don't know, Sakura Taisen series is a mix between tactical turn based battle RPG and a dating simulator. A weird blend one might think, but it actually works, and works quite well.


The series never officially left Japan, so if you're interested in playing any of Sakura Taisen games think twice, because it's not one of these games where you can just click your way through. I guess you can find some script translations on the internet, but what's the fun in that? Besides, the charm of the game completly dissapears.


Before you get too excited about the nice box and what it contains, I've got to warn you. Sakura Taisen 4 is meant to be played by those, who have played at least one of the previous installment in the series [preferably first or third]. The game does a lousy job of introducing you to the world of Sakura and you might find the game a bit uninspired just because of that.


Now, what's so special about the limited edition? The box contains not only the game, but also a set of sixteen metal plates nicely engraved on both sides, and a mobile phone strap with Sakura Wars 4 print on it.


Except for the above mentioned collectables, hidden in the game case is a Sakura Taisen 3 bonus omake drama CD, or rather GD-Rom. To go through all of its features you'll need to have a Sakura Taisen 3: Pari wa Moeteiru ka, the previous DreamCast title savegame on your memory card.


As for the game itself, it's a fairly decent title, but ... sadly, it doesn't follow any of the interesting and unresolved aspects of the character stories from the previous game and there's very little content that you could call new.


It kind of feels like the game made the same amount of progress as Street Fighter II from the basic version to the turbo. There are some tweaks, some updates, but for the most part, both the visuals and the sound will be pretty familiar to those who played Sakura Taisen 3. Sure, it's a new game, but it's a straightforward sequel. No fireworks.


Is the game worth picking up? That depends. If you're a DreamCast game collector, you will pick it up if only for the value of the limited edition. If you're a Sakura Taisen fan, you will pick it up because you like the series. In any other case, I'd say pass. Invest in one of the previous titles first and see how you like it.