"Hashire, Kousoku no, Teikokukagekidan!" This was my first real contact with the Sakura Taisen series, a download of the opening music from ST 2 on the Saturn. Now, with Sakura Taisen 3 coming out on the Dreamcast (and y'know, being one of the highly anticipated games in Japan and all) I figured that since this installment will be the most likely in the series to come out in America (after all, Sega is bringing out Seaman and Chu Chu Rocket) it would warrant a preview.

The Sakura Taisen games are a series of RPG/Date Sim/Strategy Games from the hideously over talented minds at Red Company producers of Thousand Arms, the Bonk games, and the Megami Tensei series of RPGs. Sakura Taisen, however, is the group's most popular franchise, featuring character designs from Fujishima Kosuke, popular Japanese artist responsible for Oh! My Goddess, and You're Under Arrest. He also did the art for Namco's Tales of Destiny and Phantasia, which earns him beaucoup points in my book.

But Sakura Taisen 3 is actually a bit of a departure from the various staples of the series. Gone is the original setting of Japan, and in it's place is Paris. It appears that the Hanagumi and Oogami (the series' protagonist) have been re-located there. Not only that, but most of the original Hanagumi (which basically translates to "Flower Brigade") are now missing in action. Gone is the spunky and popular Sakura, the infinitely more sexy Sumire, and the cold and spooky, yet beautiful Maria. In their place is a new group, and whether or not the old members of the ST crew will show up at all in the new game remains to be seen.

Graphically, the game uses a lot of CG to show the France that the New Hanagumi exists in, with the character's being animated in 2D as they always have been. The CG is stunning, rivalling Square's best, and the characters are drawn as well as ever with Fujishima in charge. I hope, however that the pseudo PC-Engine/Thousand Arms stuff is replaced with slightly more...animated...animation, but there'll be a while before the game's release, so we'll see how things develop.

With a new cast, a new setting, and a eye burningly beautiful CG Paris, ST3 is looking to be a different from past games in the series. The game is still considerably early in development, so things change between now and then, but the way things are looking now...this ain't your Daddy's Sakura Wars.

· · · Riisuke