Tom S. Duann (duannt@AUTOBAHN.ORG)
Sun, 18 Oct 1998 13:59:39 -0700
Date: Sun, 18 Oct 1998 13:59:39 -0700 From: "Tom S. Duann" <duannt@AUTOBAHN.ORG> Subject: Re: Sakura 2 dissapointment
>1. Like you said, the special moves were kinda stupid. I didn't like them
>nearly as much as the ST ones which all seemed pretty individual. The ST2
>supers all looked the same after awhile. I don't think it's "ugly" per se
>but to me it was just boring.
I was not too impressed by the blocky polygon Kobus used in the normal
specials (maybe I'm spoiled by Hi-Res computer shooters like Unreal & Quake
II). However, I thought the final special combo attacks (the one used by
Ogami and top girl together after episode 10) were really cool.
>2. Probably the #1 reason why I don't like ST2 better than ST, even though
>ST2's better in the gaming aspects: Load time.
Agreed. The load time was a pain in the neck.
>3. I guess not many would agree with me on this but even though ST2's
>anime FMV is some of the best FMV out there(a virtually perfect blend of
>CG and anime), I also think that the FMV became its weakness as well.
I enjoyed the extensive anime FMV in ST2. My bone with ST2 is its TOO
extensive utilization of corny CGs in the game. For example, in ST, when
Yoneda boarded Mikase, we were treated to this cool animated sequence of
the whole thing. But in ST2, what we got was this CG sequence of Mikase
being put together section by section (which vaguely reminded me of the
special effects in all the aweful live-action Japanese flicks I seen).
>SPOILER BELOW IF YOU HAVEN'T BEATEN SAKURA TAISEN(Not really a spoiler for
>2)
>
>S
>P
>O
>I
>L
>E
>R
>
>S
>P
>A
>C
>E
>
>How about the last battle? The second you defeat Aoi Satan, flower petals
>start floating on the screen, followed by some system generated effects of
>sticking 2d pics of the Hanagumi on the screen while they say a few words,
>finally leading into another full screen FMV file. It impresses the heck
>out of me everytime I beat ST and see it again.
My gripe with ST2 is its over-the-top melodrama. Throughout the last
couple episodes, everyone is like "please don't die, please come back
alive." However, the fights were so easy that the whole thing felt like a
farce compared to ST. In ST, I was so bummed out in the last fight when
everyone started dropping all around me. So when Ayumi/Michael
ressurrected everyone for the last fight, I was almost jumping in joy. And
even in the last fight against Satan, things were definitely not easy.
With ST2, I breezed through the last episode, and at no time did I feel
anyone was even in serious danger of getting thumped. So by the end, I
thought the whole build-up about "do your best to keep everyone alive" was
a real let-down.
On a side note, I heard on Seganet that Red will be coming out with ST3 on
Dreamcast sometime next year. Anybody heard anything more?
Also, what do people think of the Sakura Taisen Imperial Strike Club that's
coming out for Saturn in December? I read the description in Sega Fan this
month, and I'm not sure what to make of it. Any thoughts?
Regards,
Tom
===============================================================
Tom S. Duann, Dogbert's long-lost cousin.
"You only live once, so mind as well as have some fun at it."
- Anonymous