Jose Barragán (devilot@WORLDNET.ATT.NET)
Sun, 18 Oct 1998 23:23:11 -0400
Date: Sun, 18 Oct 1998 23:23:11 -0400 From: Jose Barragán <devilot@WORLDNET.ATT.NET> Subject: Re: Sakura 2 dissapointment
>MoonPrince wrote:
>
>>
>> It's a shame that when I mailed my Sakura vs Sakura 2 thoughts to this
ML,
>> only 4 people were on it. But I guess I can reiterate the things I
didn't
>> like about ST2.
>>
>> 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.
They all look similar because they all use the same basic look. Still, the
combined specials look damn cool, so that makes up for it, IMO. The loading
times do get annoying after a while, especially when compared to the
virtually loading time-free Sakura Taisen 1. The loading times kinda irked
me at first, but I got used to 'em after a while, especially when I figure
there's so much loading times 'cause there's just so much STUFF in the
game.:)
>
>Zzzzzzzzz......Towards the end, everything looks the same:/ I do like the
>second version of the special attacks the best. The character faces head on
>and then announces the attack...those had the best personal touches. I
>particularly like Soletta's, Oogami's, and Sumire's.
Personal favorites are Kanna's and Iris's. My favorite combined special so
far is the last one between Oogami and Kanna, and the first one you get with
Maria and Oogami.
>
>>
>>
>> 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. The supers' load time was
>> so bad that I avoided using it at all and only when I knew I couldn't
beat
>> an opponent any other way would I use them. I swear you do not realize
>> how bad ST2 load times are until you go back and play Sakura Taisen. Not
>> only the supers but everything is at least a little slower than ST(like
>> switching from first person view to 3rd when you roam around Teigeki,
>> stuff like that).
Yeah, I noticed that too. Loading times can be a b*tch, but again, ST2 just
has so much more stuff than the first game. There are a lot more images,
for example.
>
>The number one reason ST2 battles are so long and drawn out! Well, maybe. I
>don't like using the special attacks very much unless I have a good multi
>hitter or something. Combined attacks are another story and the random
helper
>attacks are also a nice no load touch. I still need to go through and watch
>both versions of each combined attack:/ Why couldn't they have been added
in
>the long day mode?
>
That's what I was wondering! I was really looking forward to looking at
those in Long Day mode, and was really upset when I found out they weren't
there...hmmm...maybe if I beat the game with all eight characters, that
option would become available.
>>
>>
>> 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 like when the CG and anime are mixed in the second game, as it looks very
nice, but the CG alone looks like CRAP! It looks outdated and old (what
kind of computer did they use for the CG? It obviously isn't on par with
the CG on a lot of other games). Besides, I don't really want to watch
CG...I much prefer watching the traditional animation. I really don't mind
the copious quantity of FMV in the game. In fact, if I have one request,
it's that there should be more animation for special sequences in the third
game. There should be 'secret' animation sequences for each character, and
the ending animations should be several minutes long.
>
>Love the animation, very nicely done and not too grainy. The cg on the
other
>hand, I thing destroys this lovely game. After all the work that was done
on
>the static backgrounds (and the action ones), the animation is fine and
>something you would expect. The cg however still has that ugly
>metallic/plasticy look that better suits a futuristic cyberpunk type theme,
>not ST:(
Yes, I certainly hope they either use improved CG in the next game, or not
use CG on its own at all (the CG mixed with the anime looks fine, though).
>
>>
>>
>> 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
>>
>> Ok, you remember in the next to last battle with Aoi Satan, you defeat
>> Ayame and then he whole Michael thing happens and then you get this cool
>> FMV file that shows the Hanagumi getting transported to where Aoi Satan
>> was? That FMV file was different than all the others in the game. It
>> stood out. It was full screen. In fact, it wasn't even accessable in
the
>> One Long Day option.
Yeah, and there was absolutely no animation in it...just the characters
moving up towards the sky in familiar poses. It still looked nice, though.
>>
>> 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.
I thought it looked nice, but not as nice as when you beat the last bad guy
in the second game, IMO.
>> In Sakura Taisen 2 however, everything is just FMV. It's just like every
>> other game out there. You do something special. FMV. You beat it.
FMV.
>> And while ST2 is very fun to play through and through, it doesn't
>> repeatedly impress me every time like Sakura Taisen does.
If the system generated effects look better on the DC, by all means, use
more of those! But I still want a lot of FMV sequences, as long as they
don't detract from the game (and I don't think they did, in ST2's case).
And like I said, I want even LONGER ending sequences.
>
>Here is the real problem with fmv, it's too common. Yes it does work for
the
>intro and ending, and a few major events but gets over used for simple
stuff
>like Soletta walking through the door (oooh, aaah). It would be better to
have
>fewer, longer fmv segments in the game to break things up a bit like the
next
>episode fmv.
It was Soletta's introduction, which was important, IMO. I thought it was a
nice touch (I wish all the characters had gotten FMV introductions, to be
perfectly honest!).
>
>>
>>
>> Does anyone else agree with this?
Hey, I'll be happy as long as ST3 doesn't come out with network play (how
are they gonna do that, and what is that gonna mean to us importers?).
>>
>> -mp
>
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