Introduction

You read the title. All of them in March, from the start of the Humble Sakura Collection Bundle until now. I finished all of them except Sakura Dungeon, which I have started playing. I know there are still a few more days in March, but I just died in Dungeon without having saved for a while, so I don’t want to play right now.

I bought this bundle because I like wasting my time on reading visual novels. I also wanted to collect these ones, and this bundle was the prime opportunity to do so. Sadly, adding 20 games to my backlog out of nowhere felt really overwhelming when I don’t have so many games on Steam to begin with (compared to many of you, anyway!) and I just wanted to be done with them as soon as possible. And conveniently, every game fit into PAGYWOSG for March, and so I started this little challenge to get through as many as I could by the end of the month.

Here you have every (not free) Sakura game except Knight, since that hasn’t been bundled yet, and Santa, since that wasn’t in this bundle. I tried to buy a cheap key for Santa so I could include it here but it ended up being a dupe and I had to go through customer support, so no Christmas here sadly.

Method

The bundle started at March 10th, so that gave me 22 days to play 20 games. The plan was to play one game a day to neatly finish up by the end of March with two days where I could actually have a life. This was not an impossible plan, because all of them except Dungeon (14,5h HLTB) take about 2 hours to finish, so some slow days I was even able to fit in 2 games to finish in one day. One game a day was the minimum, but I wanted to get through them as soon as I could so I could at least start Dungeon with time to spare.

Results - Do choices matter?

I’ve sorted up all the games to show whether or not your choices matter to the story, because for some people that is important when reading a visual novel. Dungeon isn’t included here because that’s a dungeon crawler and not a VN.

Choices matter
Sakura Cupid
Sakura Fox Adventure
Sakura MMO 3
Sakura Nova
Sakura Sadist

Slight change to the ending (aka “pick a girl”)
Sakura Beach 1+2
Sakura Gamer 1+2
Sakura MMO
Sakura MMO 2
Sakura Shrine Girls

Choices don’t matter (The Fallout 4 tier)
Sakura Agent
Sakura Angels
Sakura Fantasy
Sakura Magical Girls
Sakura Space
Sakura Spirit
Sakura Swim Club

Results - My own enjoyment

Personal favorite
Sakura MMO 1+2+3

Actually a pretty good game
Sakura Cupid
Sakura Dungeon (fun so far, unless you die without having saved)
Sakura Fantasy (but I don’t recommend it - the story got abandoned and doesn’t have a conclusion)
Sakura Fox Adventure
Sakura Sadist
Sakura Space
Sakura Spirit

Meh, but readable
Sakura Agent
Sakura Gamer 2
Sakura Nova
Sakura Shrine Girls

Worst game ever (The Corpse Party: Blood Drive tier)
Sakura Angels
Sakura Beach 1+2
Sakura Gamer
Sakura Magical Girls
Sakura Swim Club

Just ask if you want me to elaborate on any of these.

Conclusion

You don’t need to be a scientist to know that the Sakura games are all trash. They’re good if you’re bored and want some trashy entertainment for a few hours, but just don’t expect a quality story. They have pretty much the same structure in the story, with the theme (Sakura “X”) as the only thing that’s setting them apart.

I don’t actually regret playing these games though. I love trash. I remember one really bad anime, King’s Game, and how much I loved how bad it was and was really eager to see the announced season 2, but that never happened because, as I said, the show is bad and why would you make a second season of a bad show?
The games were really good for card farming too. I earned at least €4 by selling cards, which is really saying something when the whole bundle cost €9.

But I am now sick to death of visual novels. I’m taking a break from reading them, I don’t even want to see another visual novel right now. Playing so many games has also been pretty stressful overall. In April, I’ll just play a couple real games from my backlog and that’s it.

Giveaway

A Sakura game would be perfect for a giveaway, but I don’t have a key for any of them. So here’s River City Ransom: Underground (level 2)

Thanks to oclaymoreo!!
https://www.steamgifts.com/giveaway/BacYR/sakura-spirit
https://www.steamgifts.com/giveaway/rh3SD/sakura-fantasy
https://www.steamgifts.com/giveaway/ZDYls/sakura-beach
https://www.steamgifts.com/giveaway/wyKNc/sakura-beach-2
https://www.steamgifts.com/giveaway/jSJdf/sakura-angels

4 years ago*

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Thoughts?

View Results
Why the hell would you do this?
I support this because I have no shame

But, aren't all these games created for weenor pleasurement?

4 years ago
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Maybe >_>

I am actually seriously reading these for the story. They're not very complex, so they're a good read if you're bored and too tired to do something actually worth doing.

4 years ago
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4 years ago
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Woah blood drive tier someone clearly didnt like that game. Then again I havent actually finished it but damn XD
Surprised to see it so soon and I know I said Ill do my own wave but you've pointed it out and from what I read you really shouldnt touch these games that much in such a sort amount of games

4 years ago
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I will forever crown Blood Drive as the worst game ever made. It's pretty much the "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child" of that series, it's a complete insult to the other Corpse Party games. To put it shortly.

It's doable depending on your patience, but you'll probably feel a bit better not having to do one a day. :(

4 years ago
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Oh wow I've never heard so much hate for it. Like I know people said it wasnt the best ending but yeah wow. I need to restart it soon to actually finish it. I can agree on the fact the gameplay compared to the rest is sucky.

Also with all the terrible games I own or played I think I have enough patience to do even 2 a day of those things. The more games a day the better

4 years ago
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People aren't saying Blood Drive is bad which is pretty baffling. Gameplay, the "generic sequel" story, the new artstyle that removed all the spook, they got rid of the best part of Blood Covered which was the bad endings (why would you just replace it with a "game over" screen)...

It's been a few years so I might remember the details wrong but I have the most ridiculous example of a thing happening in the game.
Two of the characters are in Heavenly Host climbing a big pile of shit or something. We cut this scene to show a look at the real world. The new rich teacher character is in love with one of the male characters, so she builds a fucking hot springs in the male character's house just so we can get bathing scenes with all the female characters. No one but the male character thought this was weird.
Just... why?

4 years ago
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oh wow. Yeah that sounds dumb. That feels like it should be a damn sakura game on its own playing to all the pervs instead of doing what it did best with the death and gore.

4 years ago
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Can't wait until Sakura Corpse! (Or Sakura Party?)

4 years ago
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Thank you for your service.

View attached image.
4 years ago
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4 years ago
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got them all but yay our savior!

4 years ago
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Thanks for GAs! (i guess ¯_(ツ)_/¯)

4 years ago
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Thank you!! Lifesaver <3

4 years ago
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Still not too late to get some for yourself too.

4 years ago
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that's some dedication there lol

4 years ago
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As long as I can play them one handed I dont care how good they are

4 years ago
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What to do if I want to vote for both points?

4 years ago
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Same though

4 years ago
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Looks like I missed the perfect opportunity to purchase a bundle of "research material" :(

4 years ago
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That's actually kind of cool. I admire that you set out an achievable (and mildly ridiculous in a laugh-with-you way) goal and did what you set out to do. Good on you!

4 years ago
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I hereby express my condolences, may your efforts be credited in the future. :D

4 years ago
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Happy cake day.

4 years ago
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Thanks ET3D! :) Appreciated, cake's ready in the offtopics, I know you don't enter much. ;)

4 years ago
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Why play through all of them to find out that they would be crap? I could just figured that out from the storepage.

4 years ago
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Bump (in gamer's pants).

4 years ago
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Nice.

Wish I had the time to read all, but still haven't even activated all new.
Have fun with Dungeon, it's pretty great. You ARE playing on Hard, right? :p

Remember actually liking Angels, but yeah, those Beach ones are pretty bad. Also RIP Fantasy, the best one (having not played MMO mind you)

4 years ago*
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Did the easiest for Dungeon, I just got to the first "avoid the spikes" part and wanted that chest. Didn't think the spikes would take so much health and was met with the Game Over screen on the way back. :(

4 years ago
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Since I haven't played any of those games I need to ask- Is there any dip or rise in quality between the newer titles and the older ones? Y'know, so if I ever get to actually playing them I'd know if I need to start at the older ones or if I can just... "play" the ones that sound interesting in whatever order and ignore the rest. ^_^'

Btw, I'd like to just randomly mention that there is a small series of games called Winged Sakura which, despite the "Sakura" in the name and the fact that people keep mistaking them for being the same series, have nothing to do with the Sakura Whatever games. For starters, these are actually games. With gameplay. (First one's pretty good too. Can't speak for the others... yet.)

4 years ago
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The quality goes up as the series goes on. The artstyle and general designs of the newer games are lots better, and I'd say that the stories get more substance the newer they are.

You can play them in whatever order, they are completely separate aside from maybe a few references to other games in the series. I'd just say to save Gamer for one of the last since it contains artwork from other Sakura games.

4 years ago
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Ok, thank you for the information. :)
(Oh, and do check out the game which I linked if you're ever in a Tower Defense mood. ^_^ )

4 years ago*
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I don't think I will ever be in a TD mood... but thanks anyway!

4 years ago
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Warning for Sakura Dungeon, if you want to have all the achievments: You need to activate the beta channel, or 2-3 achievements won't pop.

When I played it on higher difficulties, I made everything as fast as possible (no animations of clothes ripping etc.) => Resulted in the bug, that clothes didn't rip at all, saving money for repairing (since repairing is only free in the lowest tier).

Btw: Like for most Sakura games, Sakura Dungeon has also a 18+ patch, if anyone is interested in that. Either look into the Steam discussions, or via Google.

For the achievement of killing all those monsters.. The counter doesn't roll over from multiple games, starting a new game restarts the counter. When I finished on highest difficulty, where I did some grinding now and then to level up properly, I was just below the second tier of kills.
Prepare to grind yourself dumb, or open the developer console and add enough kills to one of your crew and just kill one other enemy => achievement without boring yourself to death.

4 years ago
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Well, damn. This stings as an achievement hunter. Good times ahead?

I started on the easiest difficulty so I could get as many achievements as possible over with before doing the hardest difficulty. That and because I don't really play this genre. Is this a good strategy or should I start over on another difficulty? As I said I died without having saved in a while and I wouldn't mind just starting over.

4 years ago
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I played it through first on easy to get as many achievements as possible as easily as possible. Changed to beta channel on further playthroughs.
On the other hand... to get all those achievements, you will have to look through the maps very thoroughly, This will result in more fight, more levelups, which you will need on abyssal where you should be closer to the average characterlevel in that dungeon level, if you want to have a chance.

If I remember correctly, the missing achievements were more or less unmissable.

Bonus when you play first on easy, before changing to abyssal: You know how the game works, what is important, how to get the most bang for your buck. May main front line was from the three main heroines.

  • Ceri got attribute potions as soon as possible, so that her autoleveling wouldn't be wasted on the low, cheap stats.
  • Sylvi has 2 situations, where she receives a +1 on all stats. Hardcore optimizing would be to get all her stats to 6, so the free raise will be always in the most expensive tier.
  • Yomi just received the potions, I didn't need otherwise.

For the back line just use the girls on the currently highest level that you have.

4 years ago
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I live a completionists life, I don't miss anything in the dungeons. I'll continue what I'm doing when I get over what happened to me before I quit then lol. Thanks!

4 years ago
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4 years ago
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Bump, partly for GA visibility and partly because I need more people to know about my journey of shame.

4 years ago
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Not much traffic here, let me give you a bump, the world -or at the very least, this forum- ought to learn of your titanic waste of time effort.
If I had to describe it as a light novel title: "That time I wasted 50 hours of my life to play weeb trash, and I unironically liked it", a.k.a. "This is trash, and so am I".

In other words... congrats, you absolute mad lad/lass! Or should I say, condolences? Either way, your sacrifice won't be in vain.

4 years ago
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What's so bad about Gamer series? Because those were the ones I was looking forward to the most, along with MMO ones.

4 years ago
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They aren't among the very worst ones to be honest. The characters were the problem here. First game, I found 2/3 of the characters to be pretty annoying, one of them was the main character which we see the most (and the other one, just to be clear, is the black-haired one). The second game improved it a lot, the story was better and the not-main-character girl wasn't as annoying either (but I still don't like the MC). It's very subjective, just give the games a go and maybe you'll enjoy them more than I did.

Play MMO before Gamer, because Gamer has references to MMO (but contains no spoilers).

4 years ago
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Alright, will do. Thank you for the heads up.

4 years ago
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4 years ago
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Oh lord. I'm going to wait until the inevitable bundle.

4 years ago
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