Sakura Wars (PS4)

Sakura Wars may be a crisp, fully 3D modern release, but every inch of the story, characters, and sound feels like it's straight out of the 90s. This soft-reboot may not revolutionise gaming as the original game did, but it still manages to deliver an expertly crafted love letter to those old-school stories and characters that will put a smile on anyone's face.

Sakura Wars’ charm makes up for its flaws, creating a truly one-of-a-kind experience.

The flaws of Sakura Wars are obvious, though a strong focus on melodrama and spectacle makes it a lot easier to gloss over the game's weak points. There's nothing out there quite like Sakura Wars, and if you stick with them, there's a good chance this cast of oddballs will worm their way into your heart too.

It won’t make many new die-hard fans of the property, but for those willing to give it a chance, there’s enough to give them hope that good things might be in the series’ future.

Sakura Wars represents an ambitious new start for the franchise, one that might not be to everyone's tastes. While its mediocre combat and dialogue-heavy design may leave some players disengaged, its fabulous presentation, pleasing visuals, delightful characters, and histrionic melodrama will delight others. Perhaps most importantly, it offers the franchise a bright future bursting with potential.