Sakura Wars: So Long, My Love is a cross-genre video game developed by Sega and Red Entertainment for the PlayStation 2, with a later port for the Wii developed by Idea Factory. The fifth installment in the main Sakura Wars series, it was released in 2005 in Japan by Sega, and in 2010 in North America and Europe by NIS America, being the first Sakura Wars game to be localized in English. Defined as a "dramatic adventure" game, So Long, My Love combines overlapping tactical role-playing, dating sim and visual novel gameplay elements.
Set in a fictionalized version of the late 1920s, the game follows Japanese naval lieutenant Shinjiro Taiga, who is dispatched to New York City to train with the New York Combat Revue, a troop of magically-imbued women who defend the city from supernatural threats while also working as a theater company. Shinjiro must prove himself worthy to lead the Combat Revue as they try to stop Oda Nobunaga from world domination. The narrative is divided between the Combat Revue's fight against demonic forces and each member's personal struggles.
The game began development following the release of Sakura Wars 4: Fall in Love, Maidens for the Dreamcast in 2002. The setting of New York was originally intended for Fall in Love, Maidens, but the discontinuation of the Dreamcast resulted in the planned story for Fall in Love, Maidens being reworked for the next mainline entry. So Long, My Love was produced by Masakatsu Watanabe and directed by veteran Sega designer Takehiko Akaba with series creator Oji Hiroi as general producer. The script was written by Satoru Akahori, the characters were designed by Hidenori Matsubara based on concept artwork by Kōsuke Fujishima, and the music was composed by Sakura Wars composer Kohei Tanaka.
The game was announced in 2002 as part of the seven-game Sakura Wars World Project. NIS America's localization took two years to complete, being their longest and largest project at the time. The game was well received by critics, but sold poorly compared to previous Sakura Wars games. Sega decided to place the franchise on hiatus in 2008. So Long, My Love was the last entry until 2019 with the release of Sakura Wars, a soft reboot featuring new production staff.
Gameplay
Sakura Wars: So Long, My Love is a cross-genre video game in which the player controls Shinjiro Taiga and the all-female New York Combat Revue, who must stop the main antagonist Oda Nobunaga from world domination. Dubbed a "dramatic adventure" game and taking place across eight chapters, the gameplay segments incorporate tactical role-playing, dating sim and visual novel elements. Gameplay is divided between adventure segments where Shinjiro explores a 3D-rendered version of New York—including the interior of the Littlelip Theater—, and battle segments governed by a turn-based battle system across a three-dimensional (3D) area allowing full range of movement. Players may also save their game during eyecatches.
In adventure mode, Shinjiro can both navigate New York on his own and bring along a member of the New York Combat Revue. During these sequences, when talking with both the main heroines and supporting characters, conversations rely on the series' traditional Live & Interactive Picture System (LIPS). When faced with critical choices in the course of a conversation, up to three dialogue options are displayed with a time limit for the player to input a response. Depending on the type of response, the character may respond positively or negatively, impacting the relationship and future interactions. An additional "Analog LIPS" option has a single response with analogue input which changes the intensity of Shinjiro's voice, which further affects characters' reactions. Other actions within LIPS include holding the cursor over parts of a character's portrait to trigger internal monologues and varying responses from the characters, and quick time events relying on moving the control sticks and button inputs. If Shinjiro has a strong-enough bond with one of the heroines, he can initiate a romance, unlocking a character-specific ending once the main story is finished. When exploring New York, Shinjiro can access a device called the Cameratron, a device which can both be used as a communication device with members of the Littlelip Theater and take photographs around the city.
In battle mode, the player controls the New York Combat Revue as they battle demonic forces using machines dubbed Super Telekinetic Assault Robots (STARs). Battles take place within 3D arenas and use the traditional Active & Realtime Machine System (ARMS). The player moves each unit within the limits of an Action point meter. Each unit has their own turn, with each turn allowing two actions. These actions include "Attack", "Defend", "Move", "Deathblow" (a critical strike that kills an enemy in one hit), Charge (store energy for a more powerful action during the next turn), and Heal (which restores health points to a chosen unit). Different units specialize in different skills, such as support actions, melee attacks, or distance attacks—along with their range of movement, each unit also has an independent range in which they can perform actions. LIPS interactions in between combat segments raised each heroine's statistics, allowing a greater range of movement, and unlocking more powerful abilities and combination attacks. Should a character fall in battle, the relationship will suffer, weakening their future combat ability. The game ends when Shinjiro's STAR is destroyed or when certain conditions are not met. In addition to ground-based battles, STAR units can convert into a flying form, enabling mid-air battles using identical mechanics to the ground battles.
Plot
In 1928, Shinjiro Taiga departs from Tokyo to New York City at the request of his uncle, Imperial Combat Revue Commander Ichiro Ogami. Shortly after arriving there, Shinjiro witnesses a bank robbery being foiled by Gemini Sunrise, a samurai cowgirl. Shinjiro is captured, but is bailed and led to the Littlelip Theater to meet his captain, Ratchet Altair, and the Star Division's commander, Michael Sunnyside. Taiga and Gemini meet each other in Midtown Manhattan, and then head to Greenwich Village, where Shinjiro's apartment is based. Ratchet then introduces Shinjiro to the rest of the Combat Revue, which consists of Cheiron Archer (Sagiitta Weinberg) and Subaru Kujo. Shinjiro then learns that Ogami was to be in New York in place of Shinjiro. Shinjiro is assigned by Sunnyside to be an usher until he can return to Japan. While at Central Park, Shinjiro meets Diana Caprice, who helps Shinjiro acclimate himself with the city. Eventually, while the New York Combat Revue battles with demon forces at the Statue of Liberty led by Ranmaru, a recurring antagonist in the game, Ratchet is seriously injured and Shinjiro assumes command.
After thwarting Ranmaru's invasion, Shinjiro becomes the New York Combat Revue's Captain-in-Training and Ratchet fills the role of Vice Commander. In between subsequent missions against powerful demonic beings allied with Ranmaru, Shinjiro becomes involved in the personal lives and struggles of the growing New York Combat Revue—which grows to include Diana and Mexican bounty hunter Rosarita Aries (Rikaritta Aries). He gains their trust and can optionally romance one of the members. Gemini is brought into the group once her connection to a group called the Five Star Warriors is revealed. After learning of Ranmaru, who defeated and killed most of the Five Star Warriors, Gemini's sister Geminine—who resides in her body as an alter-ego—plots to exact revenge for her master's death. Shinjiro persuades Geminine not to go through with it. Afterwards, subduing an attack led by Ranmaru, Geminine decides to rest inside Gemini after using too much of her influence to dominate Gemini's body.
Following Christmas, Ranmaru's master Oda Nobunaga summons his base Azuchi Castle in an attempt to dominate the city. Using their airship, the Ahab, to invade Azuchi Castle, the Combat Revue destroy the remains of Ranmaru's robot, only for Shinjiro to be severely injured by Nobunaga. After he recovers and helps the Star Division repel an attack on Little Lip Theater, a plain dubbed the Sixth Heaven appears over New York. After resolving to fight Nobunaga without sacrificing anyone to the Five-Ring Mandala, the only known method to seal Nobunaga, Shinjiro is promoted to the rank of Captain and leads the assault. Making a final stand against Nobunaga, the Star Division defeats him, then Nobunaga decides to rest inside Shinjiro to better understand human feelings. Shinjiro accepts the offer, Nobunaga disappears and his castle disintegrates into cherry blossoms. The final celebration and ending vary depending on whether Shinjiro romanced a member of the Combat Revue.
Development So Long, My Love was co-developed by Red Entertainment and Sega's Global Entertainment Research & Development No. 2 division. General producer Oji Hiroi, and scenario writer Satoru Akahori and composer Kohei Tanaka reprised their roles from the previous games. So Long, My Love was directed by Takehiko Akaba and produced by Masakatsu Watanabe. Kōsuke Fujishima created the design drafts, while regular series character designer Hidenori Matsubara fleshed out Fujishima's designs. The anime sequences were directed by Shunsuke Tada and produced by M.S.C.
The setting of New York was originally planned for the series' second Dreamcast entry as part of a plan to continue original protagonist Ichiro Ogami's worldwide travels. When Sega announced that the Dreamcast would cease production, the development team decided to turn the game into a celebratory title for series fans and a finale for the series on Sega consoles. This concept became Sakura Wars 4: Fall in Love, Maidens, with the New York setting being moved to the next entry for the PlayStation 2. Based on both staff wishes and feedback from Sakura Wars 3: Is Paris Burning?, the team expanded the adventure and combat segments with additional functions. The adventure portions were improved, with the ability to visit famous landmarks across Manhattan Island being included based on feedback about the inability to visit locations such as the Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triomphe in Sakura Wars 3. Aerial battles were implemented into the ARMS segments inspired by the wing and feather motifs included on machines from earlier entries, in addition to getting an aerial view of New York's sly line.
New York was chosen by Hiroi as a natural progression after moving from Tokyo to Paris for the story of Sakura Wars 3, the development of which informed Hiroi about the direction he wanted to take future entries. The portrayal of New York as a vibrant land of opportunity was linked to the common phrase "I Love New York". As with other entries, the New York Combat Revue was created by Hiroi as a fantastical defence against the ingrained darkness that exists within major cities. According to Akahori, while the game only spanned eight episodes compared to the ten-to-eleven of previous entries, it had far more story content than the previous full-scale entry Sakura Wars 3. The scenario originally spanned eleven episodes, with the additional content featuring Tutankhamun as a villain and using a storyline involving Cleopatra. Due to what were described as "unavoidable circumstances", these episodes were cut from the game, reducing the scenario to its current length. The subtitle was taken from Farewell, My Lovely, a crime novel by American writer Raymond Chandler.