Sakura Wars 2 Fan Translation Released: English Patch Now Available for Sega Saturn Classic
Entry information
Published on: April 28, 2025
Description
After years of anticipation within the retro gaming community, the English fan translation for Sega Saturn's Sakura Wars 2: Thou Shalt Not Die has been officially released and is now available for download.
This milestone makes one of Sega’s most celebrated tactical RPGs accessible to a global audience for the very first time, decades after its original 1998 Japan-only launch.
Sakura Wars 2, co-developed by Red Company and Sega's CS Research & Development No.
2 division, is a sequel to the 1996 Sega Saturn hit Sakura Wars.
The series earned a devoted following for its unique blend of turn-based strategy, interactive social elements, and distinct anime-inspired presentation.
Players once again follow Ichiro Ogami, leader of the all-female Flower Division of the Imperial Combat Revue, as they defend Tokyo from supernatural threats in a multi-genre adventure that set the foundation for multiple sequels.
Until now, the only official Western localizations in the Sakura Wars series have been 2010's Sakura Wars: So Long, My Love and the 2020 PlayStation 4 soft reboot.
The English translation project, spearheaded by Sega enthusiast NoahSteam alongside a dedicated team of translators, programmers, and editors, began development in 2021.
The group previously released a successful English patch for the original Sakura Wars on Sega Saturn in 2019, with the momentum and technical expertise from that effort carrying over to this ambitious sequel project.
According to the translation team, their goal was to ensure a comprehensive play experience; the newly-released patch offers translated story dialog, menus, minigames, load screens, battle interfaces, and added subtitles to in-game animated movie sequences.
The project credits list NoahSteam as both project lead and one of the reverse engineering leads, with additional programming contributions from TrekkiesUnite118.
MattoBii and CrouchingMouse led the translation work, while editing and graphics modification were handled by a collaborative range of contributors, including BowlOfLentils and Dyn0muTT.
Comprehensive testing and quality control were provided by a volunteer team passionate about the title and its fan base.
The promotional trailer for this release was edited by TrekkiesUnite118, with audio support by Shadowmask and voiceover from CrouchingMouse.
The full patch, along with compatibility information and installation instructions, is available through the SegaXtreme website.
This release stands as a testament to the dedication and technical prowess of the fan translation scene, unlocking an important chapter of Sega Saturn history for English-speaking players.
With this breakthrough, Sakura Wars 2 joins a select list of beloved Japanese exclusives made newly accessible to a broader audience, ensuring its legacy will reach a new generation of fans beyond its initial regional barriers.
