We store cookies, you can get more info from our privacy policy.
GC

North America

P.N. 03

by Billy Berghammer - March 31, 2003, 8:57 pm EST

Does all that rump-shaking make a good shooter? Sort of.

Last year, Capcom and Nintendo announced an agreement to bring five new games to the GameCube exclusively. The first released in Japan is P.N. 03 (Product Number 03), a weird cyber-punkish shooter from producer Shinji Mikami. I was really into the art style of this game, so I decided to pick it up from our friends at Video Game Depot. After already playing through the easy mode, I’m not sure I’m satisfied with the final result.

You play as Vanessa Z. Schneider, a sexy little metallic tart. Instead of taking out enemies with guns as usual, you are armed with a palm shot, which is basically a dance move that shoots bolts of energy at your enemies. Vanessa has very rhythmic movements, and even when stationary she shakes her butt to the beat. There are different suits that enable her to perform different super moves, give her different protective powers, and bestow other attributes. Throughout the game you earn points to purchase new suits, suit upgrades, and more super moves.

Controls are odd to say the least. The analog stick moves Vanessa, A – shot, B – jump, Y – roll, X – change target, L or R – dodge and cartwheel, Z – 180 degree turn, C-Stick – camera, and the D-pad for super moves. These controls may seem normal, but they’re not, and sometimes maneuvering Vanessa can be a headache. When you pull back on the stick, you might expect to turn around, but you’ll perform a back twirl instead – even if you pull back diagonally. You’ll need to use the Z button to face the other direction. There is definitely a learning curve to get the controls down, so opting to play through the game on the easy setting first is a good idea.

Gameplay consists of moving from area to area, shooting enemies and dodging your opponents’ attacks. You’ll face a heap of different enemies, as well as a few bosses and mini bosses. Once you get used to the strange control scheme, taking out enemies and performing Matrix-esque laser dodges is pretty sweet. You’ll need to keep an eye out for cover from enemy fire or things to hide under. If you just try to blast your way through every level, you’ll be killed quickly. So getting the timing down with dodges, jumps, and ducks is crucial. Vanessa’s super moves are not just eye candy, but are necessary for survival. While you’re charging a super move, you’ll avoid damage from enemy fire. One main gripe is that you can only shoot or do super moves while stationary. You can’t shoot while twirling, jumping, or running.

P.N. 03 has a very interesting art style, but having played through the entire game, I’m left hungry for more variation. There are two main types of environments – a desert landscape and a fortress interior. There are minor variations of each, but sometimes the levels (and bosses for that matter) actually repeat. The desert is dark and more open, with debris and wrecked vehicles to hide behind. Inside the fortress, you’ll be heading through tight corridors, and rarely get to larger rooms. The environments are futuristic, but stale, reminding me too much of Star Wars. I often feel like I’m running around Tatooine or an Imperial Ship somewhere. It all runs at 30 frames per second, but overall P.N. 03 looks like it’s running on a PS2. There are quite a bit of jaggies in the environment, and P.N. 03 just doesn’t look as crisp as it should.

Vanessa’s animations are decent, but there isn’t much variation aside from her super moves. Except for rolls, her movements are fluid. Her front roll, in particular, just looks sluggish. The girl can dance and twirl, but for some reason, when she wants to roll forward, it’s slow and awkward. It doesn’t make any sense.

Vanessa doesn’t talk until the end of the game, and the story is told through text. So due to my lack of Japanese language skills, I really don’t have any clue why I’m on this planet, and why these robots are trying to kill me. Everything gets summed up in a quick FMV at the end of the game, but more voice would have been appreciated. Most of the aural experience consists of laser shots, explosions, and pumping techno music. Even though the sound effects are few, the music almost makes up for it. I really dig the soundtrack.

Unfortunately, once the game really starts getting good, it’s over. You’ll need to play through the Normal and Hard modes to really utilize all the suits in this game. But with only 12 levels, P.N. 03 can be beat in an afternoon. Still, it is a fun time while it lasts, and a good shooter once you learn the control scheme. Now that I have everything down, I’ll probably play through it again, but I was hoping for more from this game. With the lack of environments, repetition of levels and enemies, and mediocre graphics, the first of the Capcom five just seems to be lacking.

Share + Bookmark





Genre Shooter
Developer Capcom
Players1

Worldwide Releases

na: P.N. 03
Release Sep 09, 2003
PublisherCapcom
RatingTeen
jpn: P.N. 03
Release Mar 27, 2003
PublisherCapcom

Related Content

Got a news tip? Send it in!
Advertisement
Advertisement