"An old school shooter in 3D? Yes, and it's brilliant!"

P.N.03 is a new shooter from Capcom, a company notorious for the quality of its original games and lack thereof when it comes to sequels. Thankfully P.N.03 is an original game and so doesn't suffer under Capcom's horrible penchant for butchering sequels. While screenshots may make you think this is a platformer, or worse yet some type of rhythm game, these appearances couldn't be farther from the truth. While it is undeniable that the heroin, Vanessa Z Schneider, resides in a 3D world, her soul is 2D shooter through and through. Let me go through it and see if I can explain that comment.

Before we get on with the game review, it must be noted that *very* few people have actually played this game and many so called impressions or previews are a result of a limited one or two hour play through; definitely not sufficient for this type of game.

FACTS/IMPORT GUIDE
Currently released only in Japan so if you want to watch Vanessa shake her sumptuous behind you're going to have to import it. Various stores list it in stock for about $60. A fall release in the US is planned so you can hold off if you like. The story, what little there is, for the game is entirely in Japanese but basically has you out as a bounty hunter doing a series of missions for a mysterious person/being. I tested the game on a US Gamecube with a Freeloader 1.06 Boot Disc. Everything ran to perfection.

GRAPHICS
The graphics are nice and clean. Yes, it's not as smooth as could be on the GC, but it is *nowhere* near as bad as a PS2 game. The game has two basic environments - installation and desert. The installation is very clean. A minimalist style that suits the game well. Lots of white and gray. The desert environments are nondescript. It looks like a desert and caverns.

MUSIC
Rocking beat - nothing amazing but solid and works well with the game. Vanessa will shake her *ss to the music. And I must mention how much glorious attention to detail has been given to her *ss - it looks accurate down to the last shake.

CONTROL
Very basic yet very tough to get a hold of. Basically, you can jump forward and backward and side to side by pressing B and the corresponding direction. Also, by pressing either the right or left shoulder buttons Vanessa will sidestep in that direction. Tap a direction twice in a row and she'll sidestep and then somersault in that direction. The Y button performs a forward or backward roll depending on the control stick push. X switches between targets. Now here's the twist - the special attacks. Depending on the suit (more below) you will have two to three special moves which are activated by street fighter-esq moves using the D-pad and A. Z lets you perform a 180 turn. Control is smooth. If you actually spend time with the game and don't suck you'll be pulling off combos without much effort. It's all about timing. You have to perform your button presses in rhythm. You can't just jam the right shoulder eight times and expect to twirl across the room.

GAMEPLAY
This is not a search the area to find the missing key or flip the switch game. This is a SHOOTER. Nothing more. There are a variety of suits which can then be powered up by the points you gather during the stages. Each suit has different qualities and special moves. The key to this game is to chain kills to maximize points. You can only shoot while standing still (but don't you dare confuse that with immobility, as Vanessa is *very* agile) so all you Max Payne whores can just look away right now. There is a timer at the upper right corner within which you have to complete the chain or it starts all over upon your next kill. Special moves kill enemies quickly and often more than two at a time so you can see how this fits in with the chaining. Also, you are invincible while performing them. The only annoying thing is that there is a random lag after performing the move of invincibility and then you're vulnerable. So if you're under fire you better be jamming some button so that as soon as you are vulnerable Vanessa is moving her ass to safety. Chaining is the key to the game. Additionally you get no damage bonus in each room you kill all the enemies without getting hit yourself. Basic, clean, and beautiful - the Rayforce philosophy.

OVERALL
An excellent and deep shooter with a great sense of style. Frustrating at first (play it on easy first time through - trust me) but like Gunvalkyrie; give it time (4-6 hours or better yet break it up over two days) and you'll see the true beauty of the game. *Highly* recommended to shooter fans.

Brilliant aesthetics and gameplay. Bravo Capcom. 9/10

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 05/19/03, Updated 05/19/03