P.N. 03

"Shoot In Style"

That’s Product Number 03. This game was one of the ‘Capcom 5’ games that were in development for the GameCube. Very little was known about it at the time and it didn’t really cause as much excitement as Resident Evil 4 or the gorgeous-looking Viewtiful Joe but the style that was clearly seen on the screenshots and in the heroin Vanessa sparked some interest. The game is, basically, an old fashioned shooter there is nothing else to do. However while it isn’t strikingly original it brings the concept to the modern day in a highly stylish way though, sometimes, the substance can lack.

Your objective of the game is simple; shoot and destroy. Vanessa is ordered by a mysterious Client to take out the various CAMS systems. As with most computer controlled ‘safety’ machines they have malfunctioned and need to be taken out. The Client employs Vanessa to do the job. That is about as much story as there is. Cut scenes are brief and the story only evolves slowly through the quick and snappy conversations between Vanessa and the anonymous Client. This game is serious about giving you the action and the story takes the sideline for this.

The game is split into two modes, the mission based story-mode and the trial mission mode. Progress through each story mission is divided up into a level made up of various rooms. You must destroy the enemies (sometimes all of them) to progress. A lock-on system helps matters greatly so all you need to worry about is to dodge the fire and hit the enemy. Of course points are rewarded for how well you take the enemy out. A Combo system is in pride of place and stringing together a number of combos means a fat point bonus not only that but clearing a room without getting hit adds greatly to your score. Enemy types are few and far between with attacks ranging from little impact to ones that can kill you in a single blow. You will soon be able to make out the enemy patterns and the telltale sounds of when an enemy is about to unleash an attack making you able to dodge out of the way in time. At most of the end levels you will encounter the traditional big-bad boss that you must see off. The Trial mode is more useful than it sounds and actually necessary to complete the game. Playing through Trials consists of fifteen randomly generated rooms that you have encountered of previous missions and you must clear them. By doing this you will, like in Story mode, earn those important points. These can be exchanged for new Suits, which offer better defence, or automatic firing to save your thumb and also power ups and continues. You will need to go through a few Trial missions in order to rack up enough points and properly defend yourself before the later, harder missions. Repetitive, yes but not boring.

While you cant really call the graphics ‘beautiful’ the game is visually striking. The almost clinically white rooms of interior battles and the dark, brown desolate landscape of the outside really contrast with each other well. Rooms are kept very simplistic; they are white, angular and sparse with very little detail. That said it seems to suit the game and makes it stand out a lot even if it isn’t the biggest looker on the Cube. Enemies retain the blocky, simplistic look but some of their attacks look as good as they can hurt. Vanessa also looks the part. The animation, the way she effortlessly cartwheels out of the way of a missile or the graceful jumps she performs gives her a style of her own and one very few gaming characters possess. Sound also plays an important part in the game. Vanessa is continually tapping her foot to the beat of the game, doesn’t really have any point but looks nifty. As long as the like the stylised and slightly techno beats of the game then the music is just as fitting as the graphical style.

Capcom have always had a reputation of quirky controls for their games and this game is no exception. What will strike you first is that you cant move or shoot at the same time. This is initially confusing but this isn’t meant to be a FPS but more of a traditional shooter. This means that you will need to shoot and then dodge as soon as the enemy begins to fire. Luckily this soon becomes second nature and you will be following that pattern with ease by the end of the first mission. The A button is, as ever, the fire button where Vanessa administers her palm shots. The B button is used for jumping and pushing back and forth on the control stick will push you in the direction of that jump though, oddly, you cannot jump sideways. A lot of the time you will be using the R and L buttons these are used for Vanessa to dodge oncoming attacks, either going right or left. The Y button is used for rolling which isn’t used that much save for some laser sections but it can also be used to duck. The GameCubes D-pad comes into play for the special charge attacks Vanessa can use this is performed by moving it in the corresponding directions for the attack. On the whole this system works well but there are a few gripes. The major one being that to administer a special attack with the D-pad is sometimes very unresponsive and random. This may be due to the D-pads smallness but it isn’t of much use when you are trying to take out a whole room of enemies only to find it didn’t work and you are being blasted to death. Also the R and L buttons are also sometimes seemingly unresponsive. However most of the time you can get by with little mishaps.

This game is fairly short. Comprising of only 11 missions you can be through with this in one day if you set your mind to it. Also some levels are played going over old ground and even bosses make a re-appearance, which can seem a little lazy. Playtime is increased a bit when you go on Training Missions to upgrade your suit and playing the game on higher difficulty settings not only requires more skill but also more time. The ‘Easy’ setting is fairly trouble-free if you play enough of these type of games but can prove a satisfying challenge to people who are new to this type of thing. Once you play on Normal and Hard mode (unlocked after completion of the game in either Easy/Normal settings) the game becomes a lot tougher. However this game is a great experience while it lasts, the pace is intense and the action always high. More missions would have been welcome but this is a game about scores and you are meant to push yourself harder each time to try and gain the elusive Destroyer ranking each time.

P.N.03 certainly isn’t a classic and it won’t appeal to everyone. It does have flaws, it is arguably too short which may cause some people to be put off paying £40 for it and the controls can also prove annoying at times and in this type of game they shouldn’t be. However this game is also oddly refreshing in a retro kind of way. Sure all you do is go around shooting at big robots but it has a sense of style and destruction all in one bag. It looks good but plain at the same time and Vanessa is on the whole mute but also elegant. It certainly isn’t mainstream and its sales are not going to be high but for people among you that are interested in the game give it a whirl, even just to rent it, you may be pleasantly surprised.

[7 out of 10]

P.N.03 IS

Stylish
Striking
Short

P.N.03 IS NOT

The best shooter around
Always control friendly
That deep

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 09/20/03