P.N.03 (GameCube) Review

To innovate and create, P.N.03 is a game that takes something new and exciting. Staring the excessively bendy Vanessa Z. Schneider you must use a variety to acrobatics and cunning moves to get about the action packed levels. And there is the key word for the day, action. Whilst most games build up to something and then go into all out pace and action, P.N03 chucks you in at the deep end with metal boots on, this game doesn't hang about for long. Indeed the emphasis on style is something that makes this game a joy to play. It is something that puts a smile on your face and when you consider that a game is there to entertain you have to see that P.N.03 does what it should and it does it well. However, things seem to be a bit rushed, not as well considered as many would hope and it is here that a game with such promise falls flat on its shiny little face.

Looking at the name is the first point of confusion, Product Number 03 would suggest that this is the third game in a series, how wrong. We are a tad confused as to what happened to Numbers 01 and 02, perhaps they got lost in the post, who knows. So with little information given away in the name you have to move into the game to really get an idea of what you will be playing. If you were confused by the name then you will more than likely be a bit baffled by the control system. This game starts at such a bludgeoning pace that you have no time to adjust or feel your way in. For a game that is meant to focus on style and fluidity of movement the controls seem to encourage the opposite when you first pick up the controller. Ms. Schneider can't move and shoot at the same time, you have to move, then shoot, then move again and then shoot again, so for the majority of your first few hours in the game you will go about doing both with a particular clumsiness.

Of course Capcom know what they are doing and when mastered the control system is a very good one. The trick is to mash at the fire button like a thing possessed and then dart out of the way of the return fire just before it makes contact with you. Timing here is essential, you have to cause as much damage as possible and keep on moving, it is all about being on your toes and making split second decisions about where to move next and what to do when you get there. But why not let moving and shooting happen at the same time? Surely it would make the game better? Well rather than running about shooting everywhere you have to make every shot count. Another important aspect is to have an eye for making a good few points. Insanely firing at some alien bot is all very well, but when the one you are focusing on has had its day you have a split second to focus on another nearby foe for the chance of some rather useful combo-points.

Points you say? And what do points? Prizes! Get enough points and you can get a new a suit, gain more continues and upgrade various bits and bobs to help you on your journey of killing and flipping about all over the place. The suits Vanessa Z. Schneider can wear come in three basic styles. However, and rather strangely they don't seem to affect the way you move about and act in the game all that much. Put on a more attacking style suit and you will not do too many things differently from when you put on a defensive clothing appendage. We found it best to pick one suit, and use that for the duration, you get to know what works and what doesn't and you don't spend a heinous amount of points to swap. The main meat of the game are the attacks, this game is a pack of fireworks with party poppers and other explosive parts attached. Energy drives are rather impressive visual displays but again fall slightly short of the mark. You don't have to think about which one you use, they all obliterate everything on the screen with ample power but the more powerful the blast you use is the more it drains your energy and makes you more vulnerable to attack, rendering the nuclear-level attacks slightly pointless.

Enemy wise things are a bit of a let down all over again. The scope was there to make some lovely big metallic things, but what we are left with are uninspiring things that could be enlarged versions of some of the tripe that turns up on Robot Wars. Even the variation is a bit bland. We found about ten different enemies, for an entire game that is pretty disappointing. When you consider the first rule of war is 'know thy enemy' there really is very little to get to know. Even with few enemies the pace of the game and the number of attacks that they can perform really keep you on your toes and make this a very entertaining package.

Most of the bots have two attacks a simple pistol-esque laser attack and a real ripper that takes a while to charge up giving you time to get the hell out of the way, but you have to make sure they don't. The big attacks of some enemies are devastating so keeping them busy is essential, over wise you might end up a bit dead. As the game gets harder the attacks get more powerful. Even the simplest of attacks will severely endanger your health and you will have to use your surroundings as cover to flip behind ready to nip out and pump some laser. With a game like this you are looking for some big and brutal bosses to get your teeth into, and once again P.N03 does its best to dissapoint. They are lovely to look at but easy to defeat. With three or four ways to defeat them you are not left running around in a panic for long as you discover that defeating the thing is so simple you never really thought of it. With the game getting harder they do move faster but the principal remains the same but you will struggle to defeat some of the latter ones, this game can be unforgiving in the difficulty side of things, but it all comes down to dexterity of movement and sharpness of mind if you are to proceed relatively undamaged.

This game was developed by a very small team of people, and this is another Achilles heal that brings up one or two problems along the way. Whilst the movements of the main character and the enemies is very nice, the surroundings these actions are performed in are not as impressive as some of the screens might have you think. This game is based around various rooms scattered about eleven levels. Prancing from one room to the other it soon becomes that something is amiss. There is a distinct feeling of 'I've been here before' but the thing is you havn't. For some odd and very lazy reason Capcom have just copied some rooms and put them into a new place. All very well but we want to see some innovation in location to complement what is a very innovative title. Even with this when you play through the game there is a lovely feeling of flow. Everything moves from level to level very well and the style never dies.

This game is incredibly difficult as you get further and further into it. Everything about it is amazingly tough when you get through the game a bit. You will find blistered appearing on your exhausted thumbs as you grit your teeth and enter the foray of action and pace. When it is all done the best parts come along in playing through it again and again. You can try out new tactics and get as many big combos as possible. At only four to five hours long to get the basic package all done and dusted this is a bit of a rental title. We managed to get it to last for about twelve hours when push came to shove but we lost interest after that but we are still tempted to pick it up every now and then for a quick adrenalin enriched blast.