The Avatar
10-04-2006, 12:12 AM
P.N. 03 stands for Product Number Three. And product number three just happens to be the main character: Vanessa. When the CAMS (Computer Arms Management System) goes nuts on a distant planet, you are sent in to destroy the robots. Now lets get a few things straight before this review really starts to kick in:
1. I am a HUGE fan of robots
2. I love watching cute chicks shaking their moneymakers
3. I love shooting stuff and watching stuff blow up
4. I love creating combo's and the idea of combo's
Now, having said all that, it seems that Capcom have used their satellites to look into my mind (again!!!) and develop the perfect game for me. I should be angry with capcom for doing that and not paying me royalties, but the game seems to be rewarding enough for me.
P.N. 03 is a simple action shooting game where you control Vanessa. You simply have to clear the levels of all bad guys and fight a big bad boss at the end of each mission. Simple fare here, doesnt get much deeper then that, but what little this game does, it does very well and with much style.
GRAPHICS Score:100%
From the design of the rooms to the detail of all objects, this game has mastered the art of graphics. Each room is designed to look and feel a specific way, each robot can be clearly identifed from a distance, and when looking into a vast distance there is no visible distortion.
Now, the greatest part of this game is Vanessa and how they have animated her. Flawless. That's the only word I can use to describe her. Her actions are smooth and animated so well that you feel like you are controling a live person. And the stuff she does while in battle will distract even the best of us. Here is a free a tip if you plan to play this game: don't play this around your girlfriend, otherwise you may say some stupid stuff like: "how come YOU can do that", or my favourite, "why can't you bend your body like THAT!!"
I kid you not, it's very hard to kill robots when your girlfriend is slapping the hell out of you.
SOUND/MUSIC Score:86%
There are good sound effects in this game. You can anticipate some of the robots actions by the sounds they make, and they also sound very satisfying when blowing up. Vanessa doesn't say much in the game, which is a pity as she has a strange American / Russian accent. I still can't really decide which one it is.
The music is also good; it keeps up the tempo of the game and changes as the action gets faster. There isn't much variety to it unfortunatley.
MULTIPLAYER Score:N/A
No multiplayer fun to be had here, which is really unfortunate.
(RE)PLAYABILITY Score:90%
You have to finish the game three times to get a full ending, one where Vanessa is in the shower. Well worth completing the game for this.
However, the action in the game can get quite repetative. As with all games based on simple shoot and kill it does get dull after a while. This is where combo's come in. You can get a higher point score if you kill another robot within a few seconds after killing your first one. How much time depends on how hard the robot was, and so does the point tally. At the end of your combo, your kills multiply your points, so you can get some massive point combo's.
Vanessa shaking her booty also helps to extend the life of this game. I still don't understand why she dances, I mean, she's in the middle of a battlefield, not a nightclub. I will have to have a word with her sometime.
CONTROLS Score:92%
Vanessa is not only easy to control, but also easy to learn how to control. Her movements are very fluid and flow easily with the controller. The button layout if also very well designed.
I have two gripes though. One, there is no strafing in this game whatsoever. And two, you cannot shoot while running. This makes the game much harder when fighting many robots or bosses that are shooting heaps of stuff at you.
ATMOSPHERE Score:97%
One word describes this game: slick. From beginning to end this game has kept the graphics, the animations, the A.I, everthing very slick. This makes the overall atmosphere of the game very realistic. It's very easy to get lost in the ambience that P.N. 03 creates.
You will find that time will fly by when playing this game. While reviewing P.N. 03, I lost around four days as the game sucked me into it and I couldn't leave it alone until I'd finished it.
WEB INTEGRATION Score:75%
Good use of the web here are Capcom have different sites for P.N. 03 (http://www.capcom-europe.com/minisites/PN03/[/url) to suit each region. Capcom Japan's version of the site is all flash and very slick, even though I couldn't understand any of that whacky Japanese talk, I still managed to get the general idea. Capcoms' Europe site was much less flashy then the Japanese version, but all the relevant info was there with a great layout.
However, the substance of the sites was very light. It would have been great if they had detailed biographies of all the robots in the game setup on-line. This would be some useful information that would encourage people to check up on the official game site when next time they buy a Capcom game.
OVERALL Score:90%
This game has been targeted at a male audience, and being in the target audience, it works for me. I loved this game and had a great time playing it. I'm still trying to get my girlfriend into it, however I don't hold out much hope that she will like it.
This game has many fine points, great graphics, mindless action, and a hell hot chick. If you're in the mood for some stress relief and some happy pants feelings, then this game is a must for you.
ScreenShots
http://forum.zgeek.com/gallery/files/6/1/6/pn03-3_thumb.jpg (http://www.zgeek.com/forum/gallery/showimage.php?i=17415&c=209) http://forum.zgeek.com/gallery/files/6/1/6/pn03-2_thumb.jpg (http://www.zgeek.com/forum/gallery/showimage.php?i=17414&c=209) http://forum.zgeek.com/gallery/files/6/1/6/pn03-1_thumb.jpg (http://www.zgeek.com/forum/gallery/showimage.php?i=17413&c=209)
1. I am a HUGE fan of robots
2. I love watching cute chicks shaking their moneymakers
3. I love shooting stuff and watching stuff blow up
4. I love creating combo's and the idea of combo's
Now, having said all that, it seems that Capcom have used their satellites to look into my mind (again!!!) and develop the perfect game for me. I should be angry with capcom for doing that and not paying me royalties, but the game seems to be rewarding enough for me.
P.N. 03 is a simple action shooting game where you control Vanessa. You simply have to clear the levels of all bad guys and fight a big bad boss at the end of each mission. Simple fare here, doesnt get much deeper then that, but what little this game does, it does very well and with much style.
GRAPHICS Score:100%
From the design of the rooms to the detail of all objects, this game has mastered the art of graphics. Each room is designed to look and feel a specific way, each robot can be clearly identifed from a distance, and when looking into a vast distance there is no visible distortion.
Now, the greatest part of this game is Vanessa and how they have animated her. Flawless. That's the only word I can use to describe her. Her actions are smooth and animated so well that you feel like you are controling a live person. And the stuff she does while in battle will distract even the best of us. Here is a free a tip if you plan to play this game: don't play this around your girlfriend, otherwise you may say some stupid stuff like: "how come YOU can do that", or my favourite, "why can't you bend your body like THAT!!"
I kid you not, it's very hard to kill robots when your girlfriend is slapping the hell out of you.
SOUND/MUSIC Score:86%
There are good sound effects in this game. You can anticipate some of the robots actions by the sounds they make, and they also sound very satisfying when blowing up. Vanessa doesn't say much in the game, which is a pity as she has a strange American / Russian accent. I still can't really decide which one it is.
The music is also good; it keeps up the tempo of the game and changes as the action gets faster. There isn't much variety to it unfortunatley.
MULTIPLAYER Score:N/A
No multiplayer fun to be had here, which is really unfortunate.
(RE)PLAYABILITY Score:90%
You have to finish the game three times to get a full ending, one where Vanessa is in the shower. Well worth completing the game for this.
However, the action in the game can get quite repetative. As with all games based on simple shoot and kill it does get dull after a while. This is where combo's come in. You can get a higher point score if you kill another robot within a few seconds after killing your first one. How much time depends on how hard the robot was, and so does the point tally. At the end of your combo, your kills multiply your points, so you can get some massive point combo's.
Vanessa shaking her booty also helps to extend the life of this game. I still don't understand why she dances, I mean, she's in the middle of a battlefield, not a nightclub. I will have to have a word with her sometime.
CONTROLS Score:92%
Vanessa is not only easy to control, but also easy to learn how to control. Her movements are very fluid and flow easily with the controller. The button layout if also very well designed.
I have two gripes though. One, there is no strafing in this game whatsoever. And two, you cannot shoot while running. This makes the game much harder when fighting many robots or bosses that are shooting heaps of stuff at you.
ATMOSPHERE Score:97%
One word describes this game: slick. From beginning to end this game has kept the graphics, the animations, the A.I, everthing very slick. This makes the overall atmosphere of the game very realistic. It's very easy to get lost in the ambience that P.N. 03 creates.
You will find that time will fly by when playing this game. While reviewing P.N. 03, I lost around four days as the game sucked me into it and I couldn't leave it alone until I'd finished it.
WEB INTEGRATION Score:75%
Good use of the web here are Capcom have different sites for P.N. 03 (http://www.capcom-europe.com/minisites/PN03/[/url) to suit each region. Capcom Japan's version of the site is all flash and very slick, even though I couldn't understand any of that whacky Japanese talk, I still managed to get the general idea. Capcoms' Europe site was much less flashy then the Japanese version, but all the relevant info was there with a great layout.
However, the substance of the sites was very light. It would have been great if they had detailed biographies of all the robots in the game setup on-line. This would be some useful information that would encourage people to check up on the official game site when next time they buy a Capcom game.
OVERALL Score:90%
This game has been targeted at a male audience, and being in the target audience, it works for me. I loved this game and had a great time playing it. I'm still trying to get my girlfriend into it, however I don't hold out much hope that she will like it.
This game has many fine points, great graphics, mindless action, and a hell hot chick. If you're in the mood for some stress relief and some happy pants feelings, then this game is a must for you.
ScreenShots
http://forum.zgeek.com/gallery/files/6/1/6/pn03-3_thumb.jpg (http://www.zgeek.com/forum/gallery/showimage.php?i=17415&c=209) http://forum.zgeek.com/gallery/files/6/1/6/pn03-2_thumb.jpg (http://www.zgeek.com/forum/gallery/showimage.php?i=17414&c=209) http://forum.zgeek.com/gallery/files/6/1/6/pn03-1_thumb.jpg (http://www.zgeek.com/forum/gallery/showimage.php?i=17413&c=209)