P.N.03

The entirely inconsequential plot forces you to guide the svelte Vanessa through umpteen levels of third person combat. After viewing the intro sequence, where V gracefully jumps and twists between enemy bullets, you assume the control system is going to be all about fluid movement and balletic combos. In actual fact it's a rather clunky system that refuses to let you fire while moving and is actually somewhat reminiscent of Resident Evil's. After a while you get used to it and can start enjoying the game, which is broken up into a number of small rooms where you must destroy a series of extremely dim but nevertheless deadly robots.

Throughout all this the graphics are extremely well designed, if ultimately rather repetitive--a statement that could be applied to the game in general if you're so inclined. If you enjoy your old-school arcade action though, this soon becomes addictive and is a welcome alternative to the legion of sequels and clones currently clogging up the charts. --David Jenkins

Firing up the game, even with the most open-minded approach, is instant dissapointment. Movement is limited and seemingly clumsy, enemies are dense automatons, and the scenery is simplistic to say the least. Still, you've spent money on it, so you persist. Room after room. You finish the first level, and get presented with Trial Missions: 15 rooms, chosen at random from the level you've just cleared, stuck together in a random order with random enemies.

It's in the attempt at those that the game finally clicks.

PN03 is a game of high scores and raw skill in the face of strict limitations. At first, it's all about cover- timing dodging in and out of hiding places, side to side and up and down, in order to avoid damage from enemies. Thus, you learn just how the enemies' attack patterns work. You don't look good doing it: you don't move in the way the game's attract mode suggests. You look like a female stormtrooper with a neurological condition.

A few levels later, and dodging is replaced by standing in the open, cartwheeling, dodging, ducking and rolling in the most precise, efficient manner possible to avoid incoming fire and unleash a return volley. The game's luscious hand-animated Energy Drive attacks slot into this Equilibrium-esque gunslinging dance routine. The game's joy is in movement - every geometric enemy and implossibly scaled sterile chasm coming to life in the ensuing tit-for-tat lightshow.

You find some kind of grace there, and you keep on going: not for variety or some cunning gameplay twist, but purely for that wonderful sense of your developing skill, of surprassing yourself. PN03 isn't a friendly game or an approachable one. Give it your time and effort, and you'll come to love the gameplay as much as I love that curvaceous backside.


Basic but fun   October 18, 2004
Mr. Rob Collins (England)
5 out of 5 found this review helpful

I had a lot of fun with this game and played it right through to the end. At its heart it's a pretty simple action game - no great plot or gameplay subtleties, but I see this as a good thing. And it's very cheap nowadays!

The controls are different to many similar games and so it takes a bit of time to get used to them - but I definitely wouldn't say that they are poorly designed. They are perfect for this game.

The key to this game is timing. Specifically, you have to judge when to dodge and when to shoot. Note that you can't fire and dodge at the same time. Risk and reward features strongly - you want to kill the enemies as quickly as possible (making life easier for yourself and also chaining together bonuses) but you also want to try and avoid getting hit too much. Getting this balance right leaves you feeling justifiably smug as you enjoy the acrobatic displays of the lead character and the exploding carcuses of the poor dumb robot enemies.

The levels are a bit like Lego - 10-15 different shaped rooms are the building blocks connected together to form the level. Each room has several enemies whose fire you need to skilfully avoid whilst trying to shoot them. Unfortuantely there's a lack of variety of these building blocks, and the enemies aren't very varied either.

The design and animation of the lead character is superb (as are the robot enemies). She's a bit of an acrobat and it's truly a joy to watch her jump and backflip around the screen. The special moves that can clear a whole room of enemies are particularly impressive. The soundtrack can be a bit repetitive. The environments and level design also suffer from this repetitiveness.

As you progress, you'll need to swap your points for better equipment or else you just won't be able to handle the later enemies. You can get more points by quickly killing the enemies in each room - this requires quite a bit of skill but is worth trying to get right.

Good points:
* VERY cheap!
* Simple but fun gameplay.
* Not like your average action/shooter game.
* Sci-fi setting works well.
* Great animation.

Bad points:
* Perhaps a bit TOO simple and repetitive.
* Environments can be a bit bland.


Real jolly good fun   August 23, 2004
5 out of 5 found this review helpful

At first I was thrown by the seemingly irksome controls of this game, where you have to stand still to shoot etc. But I quickly came to see that this was not a mistake at all, but very much intentional. It's part of the game mechanic and it works really well. You have to dodge and perform special attacks standing still, which is balanced by the predicability of the enemy's moves etc. It works REALLY well, although is not at all how I imagined the game to be.
The progression also works well as you splash out on better combat suits and powerups etc.
Obviously the plot is limited, and the game is nothing like you would expect from the pictures... I know *I* was taken in by the idea that it was an all action sci-fi Tomb Raider clone... But it IS all action and it IS sci-fi and it IS a compellingly brilliant game.
Not as totally genious as Ikaruga or as visually arresting as Rez (although in the same sort of genre area), but genuinly accessable and enjoyable and well worth getting. Superb.


Don't be fooled by the pics on the cover and back of the box   March 17, 2004
3 out of 13 found this review helpful

I brought this game in the shop Virgin for 10
I had read the reviews on here befor and saw all the bad ratings which people have given it. I saw this game in Virgin for 10 and thought i'd give it a go.
On the reviews here they don't actually tell you what the game is about. Well im ging to tell you!
Say on level one, There are 11 rooms, you have to go in all 11 rooms and kill the bad guys and that's it. All thru the game.
My advise is don't buy this game.
The music is the same all thru the game.
Same graphics, game play etc...

Not very wellput together.
On the back of the case it looks aight. well play it and find out.


Repetitively boring   October 29, 2003
Eudonni Moricom (London, UK)
1 out of 13 found this review helpful

In a nutshell; Amazing graphics! Great sound. Great concept although a little 'lara-ish'.
In its entirety; let down by the repeated surroundings, levels and repeated end-of-level bosses. Game play has certainly taken the back seat to this visually stunning game.
Bitterly disappointing. Not worth buying or even renting.