City Hunter isn’t one of the many older manga series that I am too familiar with. I have seen clips here and there, but that’s about it. I came across this game while looking at some upcoming releases. After reading up on it a bit, I thought it could be a nice thing to check out. If you’re a fan of the series, this might be worth looking into. But with its short runtime, it’s more of a disappointment than anything else.
Cleaning the streets of Tokyo
City Hunter focuses on the crime-solving of Ryo Saeba. He’s a man people hire to help them solve crimes that the Tokyo police aren’t willing to handle. The game’s structure is set into three chapters/episodes. These appear separate at first, but as you progress, it’s clear that there is a connection between them.
The structure of those stages is identical. You will walk around the levels trying to locate people, keys, or other items to progress. It’s always find a person who has access to another part of the map. They will either ask you to find something for them, or they will give you what you need. After you get that access, you open up a new area and either do it one more time or find the end-of-stage boss to fight.
Finding those items means you’ll spend most of the game trying to open doors. Every time you approach a door, you’ll want to hit the up button on the controller to see if you can access a room. A locked room might be accessible later, but a key or access card is necessary. At the same time, a lot of rooms are accessible but empty. It’s a strange design choice that ends up being annoying since there isn’t anything you can “discover”.
That’s the end?
After completing the first three stages, you open up a final chapter, which takes place on a cruise ship. It’s the same process here. You are still looking to find people trapped on the boat, while managing to fend off the constant waves of foes. The last stage was the longest, only because the layout is the largest, and it’s easy to get lost.
But the last stage is also the most disappointing of the bunch. I want to avoid spoilers, but the stage doesn’t end the way you’d expect. Also, when the story reaches its conclusion, the game ends without a proper epilogue. It’s a strange way to finish the game, since you’d think there would be a better conclusion.
This might be the limitations of a PC Engine game from 1990. Or, that’s how the anime/manga is. There is some expectation that you are familiar with the source material. In every stage, there is a secret room where Ryo comes across a pretty lady getting dressed. These rooms serve as recovery rooms to refill your life meter. In most cases, these rooms don’t make any sense. I’m guessing that he’s a bit of a goofball who stumbles into awkward situations with women.
Only for the hardcore
This City Hunter revival is only meant for hardcore fans of the series. The game’s length is less than an hour, and the bonus material won’t appeal to a wider audience. Also, for a $33.49 (CDN) price tag, it’s a bit on the steeper side of things. If you’re a fan of the series, I’d still wait for a sale. For everyone else, I don’t think this will turn you into one.
For Context: I was given a Nintendo Switch code for the game from the publisher.
