Review
Played on: Saturn
Released: 1996
Released: 1996
Originally released: 1994 (PC-98)
Back story
It's been a while since I've played a Hideo Kojima game, the last being a halfway and disappointing run of MGSV: Phantom Pain. Kojima is a game director that has once again entered the spotlight with his recent release of Death Stranding. While I'm not a fan of his later work, I find it massively overproduced and pretentious, I went back to one of his earlier productions with Konami, namely Policenauts.
Much like Kojimas earlier work Snatcher, Policenauts is a point and click adventure, with shooting elements in certain action scenes. Policenauts was first released in 1994 on NEC's PC98 home computer platform. It was later re-animated with a new artstyle and released on the ill-fated 3DO in 1995. It then saw a downgraded port to the first PlayStation in early 1996, while finally arriving as a more complete port on the Saturn, later that same year.
I've opted for the Saturn version, as I do not have access to a PC98 or a 3DO, and compared to the PS1 version, it's the best port. Cutscenes are restored back to 25fps, and not the low 15 on PS1, cut content was also added back in on the Saturn port.
Policenauts was never was released outside of Japan, but luckily a fantastic fan translation was made. Allowing you to patch the original Japanese release to include English subtitles. I bought my copy as a repro, by an Etsy seller, complete with disc art and a DVD styled cover. It came pre-patched to save time and money. You'll need a Saturn that can play burnt games to play a repro like this. Be warned, if you're looking for an original copy from Japan, they go for a very steep price these days.
Lets take this repro for a spin on the Saturn and look at this early 90's detective adventure!
Much like Kojimas earlier work Snatcher, Policenauts is a point and click adventure, with shooting elements in certain action scenes. Policenauts was first released in 1994 on NEC's PC98 home computer platform. It was later re-animated with a new artstyle and released on the ill-fated 3DO in 1995. It then saw a downgraded port to the first PlayStation in early 1996, while finally arriving as a more complete port on the Saturn, later that same year.
I've opted for the Saturn version, as I do not have access to a PC98 or a 3DO, and compared to the PS1 version, it's the best port. Cutscenes are restored back to 25fps, and not the low 15 on PS1, cut content was also added back in on the Saturn port.
Policenauts was never was released outside of Japan, but luckily a fantastic fan translation was made. Allowing you to patch the original Japanese release to include English subtitles. I bought my copy as a repro, by an Etsy seller, complete with disc art and a DVD styled cover. It came pre-patched to save time and money. You'll need a Saturn that can play burnt games to play a repro like this. Be warned, if you're looking for an original copy from Japan, they go for a very steep price these days.
Lets take this repro for a spin on the Saturn and look at this early 90's detective adventure!
Plot and setting
I don't want to reveal too much plot, as that's the main motivation for a game like this, but you play as Jonathan Ingram. Whom used to be a Policenaut, basically a police astronaut, that got involved in an accident and sent into cryo-sleep for 28 years. After he awakens he takes up a job as a private detective, a job which one day gets a very different kind of task.
The game takes place in the mid-century 2000s, both on earth in Los Angeles and on a massive space colony named Beyond. The long cryo-sleep of the main character sets an interesting plot premise, as you meet people from Jonathans "previous" life, many years prior. Basically Jonathan has stayed young, while the people he once knew have aged 28 years.
I enjoyed the locations you visit along the timeline of the story. They're well designed, building a great sense of a 80s/90s styled vision of futuristic cities and everyday life. Although these locations are merely pictures, I would advice for players to take their time and explore them and let the atmosphere sink in. It's cool to see some of the sci-fi, futuristic tech has actually become reality since 1994 too! While others seem extremely dated for modern times.
The game takes place in the mid-century 2000s, both on earth in Los Angeles and on a massive space colony named Beyond. The long cryo-sleep of the main character sets an interesting plot premise, as you meet people from Jonathans "previous" life, many years prior. Basically Jonathan has stayed young, while the people he once knew have aged 28 years.
I enjoyed the locations you visit along the timeline of the story. They're well designed, building a great sense of a 80s/90s styled vision of futuristic cities and everyday life. Although these locations are merely pictures, I would advice for players to take their time and explore them and let the atmosphere sink in. It's cool to see some of the sci-fi, futuristic tech has actually become reality since 1994 too! While others seem extremely dated for modern times.
Gameplay and features
Policenauts controls like most point and click adventures: a still image is displayed, usually of a room or building, and you need to click on various objects to examine them. It varies how much you can take a close look at and most people in the room allow you to start a conversation. Talking to other characters will spark new conversation lines through questions you ask. Progressing your police investigations further.
Showing key people items, or telling them certain information, will trigger new revealing plot developments. Important scenes usually trigger an audio dialogue, texted from the spoken Japanese in this fan translated version.
I'm normally not a massive point and click fan, as I usually like to be able to control a character directly, but I found the slow paced and relaxed playthrough, from my normal lineup of titles, a breath of fresh air these days.
Sometimes a situation or dialogue will trigger an action scene, featuring gun shooting. This is normally controlled by a cursor, but if you own a Sega Stunner lightgun and a CRT TV I highly recommend plugging it into controller port two. This way, the shooting turns into lightgun fights. it really helps to add variation and is a fun break from the investigation.
Showing key people items, or telling them certain information, will trigger new revealing plot developments. Important scenes usually trigger an audio dialogue, texted from the spoken Japanese in this fan translated version.
I'm normally not a massive point and click fan, as I usually like to be able to control a character directly, but I found the slow paced and relaxed playthrough, from my normal lineup of titles, a breath of fresh air these days.
Sometimes a situation or dialogue will trigger an action scene, featuring gun shooting. This is normally controlled by a cursor, but if you own a Sega Stunner lightgun and a CRT TV I highly recommend plugging it into controller port two. This way, the shooting turns into lightgun fights. it really helps to add variation and is a fun break from the investigation.
I liked having the lightgun by my side on the couch, as a sort of sidearmc, and having to pick it up when a gun scene took place. Really neat idea, which also Kojima's Snatcher used!
Video
I enjoyed the visual style of the game a lot. It looks like a 80s and early 90s anime, albeit mostly with still pictures. The animated scenes look cool too, although typically, grainy FMV like most video sequences back when this game released. Video quality is not as noticeable on a CRT like I played on, mind you. I really appreciate the artstyle and work gone into all these locations you visit. Building the right atmosphere through their design and detail.
While it's not the fastest loading of images as you progress to a new room or scene, it's nothing different from other titles in this genre at the time of release. I appreciate that the shooting scenes cleverly use the background image you just had a dialogue or investigation in, without needing to change to another background image.
The images sadly only take up half the screen, with the other half being used for dialogue and action prompts available to the player. I would have loved to see some of these fantastic locations and characters in full screen.
While it's not the fastest loading of images as you progress to a new room or scene, it's nothing different from other titles in this genre at the time of release. I appreciate that the shooting scenes cleverly use the background image you just had a dialogue or investigation in, without needing to change to another background image.
The images sadly only take up half the screen, with the other half being used for dialogue and action prompts available to the player. I would have loved to see some of these fantastic locations and characters in full screen.
Audio
Right from the beginning on the title screen, you're greeted to a famous melody in gaming: the famous Konami logo theme from MGS1! This is, in fact, the title screen music from Policenauts! It's a lovely theme, used a couple of times throughout the game too!
I really enjoyed the soundtrack, with some wonderful tunes ranging from melancholic and calm, to high paced and tense. Complimenting each scene well. I like the repeated use of each tune throughout the story too, making you familiar with them.
The sound design is nothing noteworthy, and I must stress that the audio dialogue is still in Japanese, despite the translation, and seems fine, but nothing I can judge as I don't know the language.
I really enjoyed the soundtrack, with some wonderful tunes ranging from melancholic and calm, to high paced and tense. Complimenting each scene well. I like the repeated use of each tune throughout the story too, making you familiar with them.
The sound design is nothing noteworthy, and I must stress that the audio dialogue is still in Japanese, despite the translation, and seems fine, but nothing I can judge as I don't know the language.
Summary
While it probably won't blow you away in such a manner the first Metal Gear Solid did, this is a noteworthy title from Kojima and I had a lovely experience playing it. Sure, it's technically simplistic, with a lot of try and fail attempts like most point and click adventures, but the main goal of conveying a dark and intriguing story, set in a original futuristic location, still works very well. If you allow yourself to accept it's age technically. The story keeps you glued for further plot developments, there's quite a few twists along the way!
Combine the story and atmosphere with a relaxing gameplay style and cool lightgun shootouts, thrown in here and there, and it turns out to be quite a pleasant title to play through. Taking roughly between 10 to 12 hours.
It's probably not gonna happen, but Konami really should make Policenauts and Snatcher available to modern consoles and PCs!
Combine the story and atmosphere with a relaxing gameplay style and cool lightgun shootouts, thrown in here and there, and it turns out to be quite a pleasant title to play through. Taking roughly between 10 to 12 hours.
It's probably not gonna happen, but Konami really should make Policenauts and Snatcher available to modern consoles and PCs!
