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I've just got this on import and since it's not on the SR database I'm going to have to do it on here.
Once word hit the street that Nintendo was underway with
a mature title for the Nintendo 64, many began to salivate
over the possibilities. This possibility soon turned into
reality and was unveiled to be Sin and Punishment.
However, it wasn't a true Nintendo-only (Nintendo R&D
1 aided the developers) development effort. As it turns out,
the developer behind Sin and Punishment is the highly
acclaimed Treasure. And that's just what Sin and
Punishment is. A valuable treasure that may go widely
overlooked in America if Nintendo doesn't do something
about it. Currently the title is Japanese-only, so the only
way to get your hands on it is to import it.
Sin and Punishment has quickly rocketed to the top of our
"must-have" list. It remains to be a Tour de Force of
endless arcade-style shooting action. In fact it's a title you
simply don't want to end, and find yourself in disbelief
when it does all too soon.
There is simply no easy way to describe Sin and
Punishment's storyline. The game opens up with a group
of rebels that are gunned down by armed forces. These
rebels' last cries were to their leader, Achi. Most of the
rebels died there, leaving only Achi and a few of her
prodigies -- Saki and Airan. Then, after a few scenes of
foreshadowing dialogue, the story begins to take some
shape. The rebels are fighting to save humanity from the
Rufians, who are animals that have been genetically
mutated. The armed forces are also fighting against the
Rufians, but their cause has been corrupted. So the rebels
are forced to clash with both a military beast and the
genetically mutated beasts known as the Rufians. It is best
summed up as a tale that deals with political corruption,
genetic mutations, with some fantastical surprises thrown
in.
Once you absorb some of the bizarre plot you can get to
the actual gameplay. There are two difficulty modes: easy
and normal. Your best bet is to play through on easy and
develop your skills along the way. Once you've done that
you can head back through in normal mode, which will
prove much more difficult. For beginners, the first level is
designed quite well and features a good amount of
balance. You'll have a lot of time to adjust to the control
scheme and point system because there is a lot to shoot
and not so much going on that it will weigh down your
senses. The way the control scheme is set up is as
follows: The controller can actually be used one of two
ways, being designed for both right-handed and
left-handed individuals. In the first right-centric control
scheme the C-left and C-right buttons are used to strafe
from left to right. And, since Sin and Punishment
progresses as if it were on a "railroad track" -- only
moving forward, never backwards -- jumping up and
down and strafing are your primary movements. In the
second left-centric control scheme the player can use the
D-pad (in place of the C-buttons) to strafe from the left to
right. In both setups the Z-trigger is used to fire your
weapon (your crosshair is always active), and depending
on if you use the left-centric or right-centric control you’ll
use one of the shoulder buttons, L or R, to jump. Of
course, there’s some added depth to the controls. You can
tap the strafe button twice to quickly roll in one direction,
and pressing the jump button twice in a row offers a
double jump. Your gun also comes equipped with a light
saber, of sorts. By simply double tapping the Z-trigger
you can activate it, but it will only work when something
like an enemy or missile is close to you. It's a very
strategic move and will play a vital role in making it to the
end, especially in normal mode.
The gameplay revolves around a few very important elements, those being your health and the time left on the counter. In normal mode enemies can take more fire than they do in easy mode so time is going to run out faster. There are a few solutions to this problem. The easiest (although easier said than done) is defeating the enemy faster. To do this you will often have to draw your sword at every possible moment. Usually the more difficult opponents fire projectiles at you that you can bat back at them with your sword. This will certainly quicken their death. However, if you're more of a sharp shooter you can usually blow up external objects like missile launchers, sentry guns, and the like for time bonuses. Depending on the situation these external objects may give you a time bonus, health, or points. Suffice it to say that you will need to destroy everything as quickly and efficiently as possible.
The point system is actually quite effective and very arcade in design. It counts every hit (read: explosion or death) you make on the screen as, "Hit – 45," and onward. These hits continue to add up as long as you don't die. For every 100 hits you get a point bonus and an extra credit to continue. So your efforts to hit everything won't go without reward, and there's even some strategy involved. You can gain extra hits if you're quick enough. For example a platform may hold three men atop it. If you destroy the platform, you get one hit. If you destroy the three men separately and then the platform you'll get four hits. If you play smart you'll get big points and plenty of rewards.
After you become accustomed to the controls and interface you'll be ready to face the entire game. It is broken up into three major themes ranging from Tokyo's surrounding plains and cities to off Japan's coast and finally into outer space. Each of those three themes features several sub-sections creating the classic level layout, 2-1, 2-2, 2-3, etc. Even that is generalizing it, though, because even those sub-sections tend to range over a few cut-scenes and themes. Now, while Sin and Punishment is extremely diverse and varied, it ends quite abruptly. It's the one complaint I have about this fine title; it ends too soon.
Certainly the sheer assortment of stages and bosses is wonderful, but there's still only a short amount of gameplay there. You can absolutely beat it within a day. If you play through on the easy setting, you're looking at a few hours to absorb the cut-scenes and play through. If you set it on normal, your time to completion will dramatically increase as things become very challenging. All in all, though, its glory is over far too quickly.
What this exceptional piece of software does offer is pure arcade-style fun, with brilliant level designs and huge bosses (around every corner) to go along with it. There has to be at least 25 different bosses and mini-bosses in Sin and Punishment, if not twice that. There's so much giant opposition that it brings a smile of awe to your face, because with every boss comes the chance of an accomplishment. At some moments you will even face three bosses in a row, which is a big adrenaline rush. The superior opposition is definitely one of the highlights of the gameplay. The level designs are also huge and clever. Everything is placed to increase drama, and all the atmospheres change dramatically throughout the quest. You will fight atop elevators, take to the sky and defy gravity, bear the desert heat, side-scroll, clash swords with the enemy, and even fight the earth itself. Needless to say the levels are a treat for the senses and will always keep you on your toes.
One area I would have liked to see some more variance in is weapon sets or armor. You have one gun/sword and give or take a situation or two in the game, you only use that throughout the entire quest. It's a bit of a downer that there weren't weapon or armor upgrades to gain. The good news is that it doesn't really take away from the brilliant play mechanics that are present, but it would have proved to be a great addition.
You can hook up with a friend and play cooperatively. This
mode is very unique, though, and not how you may think it. The first player is in control of the main character as usual, but the second-player can step in at any time and control the site on the gun. This splits up the tasks of dodging bullets and shooting them quite effectively. So, make sure you pick a trustworthy friend (or one that doesn't suck). The only problem with it is, if
you're good enough you can manage all this on your own. So the mode becomes rather moot
when you become an expert. Ideally you would have been able to play as one of the other
characters, but alas that's not possible.
At the end of the day, Sin and Punishment shines through as one of the most unique and bold titles to ever hit the N64. Currently it is Japan-only, but if you have the means to import it by all means do. The text is in Japanese, but the voice-acting is not. So not only do you get a brilliant game, but you get to take in the story as well. Once you play with the menus enough, you'll figure out what is what, thus making the fact that it's in Japanese rather unimportant. This is definitely one of the most perfect import titles, if not the most perfect import title that I have ever played. It's easy to navigate, features a lot of English, and is an absolute riot to play. This is a genre that has been sorely lacking on the Nintendo 64, and depriving yourself of it would be a
grave mistake.
In a low-resolution environment Treasure and Nintendo have managed to more than make up for it in the form of fluid framerates and dazzling visual effects. At almost every instance there is usually a fountain of sparks, motion blur, or a combination of the two. You'll soon forget about the low-polygon character models or semi-stiff animation. The art direction is equally impressive, because visually everything is done in a luxurious manner.
There is one simple fact you need to understand: you don't really need to know Japanese to play this game. There are about eight choices on the main menu, but after some trial and error you'll know exactly what is what. Personally, I found Sin and Punishment to be one of the best games to ever grace the N64. My one complaint is that it ends too soon. So, basically what I'm saying is that I can't get enough of it. It really just blows you away with totally unadulterated fun. You can never get too much of a good thing, and that stands irrefutably true in this case. The brief gameplay is Sin and Punishment's biggest weakness, and it leaves me hoping there will be another game like this in the not too distant future (*cough*
Gamecube *cough*). Sin and Punishment. Import this game, even if it is for a relatively short-lived experience. In
the age of sporadic N64 releases, there are not many purchases that would be more
worthwhile.
Once word hit the street that Nintendo was underway with
a mature title for the Nintendo 64, many began to salivate
over the possibilities. This possibility soon turned into
reality and was unveiled to be Sin and Punishment.
However, it wasn't a true Nintendo-only (Nintendo R&D
1 aided the developers) development effort. As it turns out,
the developer behind Sin and Punishment is the highly
acclaimed Treasure. And that's just what Sin and
Punishment is. A valuable treasure that may go widely
overlooked in America if Nintendo doesn't do something
about it. Currently the title is Japanese-only, so the only
way to get your hands on it is to import it.
Sin and Punishment has quickly rocketed to the top of our
"must-have" list. It remains to be a Tour de Force of
endless arcade-style shooting action. In fact it's a title you
simply don't want to end, and find yourself in disbelief
when it does all too soon.
There is simply no easy way to describe Sin and
Punishment's storyline. The game opens up with a group
of rebels that are gunned down by armed forces. These
rebels' last cries were to their leader, Achi. Most of the
rebels died there, leaving only Achi and a few of her
prodigies -- Saki and Airan. Then, after a few scenes of
foreshadowing dialogue, the story begins to take some
shape. The rebels are fighting to save humanity from the
Rufians, who are animals that have been genetically
mutated. The armed forces are also fighting against the
Rufians, but their cause has been corrupted. So the rebels
are forced to clash with both a military beast and the
genetically mutated beasts known as the Rufians. It is best
summed up as a tale that deals with political corruption,
genetic mutations, with some fantastical surprises thrown
in.
Once you absorb some of the bizarre plot you can get to
the actual gameplay. There are two difficulty modes: easy
and normal. Your best bet is to play through on easy and
develop your skills along the way. Once you've done that
you can head back through in normal mode, which will
prove much more difficult. For beginners, the first level is
designed quite well and features a good amount of
balance. You'll have a lot of time to adjust to the control
scheme and point system because there is a lot to shoot
and not so much going on that it will weigh down your
senses. The way the control scheme is set up is as
follows: The controller can actually be used one of two
ways, being designed for both right-handed and
left-handed individuals. In the first right-centric control
scheme the C-left and C-right buttons are used to strafe
from left to right. And, since Sin and Punishment
progresses as if it were on a "railroad track" -- only
moving forward, never backwards -- jumping up and
down and strafing are your primary movements. In the
second left-centric control scheme the player can use the
D-pad (in place of the C-buttons) to strafe from the left to
right. In both setups the Z-trigger is used to fire your
weapon (your crosshair is always active), and depending
on if you use the left-centric or right-centric control you’ll
use one of the shoulder buttons, L or R, to jump. Of
course, there’s some added depth to the controls. You can
tap the strafe button twice to quickly roll in one direction,
and pressing the jump button twice in a row offers a
double jump. Your gun also comes equipped with a light
saber, of sorts. By simply double tapping the Z-trigger
you can activate it, but it will only work when something
like an enemy or missile is close to you. It's a very
strategic move and will play a vital role in making it to the
end, especially in normal mode.
The gameplay revolves around a few very important elements, those being your health and the time left on the counter. In normal mode enemies can take more fire than they do in easy mode so time is going to run out faster. There are a few solutions to this problem. The easiest (although easier said than done) is defeating the enemy faster. To do this you will often have to draw your sword at every possible moment. Usually the more difficult opponents fire projectiles at you that you can bat back at them with your sword. This will certainly quicken their death. However, if you're more of a sharp shooter you can usually blow up external objects like missile launchers, sentry guns, and the like for time bonuses. Depending on the situation these external objects may give you a time bonus, health, or points. Suffice it to say that you will need to destroy everything as quickly and efficiently as possible.
The point system is actually quite effective and very arcade in design. It counts every hit (read: explosion or death) you make on the screen as, "Hit – 45," and onward. These hits continue to add up as long as you don't die. For every 100 hits you get a point bonus and an extra credit to continue. So your efforts to hit everything won't go without reward, and there's even some strategy involved. You can gain extra hits if you're quick enough. For example a platform may hold three men atop it. If you destroy the platform, you get one hit. If you destroy the three men separately and then the platform you'll get four hits. If you play smart you'll get big points and plenty of rewards.
After you become accustomed to the controls and interface you'll be ready to face the entire game. It is broken up into three major themes ranging from Tokyo's surrounding plains and cities to off Japan's coast and finally into outer space. Each of those three themes features several sub-sections creating the classic level layout, 2-1, 2-2, 2-3, etc. Even that is generalizing it, though, because even those sub-sections tend to range over a few cut-scenes and themes. Now, while Sin and Punishment is extremely diverse and varied, it ends quite abruptly. It's the one complaint I have about this fine title; it ends too soon.
Certainly the sheer assortment of stages and bosses is wonderful, but there's still only a short amount of gameplay there. You can absolutely beat it within a day. If you play through on the easy setting, you're looking at a few hours to absorb the cut-scenes and play through. If you set it on normal, your time to completion will dramatically increase as things become very challenging. All in all, though, its glory is over far too quickly.
What this exceptional piece of software does offer is pure arcade-style fun, with brilliant level designs and huge bosses (around every corner) to go along with it. There has to be at least 25 different bosses and mini-bosses in Sin and Punishment, if not twice that. There's so much giant opposition that it brings a smile of awe to your face, because with every boss comes the chance of an accomplishment. At some moments you will even face three bosses in a row, which is a big adrenaline rush. The superior opposition is definitely one of the highlights of the gameplay. The level designs are also huge and clever. Everything is placed to increase drama, and all the atmospheres change dramatically throughout the quest. You will fight atop elevators, take to the sky and defy gravity, bear the desert heat, side-scroll, clash swords with the enemy, and even fight the earth itself. Needless to say the levels are a treat for the senses and will always keep you on your toes.
One area I would have liked to see some more variance in is weapon sets or armor. You have one gun/sword and give or take a situation or two in the game, you only use that throughout the entire quest. It's a bit of a downer that there weren't weapon or armor upgrades to gain. The good news is that it doesn't really take away from the brilliant play mechanics that are present, but it would have proved to be a great addition.
You can hook up with a friend and play cooperatively. This
mode is very unique, though, and not how you may think it. The first player is in control of the main character as usual, but the second-player can step in at any time and control the site on the gun. This splits up the tasks of dodging bullets and shooting them quite effectively. So, make sure you pick a trustworthy friend (or one that doesn't suck). The only problem with it is, if
you're good enough you can manage all this on your own. So the mode becomes rather moot
when you become an expert. Ideally you would have been able to play as one of the other
characters, but alas that's not possible.
At the end of the day, Sin and Punishment shines through as one of the most unique and bold titles to ever hit the N64. Currently it is Japan-only, but if you have the means to import it by all means do. The text is in Japanese, but the voice-acting is not. So not only do you get a brilliant game, but you get to take in the story as well. Once you play with the menus enough, you'll figure out what is what, thus making the fact that it's in Japanese rather unimportant. This is definitely one of the most perfect import titles, if not the most perfect import title that I have ever played. It's easy to navigate, features a lot of English, and is an absolute riot to play. This is a genre that has been sorely lacking on the Nintendo 64, and depriving yourself of it would be a
grave mistake.
In a low-resolution environment Treasure and Nintendo have managed to more than make up for it in the form of fluid framerates and dazzling visual effects. At almost every instance there is usually a fountain of sparks, motion blur, or a combination of the two. You'll soon forget about the low-polygon character models or semi-stiff animation. The art direction is equally impressive, because visually everything is done in a luxurious manner.
There is one simple fact you need to understand: you don't really need to know Japanese to play this game. There are about eight choices on the main menu, but after some trial and error you'll know exactly what is what. Personally, I found Sin and Punishment to be one of the best games to ever grace the N64. My one complaint is that it ends too soon. So, basically what I'm saying is that I can't get enough of it. It really just blows you away with totally unadulterated fun. You can never get too much of a good thing, and that stands irrefutably true in this case. The brief gameplay is Sin and Punishment's biggest weakness, and it leaves me hoping there will be another game like this in the not too distant future (*cough*
Gamecube *cough*). Sin and Punishment. Import this game, even if it is for a relatively short-lived experience. In
the age of sporadic N64 releases, there are not many purchases that would be more
worthwhile.
er-no wrote:
> i do think this is not the writers full work, allow copying others
> good work!
It's word for word er-no, down to the punctuation. That's why I wondered if Coxy was actually Fran, then I could congratulate him/her/it (happy now Grix?) for writing such a stonking review, great stuff, there should be more like it.
As for copying others good work, even amending it here and there to make it sound like it's coming from somewhere else, is an abuse of intellectual property rights, which I find distasteful considering I own most of them. ;-)
> i do think this is not the writers full work, allow copying others
> good work!
It's word for word er-no, down to the punctuation. That's why I wondered if Coxy was actually Fran, then I could congratulate him/her/it (happy now Grix?) for writing such a stonking review, great stuff, there should be more like it.
As for copying others good work, even amending it here and there to make it sound like it's coming from somewhere else, is an abuse of intellectual property rights, which I find distasteful considering I own most of them. ;-)
Fran is actually a he. It's a cruel joke...
i do think this is not the writers full work, allow copying others good work!
Yeah, old news, ain't it?
Of course we know, IGN64.
Do you also go by the name of Fran Mirabella III?
She wrote all of the first part of your review on 27th November 2000. Want the link?
She wrote all of the first part of your review on 27th November 2000. Want the link?
I was going to import a copy, and could have sworn I have read some of this review before!! Is all of it yours?
I've just got this on import and since it's not on the SR database I'm going to have to do it on here.
Once word hit the street that Nintendo was underway with
a mature title for the Nintendo 64, many began to salivate
over the possibilities. This possibility soon turned into
reality and was unveiled to be Sin and Punishment.
However, it wasn't a true Nintendo-only (Nintendo R&D
1 aided the developers) development effort. As it turns out,
the developer behind Sin and Punishment is the highly
acclaimed Treasure. And that's just what Sin and
Punishment is. A valuable treasure that may go widely
overlooked in America if Nintendo doesn't do something
about it. Currently the title is Japanese-only, so the only
way to get your hands on it is to import it.
Sin and Punishment has quickly rocketed to the top of our
"must-have" list. It remains to be a Tour de Force of
endless arcade-style shooting action. In fact it's a title you
simply don't want to end, and find yourself in disbelief
when it does all too soon.
There is simply no easy way to describe Sin and
Punishment's storyline. The game opens up with a group
of rebels that are gunned down by armed forces. These
rebels' last cries were to their leader, Achi. Most of the
rebels died there, leaving only Achi and a few of her
prodigies -- Saki and Airan. Then, after a few scenes of
foreshadowing dialogue, the story begins to take some
shape. The rebels are fighting to save humanity from the
Rufians, who are animals that have been genetically
mutated. The armed forces are also fighting against the
Rufians, but their cause has been corrupted. So the rebels
are forced to clash with both a military beast and the
genetically mutated beasts known as the Rufians. It is best
summed up as a tale that deals with political corruption,
genetic mutations, with some fantastical surprises thrown
in.
Once you absorb some of the bizarre plot you can get to
the actual gameplay. There are two difficulty modes: easy
and normal. Your best bet is to play through on easy and
develop your skills along the way. Once you've done that
you can head back through in normal mode, which will
prove much more difficult. For beginners, the first level is
designed quite well and features a good amount of
balance. You'll have a lot of time to adjust to the control
scheme and point system because there is a lot to shoot
and not so much going on that it will weigh down your
senses. The way the control scheme is set up is as
follows: The controller can actually be used one of two
ways, being designed for both right-handed and
left-handed individuals. In the first right-centric control
scheme the C-left and C-right buttons are used to strafe
from left to right. And, since Sin and Punishment
progresses as if it were on a "railroad track" -- only
moving forward, never backwards -- jumping up and
down and strafing are your primary movements. In the
second left-centric control scheme the player can use the
D-pad (in place of the C-buttons) to strafe from the left to
right. In both setups the Z-trigger is used to fire your
weapon (your crosshair is always active), and depending
on if you use the left-centric or right-centric control you’ll
use one of the shoulder buttons, L or R, to jump. Of
course, there’s some added depth to the controls. You can
tap the strafe button twice to quickly roll in one direction,
and pressing the jump button twice in a row offers a
double jump. Your gun also comes equipped with a light
saber, of sorts. By simply double tapping the Z-trigger
you can activate it, but it will only work when something
like an enemy or missile is close to you. It's a very
strategic move and will play a vital role in making it to the
end, especially in normal mode.
The gameplay revolves around a few very important elements, those being your health and the time left on the counter. In normal mode enemies can take more fire than they do in easy mode so time is going to run out faster. There are a few solutions to this problem. The easiest (although easier said than done) is defeating the enemy faster. To do this you will often have to draw your sword at every possible moment. Usually the more difficult opponents fire projectiles at you that you can bat back at them with your sword. This will certainly quicken their death. However, if you're more of a sharp shooter you can usually blow up external objects like missile launchers, sentry guns, and the like for time bonuses. Depending on the situation these external objects may give you a time bonus, health, or points. Suffice it to say that you will need to destroy everything as quickly and efficiently as possible.
The point system is actually quite effective and very arcade in design. It counts every hit (read: explosion or death) you make on the screen as, "Hit – 45," and onward. These hits continue to add up as long as you don't die. For every 100 hits you get a point bonus and an extra credit to continue. So your efforts to hit everything won't go without reward, and there's even some strategy involved. You can gain extra hits if you're quick enough. For example a platform may hold three men atop it. If you destroy the platform, you get one hit. If you destroy the three men separately and then the platform you'll get four hits. If you play smart you'll get big points and plenty of rewards.
After you become accustomed to the controls and interface you'll be ready to face the entire game. It is broken up into three major themes ranging from Tokyo's surrounding plains and cities to off Japan's coast and finally into outer space. Each of those three themes features several sub-sections creating the classic level layout, 2-1, 2-2, 2-3, etc. Even that is generalizing it, though, because even those sub-sections tend to range over a few cut-scenes and themes. Now, while Sin and Punishment is extremely diverse and varied, it ends quite abruptly. It's the one complaint I have about this fine title; it ends too soon.
Certainly the sheer assortment of stages and bosses is wonderful, but there's still only a short amount of gameplay there. You can absolutely beat it within a day. If you play through on the easy setting, you're looking at a few hours to absorb the cut-scenes and play through. If you set it on normal, your time to completion will dramatically increase as things become very challenging. All in all, though, its glory is over far too quickly.
What this exceptional piece of software does offer is pure arcade-style fun, with brilliant level designs and huge bosses (around every corner) to go along with it. There has to be at least 25 different bosses and mini-bosses in Sin and Punishment, if not twice that. There's so much giant opposition that it brings a smile of awe to your face, because with every boss comes the chance of an accomplishment. At some moments you will even face three bosses in a row, which is a big adrenaline rush. The superior opposition is definitely one of the highlights of the gameplay. The level designs are also huge and clever. Everything is placed to increase drama, and all the atmospheres change dramatically throughout the quest. You will fight atop elevators, take to the sky and defy gravity, bear the desert heat, side-scroll, clash swords with the enemy, and even fight the earth itself. Needless to say the levels are a treat for the senses and will always keep you on your toes.
One area I would have liked to see some more variance in is weapon sets or armor. You have one gun/sword and give or take a situation or two in the game, you only use that throughout the entire quest. It's a bit of a downer that there weren't weapon or armor upgrades to gain. The good news is that it doesn't really take away from the brilliant play mechanics that are present, but it would have proved to be a great addition.
You can hook up with a friend and play cooperatively. This
mode is very unique, though, and not how you may think it. The first player is in control of the main character as usual, but the second-player can step in at any time and control the site on the gun. This splits up the tasks of dodging bullets and shooting them quite effectively. So, make sure you pick a trustworthy friend (or one that doesn't suck). The only problem with it is, if
you're good enough you can manage all this on your own. So the mode becomes rather moot
when you become an expert. Ideally you would have been able to play as one of the other
characters, but alas that's not possible.
At the end of the day, Sin and Punishment shines through as one of the most unique and bold titles to ever hit the N64. Currently it is Japan-only, but if you have the means to import it by all means do. The text is in Japanese, but the voice-acting is not. So not only do you get a brilliant game, but you get to take in the story as well. Once you play with the menus enough, you'll figure out what is what, thus making the fact that it's in Japanese rather unimportant. This is definitely one of the most perfect import titles, if not the most perfect import title that I have ever played. It's easy to navigate, features a lot of English, and is an absolute riot to play. This is a genre that has been sorely lacking on the Nintendo 64, and depriving yourself of it would be a
grave mistake.
In a low-resolution environment Treasure and Nintendo have managed to more than make up for it in the form of fluid framerates and dazzling visual effects. At almost every instance there is usually a fountain of sparks, motion blur, or a combination of the two. You'll soon forget about the low-polygon character models or semi-stiff animation. The art direction is equally impressive, because visually everything is done in a luxurious manner.
There is one simple fact you need to understand: you don't really need to know Japanese to play this game. There are about eight choices on the main menu, but after some trial and error you'll know exactly what is what. Personally, I found Sin and Punishment to be one of the best games to ever grace the N64. My one complaint is that it ends too soon. So, basically what I'm saying is that I can't get enough of it. It really just blows you away with totally unadulterated fun. You can never get too much of a good thing, and that stands irrefutably true in this case. The brief gameplay is Sin and Punishment's biggest weakness, and it leaves me hoping there will be another game like this in the not too distant future (*cough*
Gamecube *cough*). Sin and Punishment. Import this game, even if it is for a relatively short-lived experience. In
the age of sporadic N64 releases, there are not many purchases that would be more
worthwhile.
Once word hit the street that Nintendo was underway with
a mature title for the Nintendo 64, many began to salivate
over the possibilities. This possibility soon turned into
reality and was unveiled to be Sin and Punishment.
However, it wasn't a true Nintendo-only (Nintendo R&D
1 aided the developers) development effort. As it turns out,
the developer behind Sin and Punishment is the highly
acclaimed Treasure. And that's just what Sin and
Punishment is. A valuable treasure that may go widely
overlooked in America if Nintendo doesn't do something
about it. Currently the title is Japanese-only, so the only
way to get your hands on it is to import it.
Sin and Punishment has quickly rocketed to the top of our
"must-have" list. It remains to be a Tour de Force of
endless arcade-style shooting action. In fact it's a title you
simply don't want to end, and find yourself in disbelief
when it does all too soon.
There is simply no easy way to describe Sin and
Punishment's storyline. The game opens up with a group
of rebels that are gunned down by armed forces. These
rebels' last cries were to their leader, Achi. Most of the
rebels died there, leaving only Achi and a few of her
prodigies -- Saki and Airan. Then, after a few scenes of
foreshadowing dialogue, the story begins to take some
shape. The rebels are fighting to save humanity from the
Rufians, who are animals that have been genetically
mutated. The armed forces are also fighting against the
Rufians, but their cause has been corrupted. So the rebels
are forced to clash with both a military beast and the
genetically mutated beasts known as the Rufians. It is best
summed up as a tale that deals with political corruption,
genetic mutations, with some fantastical surprises thrown
in.
Once you absorb some of the bizarre plot you can get to
the actual gameplay. There are two difficulty modes: easy
and normal. Your best bet is to play through on easy and
develop your skills along the way. Once you've done that
you can head back through in normal mode, which will
prove much more difficult. For beginners, the first level is
designed quite well and features a good amount of
balance. You'll have a lot of time to adjust to the control
scheme and point system because there is a lot to shoot
and not so much going on that it will weigh down your
senses. The way the control scheme is set up is as
follows: The controller can actually be used one of two
ways, being designed for both right-handed and
left-handed individuals. In the first right-centric control
scheme the C-left and C-right buttons are used to strafe
from left to right. And, since Sin and Punishment
progresses as if it were on a "railroad track" -- only
moving forward, never backwards -- jumping up and
down and strafing are your primary movements. In the
second left-centric control scheme the player can use the
D-pad (in place of the C-buttons) to strafe from the left to
right. In both setups the Z-trigger is used to fire your
weapon (your crosshair is always active), and depending
on if you use the left-centric or right-centric control you’ll
use one of the shoulder buttons, L or R, to jump. Of
course, there’s some added depth to the controls. You can
tap the strafe button twice to quickly roll in one direction,
and pressing the jump button twice in a row offers a
double jump. Your gun also comes equipped with a light
saber, of sorts. By simply double tapping the Z-trigger
you can activate it, but it will only work when something
like an enemy or missile is close to you. It's a very
strategic move and will play a vital role in making it to the
end, especially in normal mode.
The gameplay revolves around a few very important elements, those being your health and the time left on the counter. In normal mode enemies can take more fire than they do in easy mode so time is going to run out faster. There are a few solutions to this problem. The easiest (although easier said than done) is defeating the enemy faster. To do this you will often have to draw your sword at every possible moment. Usually the more difficult opponents fire projectiles at you that you can bat back at them with your sword. This will certainly quicken their death. However, if you're more of a sharp shooter you can usually blow up external objects like missile launchers, sentry guns, and the like for time bonuses. Depending on the situation these external objects may give you a time bonus, health, or points. Suffice it to say that you will need to destroy everything as quickly and efficiently as possible.
The point system is actually quite effective and very arcade in design. It counts every hit (read: explosion or death) you make on the screen as, "Hit – 45," and onward. These hits continue to add up as long as you don't die. For every 100 hits you get a point bonus and an extra credit to continue. So your efforts to hit everything won't go without reward, and there's even some strategy involved. You can gain extra hits if you're quick enough. For example a platform may hold three men atop it. If you destroy the platform, you get one hit. If you destroy the three men separately and then the platform you'll get four hits. If you play smart you'll get big points and plenty of rewards.
After you become accustomed to the controls and interface you'll be ready to face the entire game. It is broken up into three major themes ranging from Tokyo's surrounding plains and cities to off Japan's coast and finally into outer space. Each of those three themes features several sub-sections creating the classic level layout, 2-1, 2-2, 2-3, etc. Even that is generalizing it, though, because even those sub-sections tend to range over a few cut-scenes and themes. Now, while Sin and Punishment is extremely diverse and varied, it ends quite abruptly. It's the one complaint I have about this fine title; it ends too soon.
Certainly the sheer assortment of stages and bosses is wonderful, but there's still only a short amount of gameplay there. You can absolutely beat it within a day. If you play through on the easy setting, you're looking at a few hours to absorb the cut-scenes and play through. If you set it on normal, your time to completion will dramatically increase as things become very challenging. All in all, though, its glory is over far too quickly.
What this exceptional piece of software does offer is pure arcade-style fun, with brilliant level designs and huge bosses (around every corner) to go along with it. There has to be at least 25 different bosses and mini-bosses in Sin and Punishment, if not twice that. There's so much giant opposition that it brings a smile of awe to your face, because with every boss comes the chance of an accomplishment. At some moments you will even face three bosses in a row, which is a big adrenaline rush. The superior opposition is definitely one of the highlights of the gameplay. The level designs are also huge and clever. Everything is placed to increase drama, and all the atmospheres change dramatically throughout the quest. You will fight atop elevators, take to the sky and defy gravity, bear the desert heat, side-scroll, clash swords with the enemy, and even fight the earth itself. Needless to say the levels are a treat for the senses and will always keep you on your toes.
One area I would have liked to see some more variance in is weapon sets or armor. You have one gun/sword and give or take a situation or two in the game, you only use that throughout the entire quest. It's a bit of a downer that there weren't weapon or armor upgrades to gain. The good news is that it doesn't really take away from the brilliant play mechanics that are present, but it would have proved to be a great addition.
You can hook up with a friend and play cooperatively. This
mode is very unique, though, and not how you may think it. The first player is in control of the main character as usual, but the second-player can step in at any time and control the site on the gun. This splits up the tasks of dodging bullets and shooting them quite effectively. So, make sure you pick a trustworthy friend (or one that doesn't suck). The only problem with it is, if
you're good enough you can manage all this on your own. So the mode becomes rather moot
when you become an expert. Ideally you would have been able to play as one of the other
characters, but alas that's not possible.
At the end of the day, Sin and Punishment shines through as one of the most unique and bold titles to ever hit the N64. Currently it is Japan-only, but if you have the means to import it by all means do. The text is in Japanese, but the voice-acting is not. So not only do you get a brilliant game, but you get to take in the story as well. Once you play with the menus enough, you'll figure out what is what, thus making the fact that it's in Japanese rather unimportant. This is definitely one of the most perfect import titles, if not the most perfect import title that I have ever played. It's easy to navigate, features a lot of English, and is an absolute riot to play. This is a genre that has been sorely lacking on the Nintendo 64, and depriving yourself of it would be a
grave mistake.
In a low-resolution environment Treasure and Nintendo have managed to more than make up for it in the form of fluid framerates and dazzling visual effects. At almost every instance there is usually a fountain of sparks, motion blur, or a combination of the two. You'll soon forget about the low-polygon character models or semi-stiff animation. The art direction is equally impressive, because visually everything is done in a luxurious manner.
There is one simple fact you need to understand: you don't really need to know Japanese to play this game. There are about eight choices on the main menu, but after some trial and error you'll know exactly what is what. Personally, I found Sin and Punishment to be one of the best games to ever grace the N64. My one complaint is that it ends too soon. So, basically what I'm saying is that I can't get enough of it. It really just blows you away with totally unadulterated fun. You can never get too much of a good thing, and that stands irrefutably true in this case. The brief gameplay is Sin and Punishment's biggest weakness, and it leaves me hoping there will be another game like this in the not too distant future (*cough*
Gamecube *cough*). Sin and Punishment. Import this game, even if it is for a relatively short-lived experience. In
the age of sporadic N64 releases, there are not many purchases that would be more
worthwhile.