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[NotMSRP]

" After that I'll start on the changes made between the US/Euro version
of the game and the JP version. From the E-Mails I'm getting, there
seems to be numerous changes. The US version of the game gets released
on 9/10 so expect an update a week or so after that, once I've had time
to plow through the game and note the differences."

This is from a FAQ on Gamefaqs. Unfortunately, the bastard never updated his FAQ, and his email doesn't work anymore.

So I know a few of you here played both versions. So spill the beans on what the changes are.

 

[Lyte Edge]

Maybe he was wrong? I never heard anything about there being any changes.

 

[radios shipping overview]

There are changes. In the JP version, to unlock the Blackbird suit, all you have to do is beat the game once, while in the US version you have to beat the game with all suits unlocked. And in the JP version, all you have to do to get the Papillon is to beat the game twice on any difficulty. The US version requires the Blackbird suit to be unlocked and a Professional ranking on every trial mission on a second game clear. I think that about covers the differences.

 

[Lyte Edge]

There are changes. In the JP version, to unlock the Blackbird suit, all you have to do is beat the game once, while in the US version you have to beat the game with all suits unlocked. And in the JP version, all you have to do to get the Papillon is to beat the game twice on any difficulty. The US version requires the Blackbird suit to be unlocked and a Professional ranking on every trial mission on a second game clear. I think that about covers the differences.

So no real changes. I guess this could be thought of as a difficulty increase?

 

[DaCocoBrova]

You guys like the game?

 

[Lyte Edge]

Yep; I found PN03 to be a fun arcade-style shooter with enough replay value to make it worth playing through several times on the hardest difficulty. It's almost like an old-school style 3rd person arcade game, and is something you just don't see much any more these days, which may explain why so many people didn't like it; perhaps they were expecting something different. I'm pretty sure the impressions I wrote are still in the archives at www.tokyopia.com.

 

[radios shipping overview]

PN03 rocks. And yeah, I agree: it's largely people's expectations of the game that keep them from enjoying it. It's great at what it does, and it's not trying to be a standard third-person shooter.

 

[Wario64]

PN03 rocks, haters be damned

 

[beerbelly]

$19.99 at Compusmart for the Canadians

 

[Solid]

The more you people talk about the more I want it. It's up on my "cheap? BUY!"-list now

 

[GDJustin]

thought I'd chime in with a bit more PN 03 love. It's not a godly game or anything, but I also liked it quite a bit. People just need to recognize that's it's an oldschool shooter with a modern look. If you go into it with that frame of mind then I don't see how you could dislike it.

 

[cvxfreak]

PN03 rocks, haters be damned

Well said.

 

[Jumpman]

I must have played through P.N.03 somewhere close to ten times, just to unlock everything, and to fully upgrade all of the suits. I can almost feel my arm burning now after all of that rapid fire button mashing on the hardest difficulties. I love old school arcade games, and that is exactly what P.N.03 plays like. The game was easily worth the $10 I paid for it. Anyone with even remote interest in this game should head straight to their nearest bargain bin and snag a copy.

 

[seismologist]

I thought PN03 was kind of like Dark Cloud 1. It has alot of potential but the gameplay didn't feel fully flushed out.
It needs a sequel.

 

[Kudie]

I played this game for the first time yesterday and am wondering if there is any way to change your targeting to a different enemy.

 

[Hero]

It's either the Y or X button. They even tell you that in game.

 

[Kudie]

It's either the Y or X button. They even tell you that in game.

Thanks. I must have missed it, or skipped over it.

 

[Hero]

It's the X button. The Y button makes Vanessa put that sweet ass of hers in the air.

 

[The Promised One]

The game was enjoyable, and I do own it, but the extreme repetitiveness of the levels is a huge thorn in its side.

A sequel that fixed this would be very welcomed.

 

[Myoclonic Jerk]

I can get the PAL version for cheap .. if its worth it ..

I finished the game like 7 times or so... in every difficulty and unlocked the SUPER suit too .. and it was so damn hard to do so

 

[Lyte Edge]

The game was enjoyable, and I do own it, but the extreme repetitiveness of the levels is a huge thorn in its side.

A sequel that fixed this would be very welcomed.

See, that's the thing about the game...it's an arcade-style shooter. If you just mean the level design, sure, it could have benefited from more varied-looking levels, but that's not really the point.

 

[Archaix]

Hm, I got PN03 in the CC sale but just sent it out today for one of the games I missed out on. Maybe I should have tried it before trading it off.

 

[Hero]

Yeah, it really is an enjoyable game as long as you weren't expecting something like Gunvalkyrie or Devil May Cry or R&C (couldn't think of better third person shooters).

I remember getting it when it first came out . The hate was strong on GAF.

I wish the levels had more layouts and what not. Going through trial missions over and over again really is annoying and extremely repititious. More boss battles would've been fun too.

Sad we'll probably never see a sequel though.

 

[NotMSRP]

Well, his FAQ does mention about difficulty changes. That quote though sounds like there were more changes. So you guys are 110% sure it's just a difficulty adjustment? Is the PAL version harder than the US version?

 

[BuG]

I got the game the other day and am having fun with it. The only thing which really gives me the shits is when you die during the main missions and the game spits you right back to the Capcom logo and title screen, forcing you to load your save from scratch if you want to play it again. >_<

 

[Brandon F]

I still need to play this game, if only to drown my raging curiosity over its argued quality.

 

[DrLazy]

Horrible game. Wasted 16 bucks on that sucker. Frustrating and thumb tiring. Just let us hold down the shoot button for christ's sake.

 

[Jumpman]

Horrible game. Wasted 16 bucks on that sucker. Frustrating and thumb tiring. Just let us hold down the shoot button for christ's sake.

You can purchase upgrades for your suits that allow for rapid fire, ya know. It doesn't sound like you have played it very much.

 

[dark10x]

I actually like the game! I'm only disappointed by the framerate...

BTW, did anyone ever notice that virtually EVERY Capcom PS2 title runs at 60 fps. The ONLY counter-examples I could find was RE-CVX. I'm sure there are 1 or 2 more that don't hit 60, but that number is extremely low. Very impressive.

 

[ge-man]

I didn't realize that. But considering that Capcom support is largest on the PS2 that would likely skew Sony's way. It also doesn't help that most of the GC Capcom games are from the Resident Evil series, which hasn't seen a 60 fps game yet.

I don't understand why PN 03 couldn't have been 60fps. I know the game was on a shoe string budget, but how hard could it have been? The only thing I can think of is that game looks like is borrows from the Resident Evil engines.

 

[Baron Aloha]

Yes, Capcom should release PN04 or something.... and Megaman Battle Network Transmission 2. Both of the originals rocked so freaking hard.

Unfortunately, it looks like Capcom (the company who makes sequels to all of their games) isn't coming out with a sequel for either one. That just plain sucks.

Horrible game. Wasted 16 bucks on that sucker. Frustrating and thumb tiring. Just let us hold down the shoot button for christ's sake.

Dr Lazy indeed. Had you spent a little more time with the game you would have realized that you can buy suits that let you do just that.

 

[BuG]

You can purchase upgrades for your suits that allow for rapid fire, ya know. It doesn't sound like you have played it very much.

Is that the Automatic thing in the Power Up section? I upgraded it but didn't know what the hell it was for, and the manual makes no mention as to what Automatic actually is.

 

[Takosuke]

PN03 rocks, haters be damned

just as Kirby's Air Ride >_<

 

[Baron Aloha]

just as Kirby's Air Ride >_<

I only played the game for an hour or two. I've got about 58 hours to go before I can unlock the fun mode. I'm thinking about buying a Gameshark so I can skip to it.

 

[Prospero]

PN03 is just like an old-school shooter, except that it's poorly designed with tank-like controls that are compensated for with auto-aim. It's a decent way to waste one's time if you have absolutely nothing better to do, though.

 

[Jumpman]

Is that the Automatic thing in the Power Up section? I upgraded it but didn't know what the hell it was for, and the manual makes no mention as to what Automatic actually is.

Yup. The best suits can rapid fire pretty damn fast once the automatic is fully upgraded.

 

[Takosuke]

I only played the game for an hour or two. I've got about 58 hours to go before I can unlock the fun mode. I'm thinking about buying a Gameshark so I can skip to it.

:/ Unlocking all the secrets is one of the main interests of this game :/
If you skip this by using a gameshark, you miss a lot of the fun, imho :/

 

[Jonnyboy117]

PN03 is a cool idea for a game, but the stodgy controls and heavy repetition bring it down. I too would like to see a sequel, but I think sales were poor.

 

[Jumpman]

PN03 is a cool idea for a game, but the stodgy controls and heavy repetition bring it down. I too would like to see a sequel, but I think sales were poor.

Sales were hideous. I enjoyed the game, but I have no interest in a sequel. It would be better if they started from scratch, and attempted something more ambitious. While P.N.03 was fun, it felt like a piece of a game. I really wouldn't be surprised if Capcom threw it together in 3 months, with a small dev team. If they aren't going to attempt to perfect the shooter genre, then they shouldn't even bother. Their efforts would be better spent creating new games like they did with Viewtiful Joe.

 

[Dice]

I still need to play this game, if only to drown my raging curiosity over its argued quality.

I hear you on that, Megaman Network Trnasmission too. Maybe I'm just a Capcom whore, but then maybe they are just good.

 

[DaCocoBrova]

I have the game and was put off immediatley. The control just didn't seem to be up to Capcom standards. I found it hard to get into the several times I tried to play it.

 

[ge-man]

I have the game and was put off immediatley. The control just didn't seem to be up to Capcom standards. I found it hard to get into the several times I tried to play it.

I think the weakest part of the game is that it is slow going. The game really doesn't come into it's own until you have the upgraded suits, with the papillion suit offering the best in balance (all power drives but no shielding).

I would really like a sequel to this game. Many of it's issues could be easily addressed with extra time.

 

[dark10x]

I have the game and was put off immediatley. The control just didn't seem to be up to Capcom standards. I found it hard to get into the several times I tried to play it.

Capcom standards? Considering how many games they've made with terrible controls, I don't see how you could say that...

 

[DaCocoBrova]

Capcom has only recently fallen off from a quality control stand point. AutoModellista being the most noteable control-wise.

Name some other Capcom games that suck as far as control. RE tank controls, they do suck.

 

[ge-man]

Capcom has only recently fallen off from a quality control stand point. AutoModellista being the most noteable control-wise.

Name some other Capcom games that suck as far as control. RE tank controls, they do suck.

I think what Dark meant was that these controls are essentially no different from some of their games. More specifically, the control scheme for PN03 is a cousin of the digital controls for Resident Evil.

 

[dark10x]

Capcom has only recently fallen off from a quality control stand point. AutoModellista being the most noteable control-wise.

Name some other Capcom games that suck as far as control. RE tank controls, they do suck.

All RE games (including some spin-offs), DC3, Auto Modellista, and PN03 are all pretty poor. They don't really allow you to play the game well. Then you have stuff like the Onimusha titles, which don't have BAD controls...but they certainly aren't great. It isn't that all of their controls are BAD, per se, but rather they just aren't very good. Many other similar titles often present superior controls in comparison Capcom offerings.

How many recent Capcom made titles really have GREAT controls though? Not many. Viewtiful Joe and Devil May Cry, perhaps (though DMC is hurt by the famous Capcom camera). Not really a whole lot else...

Capcom games these days range from bad controls to simply functional...

 

[DaCocoBrova]

One of the reasons why I don't like Capcom half as much as I used to. They were, hands down, my favorite game company. They're not the same these days.

 

[drohne]

pn03 >>>>>>> overrated joe

 

[DaCocoBrova]

^^^

*slams keyboard*

On hell no!!!

 

[drohne]

...yeah, you're right - that's probably not true. but pn03 really does feel fresh and distinct while joe is an overly self conscious and static riff on much superior classics. but they both rock. between them they're the only real reason to own a gamecube.