Overview – originally released by Masaya and ported by Ratalaika Games in collaboration with Shinyuden, Cyber Citizen Shockman 3: The Princess from Another World is the final PC-Engine chapter in the shockman story. A new alien threat has emerged and the hero duo must go into battle to save the world one more time. This release is available on all console platforms with a link to each version of the game at the bottom of this review.
Disclaimer: before I get into the review, I would like to thank PR Hound for providing the copy of Cyber Citizen Shockman 3 that was used for this piece. The provision of this software has not influenced the contents of this review, all thoughts and opinions contained within are my own.
Now with the introductions out of the way, let’s get into the review, starting with the story. Please note, I will be referring to this title as simply Shockman 3 throughout the review for the sake of brevity. I have also previously reviewed the other modern releases for this series, which can be viewed (HERE)
Story – after their previous battle, the Shockman duo have been enjoying the peace that was brought through their heroics. After Sonya wins a big prize in the lottery, she and Arnold travel to a tropical southern island to enjoy some well-deserved holidays. However, a new threat has made their presence known attacking the city. Unable to sit and do nothing, the pair transform into Shockman and set out on another adventure.
Gameplay – this title follows the same side scrolling style of the previous entries, with the player fighting enemies as they travel through each stage. When starting the game, the player can select single or multiplayer with two different characters to select from. The two playable characters are Arnold and Sonya (Tasuke and Kyapiko in Japan), who have the same moveset consisting of a melee attack and a charged laser shot.
The game plays out through the various action stages, with several areas all connected together where the player must take on waves of enemies. However, they are not the only threat that the player must contend with, as there are numerous pitfalls that will deal some serious damage. As this is a platform action title, players will need to navigate treacherous environments as they try to reach the end of the action stage.
But the action doesn’t end at just your standard platforming or run and gun style of play, as there are special action set pieces, including one with a giant robot. Players can also enjoy challenging side-scrolling shooter stages, where attacks must be dodged while trying to navigate the dangers that appear. in the stages, enemies will often drop items that players can collect, these include healing that will replenish health lost.
Then we have the energy pickups, which are counted in the coner of the screen, when 100 of these have been picked up, the player will gain an extra continue. However, if less than 100 have been picked up from the start of the game, the player will immediately get a game over, meaning they will have to start over from the beginning. This system can feel punishing, but there are features that have been added to this release to help players out.
Included in this release, are additional quality of life emulation features which are made up of save states, rewind/ fast forward and even cheats to help players who may have a hard time. These additions to the game, make this title accessible for everyone to enjoy the story of Shockman 3. Speaking of story, this is the first title in the series to use animated cutscenes, which are fully voiced and have been translated for the first time ever.
There are additional secrets that the player can uncover in the game, along with special bonuses from the original release, which are included in the gallery section of the game. The player also has the ability to play between the original version of the game, as well as the newly translated version, offering fresh experiences for those who may have imported it in the past. All of these elements come together to create a celebration of the conclusion to the PC Engine story.
Now with the gameplay covered, it is time to move onto the other aspects of this release, starting with the controls.
Controls – as this is a PC Engine game, there are only two actions that need to be performed, with jump and attack. These are set to the face button with a comfortable default set-up, along with an extra turbo attack and the fast forward/rewind inputs. These can be modified freely so players can set the controls in a manner that is comfortable for them. It is recommended to use a controller with a good D-Pad as this will give players better precision during play.
Difficulty – there are two difficulty settings for this entry, Normal and Hard, which both provide a very solid challenge for players. The game may seem punishing for some as there are enemies that attack from all sides, but the team has added special cheats to help those who struggle. These are one hit enemy kills (including bosses) and invincibility, which can be very helpful in a tight spot. All in all, this is an approachable and enjoyable challenge for all.
Presentation – visually, the game is almost identical to the previous titles in terms of sprite work and environments, but this title shines on its own with the addition of animated cutscenes. As this is a PC Engine CD title, there are new anime style animations that will play during the story, along with fully voiced dialogue that is crisp and clear via redbook audio. This combined with the high quality music, makes for a distinct experience that separates itself from the other games.
Final Thoughts – I had not played this title before, but have been aware of it for a while with the only barrier being the cost to import. So when I was given the opportunity to play it officially, I dove right in and I can happily say I was not disappointed. The action is as frantic and fun as the others, with whole new content that gives it a distinct and fresh feel. It is as difficult as the others and took me several attempts to beat it, but it was worth the effort.
I have no issue at all recommending this title, especially to those who have played the previous games. This is quite possibly the best of the series, with the animated scenes and high quality audio being standouts for this entry, elevating the experience further. From a player perspective, this is the best way to play this release given the new additions, bonuses and quality of life implementations, and all for a low cost of admission.
In the end, I give Cyber Citizen Shockman 3: The Princess from Another World a final score of 4/5. This is a challenging and solid platform action title, which improves on the formula established in the previous entries, the animated scenes, fully voiced dialogue and crystal clear audio make for a distinct and fun experience. The quality of life additions and extras are a very nice bonus on top. If you want to check it out for yourself, links to the different versions of the game are below.
Link to Nintendo Switch version (HERE)
Link to PlayStation version (HERE)
Link to Xbox version (HERE)
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