- Platform: PS, Xbox, Switch
- ESRB Rating: E10+
- Publisher: Ratalaika Games
- Release Date: May 3, 2024 Metadata by Giant Bomb
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Anyone remember retro gaming magazines? I suppose they still exist, but with the advent of the modern connected world it’s a little less necessary to pick up the latest issue. Back in the day, though, they were a great way to stay on top of new and upcoming gaming news. In particular, some magazines placed special emphasis on import-only games from Japan, and that’s where you’d come across enticing screenshots of games like Cyber Citizen Shockman 3: The Princess from Another World, aka Kaizo Chojin Shubibinman 3: Ikai no Princess.
One of the perks offered by the modern era in exchange for the death of gaming magazines and such, though, is an ongoing push to localize pretty much everything. That’s why you can now purchase and play Shockman 3 on your modern consoles for less than ten bucks. What a time to be alive!
via YouTubeIt’s summertime, and that means vacation! Cyber citizens Tasuke and Kyapiko are relaxing on the beach, but things go downhill when a spaceship attacks. Our heroes will have to do their cyber-duty by jumping, slashing and shooting the world back to its proper, peaceful state.
Here at Popzara we’re never going to dump on old games just for being old. The medium has evolved over time, like how old arcade games used to hungrily slurp up quarters and now microtransactions hungrily slurp up credit cards, and it’s disingenuous to assume that things aren’t going to change. You gotta look at this stuff with a little perspective. All that said: Shockman 3 originally hails from the PC Engine glory days and feels a bit long in the tooth so it won’t come as a surprise as to how antiquated some aspects of it are.
This is mostly noticeable when we’re talking about Shockman 3’s moment-to-moment gameplay. Your character’s range of options is somewhat limited to say the least, regardless of which protagonist you choose: you’ve got a sword slash, a jump, and an energy blast you can sorta-kinda control if you finagle it a little. You’ll usually only need the first two, though the directed energy blast can be handy every so often for hitting enemies in awkward situations…and that’s just about all there is to this game.
There’s no powerups outside of health boosts and collectible tokens that can be used to continue, your character doesn’t gain new powers over time, it’s sword and hop and energy blast all the way through. This limited array of options also means that Shockman 3 is a pretty straightforward and simple game, so you won’t need to have mastered all the Souls games before you get through this one.
No, from the perspective of its era, it’s clear that Shockman 3 was mostly focused on its presentation as a sort of playable anime. There’s voiced (and translated) cutscenes here and there, gameplay is colorful and well-animated and the game is, by and large, pretty delightful to look at. You can slap on the usual retro-remake filters and such if you’d prefer the game to look more “authentic”, but they’re not necessary. Shockman 3 wouldn’t be too out of place in the modern indie scene.
There’s not a lot else to add to this one, really. Cyber Citizen Shockman 3: The Princess from Another World is a cute, bite-sized conclusion to a cute, bite-sized series and the price is about as perfect as it could be, all things considered. The inclusion of some cute bonuses, namely the game’s manual and associated art, helps round this package out. If you’ve got a few hours (and bucks) to burn, Shockman 3 is a solid choice for your enjoyment on modern consoles.
