A Hidden Gem That Flew Under the Radar
This one suffered from a short development time and it shows. The environments and gameplay are very repetitive. The story is pretty bare bones, although it has a few interesting moments that seemed to not be fully realized. Regardless, the game does have its charm, with a heavy emphasis on stylish attacks and catchy electronic/drum n bass music.
In P.N.03 you don the role of Vanessa Z. Schneider, freelance mercenary. Her Aegis suits shoot energy projectiles and give her lightning quick reflexes. This femme fatale oozes sexual charisma with her skin-tight exo suits and a few rather erotically animated attacks. For 2003, the character animations are seriously impressive and fluent. They look very realistic for the time.
You battle various robots that have gone rogue, contracted by an unknown client to wipe them all out. Aside from your standard attack, each of the 11 suits has its own unique special abilities. They require energy but can grant temporary invincibility or unleash devastating attacks. Vanessa's ballerina-esque elegance and consistently upgrading to new, better suits keep the game interesting.
Although the campaign is short, there are optional training missions that give you extra money to buy/upgrade your Aegis suits. Two can only be unlocked by playing through P.N.03 multiple times; this too helps stretch out the game's play time. A higher difficulty can also be had via playing through the game once.
P.N.03 has some glaring flaws and feels half finished, but I would still say it's worth playing. The game's potential is definitely there, it's just a shame we didn't get a more fleshed-out and immersive sequel.
Verified purchase: YesCondition: Pre-owned