If you’re a fan of anime – or, for that matter, Jackie Chan – you may recall an old title called City Hunter. It was pretty popular back in the 90s, and Chan’s film adaptation was more fun than expected. (Mainly due to a Street Fighter II battle that was crazy, but not bad.) Well, there was a video game produced for the PC Engine (TurboGrafx 16) ages ago. However, it never came out in the U.S., due to a lack of interest in the franchise when it came to this market. But, at long last, City Hunter the video game has arrived.
It’s generally set up. You play Ryo, a man stuck on a cruise ship with a bunch of gun-toting lunatics. So it’s your job to take down enemies, find other people, and essentially stop an evil CEO. It sounds exciting, but, honestly, the game is essentially a low-rate Rolling Thunder.
That’s not to say it doesn’t have merit. In fact, historically speaking, City Hunter is tremendous to see. It shows Sunsoft’s dedication to revisiting old-school favorites and giving them a second chance. And it has goodies aplenty, including extra artwork, a rewind feature, and CRT settings. Alas, that doesn’t change the core game, which can be beaten in an hour.
I respect Sunsoft for giving City Hunter another chance. But the main problem lies with the game itself. It wasn’t that awesome then, and, well, still isn’t. If you’re a purveyor of game history, though, give it a go.
City Hunter? More Like Thug Hunter On a Ship
So there’s a cruise ship, and a plan put in place to harm innocents on board with the help of a corrupt CEO. Ryo Saeba, however, isn’t having it! So he leads the charge in City Hunter as you race through room after room, collecting items, dodging traps and shooting bad guys.
But just remember – this is a game from the early 90s. So if you’re expecting a franchise evolution that fits the manga comic of the same name…well, nope. The game is easily beaten within an hour or so, and outside of trying out new difficulty settings, there’s not much else to do.
There are good settings here, including CRT options and the ability to rewind, should you make a crucial mistake. And some of these characters are fun, including a dancer that calls you a “pervert!” and somehow gives you a health boost. But, again, the core of the game is beaten quickly.
Also, the game’s price is a bit too high for its own good. $25 for something that could’ve easily been bumped down to around $10 or even $5. Sunsoft’s been pretty good at pricing classics like this, so why is this one so high up?
That said, there is historical significance to City Hunter. You don’t see games like this that often, so when they show up, they are worth noticing. I just wish the core game had a little more to offer for its buck, outside of the three chapters. The enhanced gameplay additions aren’t bad, but there’s not much else to see.
How’s City Hunter’s Presentation?
City Hunter’s old-school presentation definitely shows off as a museum piece for the PC Engine. It definitely looks dated, but that’s just part of its charm. I’m actually a fan of the art style, though the level design is a bit on the dated side. And there is some charming dialogue with the characters you come across. They seem awful calm aboard a ship taken over by maniacs.
The enhancements are also worth noting, but they don’t change the nature of the game that much. Still, it’s never looked better.
That said, there’s not much here with the audio. The music that’s here tends to repeat more often than it should. And there aren’t really that many sound effects to speak of. But, again, an early 90s game, so you shouldn’t expect a stacked deck.
Should You Commence the Hunt?
I can’t recommend City Hunter mainly because the core game is so dated. Again, you can beat it pretty quickly, and even with the enhancements, there isn’t too much to return to. But I respect the historical background surrounding the game, so I will provide some merit for that – if you don’t mind the staggeringly high price tag. Again, this shouldn’t been $5 or $10, easy.
That said, I wouldn’t mind a more noble effort towards a City Hunter game in the future. There’s a story behind that franchise, and an in-depth follow-up would hit the spot.
GAMERHUB RATING: 2.5 (out of 5) JOYSTICKS
Thanks to Sunsoft for providing us with a review code! City Hunter is available now for PC/Steam/Steam Deck, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch and Xbox!
Need more retro goodness? Check out our review of R-Type Delta HD Boosted!
