P.N. 03

GameCube
  • Publisher: Capcom
  • Release Date: Sep 9, 2003
P.N. 03 Image
Metascore
63

Mixed or average reviews - based on 35 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
9.0

Universal acclaim- based on 78 Ratings

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  • Summary: A colonial settlement on a distant planet goes out-of-control after a Computer Arms Management System goes haywire. Enter Vanessa Schneider, a freelance mercenary and robot killer with a grudge to settle in this action game. But will Vanessa's dark past collide with her ultimate mission?A colonial settlement on a distant planet goes out-of-control after a Computer Arms Management System goes haywire. Enter Vanessa Schneider, a freelance mercenary and robot killer with a grudge to settle in this action game. But will Vanessa's dark past collide with her ultimate mission? Find out as you guide her through futuristic environments, performing stylish spin moves, devastating combos, and powerful attacks. Remember to collect power-ups before you battle the game's robots, machines, megaweapons, and transforming enemies. Expand
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P.N. 03 Movie 1
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 11 out of 35
  2. Negative: 6 out of 35
  1. Play Magazine
    91
    Once you synch up with Vanessa and the rhythm of the game, it's impossible to put down and clearly meant to be assailed three times (or more), which is also the only path to unlocking every suit and the secrets within. [July 2003, p.16]
  2. Nintendo Power
    82
    Although the stilted play control makes it frustratingly difficult to move at times, the overall playing experience is very engaging. [Oct 2003, p.137]
  3. If you're not into the idea of constantly shooting and blowing stuff up, this may not be the game for you. Up to this point I have used the word shooting sixteen times in this review, and there's a reason for that. That is the bulk of the game.
  4. Those expecting an action adventure game will be severely disappointed, however if you are looking for a great old school shooter in the vain of "Space Invaders," "Ikaruga" or "Raystorm," then P.N.03 is well worth buying.
  5. While P.N.03 does provide some solid shooting action, the incredibly repetitive levels and unintuitive controls significantly detract from the experience.
  6. 55
    Visually dull, painfully boring and completely short of Capcom's usual high standards.
  7. Feels like it's just a block of jello. It could have been molded into something new, but instead, Capcom just left it as is, a block. It's uninspired, generic, and there is no reason to play it.

See all 35 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 9
  2. Negative: 1 out of 9
  1. BlancoA.
    May 14, 2003
    10
    I had a great time with this game at E3 this morning. The control is excellent and the graphics really jump out at you. This will be a I had a great time with this game at E3 this morning. The control is excellent and the graphics really jump out at you. This will be a must-buy game, I'm sure. Expand
  2. ThomasK.
    Oct 31, 2007
    10
    Its pretty damn good, nice moves nice controls good looking too.
  3. PaulR.
    Oct 29, 2003
    10
    You either get it or you don't. If you're expecting something that handles and feels like all those generic 3rd person ps2 games You either get it or you don't. If you're expecting something that handles and feels like all those generic 3rd person ps2 games out there, you'll feel v constricted and agree with the 40 ratings. If you're up for timing & sequences of moves and totally unique handing, you'll love it like I did. Expand
  4. FutureAlien
    Sep 10, 2003
    8
    I was really looking forward to this game and I am quite satisfied now that it's here. The action is quite like old-skool shooters but I was really looking forward to this game and I am quite satisfied now that it's here. The action is quite like old-skool shooters but instead of a spaceship you get to control a dancing one-girl-army named Vanessa, who has to progress through 10 or so levels, blasting various mechanical foes and dodging their fire. The gameplay is simple yet challenging enough, rewarding skill with extra points, which can be used to buy Vanessa new clothes... sorry, suits, each with its own characteristics and special moves. The graphics are very good - everything is clear despite the continuous blasting. The only gripe I have is the 30fps screen refresh - it would have been great to have the game run at 60fps, but alas! BTW the PAL version should only be played on the 60Hz setting, since on 50Hz things are a lot jerkier. The sound effects are mediocre but the music is great, if a bit repetitive. The gameplay is great for people who can appreciate it - get this game if you're an old-skool shoot 'em up fan, or if you're bored with all the by-the-book games and looking for something different, but don't expect to be playing it for months on end. Expand
  5. XV_
    Jun 5, 2021
    6
    Product Number Three starts with an interesting starting setting but that sentiment wears off a couple of hours during the game. Both theProduct Number Three starts with an interesting starting setting but that sentiment wears off a couple of hours during the game. Both the manual and the game doesn’t give you much to work with in terms of context. The meta-story behind the game and the Capcom Five is far more interesting than the inside the game and that is truly disappointing.

    Same as its main story, the gameplay has its fair share of problems and it's also a sad thing as it could have the potential of being great and fun (and in a few portions of the game it is), yet buried under a lot of issues it does have some redeemable aspects. The first problem that the player will likely face is moving the camera around, you can only move the camera within the spectrum of a limited of fixed angles, it’s hard to explain without showing but think of playing a shooting game with fixed angles like classic Resident Evil games.

    Shooting is the main mechanic of the game and it's arguable the most fun part of it, you shoot enemies by facing them and the game automatically targets the nearest target and it will change upon destroying it, you can’t move your aim but you can change targets if needed with a dedicated button, what takes some of the fun is that bullets are shot manually and because it doesn’t seem to have a speed cap, you can deal more damage as long as you smash that button the fastest. This doesn’t sound like an issue but because enemies are HP sponges you’ll likely focus on dealing with them as fast as possible, the problem is that if you’re looking to have playing sessions from at least 1 or 2 hours or even more, most likely your thumb muscles or in my case, my forearm muscles (as I shot with my index finger for more speed) will get very tired by the end of the session and will be sore by the next day.

    The game has 10 levels to advance from and each level consists of 15 to 18 rooms that culminate with a boss battle at the end of them. Bosses can be a mixed bag, some of them are fun to fight, some of them are extremely easy and a few of them give you a good challenge. You don’t have a map and you don’t have to clear them up to get to the boss. But because the game doesn’t have a navigation system at all, you have to rely a lot on your memory to track your way through when you inevitably hit a dead-end or die, it doesn’t help though, that every room in the complex looks exactly the same and when going to the next level everything remains the same aside from an ever-so-slightly different color scheme.When advancing through the main game you gain access to different tiers of suits to dress Vanessa, they always come in sets of three and are specialized in defense, offense, and all-round, each of them has unique skills that you need to purchase and for the most part they will be extremely expensive that by the time you afford a suit for the 2nd tier you’ll likely unlock the next and better tier and ultimately stick with your weak suit for more time.

    Not everything is mixed or bad in P.N.03 art direction for a change it’s generally good, character design and mechanic design are top tiers, particularly the bosses, they are inventive and have a Ghost in the Shell inspiration to them that I like quite a lot.

    Everything has an early 2000s aesthetic and that includes the music in my case that is a good point as I can be transferred to another decade just by the sound of it and it goes extremely well with the art direction and tone of the game, it's techno-tropical sound with a sometimes androgynous voice chanting made-up words make for an upbeat soundtrack.

    I really wanted to like P.N.03 as it has all the things that I like in a game along with the direction of a living legend director as Shinji Mikami. When all is said and all is done, I don’t hate Product Number Three at all, it is mostly a mediocre game with a pretty good aesthetic and pretty neat ideas but poorly executed, but if anything I think that at least the developers tried to do something that is not conventional and that is always commendable. By this point, it is extremely unlikely that this game will have a remake or reboot of some sort but I think that it has a lot of ideas that could make a great video game, even a masterpiece. Anyway, as it is Product Number Three it’s not a recommendable game by any means, I hope a lot of people play it and experience it themselves because Who knows? maybe the next legendary developer will love it and see its true potential and gave the game a second chance at least in spirit.
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  6. TimH.
    Sep 22, 2003
    6
    I was ready to give this game a fair shake and forgive some of its serious gameplay flaws. I was waiting to see what happened once I upgraded I was ready to give this game a fair shake and forgive some of its serious gameplay flaws. I was waiting to see what happened once I upgraded to better suits and such but you know what happened? The game was over and credits were rolling!!! Glad I just rented it! So here are my gripes: - Why can't the dumbass chick move and shoot at the same time? - Why does she do a stupid little piroette when you press back on the stick instead of hauling her ass outta trouble? - Why the music/dance theme when it has no gameplay elements at all? Shooting to the beat for extra points would at least have been novel. Expand
  7. BlueFalcon
    Apr 28, 2007
    3
    1st thing I would say about this game is the character is awesome. She's stylish, deadly, graceful, unique, and even hot. The HUGE thing 1st thing I would say about this game is the character is awesome. She's stylish, deadly, graceful, unique, and even hot. The HUGE thing that ruins the game is the repetitiveness. Both the levels and enemies are all the same - it's ridiculous. Imagine playing Super Mario Bros level 1-1 with only koopas as enemies. As you advance you're still playing level 1-1 but with more koopas. That's what it's like. Expand

See all 9 User Reviews

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Awards & Rankings

81
50
#50 Most Discussed GameCube Game of 2003
15
#15 Most Shared GameCube Game of 2003