Rising Zan: The Samurai Gunman
| Rising Zan: The Samurai Gunman | |
|---|---|
 PAL version cover art | |
| Developer(s) | UEP Systems |
| Publisher(s) | |
| Director(s) | Makoto Sunaga |
| Platform(s) | PlayStation |
| Release date(s) |
PlayStation PlayStation Network |
| Genre(s) | Action-adventure |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
Rising Zan: The Samurai Gunman (ライジング ザン ザ・サムライガンマン Raijingu Zan Za Samurai Ganman) is an action-adventure game developed by UEP Systems and published by Agetec for the PlayStation in 1999. The story (narrated by Terence McGovern) is notable for its mix of both eastern and western idiosyncrasy, most notably in the protagonist Zan (voiced by Greg Weber), who has traits of both a Japanese samurai and a Wild West gunslinger.
The game was also unique in that it had its own opening theme song with complete, sung lyrics, lending the game the vibe of a Western TV show from the 1950s and 1960s. The coda of the song also played at the end of each level.
Gameplay
Protagonist Zan fights using a revolver named "Johnny No More" (also the title of the game's theme song) in his left hand and a katana named "Demon Slayer" in his right.
The player can rescue hostages scattered around the level, perform several combos combining sword and gun attacks and make "All Button Events" in which all buttons in the controller must be pressed quickly to fill a bar in a limited time. These include one of seven finishing moves for the enemy boss character at the end of each level (there are nine in all); these moves themselves are rankes, from lowest to highest - "Weak", "Yeah", "Neat", "Cool", "Groovy", "Wicked", and "Bitchin'". Zan also has a bar that raises several levels, which allows him to execute "Hustle Mode" in which his sword grows to a much longer length, his attack power increases, and his speed shoots up considerably, allowing him to run and attack at extremely high speeds.
These actions, when completed successfully, reward extra score to the player, score which is summed at the end of each level and evaluates the player's performance by giving him/her a ranking. This varies in rank from lowest to highest: "Chicken", "Hero", "Sexy Hero", Ultra Sexy Hero", and "Super Ultra Sexy Hero". If the player completes the game with a high ranking, several extra features can be unlocked.
Reception
Rising Zan currently holds an average score of 68.81% according to GameRankings, with moderate praise for its original premise and quirky humor tempered greatly with rampant criticism of the game's many technical shortcomings and unpolished execution.[2] In 2009, GamesRadar included it among the games "with untapped franchise potential", commenting: "Rising Zan may not have been the best PS1 game ever, or even among the best, but it has the words 'Samurai Gunman' in its name, and that’s more than enough to warrant a sequel."[3]
See also
References
- ↑ Sony staff. ライジング ザン ザ・サムライガンマン [Rising Zan: The Samurai Gunman] (in Japanese). Sony Computer Entertainment. Retrieved April 19, 2012.
- ↑ "Rising Zan: The Samurai Gunman for PlayStation". GameRankings. CBS Interactive. Retrieved April 19, 2012.
- ↑ 123 games with untapped franchise potential, GamesRadar US, April 30, 2009