Policenauts
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Policenauts | |
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| Developer(s) | Konami (PC98) Konami Computer Entertainment Osaka (3DO, PS) Konami Computer Entertainment Japan (SS) |
| Publisher(s) | Konami |
| Designer(s) | Hideo Kojima |
| Release date(s) | July 29, 1994 (JP) |
| Genre(s) | Adventure game (interactive cinema) |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
| Rating(s) | CERO: 15+ |
| Platform(s) | NEC PC-9821, 3DO Interactive Multiplayer, Sony PlayStation, Sega Saturn |
| Media | CD-ROM + floppy disk (PC-98) 2 CD-ROMs (3DO, PS) 3 CD-ROMs (SS) |
| Input | mouse, joypad, light gun (shooting sequence only) |
Policenauts (ポリスノーツ Porisunōtsu?) is a Japanese adventure game written and directed by Hideo Kojima and developed and published by Konami. It was initially released for the NEC PC-9821 computer platform in 1994, then followed by updated versions for the 3DO, PlayStation and Sega Saturn game consoles released between 1995 and 1996.
It is a graphic adventure game played mostly from a point and click interface, though during some key points at the game, the player has to go through shooting sequences against adversaries in order to advance, and at one point the player has to deactivate a bomb planted by a criminal.
The game is considered a spiritual sequel to Hideo Kojima's previous title, Snatcher, due to the similar gameplay, though the connections between the two titles in terms of storyline are merely tangential. This confusion is probably derived from a phrase used to promote Policenauts in a trailer, which describes the game as "The next generation of Snatcher". This phrase referred to the style and technology used, instead of being a direct sequel.
Policenauts, like Snatcher before it, pays various homages to previously-existing films, the most obvious being Jonathan's and Ed's (the main characters) respective resemblances to Riggs and Murtaugh from Lethal Weapon. In the PC98 version, there are also references to the Michael Crichton movie; Coma (1978).
Policenauts has achieved a cult following since its initial release in Japan. However, the game has not been released outside Japan (as of 2006) despite a proposed localization of the Saturn version, various online petitions, and apparently an offer on Konami's US message boards from writer/translator Nick Des Barres.
The game is widely recognized by both Japanese critics and gamers as one of the finest examples of the adventure genre.
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[edit] Release dates
- July 29, 1994 — NEC PC-9821 (Japan)
- April 21, 1995 — 3DO Interactive Multiplayer (Policenauts - Pilot Disk) (Japan)
- September 29, 1995 — 3DO Interactive Multiplayer (Japan)
- January 19, 1996 — Sony PlayStation (Japan)
- February 9, 1996 — Sony PlayStation (Policenauts - Private Collection) (Japan)
- September 13, 1996 — Sega Saturn (Japan)
- September 18, 1997 — Sony PlayStation (PlayStation the Best) (Japan)
- August 7, 2003 — Sony PlayStation (PSone Books) (Japan)
[edit] Storyline
The game's protagonist is a man named Jonathan Ingram, who is one of the five titular "policenauts" (astronauts with police authority) assigned to ensure the safety of Beyond Coast, mankind's first fully-functional space colony, in 2013. Jonathan is lost in space and presumed dead after a freak accident that occurred during an experimental space walk of a new spacesuit, but is found alive and well nearly 25 years later thanks to the cold-sleep module connected to the suit. The actual game begins in 2040, when Jonathan (now a private investigator working in the town that used to be Los Angeles) is visited by his estranged wife, Lorraine. She asks for Jonathan's help in solving the disappearance of her husband, Kenzo Hojo, the only clues he left behind being a torn leaf, a set of capsules and the word "Plato". Jonathan is reluctant to take her case at first, but after witnessing Lorraine's murder at the hands of a masked assailant after leaving his office, Jonathan agrees to return to Beyond Coast in spite of his cosmophobia to fulfill her final request. There he is reunited with his former partner from his LAPD days, Ed Brown, who agrees to help Jonathan find Kenzo Hojo.
[edit] Versions
[edit] NEC PC-9821
The initial version of Policenauts for the PC-98 is the most primitive of the four. The graphics aren't up to par with the other versions and it lacks the FMV sequences of its successors. On the other hand, the PC-98 edition has the longest voice recording track of all versions and contains a few obscure scenes not in any of the console versions of the game. It is also the only version that has "talking heads", which show the character's emotion, displayed on the lower part of the screen while the characters speak, much in the same way as the console versions of Snatcher. These were removed in later versions to allow for the inclusion of subtitles during dialogue sequences. This version came in CD format, along with a 2 HD system floppy disk and a sticker for a user disk.
[edit] 3DO
Not long before the PC-98 version was released, a 3DO version was announced. Prior to its release, Konami issued a "Pilot Disk" containing a demo of the game, various interviews with celebrity-like figures in the Japanese game industry, a glossary of terms used in the game and behind the scenes info on the game. The full 3DO version came in two discs and now contained FMV sequences featuring cel-based animation by AIC, as well as CG that was relatively advanced for the time but is lackluster by today's standards. This was the first version of the game for a game console.
[edit] Sony PlayStation
The PlayStation version of the game made further improvements by adding digital effects to the game's graphics with transparency effects and such, with some of the static and animated images (including at least one of the FMV sequences) being completely redrawn and enhanced. A premium disc was released for the PlayStation, titled "Policenauts Private Collection", which shared several of the same contents as the 3DO version's Pilot Disk.
[edit] Sega Saturn
The final version of Policenauts was released for the Sega Saturn and is comprised of three discs. It also came packaged with a black slipcase and hardbound art book. Many elements of the Private Collections/Pilot Disk editions became standard features in this version (including a glossary of terms used in the game) and a scene from the PC-98 version (missing from other versions) was restored. The Saturn version was the only version to support the use of a light-gun peripheral for the shooting sequences. This version was planned to be localized in the US, but translation difficulties prevented that from happening.
[edit] Mature content
The game was criticized by some in Japan for its mature sexual content, which allows the player to: fondle the breasts of every female character in the Saturn version (previous versions had slightly less opportunities to commit this behavior), all the way from a 16-year-old minor to middle-aged women; fondle the vaginal area, through clothing, of one particular female character; look up the skirt of one particular female character, in a clear Basic Instinct homage; and fondle the legs of one particular female character. While this content is always portrayed in a light-hearted fashion, as per Hideo Kojima's personality, some felt that he had gone too far in this case.
Incidentally, the credits of the game go so far as to contain a specific "Breast Bouncing Supervision" entry, and interestingly, this area was handled by female staff members in every version.
[edit] Cancelled English version
Despite various fan petitions and Hideo Kojima's increased popularity in the west due to the Metal Gear Solid series, no version of Policenauts was ever released outside of Japan. Reportedly, the 3DO and PlayStation versions were both considered for U.S. release, but only the Saturn version was officially announced and then cancelled.
A press release for the game was issued on Konami of America's website on May 1996. The press release included comments by Randy Severin (former Senior Product Manager of KOA). Moreover, a mock-up cover art was shown to retailers and on certain promotional materials. The U.S. version was quietly canceled with no official explanation.
While many fans have made their own speculations for the cancellation, the official reason (according to an interview between Hideo Kojima and Mamoru Oshii published in a Japanese Policenauts guide, conducted on August 8, 1996) was (admittedly strange-sounding) timing problems between the English dubbing and the on-screen action during the animated FMV scenes.
[edit] Fan translation
After it became apparent that Konami had no plans to release Policenauts outside Japan, and indeed it would state over the years on several occasions that the game would never leave Japan, Adam Laatz began an online petition to drum up support for localization and an overseas release of Policenauts, as well as a re-release of Snatcher. After receiving support from GameSpot, Gaming-Age, RPGFan, Kurt Kalata (The Castlevania Dungeon, Hardcore Gaming 101, 1UP.com), and being contacted by a number of 3rd party developers/distributors, Laatz later disappeared from his website after failed contact with Konami of America.
In May 2000, Kristoffer Pickett organized another petition directly on Konami of America's message boards. The thread attracted hundreds of replies, but in the end appeared to have no effect on the company's stance.
In July 2003, another group of fans decided to initiate one last petition that would coincide with the release of the PSone Books version of Policenauts in Japan. The effort received widespread support, in part due to an article featured on IGN, but once again did not appear to influence Konami's stance on the game.
Artemio Urbina of Junker HQ would then organize and announce a full-blown fan translation of the game in 2002, after experimenting with the Japanese character tables found within the game. In February 2007 it was revealed on Policenauts.net, home of the project, that the translation of the PlayStation version's text had been completed, and would be playable in the form of a fan translation released during the second half of 2007, after technical issues regarding the in-game text output had been resolved.
The website also features a gallery of different versions of the game, a remixed track by Ruud van de Moosdijk (aka MrRudi), and translations of the game's glossary and timeline.
[edit] Cast of characters
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Jonathan Ingram (voiced by Hideyuki Tanaka) Aged 30 (55 according to census registration). The protagonist. One of the five "Original Cops" (a nickname given in likeness to Project Mercury's's "Original Seven") that comprised the Policenauts. He was stranded in space for 25 years after a space-walking accident, only to be found alive, cryogenically frozen in his "survival ball". He developed cosmophobia (a fear of outer space) after this incident and has remained on earth as a freelance P.I. in Old Los Angeles. He returns to Beyond Coast under Lorraine's request.
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Ed Brown (voiced by Shozo Izuka) Aged 55. The chief of Beyond Coast Police's Vice Unit. He was Jonathan's partner during their days in the LAPD and was also one of the Original Cops. He is a devoted father to both of his children, Anna and Marc. He renews his partnership with Jonathan after 28 long years in an effort to find meaning in his life once more.
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Karen Hōjō (voiced by Kikuko Inoue) Aged 26. The heroine of the game. Daughter of Lorraine and Kenzo Hojo, she is a popular anchorwoman on Beyond and bears a striking resemblance to her mother. She secretly suffers from secondary aplastic anemia.
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Tony Redwood (voiced by Kaneto Shiozawa) Aged 23. A member of the Advance Police Unit, BCP's equivalent of the Swat Team. He is a "Frozener", a race of artificially-conceived humans who possess genes best suited to the environment of outer space. He is an ace pilot who can manipulate an EMPS (Extravehicular Mobility Police Suit, the mecha used by the BCP) as if it was an extension of his own body, which has earned him the nickname "Mr. Goddard", after the primary EMPS model used by AP. Arguably, the most mysterious character in the game.
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Gatse Becker (voiced by Osamu Saka) Aged 56. One of the Original Cops, Becker is the chief of BCP and the commander of the AP Unit, giving him the highest police authority in all of Beyond. Does he know more than he appears to?
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Joseph Sadaoki Tokugawa (voiced by Iemasa Kayumi) Aged 60. One of the Original Cops, he quit BCP many years ago in order to take over his family's company, the Tokugawa Group, following his father's retirement. He is the most powerful man on Beyond and wields considerable influence over the colony's media. He is also the chairman of the ISPA, the International Space Promotion Agency, Beyond's own space development organization. A mysterious character.
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Salvatore Toscanini (voiced by Masaharu Sato) Aged 58. One of the "Original Cops". He quit his job as a police officer several years ago due to a dissatisfaction with the job's lifestyle. He now serves as head of security at Tokugawa's Moon Planet. Privately, he continues to pay alimony on his two divorces. Does he know more than he lets on?
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Meryl Silverburgh (voiced by Kyoko Terase) Aged 24. A member of BCP's Vice Unit and one of Ed's subordinates, Meryl was once a member of High Tech Special Forces Unit FOXHOUND, but sometime after the unit was disbanded, went to Beyond in an attempt to satisfy her craving for action. She is a big tomboy, but also shows a softer feminine side when she's with Dave. This character serves as the basis for the Meryl Silverburgh featured in Metal Gear Solid, although they're not meant to be the same person.
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Dave Forrest (voiced by Bin Shimada) Aged 25. Meryl's partner within the Vice Unit. The total opposite of Meryl, he is a pacifist who dislikes violence and prefers to apprehend criminals by shooting them in a limb rather than a vital spot. Despite their differences, the two get along well and are particularly close. He is a junk food addict who is always seen eating hamburgers. He is also always seen wearing his pilot's goggles on his head.
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Lorraine Hōjō (voiced by Chiyoko Kawashima) Aged 55. Jonanthan's ex-wife. She married Kenzō after Jonathan was presumed death and then gave birth to her daughter, Karen. Lorraine goes to Jonathan in order to track down Kenzo, after he disappeared for three weeks, only to be murdered by a masked assassin after leaving Jonathan's office.
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Kris/Chris Goldwin (voiced by Chiyoko Kawashima) Aged 41. The director of BCCH (Beyond Coast Central Hospital), the largest hospital on Beyond. A model during her teenage years, she became acquainted with the Policenauts when they posed together for a magazine cover.
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Anna Brown (voiced by Yumi Toma) Aged 16. Ed's teenage daughter, she attends UCBC (University of California at Beyond Coast), where she is majoring in bioethics. She has taken over all household duties at the Brown residence after her mother, Catherine (Ed's wife), died.
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Marc Brown (voiced by Junko Hagimori, though his "speech" is limited to vain spasmic attempts) Aged 8. Ed's adopted son. Marc lost his real parents after Marc's biological father went crazy and stabbed his wife (Marc's mother) to death and was about to go after Marc, which left Ed, who had arrived at the scene of the incident, with no choice but to shoot him. The incident has left Marc afflicted with selective mutism and Ed unable to use a gun. Their relationship as father and son is awkward at best as a result.
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Kenzō Hōjō (unvoiced) Aged 53. Lorraine's current husband, and the head of Tokugawa's Drug Delivery System Development Team. He has disappeared from Beyond without a trace.
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Victor Jurgens (voiced by Kohei Miyauchi) Aged 65. BCP's forensic pathologist. A stubborn yet energetic old man, originally from Russia. Uses a machine called AID (Auto-analysis Identification Device) for all his analyses.
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Jun Ishida (voiced by Naoki Tatsuta) Aged 24. The pharmacist in charge of BCCH's pharmacy. At first glance, he is just a normal, easy going person, but appearances can become deceiving as we soon learn.
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Michael Saitō (voiced by Nobutoshi Kanna) Aged 26. A receptionist and security guard at Tokugawa Pharmaceuticals, he has a few secrets to hide.
[edit] References to/in other Kojima games
- Policenauts contains several references to Snatcher. This includes cameos by Random Hajile and Napoleon, the appearance of a Snatcher calendar in Jun Ishida's office and reference to Lucas World (the basis for Lucas Land in Snatcher). The music from the club Outer Heaven in Snatcher can be heard in the background of one of the messages on Jonathan's answering machine. Also, Victor Jurgens has in his office a bottle of the same sunscreen found in Snatcher. The police station's shooting range has a hidden Snatcher target as well, complete with a green eye, and the music changes to an exclusive remix of "Pressure of Tension" from Snatcher while the target is used. Finally, one of the newspaper articles on the wall of Jonathan's office is from the Shin Kobe Shimbun, the literal translation of which being New (Neo) Kobe Newspaper.
- A bar called the "Solid Snake" can be seen next to Jonathan Ingram's office during the Opening Intro in Old LA. Next to it is a sign with the word "Queen" in it, which could be a reference to the Queen's Hospital sign in Snatcher.
- The EMPS takeoff scene from Act 3 can be seen in the original Metal Gear Solid, where Otacon tells Solid Snake about his fondness of anime.
- Two promotional posters for Policenauts can be seen inside the Computer Room in the Nuclear Warhead Storage Building in Metal Gear Solid. A different poster can also be seen in the Computer Room in the B2 Floor inside the Shell 1 Core in Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty. Additionally, in Metal Gear Solid: Digital Graphic Novel, there is a poster of the cover of the 3DO version of Policenauts behind Otacon on page 135. It is a memory item, with its library entry being JAPANIMATION.
- In addition to sharing one character (Meryl Silverburgh), the Metal Gear Solid series contains a few visual references to the character Dave Forrest. This includes Solid Snake's real name (David), the orange vest worn by Meryl in the end of Metal Gear Solid and goggles on EVA's neck in Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. Additionally, in an early version of MGS3's script, The Boss also wore goggles during the battle at the end of the game, and the flowers in the field where the battle takes place were going to be poppies, the plant featured heavily in Policenauts. Solid Snake also smokes Moslems, the same secondary smoke-less cigarettes smoked by Jonathan Ingram.
- Cardboard Box 2 in Metal Gear Solid 2 has a Tokugawa Electronics marking on it. The box sorting devices in the Strut E Parcel Room also bears a Tokugawa Heavy Industries insignia.
- The suit worn by Raiden in Metal Gear Solid 4 is made by Tokugawa Heavy Industries. Raiden also appears to use the same kind of white artificial blood featured in Policenauts (a Codec call with the Colonel in Metal Gear Solid 2 reveals that Raiden is using artificial blood during the game, though not the white-colored first generation type; it could be the third generation type, which contains 100% artificial blood cells and is red in color). Also in Metal Gear Solid 4, Meryl Silverburgh is seen with the same bullet earring she has in Policenauts, except in this case it is on her right ear.
- There are numerous direct references to Policenauts in the PSP games Metal Gear Ac!d & Metal Gear Ac!d 2. These are turn-based strategy games that utilize cards to determine actions. Many of these cards use Policenaut characters and other items/references as their basis. Some of them contain FMV clips from Policenauts. Arguably one of the best cards in the game is Jonathan Ingram (Cost -20).
[edit] External links
- Official Web Site from Konami Corp. (Japanese)
- PSone Books Re-release Website (Japanese)
- Junker HQ's Policenauts.net (Home of the Policenauts fan translation)
- The U.K. Policenauts Resource (UK fansite with extensive game guide and a spoiler section, explaining the main events of the game)
- The Policenauts Paradise and Snatcher Shrine (Fan page with lots of information and images related to Policenauts)
- The Policenauts Archive
- Extensive Picture Gallery, with some translations of the text
