8Bit/Digi

Party Like It’s 1990

A defining franchise of the late 80s to early 90s, City Hunter debuted in Weekly Shōnen Jump before expanding into an iconic anime series, a theatrical film, and numerous live-action adaptations (including one starring Jackie Chan). At the height of its popularity, City Hunter received a single video game adaptation, released exclusively in Japan for the TurboGrafx-16 in 1990. 35 years later, this forgotten game has been remastered on modern consoles and the PC for a wider audience.

City Hunter remasters the original game with polished visuals, controls, and sound while preserving its core elements. However, it still gives old-school gamers the chance to experience the original version on a modern system. Regardless of how you choose to play, it’s a welcome treat for Western fans of the series who missed out on the original.

It should be noted that my experience with the City Hunter series is limited to a few episodes of the anime and the 1993 film. I have not read the manga, seen the Netflix film, or finished the anime series. As a result, this review judges the City Hunter game on its own merit rather than comparing it to the broader lore.

Mr. Private Eye

City Hunter follows Ryo Saeba, a “sweeper” (a cross between a private eye and a mercenary) who offers his services to those in need. Alongside his partner Kaori Makimura, he takes on clients while quietly investigating the murder of Hideyuki Makimura, Ryo’s best friend and Kaori’s brother.

The game follows Ryo as he chooses between three jobs, each with its own set of tasks. The first involves a tech company selling dangerous hardware on the black market, the second centers on a research firm engaged in illegal bioengineering, and the third targets a gang manufacturing weapons and distributing them to other criminal groups. Players traverse each stage, complete a series of tasks, and face a final boss battle.

This game is a product of its time, and the story makes that clear. Anyone who has played a licensed game from this era knows exactly what I mean: a story unrelated to the source material, enemies that feel out of place, nonsensical settings, and run-of-the-mill traps. Newcomers should not expect an introduction to the franchise, nor should fans expect something faithful to the broader lore. My experience with the series is limited, but I have played enough licensed titles from this era to know what to expect.

Get Wild

City Hunter‘s gameplay is simple and easy to pick up. At its core, it’s a run-and-gun where players explore each stage, fighting enemies and collecting weapons and unlockables. Finding the right contact and obtaining a key from them is necessary to progress and uncover hidden secrets. The experience is far from easy. Beyond standard enemies, traps and tougher variants are scattered throughout, dealing significantly more damage.

Beyond the game itself, a bonus section offers fans several special features. The first is a virtual recreation of the TurboGrafx-16 game disk and case. The second is a music gallery presenting the full soundtrack in both upscaled and original versions. The third is an anime gallery featuring clips from the series.

Damsel in Distress

At its core, City Hunter is going to be a game that mostly appeals to retro gamers and maybe fans of the series. As noted earlier, this game is a product of its time and that includes the flaws that come with licensed games at the time. But the fact that this is the first time it has been offically become avalible outside of Japan means that retro gamers can experience it properly. It’s not the worst example of a licensed game from the era, as it has genuine charm and delivers a decent run-and-gun experience.

One thing the remaster does particularly well is give players the choice between the enhanced and original versions. I appreciate how remasters add quality-of-life improvements to retro games, which is welcome for someone like me who doesn’t miss the jank controls. However, some players simply want to experience a classic without upgrades. Having both options is always a good thing, regardless of whether one uses them. City Hunter also goes one step further by adding a more difficult version to test your skills.

Its issues stem directly from being a product of its time and will mostly be felt by City Hunter fans. The characters and their traits are present and the action is plentiful, but that is about it. The setting feels out of place within the lore, with players encountering ninjas, cyborgs, laser traps, and floor spikes. These are staples of the era, not the world of City Hunter. The game also carries technical issues, including enemies spawning at stage entrances and hits not registering properly. At best these are minor annoyances, but they become unforgivable when you are down to your last health bar.

Better Luck Next Time

As a remaster, it does a solid job bringing the experience to modern consoles and PC, on par with a Limited Run Games release. Unfortunately, its shortcomings come from the original game not being particularly impressive or unique. It’s a fun find for retro gamers looking for something different with a familiar setup. City Hunter fans may want to pick this up out of curiosity.

City Hunter is a solid remaster of a retro game that was never particularly unique back in its day. It does everything right, offering updated controls and cleaning the soundtrack alongside adding bonus content. Its shortcomings are the result of the game itself being not that impressive and a product of its time.

Disclaimer: The publisher, through a PR representative, provided the game used for this review.

This review is the critique and thoughts of one writer. If you want to see how other critics felt, then check it out on OpenCritic.

8Bit/Digi is an independent media outlet that provides insight into the gamer community of the San Francisco Bay Area.

City Hunter (PC)

6

Decent

6.0/10

Pros

• The City Hunter game is now available for the first time outside of Japan.
• Players could enjoy the enhanced version or the original version.
• Retro game fans will enjoy the exsperince.
• One of the best remasters not from Limited Run Games.

Cons

• Its shortcomings stem from the game itself never being particularly strong while being a product of its time.
• City Hunter fans might be disappointed.