The Video Game Revue

Point Blank

When it comes to under-appreciated video game classics, Namco's Point Blank has a special place in my heart. (Hmmm... am I in the habit of saying that sort of thing about nearly every game I post about? I suppose that is to be expected, given the theme of this blog.) Right up there with Time Crisis and Virtua Cop, Point Blank represents the best of the best arcade lightgun shooters. Unlike most of its peers, Point Blank has the look and feel of a puzzle game rather than a violent action movie shoot-out. The lightning-quick reflexes demanded by this game will create the illusion in an experienced player that the game interface is completely transparent--the pistol becomes a part of oneself, and one does not "shoot" targets so much as one blows them into oblivion by the force of one's will alone.

A large part of the experience (although difficult to find anymore) are the classic "force feedback" pistols that come stock with Point Blank--they are the same quality product used in Namco's Time Crisis and Time Crisis 2. The kick generated by these pink and baby blue plastic guns is actually reported to be similar to the kick generated by many real-life 9mm guns, which I have to admit, frightens me a little. But believing that your expertise at a game like Point Blank could actually translate into the real-world in some far fetched fantasy way is part of the fun in a "boys all dream about being cowboys and police officers" sort of way. All I'm trying to say is that Point Blank, along with many other games of the genre, brings out the child in me a little, and that is good.

When all is said and done, Point Blank remains one of those formitive experience games that drives the gamer in me completely bonkers. I get the same feeling when I see a Point Blank arcade machine as I do when I see a copy of Suikoden II on the shelf of a game store, or a good Sega Saturn import game. It's just one of those things that I live for.

posted by Parappa @ 2:07 PM