Directed by the young Masaya Kobayashi, right after he created Coolboarders. He went on to direct Ridge Racers on PSP then establish the team at Bandai-Namco that develops the Smash Bros games for Nintendo.
I still find it crazy that a game before dmc 1 had lock on, a powered up form, combos, gun + sword combos, air attacks, cocky persona and special moves. Rising Zan deserves more eyes on it
Great review that also thoroughly examines this game's combat. One of the best opening theme songs for a game. Modern developers should make more western themed games, it's a setting I really enjoy.
wait... is this game also a source inspiration for DMC? MC in mostly red outfit, wielding both sword & gun, also literally has stinger move that predate DMC!
Love this game. The bit about Johnny's characterization is interesting. It's not just the basic gameplay framework, but the boastful protagonist and jokey setting that probably influenced Clover and PlatinumGames, too.
This desperately needs a remake I remember my uncle bringing this to me. I looked at the cover for thirty minutes til I popped it in the PS1! I was blown away and loved this game.
This game was ahead of it’s time. Admittedly the controls are a bit delayed, and the camera sucks, but aside from that it has a lot of cool gameplay mechanics that you’d find in modern action games. It’s pretty cool.
Just wanted to say it makes me super happy to hear you reference Tokusatsu, and Garo in this video. That song is kickin' and this whole game feels like it could be a Keita Amemiya show. I'm shocked I never heard of it before.
If anyone could try to bring this IP back, it should be Platinum Games. A Bayonetta/DMC, over the top action, with the style and charm of the original... definitely a day one buy
Voice actor *Charles Martinet* (voice of Mario) voices Master Suzuki in this game! If you're a collector, this is a bit of a pricey one that's hard to find in North America.
lol, I can't forget this game no matter how long it's been ahahaha I haven't even finished it far as I remember but it was so catchy! a samurai cowboy is too amusing of an idea
Man, I remember playing this one and while janky in a lot of places, this game was really punching above its weight. It's almost as if the PS1 hardware wasn't powerful enough to fully realize the vision of the game because the way the game is designed feels like the type of game that was common on the PS2(DMC, Chaos Legion, Onimusha, etc). At the time, you didn't see a lot of action games on the PS1 with this level of combat complexity.
Wanna have a miserable time? Try playing Rising Zan on the PSP : the lack of R2/L2 buttons means you have to learn to dodge by running and the fact that the controls are completely ass backwards from what one would expect makes it even more frustrating, especially during the cart stage where years of muscle memory actively fights against your instincts. If only you could completely customize the controller layout on the PSN games... It's one of the biggest monkey paw wishes of my life, get Rising Zan on PSN and it sucks on the PSP...dammit.
I found this game by accident compilled inside a game shark disc when I was about 15, it was an amazing time all around, I also brute forced my way through it since I didn't even know the tutorial was a thing 🤣
I'd argue that every third person game with camera moving around the character is cursed to a degree. It's intrinsic into the perspective, with enemies outside the view needing for a manual reposition of the camera (that isn't ideal when you fight), big monsters covering your view (or the enviroment itself), up to automatic reposition of the camera that in early 3D games tried to fix the issue and now manual control is preferred (and people still complain, just a bit less :P). But i can understand why it's still the preferred way. In my opinion a top down (or isometric almost top down) is better for action oriented games because you can see better the situation, you don't need to put effort in camera control, the game can even zoom in or out if big enemies or some situation arise. This can be done in 2D (or 2.5D) too with interesting mix like the early 3D Ys games switching here and there from place to another. I find interesting the few games that have a third person perspective but with fixed view, like Wild Guns or Crossed Swords. There is a mix of shooting, melee, autoaim, dodging without camera issues. Not for everyone but kinda different from what people expect nowadays.
Do you think this the best PS1 game with melee combat? You don't see many of those, and I'm struggling to think others where the melee combat is decent.
Hironobu Kageyama is great, but nah, Johnny No More is a much better theme, partly because it’s a banger but especially because it fits the game’s vibe much better. The Japanese theme would’ve been good in like a Yakuza game or something.
![I.N "HALLUCINATION" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/n5B5q1Hwt_U/mqdefault.jpg)
![[OLD] The PlayStation Classic - Caddicarus](/img/1.gif)
Directed by the young Masaya Kobayashi, right after he created Coolboarders. He went on to direct Ridge Racers on PSP then establish the team at Bandai-Namco that develops the Smash Bros games for Nintendo.
I still find it crazy that a game before dmc 1 had lock on, a powered up form, combos, gun + sword combos, air attacks, cocky persona and special moves. Rising Zan deserves more eyes on it
Great review that also thoroughly examines this game's combat. One of the best opening theme songs for a game. Modern developers should make more western themed games, it's a setting I really enjoy.
I definitely recommend this game for a historical playthrough at least.
wait... is this game also a source inspiration for DMC? MC in mostly red outfit, wielding both sword & gun, also literally has stinger move that predate DMC!
Love this game.
The bit about Johnny's characterization is interesting. It's not just the basic gameplay framework, but the boastful protagonist and jokey setting that probably influenced Clover and PlatinumGames, too.
This desperately needs a remake I remember my uncle bringing this to me. I looked at the cover for thirty minutes til I popped it in the PS1! I was blown away and loved this game.
It's amazing how ahead of it's time this game was.
This game was ahead of it’s time. Admittedly the controls are a bit delayed, and the camera sucks, but aside from that it has a lot of cool gameplay mechanics that you’d find in modern action games. It’s pretty cool.
MGS is definitely one of the games where playing the VR training missions helps massively understand the mechanics of the game.
This is the only channel that consistently shows me deep cuts that I'm somehow not aware of, lovin the content!
Hard to think this gem was developed by the same studio that brought us the Cool Boarders series.
Also Johnny's teacher, Master Suzuki is Charles Martinet. AKA Mario.
Just wanted to say it makes me super happy to hear you reference Tokusatsu, and Garo in this video. That song is kickin' and this whole game feels like it could be a Keita Amemiya show. I'm shocked I never heard of it before.
🎵Rising Zan, Johnny No More🎵
If anyone could try to bring this IP back, it should be Platinum Games. A Bayonetta/DMC, over the top action, with the style and charm of the original... definitely a day one buy
He would've of fared better in the 2000s on the ps2 because this game was so ahead of its time.
CORE podcast listener here! Thanks Jon.
Nice review, I wouldn't mind playing God Hand meets Shinobi meets Gungrave
Voice actor *Charles Martinet* (voice of Mario) voices Master Suzuki in this game! If you're a collector, this is a bit of a pricey one that's hard to find in North America.
13:45 I mean, if the Battle of Shiroyama taught us anything, guns beat samurai pretty decisively.
None of my friends ever know what I'm talking about when I mention Rising Zan. This game does not let you put the controller down.
He also did some of the songs from M.D. Geist a personal favorite of mine
Lol that's an old school one for sure.
I'm also pretty sure it was the first anime he did a song for
The Wild Arms series is a really nice mix between eastern culture and gameplays, and western themes and settings!
Also God Hand has this interesting eastern/western mix where it feels like DMC as a western inspired supernatural beat em up brawler.
Hell yeah, Wild Arms is great!
lol, I can't forget this game no matter how long it's been ahahaha I haven't even finished it far as I remember but it was so catchy! a samurai cowboy is too amusing of an idea
Did this game inspire Vietiful Joe with the "FINISH!" and of course God Hand?!
Man, I remember playing this one and while janky in a lot of places, this game was really punching above its weight. It's almost as if the PS1 hardware wasn't powerful enough to fully realize the vision of the game because the way the game is designed feels like the type of game that was common on the PS2(DMC, Chaos Legion, Onimusha, etc). At the time, you didn't see a lot of action games on the PS1 with this level of combat complexity.
Wanna have a miserable time? Try playing Rising Zan on the PSP : the lack of R2/L2 buttons means you have to learn to dodge by running and the fact that the controls are completely ass backwards from what one would expect makes it even more frustrating, especially during the cart stage where years of muscle memory actively fights against your instincts. If only you could completely customize the controller layout on the PSN games...
It's one of the biggest monkey paw wishes of my life, get Rising Zan on PSN and it sucks on the PSP...dammit.
You can change R1 and L1 to be on the PSP analogue stick for left or right
I found this game by accident compilled inside a game shark disc when I was about 15, it was an amazing time all around, I also brute forced my way through it since I didn't even know the tutorial was a thing 🤣
im sad that this never got a sequel
damm this shit looks rad
I'd argue that every third person game with camera moving around the character is cursed to a degree. It's intrinsic into the perspective, with enemies outside the view needing for a manual reposition of the camera (that isn't ideal when you fight), big monsters covering your view (or the enviroment itself), up to automatic reposition of the camera that in early 3D games tried to fix the issue and now manual control is preferred (and people still complain, just a bit less :P). But i can understand why it's still the preferred way.
In my opinion a top down (or isometric almost top down) is better for action oriented games because you can see better the situation, you don't need to put effort in camera control, the game can even zoom in or out if big enemies or some situation arise. This can be done in 2D (or 2.5D) too with interesting mix like the early 3D Ys games switching here and there from place to another.
I find interesting the few games that have a third person perspective but with fixed view, like Wild Guns or Crossed Swords. There is a mix of shooting, melee, autoaim, dodging without camera issues. Not for everyone but kinda different from what people expect nowadays.
Do you think this the best PS1 game with melee combat? You don't see many of those, and I'm struggling to think others where the melee combat is decent.
wild arms: god hand. no seriously, the first time I played ps2's god hand, it reminded me of rising zan.
this game needs a remake or remaster
Hironobu Kageyama is great, but nah, Johnny No More is a much better theme, partly because it’s a banger but especially because it fits the game’s vibe much better.
The Japanese theme would’ve been good in like a Yakuza game or something.
5:25 Fist of the North rejects - Hah
is this clone of squall gunblade of ff8
I remember renting this game and really wanting to like it, but was way too jank to enjoy.
So you can parry, you have a gun on left hand and sword on right hand. Is this the original Bloodborne??
This needs a remastered.
Yoooooooooooooo
If anyone wants to play this game its available on the Japanese PS3 Store.