Rising Zan: The Samurai Gunman
Rising Zan: The Samurai Gunman was a rather uniquely themed game released for the PlayStation by Agetec in 1999. The protagonist (i.e. the player) journeyed to the far east to learn the secrets of the Samurai to aid his quest in defeating evil. When he comes back, he has a Katana in his right hand and a gun named “Johnny No More” in his left to aid him in his quest which happens to involve rescuing a lot of hostages.
The game itself is merely average. However, the blend of a western gunman and samurai is pretty interesting. The game is a sort of 3D action adventure game and there are a number of combos you can perform with your sword and gun. The gameplay may be average but the unique aesthetic makes it worth trying. The game also features a full introductory song with lyrics also called “Johnny No More” adding to the ambiance.
Strangely, this game never had any sequels. Given its unique and distinctive nature it seems ideal for a sequel. There’s plenty of room for improvement and it isn’t hard to imagine a truly great game with this theme. However, there haven’t been any sequels and it doesn’t seem likely that there would be any time soon. The original also has not had any re-releases so you are stuck finding an original or using emulation. Its uniqueness makes this a pretty good game to have in your collection though and it can be found used fairly easily and for reasonable prices.
