Policenauts VS. Snatcher.....which do you prefer?

Talk about Kojima's hard sci-fi masterpiece.
Post Reply
User avatar
RyuHayabusa
Posts: 44
Joined: Fri Oct 17, 2008 4:21 pm
Favorite Game: Snatcher
Kojima games owned: Metal Gear - NES CIB
Metal Gear - Famicom CIB
Snake's Revenge - NES CIB
Metal Gear Solid - Playstation
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty - PS2
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snaker Eater - PS2
Metal Gear Solid 4 -PS3
Metal Gear HD Collection - PS3
Metal Gear Solid - Peace Walker - PSP
Zone of the Enders HD Collection - PS3
Snatcher CD-Romantic - PC Engine
Snather Pilot Disk - PC Engine
Snatcher - Sega CD
Snatcher - Sega Saturn
Snatcher - Playstation
Policenauts - Sega Saturn
Policenauts - Playstation - The Best
Policenauts - Playstation
Location: Louisville, KY

Policenauts VS. Snatcher.....which do you prefer?

Post by RyuHayabusa »

Ok, now that Policenauts has finally been translated and we've gotten a chance to play through it, there is one question that is inevitable: Is it better than Snatcher? Both games are from Hideo Kojima and feature a similar style of gameplay, so comparisons are to be expected. Personally, although I thoroughly enjoyed Policenauts, I still prefer Snatcher. Perhaps I'm biased because I'm such a big Blade Runner fan and love the similarities, but I liked the storyline better in Snatcher. I also like the music a bit better in Snatcher too. Both are great games though. So, which game do you all prefer?
akakak4747
Posts: 47
Joined: Thu Dec 18, 2008 10:35 pm
Favorite Game: Snatcher and soon to be translated Policenauts

Re: Policenauts VS. Snatcher.....which do you prefer?

Post by akakak4747 »

Spoiler:
I enjoyed snatcher more. Felt more interactivy. Like that part where you are in the dark and u have the flashlight to look around was awesome.

When I play snatcher or policenauts it's a mainly a one time thing so i try to read and click as much things as possible first time through. Snatcher felt a lot fairly paced and the plot/action kicked in early and was there throughout the game.

Snatchers menus are a lot more basic and a lot less options to choose to read all the details. With policenauts the first scene took me 20-30 minutes to read every little thing and click on it. Throughout the beginning of the game where you pretty much visit all these new areas I would read everything to get the most out of it. 1st 6 hours I spent reading. I guess if your not a hardcore fan really wanting to know what happens in policenauts. All that reading will deter the majority of people from giving the game a fair chance. Policenauts felt like a soap opera to me at times. It was a good one though.
Frogacuda
Posts: 26
Joined: Mon Aug 24, 2009 11:23 pm
Favorite Game: Too many to list.

Re: Policenauts VS. Snatcher.....which do you prefer?

Post by Frogacuda »

I think Policenauts felt more fully realized to me. Snatcher was so achingly derivative of Blade Runner that it didn't really feel like it was raising any of its own questions or themes, where Policenauts seems like a really thoughtful, well developed world with logic and science behind it that deals with things in its own.

Snatcher does feel a bit more open and challenging than Policenauts, which really doesn't even let you get lost of screw up, but the fact is neither are really compelling from a gameplay standpoint anyway. Like most Japanese adventures, they're driven by story and characters, and that's the point.

Policenauts also had the advantage of much higher production values, which helps to flesh out the world and make the characters shine, so that's a factor too.
Silanda
Posts: 8
Joined: Tue Aug 25, 2009 11:01 am
Favorite Game: Snatcher
Kojima games owned: Snatcher (Mega CD)
Policenauts (PS, Sat, 3DO)
Metal Gear Solid
Metal Gear Solid 2
Metal Gear Solid 3

Re: Policenauts VS. Snatcher.....which do you prefer?

Post by Silanda »

I like both, but Snatcher edges it. As for the storylines, yes Snatcher did seem to be derived from movies such as Blade Runner and Terminator, but Policenauts wasn't entirely original either. It seemed to be a cross between Lethal Weapon and Coma, but set in space. The look of the facility on the moon in the PC-9821 version was ripped straight from Coma, as were certain storyline aspects.
User avatar
khmr33
Posts: 48
Joined: Thu Oct 23, 2008 9:14 pm
Favorite Game: Radiant Silvergun
Kojima games owned: Metal Gear NES
Snatcher CDRomantic
Snatcher Sega CD
Snatcher Sega Saturn
Policenauts PS The Best
Policenauts Sega Saturn
Metal Gear Solid US PS1 Black Bar
Metal Gear Solid VR Missions US PS1
Bleemcast! Metal Gear Solid
Zone Of The Enders US PS2 w/Demo
Zone Of The Enders Premium Package JP PS2
Metal Gear Solid 2 US PS2 Black Bar
Metal Gear Solid 2 Substance US PS2
Metal Gear Solid 2 Substance US Xbox
The Document Of Metal Gear Solid 2
Zone Of The Enders: The Second Runner US PS2
Boktai The Sun Is In Your Hand
Metal Gear Solid The Twin Snakes
Metal Gear Solid 3 US PS2
Metal Gear Solid 3 Subsistence Special Edition US PS2
Metal Gear Saga Vol. 1
Metal Gear Solid 4 Special Edition US PS3
Metal Gear Saga Vol. 2
Metal Gear Saga Vol. 2 (sealed)
PSN: khmr33
Xbox Live: khmr33
Location: Lexington, KY

Re: Policenauts VS. Snatcher.....which do you prefer?

Post by khmr33 »

I haven't beat Policenauts yet, but I think I like it more. Mostly because the system for gameplay is way more streamlined than Snatcher. Hopefully it doesn't spoil me too much when I try to go back to Snatcher.

It does make you wonder what Project S will be like. Killer7's movement plus Policenauts menus plus Snatcher's world and light-gun combat. Makes me want to go buy a Guncon3 just in case.
cacetete
Posts: 71
Joined: Wed Jun 11, 2008 6:39 pm

Re: Policenauts VS. Snatcher.....which do you prefer?

Post by cacetete »

snatcher has a better story but policenauts is bigger and has better gameplay.
User avatar
RyuHayabusa
Posts: 44
Joined: Fri Oct 17, 2008 4:21 pm
Favorite Game: Snatcher
Kojima games owned: Metal Gear - NES CIB
Metal Gear - Famicom CIB
Snake's Revenge - NES CIB
Metal Gear Solid - Playstation
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty - PS2
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snaker Eater - PS2
Metal Gear Solid 4 -PS3
Metal Gear HD Collection - PS3
Metal Gear Solid - Peace Walker - PSP
Zone of the Enders HD Collection - PS3
Snatcher CD-Romantic - PC Engine
Snather Pilot Disk - PC Engine
Snatcher - Sega CD
Snatcher - Sega Saturn
Snatcher - Playstation
Policenauts - Sega Saturn
Policenauts - Playstation - The Best
Policenauts - Playstation
Location: Louisville, KY

Re: Policenauts VS. Snatcher.....which do you prefer?

Post by RyuHayabusa »

cacetete wrote:snatcher has a better story but policenauts is bigger and has better gameplay.
I'm not so sure that Policenauts is bigger. Policenauts is definitely more text-intensive and takes longer to play through, but I'm not so sure if Policenauts has more locations and things to do. I do agree that Snatcher has a better story.

One thing I was just thinking about. There is an inconsistency that I couldn't help but notice:
Spoiler:
There is a shoot-out scene on the moon when Ed and Jonathan are trying to get to the pod launcher and are ambushed by some Goddard units. Jonathan uses his recoil gun and some armor piercing rounds to take them down. Keep in mind that he's not using a lift gun, so how can he shoot that armored suits down like that. Wouldn't the moon's gravity be too weak to use his gun like that?
Frogacuda
Posts: 26
Joined: Mon Aug 24, 2009 11:23 pm
Favorite Game: Too many to list.

Re: Policenauts VS. Snatcher.....which do you prefer?

Post by Frogacuda »

RyuHayabusa wrote:
Spoiler:
There is a shoot-out scene on the moon when Ed and Jonathan are trying to get to the pod launcher and are ambushed by some Goddard units. Jonathan uses his recoil gun and some armor piercing rounds to take them down. Keep in mind that he's not using a lift gun, so how can he shoot that armored suits down like that. Wouldn't the moon's gravity be too weak to use his gun like that?
Not as long as he had his feet planted firmly on the ground and he had a good stance.
User avatar
el_ash
Major
Posts: 561
Joined: Sat Oct 23, 2004 1:13 am
PSN: Ash712
Location: Neo Kobe
Contact:

Re: Policenauts VS. Snatcher.....which do you prefer?

Post by el_ash »

All in all I love both games!
They are VERY similar, It just depends on what kind of storyline and dialog you liked the best to me really.

Policenauts was a really great game, But Snatcher to me had more "freedom" and humorous dialog, Eventhough Policenauts has a much higher production value and presentation.

I was also more into the "CyberPunk" storyline of Snatcher than Policenauts's more "Medical" themed plot.
(at certin time in Policenauts I felt like I was reading a medical Dictionary!...wich is both good and bad).

So Snatcher just barely tops Policenauts in my mind still.....but it's a close one! :mrgreen:
"DAMN SNATCHERS!"
Game RemakeImageMap Pack
cacetete
Posts: 71
Joined: Wed Jun 11, 2008 6:39 pm

Re: Policenauts VS. Snatcher.....which do you prefer?

Post by cacetete »

RyuHayabusa wrote:
cacetete wrote:snatcher has a better story but policenauts is bigger and has better gameplay.
I'm not so sure that Policenauts is bigger. Policenauts is definitely more text-intensive and takes longer to play through, but I'm not so sure if Policenauts has more locations and things to do. I do agree that Snatcher has a better story.

One thing I was just thinking about. There is an inconsistency that I couldn't help but notice:
Spoiler:
There is a shoot-out scene on the moon when Ed and Jonathan are trying to get to the pod launcher and are ambushed by some Goddard units. Jonathan uses his recoil gun and some armor piercing rounds to take them down. Keep in mind that he's not using a lift gun, so how can he shoot that armored suits down like that. Wouldn't the moon's gravity be too weak to use his gun like that?
I say it's bigger because it has a lot of extra things to do with the interface being a pointer: you can point and examine anything, while in snatcher you are limited to the text interface. also, the game has a lot more arcade shootings, they are harder and better and bigger, there are little extra games like the bomb and purse stuff, and if you play both very fast, policenauts still lasts longer with it's 7 acts.
in this part you say wasnt he using ed's gun? don't remember it this is while the boss was retaining johnatans gun.
User avatar
RyuHayabusa
Posts: 44
Joined: Fri Oct 17, 2008 4:21 pm
Favorite Game: Snatcher
Kojima games owned: Metal Gear - NES CIB
Metal Gear - Famicom CIB
Snake's Revenge - NES CIB
Metal Gear Solid - Playstation
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty - PS2
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snaker Eater - PS2
Metal Gear Solid 4 -PS3
Metal Gear HD Collection - PS3
Metal Gear Solid - Peace Walker - PSP
Zone of the Enders HD Collection - PS3
Snatcher CD-Romantic - PC Engine
Snather Pilot Disk - PC Engine
Snatcher - Sega CD
Snatcher - Sega Saturn
Snatcher - Playstation
Policenauts - Sega Saturn
Policenauts - Playstation - The Best
Policenauts - Playstation
Location: Louisville, KY

Re: Policenauts VS. Snatcher.....which do you prefer?

Post by RyuHayabusa »

I say it's bigger because it has a lot of extra things to do with the interface being a pointer: you can point and examine anything, while in snatcher you are limited to the text interface. also, the game has a lot more arcade shootings, they are harder and better and bigger, there are little extra games like the bomb and purse stuff, and if you play both very fast, policenauts still lasts longer with it's 7 acts.
Honestly, I thought the shoot-outs were pretty easy in Policenauts. I only died twice during all of them, and that's because I got hit by the semi during the motorcycle chase. I think the final shooting scene in Snatcher was far more difficult than any of them. Personally, I think Snatcher is just as long as Policenauts aside from reading all the text. All the reading really adds to the game's length.
in this part you say wasnt he using ed's gun? don't remember it this is while the boss was retaining johnatans gun.
Spoiler:
Ed gave Jonathan his gun back after he snuck it back from Gates along with Hojo's ID.
User avatar
JonnyTanna
Posts: 64
Joined: Sun Jan 25, 2009 12:47 am
Favorite Game: Killer7
Kojima games owned: Metal Gear Series (Even down to Metal Gear Mobile)
Snatcher (all versions)
Bokatai
Zone Of The Enders
Policenauts

Project S

Post by JonnyTanna »

khmr33 wrote:I haven't beat Policenauts yet, but I think I like it more. Mostly because the system for gameplay is way more streamlined than Snatcher. Hopefully it doesn't spoil me too much when I try to go back to Snatcher.

It does make you wonder what Project S will be like. Killer7's movement plus Policenauts menus plus Snatcher's world and light-gun combat. Makes me want to go buy a Guncon3 just in case.
What's the deal with Project S? Is it still even coming out? Last I heard Suda & Kojima haven't spoken since last year when they were both in a toilet at some convention.
johnnythewolf
Posts: 11
Joined: Thu Aug 27, 2009 10:35 am
Favorite Game: Policenauts

Re: Policenauts VS. Snatcher.....which do you prefer?

Post by johnnythewolf »

Frogacuda wrote:
RyuHayabusa wrote:
Spoiler:
There is a shoot-out scene on the moon when Ed and Jonathan are trying to get to the pod launcher and are ambushed by some Goddard units. Jonathan uses his recoil gun and some armor piercing rounds to take them down. Keep in mind that he's not using a lift gun, so how can he shoot that armored suits down like that. Wouldn't the moon's gravity be too weak to use his gun like that?
Not as long as he had his feet planted firmly on the ground and he had a good stance.
Spoiler:
I still found it a bit hard to believe that Jonathan could defeat single-handely several armored suits with his tiny recoil gun. I'm not a weapons expert, but I don't think armor-percing bullets could be that powerful. I also find it pretty ridiculous that Jonathan could wipe out a whole squad of AP troopers. After witnessing Redwood taking so many hits before finally going down, it's a bit absurd to think that only a couple of shots could do the trick with most of his colleagues. At first, I thought Jonathan was going to hijack a Goddard suit or something, which would have been awesome.
At least, in Snatcher, the shoot-out scenes made a little more sense.
User avatar
khmr33
Posts: 48
Joined: Thu Oct 23, 2008 9:14 pm
Favorite Game: Radiant Silvergun
Kojima games owned: Metal Gear NES
Snatcher CDRomantic
Snatcher Sega CD
Snatcher Sega Saturn
Policenauts PS The Best
Policenauts Sega Saturn
Metal Gear Solid US PS1 Black Bar
Metal Gear Solid VR Missions US PS1
Bleemcast! Metal Gear Solid
Zone Of The Enders US PS2 w/Demo
Zone Of The Enders Premium Package JP PS2
Metal Gear Solid 2 US PS2 Black Bar
Metal Gear Solid 2 Substance US PS2
Metal Gear Solid 2 Substance US Xbox
The Document Of Metal Gear Solid 2
Zone Of The Enders: The Second Runner US PS2
Boktai The Sun Is In Your Hand
Metal Gear Solid The Twin Snakes
Metal Gear Solid 3 US PS2
Metal Gear Solid 3 Subsistence Special Edition US PS2
Metal Gear Saga Vol. 1
Metal Gear Solid 4 Special Edition US PS3
Metal Gear Saga Vol. 2
Metal Gear Saga Vol. 2 (sealed)
PSN: khmr33
Xbox Live: khmr33
Location: Lexington, KY

Re: Project S

Post by khmr33 »

JonnyTanna wrote:
khmr33 wrote:I haven't beat Policenauts yet, but I think I like it more. Mostly because the system for gameplay is way more streamlined than Snatcher. Hopefully it doesn't spoil me too much when I try to go back to Snatcher.

It does make you wonder what Project S will be like. Killer7's movement plus Policenauts menus plus Snatcher's world and light-gun combat. Makes me want to go buy a Guncon3 just in case.
What's the deal with Project S? Is it still even coming out? Last I heard Suda & Kojima haven't spoken since last year when they were both in a toilet at some convention.
You'd need some "journalists" to actually ask when they get the chance rather than stroking Kojima's Metal Gear...

Maybe we should start a Snatchers development budget on Kiva or something.
User avatar
The Chosen
Posts: 63
Joined: Tue Aug 25, 2009 5:34 pm
Favorite Game: Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake

Re: Policenauts VS. Snatcher.....which do you prefer?

Post by The Chosen »

I loved both, but I think Policenauts improved on everything.
User avatar
Project_Noah
Posts: 99
Joined: Tue Jun 23, 2009 7:14 am
Favorite Game: Snatcher <3
Kojima games owned: -Metal Gear (NES)
-Metal Gear Solid
-Metal Gear Solid (GH)
-Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
-Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance
-Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
-Metal Gear Solid 4: The Guns of the Patriots
-The Metal Gear Solid Essential Collection
-Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops PLUS
-Snatcher (Sega-CD)
-Policenauts (PS)
Location: Oakland, California
Contact:

Re: Policenauts VS. Snatcher.....which do you prefer?

Post by Project_Noah »

I loved Policenauts but Snatcher will always be my baby <3
Image
thisheat
Posts: 20
Joined: Wed Mar 18, 2009 1:13 pm
Favorite Game: Double Dragon/ Metal Gear
Kojima games owned: Lots of Metal Gear stuff/ Snatcher sega cd/ Policenauts PS1
PSN: thisheat1

Re: Policenauts VS. Snatcher.....which do you prefer?

Post by thisheat »

Well...
Snatcher Is amazing, and it was probably the best $150 bucks I had spent to buy a complete copy. I loved every second of it!
Policenauts IS fully realized, and even though I have not finished it quite yet, I am leaning towards Policenauts. It's an exhaustingly awesome universe and it is still completely holds up today!!!
Gameplay is better, Music richer, Dialouge, on and on!
Another note.....MY GOD HOW LONG DID THIS TAKE TO TRANSLATE? FOR EVERY MOVE ON THE SCREEN THERE IS TEXT, WHAT A FANTASTIC DEDICATED JOB YOU GUYS DID...:)
So, yes I would say Policenauts. Playing on a modded PS1 truly is the way to go, though the emulation on psxe is just as incredible!
SO....MARC, SLOWBEEF,ART....Will we be getting the roundtable from you guys on the whole process? I would love to see what you guys have to say in depth. Plus a group photo to put faces to avatars :)
HEAT
User avatar
JOHN KONAMI
Posts: 4
Joined: Thu May 28, 2009 7:51 am
Favorite Game: The Legend of Zelda A Link to the Past
Kojima games owned: Snatcher
Policenauts
Metal Gear Solid
Metal Gear Solid 2 Sons of Liberty
Metal Gear Solid 3 Snake Eater
Metal Gear Solid 4 Guns of the Patriots
Metal Gear Solid Ghost Babel
Metal Gear Solid Twin Snakes

Re: Policenauts VS. Snatcher.....which do you prefer?

Post by JOHN KONAMI »

I don't think Policenauts is less derivative than Snatcher. Snatcher may steal Blade Runner's ideas, but as with both stories, the comparisons stop with their respective source inspirations at aesthetics. While Blade Runner is chiefly an exploration of existentialism, Snatcher is mainly a story about paranoia and trust. It's a high-tech Invasion of the Bodysnatchers.

As for preferences, while I am completely blown away by Policenauts, Snatcher is too hard to beat. The story is more dramatic, the stakes higher, the twists more disarming, plus I'm a sucker for horror.

But hey, Lethal Weapon in space. What more do you want?
Post Reply