Prison City Review (PlayStation 5)

Prison City is a game that stands out with its beautiful 16-bit graphics and a download size of 356.4MB. It offers 27 trophies, including in-game trophies, and provides 10 save slots with copy and delete options. The game gives you both the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 versions.

The game offers four difficulty levels – Easy, Modern, Classic, and Custom, each with its own pros and cons. It also provides various graphics settings including CRT and soft filters, display options (stretched/pixel perfect), border art on/off, and button graphics. The gameplay is an action platformer and allows you to rebind the controls. There’s an optional tutorial level with optional advanced levels for those who want to practice before diving into the game.

Prison City features a chiptune soundtrack and you are armed with Chakarams, which can be shot in 8 directions with button presses rather than angling the d-pad. The game supports using the d-pad and/or analog. The in-game cutscenes add to the immersive experience and the controls and movement are solid and responsive. You can power up your weapons with pickups, and once at max level 3, you can fire through walls.

Prison City offers eight locations – rooftops, a freeway, a stadium, cold storage, sewers, a power plant, a factory, and a preserve. You get to pick where you go after each level. However, the grabbing-a-ledge system can feel awkward as it requires you to hold up as you hit the ledge or fence, which can be a pain when you’re trying to go down the screen. At times, the art style can make it hard to see what’s in play and what isn’t. Enemies respawn as soon as they go out of sight.

The trophy list is hard and there is no Platinum trophy. Replayability might be limited unless you are after all the trophies. Each location has unique enemy types and the map uncovers as you explore. All levels have many routes and secrets. Throwing your Chakarams causes them to heat up, filling them up will disable them temporarily. The goal in each level is to find your informant and get the key for the exit.

The game offers various actions – slide, jump, ledge grabbing, and climbing fences and ladders. Checkpoints can be found and used as respawn points. There’s a health bar with health pick-ups and shields can be collected to make you temporarily invincible. The enemies and obstacles look awesome and the vehicle segments are really good fun. Grenades are like a smart bomb and kill all enemies on the screen.

Prison City is an excellent example of a modern retro game. It’s so much fun to play and is a must for Contra and retro fans alike. Despite some minor issues, the game goes for a style and absolutely nails it. Big boss encounters complete with on-screen health bars add to the excitement and you can skip the cutscenes if you prefer. Overall, “Prison City” offers a solid gaming experience with its familiar controls for the genre and its unique features.