Like a lot of early 3D games, Treasure’s Sin and Punishment (now available on Virtual Console) really shows its age. It’s not so much the graphics: those expressionistically jagged, low-poly bodies are actually kind of stylish in their own way. It’s more about the little things: wonky perspectives, objects that bob in and out of shot, poor sight lines, etc. And don’t get me started on the level that switches the game from a fast, Space Harrier-like shooter to a stiff, awkward 2.5D platformer for no good reason at all.
For every awkward camera angle and poorly-acted cut scene, though, there’s an exhilarating, stomach-dropping flight sequence amidst a fleet of ships and fighter jets, or a clever trick to bypass an otherwise tedious fight, or a boss battle that makes you feel like a rock god in a way that your average video game power fantasy can only ever hope of doing.
That seems to be Treasure’s way of doing things: whether you do something right or wrong, just make sure you do it big.