Developer: Naxat Soft Publisher: Spiel Release: 12/06/91 Genre: Visual Novel
It has been interesting exploring the PC Engine library. While we received lots of shooters and awful platform games in the West Japan received games in all genres consistently. Compared to the SNES and Sega Genesis however the PC Engine has a large library of visual novels. This one in particular caught my eye for a variety of reasons. Bubblegum Crisis is one of many 90s anime I never got around to. Cute girls in cool mech suits will always get my attention but cash was limited at the time. Bubblegum Crash!: Knight Sabers 2034 is a late release for the console that does not push the envelope by any means but entertains with a solid story that stumbles somewhat toward the end.
Knight Sabers 2034 is based on Bubblegum Crash, the sequel to the original series. After the events of the OVA the individual members of the Knight Sabers have all gone their separate ways. Only Nena Romanova remains a part of the AD Police when a string of high profile bank robberies hints at a bigger conspiracy. Although set in the same time frame as the OVA Knight Sabers 2034 is more of a what if scenario. Still all the familiar faces from the series make an appearance in some form. Ultimately the game is only limited by being a Hucard title rather than a CD game.
Bubblegum Crash!: Knight Sabers 2034 is a hybrid of a visual novel/adventure with some action game elements. Unlike most adventure games at the time you are not scouring the environments looking for items to solve puzzles. There are only a few key items and you receive them automatically. Most of your time is spent navigating its text-based dialogue sequences using the game’s point and click interface. The interface contains all of the usual commands such as use, look, talk, and move. A few like Hear and View are redundant but not a nuisance generally.
For the most part the game does a good job of guiding the player. The world map has a sizable number of destinations and the game is free roaming for the most part. However through dialogue the game will state your next destination or automatically transition there. There are only a few instances where you are left to determine your next course of action. If you have been paying attention it is usually obvious. Knight Sabers 2034 has the annoying adventure game habit of making you repeat the same action multiple times to progress. But that is something you accept in this genre unfortunately. I can see how this game is impenetrable in Japanese but luckily the fan translation makes it more accessible.
About 75% of the game is adventure game hijinks. But toward the end the game introduces a few action sequences spice things up. It is here where it stumbles. The motorcycle chases is long and tedious as you simply move left and right to avoid missiles. Good idea in theory but could have used more to be interesting. The finale takes place in a first person maze that introduces turn based combat and random battles. Truthfully they probably should not have bothered. There are only two enemy types and no strategy beyond switching party members to avoid death. The only penalty for death is restarting the entire maze. The maze itself is sprawling and requires mapping as you explore multiple floors. They did not need repetitive and monotonous combat to slow down the otherwise solid pacing. I respect the attempt at diversifying the gameplay but it barely works here.
Because of the lack of puzzles Bubblegum Crash is easier than your typical adventure game. Death is not a factor until the end game. Outside of repeating the same action multiple times you can stumble your way through the game with the only thing stopping you being your tolerance for repetition. Even at the end you would have to go out of your way to somehow die as it is easily avoidable. The game’s primary focus is narrative-driven, so players looking for deep, skill-based gameplay may not find the experience as engaging.
In Closing
Bubblegum Crash!: Knight Sabers 2034 is a solid game for fans of visual novels and the Bubblegum Crisis anime, offering a unique blend of story-driven gameplay with action elements. As a visual novel it will not be for everyone, and the combat can feel a bit basic, but the game still provides a fun and engaging experience for those who appreciate cyberpunk. Even I as someone who only has a passing knowledge of the Bubblegum Crisis franchise was able to enjoy the narrative. The few action sequences sprinkled in fall flat but do little to diminish this solid adventure.
