Nerdly » ‘City Hunter’ Review (PS5)

12th Mar2026

‘City Hunter’ Review (PS5)

by Darragh O'Connor

Disclosure: Game provided by Clouded Leopard Entertainment/Red Art Games. Reviewed on PS5 after a two-hour playthrough.

A Cult Classic

City Hunter is one of those titles that arrives with one goal and one audience in mind. Originally released in Japan in 1990, and based on the popular manga and anime series, the game itself comes from a much earlier era of gaming.

For Western fans, this release has a certain novelty to it and is a labour of love. This kind of cult PC Engine-style game is one for people who simply never had the chance to experience it back in the day and were fans or are curious about it. The problem is that curiosity and novelty can only carry a game so far.

2D Adventure Bare Basics & Retro Charm

At its core, City Hunter is a non-linear 2D adventure game. You move between locations, search for clues from NPCs and fight the same enemies again and again. Unfortunately, it is extremely basic even for its time.

The game only features three main missions, and while they offer some freedom in how you approach them, they are over fairly quickly. Exploration is limited, interactions are simple, and the gameplay systems never really evolve beyond that. I thought the game was a demo at first boot. It is that bare!

The gameplay never becomes particularly engaging, and the short length makes it hard to feel like a fully fleshed-out experience. It is not bad by any means, just very light and very simple.

Love Letter to Fans of the Series

One thing City Hunter absolutely gets right is how respectful it is to the source material. If you are a fan of the game, anime or manga, there is a lot to appreciate here. The developers clearly understand the world and characters and have packed the game with little touches that longtime fans will appreciate.

There are fun Easter eggs scattered throughout, references to moments from the series and even some bonus content that feels like a reward for players who know the material well. It is the sort of fan service that feels affectionate rather than lazy.

For fans of City Hunter, it is everything you’d want from this little time capsule that should have been expanded upon with a longer game or a follow-up packed in. If you’re anyone else, you get three levels and a rather hollow experience that just ends.

Pros

Respectful adaptation of the anime and manga.
Fun Easter eggs and references for longtime fans.
Interesting as a historical look at a cult-style PC Engine era game.
Some bonus features in the gallery that are always a nice touch.

Cons

Only three main missions.
Gameplay is extremely basic and repetitive.
Very little depth or replay value for non fans.

Niche Throwback For & By Fans

I can see why people like it. For fans of the series or retro game enthusiasts, it has genuine appeal. Or if you want to see what TurboGrafx 16 and PC Engine era gaming looked like, or if you’re a huge fan of the game/anime. Go for it. If not, there is nothing here for you