3.5/5 ★ – dark1905's review of Sin and Punishment.

When I stumbled upon Sin and Punishment in the Switch N64 emulator library, I had never heard of this game before. I clicked on it solely based on the cover, which caught my attention. Sin and Punishment is a rail shooter with a completely fucked up story, which I didn't pay much attention to. However, it offers brilliantly twisted settings and enemies. You'll be fighting against monsters, mechs, enemy generals, overpowering beings, peculiar cats, or even a mini Earth globe creature. All of this takes place on ships, inside enemy bases, or even within the metaphorical subconscious of a human turned machine. The game's visuals are reminiscent of the finest '90s anime aesthetics, similar to Neon Genesis Evangelion and other classics. The gameplay on normal is challenging, but not impossible, and it plays wonderfully on the Switch also in handheld mode. You'll receive enough continues throughout the game, but I did utilize the emulator's manual save function a few times because I simply wanted to experience the game in one go, and some enemies proved to be quite tricky. If you had played Sin and Punishment earlier as a full-priced title on the N64, the slightly more demanding difficulty level offers replay value also as the new unlocked difficulties, and chasing high scores can be fun, reminiscent of good arcade experiences. The gameplay sections and boss battles offering some diversity, requiring different tactics, but they can generally be figured out after 1-2 trials and errors. All in all, I would say it's a must-play for any rail shooter fan. However, I must admit that I'm not well-versed in this genre. For rail shooter enthusiasts, I would also recommend experiencing it as the original N64 release. For those seeking a short and enjoyable game, the emulator is a great choice. You can comfortably play through a two-hour session, and it's genuinely enjoyable. It may not be more than that, but it's a pleasant little gem that you can definitely give a try.