Description

"Policenauts" is an interactive cinematic adventure game that was released for the Sega Saturn in 1996. Developed by Konami and directed by Hideo Kojima, the game blends science fiction with detective noir elements, offering gamers a rich narrative experience. The story follows Jonathan Ingram, one of the original "policenauts"—astronauts with police training—who gets lost in space during a routine patrol and is found alive 25 years later, floating in hibernation. Back on Earth and now a private investigator, Jonathan is pulled back into space when his ex-wife asks him to investigate her new husband's mysterious disappearance on the space colony Beyond Coast. The gameplay combines point-and-click adventure mechanics with visual novel-style storytelling, featuring deep character interactions, intricate puzzles, and occasional gunplay sequences controlled through a light gun-style interface.

Significant in both its story and its presentation, "Policenauts" is noted for its detailed animation and voice acting, which were pioneering at the time for an interactive game. Its release on the Sega Saturn came after an initial launch on the PC-9821 and the 3DO, and the Saturn version included enhanced graphics, additional scenes, and better sound quality, making it arguably the definitive version of the game. Despite its popularity in Japan and its cult classic status among Western audiences, "Policenauts" never received an official English localization. This has led to dedicated fans creating unofficial translations, allowing a broader audience to experience one of Kojima's early narrative-driven projects. The game's deep integration of narrative and gameplay, alongside its forensic attention to detail, makes it a prized classic in the adventure game genre.