《城市獵人》（CITY HUNTER）是基於北條司的著名同名漫畫改編的動作冒險遊戲，由Sunsoft開發，Hudson於1990年在PC Engine平台上發行。結合動畫過場、劇情推進與簡單射擊要素的半互動式冒險遊戲，不但還原原作的氛圍與角色性格，也展現那個時代家用主機在視覺與聲音表現上的極限。

雖然《城市獵人》在日本以漫畫與動畫聞名於80到90年代，但在電子遊戲領域的改編作品極少，因此這款PC Engine版具有某種收藏價值。試圖讓玩家以冴羽獠的視角，沉浸在那個充滿香煙、槍火與美女的都市黑街中。

劇情並不是完全改編漫畫或動畫的某個特定篇章，而是以原創案件為主，輔以原作角色登場。主角「冴羽獠」，一名住在新宿、以接「美女委託」為主業的私家偵探兼殺手。他擁有一流的槍法與偵查技巧，但性格極度好色又吊兒郎當，這樣的設定在遊戲中透過對話與角色互動表現得淋漓盡致。

故事從年輕女子的委託開始，冴羽獠被請來調查一起失蹤案，隨著案件發展，他捲入涉及黑道、武器走私與企業鬥爭的陰謀。在調查過程中，他會與助手槙村香互動，香一如原作一樣是制約冴羽獠「變態本能」的剛烈角色，時常拿大錘賞他一頓。

整體劇情走向和漫畫一樣是都市懸疑與搞笑交錯，必須透過一連串的場景調查、對話選擇與射擊動作來推進故事。雖然敘事節奏偏慢，但氛圍濃厚，對粉絲來說有種像是「親身參與城市獵人劇場版」的感覺。

本作基本上是典型的PC Engine時代文字冒險遊戲，但混合部分即時互動的要素。在主要場景中可以選擇不同的行動，例如「調查」、「移動」、「詢問」、「射擊」等，每項操作會觸發不同的劇情或反應。這些選項組合有時會是解謎的關鍵，例如在某個場景中要先調查某物再詢問特定角色，才能進入下一階段。

與純粹的AVG不同，加入動作場景，例如槍戰時需要使用方向鍵與按鈕來進行瞄準與射擊，這種設計雖然簡單，但也讓遊戲不至於成為純對話型體驗。打擊敵人時會出現第一人稱視角，畫面上敵人會左右閃避或躲在掩體後，需精準瞄準才能擊倒敵人，否則會被反擊而損血。另外，冴羽獠的性格也被整合進遊戲機制中。某些選項會出現「調戲女性」的選擇，如果選了，畫面就會顯示香拿大錘賞你一擊，這些幽默橋段既忠於原作，也為冒險過程增添樂趣。畫面上則採用大量的立繪與動畫式事件畫面，角色表情、場景氛圍處理得細膩，對當時來說相當有看頭。背景音樂也引用動畫中熟悉的旋律風格，尤其是帶有爵士風的都市夜景配樂，強化遊戲的成人風格。

第一關:美 女と共に去りぬ 密碼:EQJFCIJ BAGLFG
第二關:貓におびえる海坊主 密碼:HQJURIJ BCFPHN
第三關:爆發!獠と冴子 密碼:HQJURIJ NOFRLP
第四關:ジゴクからの脫出

就市場而言，這是偏向粉絲向的作品，其實銷量並不算高。當年它並未在海外正式推出，且由於大量使用日文選單與對話，因此對非日語使用者來說並不容易上手。然而在日本遊戲迷與漫畫粉絲之間，仍然擁有一群忠實擁護者，主要來自對原作角色的情感與對都市冒險題材的喜好。

評論方面，多數玩家讚賞它對原作風格的忠實重現，包含角色性格、劇情走向與畫面處理等。尤其是冴羽獠的語調與插科打諢的方式，在文字與配音中都得到良好表現。缺點則集中在系統過於單調、操作稍顯繁瑣，有些選項必須重複執行才能觸發劇情，也造成節奏感不佳。不過，它的重要地位並非來自銷量，而是作為一部早期「成功還原漫畫語言」的遊戲範例，奠定後來許多動畫改編作的基礎。後來的《城市獵人》遊戲雖不多，該作時常被拿出來當作那個時代改編作「氣氛到位」的代表。在Retro Game文化圈裡，如今也被視為值得收藏的佳作之一，特別是對於喜愛城市獵人原作、或是想了解早期PC Engine冒險遊戲氛圍的玩家來說，仍是值得體驗的電子懷舊之旅。

City Hunter is an action-adventure game based on Tsukasa Hojo’s famous manga of the same name. Developed by Sunsoft and published by Hudson in 1990 for the PC Engine, the game blends animated cutscenes, story progression, and simple shooting mechanics into a semi-interactive adventure format. It not only faithfully recreates the atmosphere and character personalities from the original work but also showcases the visual and audio capabilities of home consoles at that time.

Although City Hunter gained widespread fame in Japan during the 1980s and 1990s through its manga and anime adaptations, very few video game versions were made. As a result, this PC Engine edition holds particular value for collectors. It attempts to immerse players in the smoky, gunfire-filled, and glamorous backstreets of the city from the perspective of Ryo Saeba.

The story is not a direct adaptation of any specific manga or anime arc but is centered around an original case featuring familiar characters from the series. The protagonist, Ryo Saeba, is a private detective and gun-for-hire based in Shinjuku, mainly taking on jobs that involve beautiful women. His superb marksmanship and investigative skills are contrasted by his extremely lecherous and carefree personality, traits vividly portrayed through in-game dialogue and character interactions.

The narrative begins with a young woman hiring Ryo to investigate a missing person case. As the investigation unfolds, he becomes entangled in a conspiracy involving organized crime, arms smuggling, and corporate warfare. Throughout his journey, Ryo interacts with his partner, Kaori Makimura, who, just like in the original work, acts as a fierce counterbalance to Ryo’s perverse tendencies—often punishing him with a giant hammer when he steps out of line.

The story's tone, much like the manga, weaves between urban suspense and comedy. Players must investigate various scenes, make dialogue choices, and engage in shooting sequences to advance the plot. Although the pacing can feel slow at times, the rich atmosphere creates an experience akin to personally starring in a City Hunter movie.

Gameplay-wise, the title is largely a typical text-based adventure game of the PC Engine era, but with some real-time interactive elements mixed in. In key scenes, players can select actions such as "Investigate," "Move," "Question," and "Shoot," each triggering different story branches or reactions. These choices often form the basis of the game's puzzle-solving aspects—sometimes requiring a player to investigate a particular object before questioning a specific character to proceed.

Unlike pure adventure games (AVG) of the time, City Hunter includes action segments. During gunfight scenes, players must use the directional pad and buttons to aim and shoot. Though simple, this mechanic ensures the game doesn't devolve into a purely text-driven experience. Combat switches to a first-person view where enemies dodge or take cover, requiring precise aim to defeat them, or else the player will take damage from counterattacks.

Additionally, Ryo Saeba’s personality is cleverly woven into the gameplay. Some action options allow players to "flirt with women," which, if selected, immediately triggers Kaori’s hammer punishment scene—these humorous touches stay true to the source material and add charm to the adventure.

Visually, the game features a wealth of detailed character illustrations and animated event scenes. Facial expressions and background settings are handled with surprising nuance for its time. The background music adopts the familiar jazzy melodies of the anime, especially during the nighttime urban scenes, enhancing the game’s mature, stylish atmosphere.

In terms of market performance, the PC Engine version of City Hunter was clearly targeted toward fans and did not achieve high sales. It was never officially released outside Japan, and because it relies heavily on Japanese menus and dialogue, it was difficult for non-Japanese speakers to pick up. Nevertheless, it maintained a devoted following among Japanese gamers and manga fans, primarily due to their emotional attachment to the original characters and love for urban adventure settings.

Critically, players praised the game's faithful recreation of the manga's style, including the characters' personalities, plot structure, and visual presentation. Ryo's tone and comedic antics were especially well-translated into both text and (limited) voice performances. However, criticisms were aimed at the game’s somewhat monotonous system and tedious controls—some actions required repeated execution to trigger progress, affecting the overall pacing.

Despite its modest commercial success, City Hunter's PC Engine adaptation holds historical significance as an early example of successfully "translating manga language into a video game." It helped lay the groundwork for future anime-based adaptations. Though not many City Hunter games were produced afterward, this title is often cited as a representative of how well atmosphere and tone could be captured during that era.

Today, within retro gaming circles, it is considered a hidden gem worth collecting. For fans of the original City Hunter series or those interested in experiencing the atmosphere of early PC Engine adventure games, it remains a nostalgic and rewarding electronic journey.