Zaboru had already placed the Sheriff Juan 4 disc into his Game Station, barely able to contain his excitement. He still remembered how much he had enjoyed Sheriff Juan 3, which had recently launched for Sonaya's 16-bit system, Titan Drive. That entry had impressed him with its blend of Mega Man-inspired gameplay and creative twists unique to the Sheriff Juan series. Zaboru hoped this new installment would continue in that same spirit—classic side-scrolling action with fresh mechanics and charm.
"I hope they're still using side-scrolling gameplay as the core," Zaboru said with a hopeful smile. The game began with a cinematic 3D cutscene. In it, Sheriff Juan had lost faith in his government and decided to walk away from his badge, living life as a lone cowboy. That is, until his old friend Pedro—an ambitious man running for Governor—approached him with a bold proposition: help clean up the deeply corrupt officials plaguing all of RockVile.
Sheriff Juan agreed, declaring, "This time, I'll be a proper sheriff—one who cleanses evil from the land."
Zaboru whistled and nodded. "Whoa, they really improved his character."
He always loved the Sheriff Juan storyline, and now the stakes felt more personal. Juan wasn't just taking down outlaws—he was fighting for justice in a broken system. As a cowboy-for-hire reclaiming the badge, Juan's mission felt heavier, and Zaboru found himself genuinely invested. He hoped Pedro would become a true governor, capable of real reform.
Sure, the plot leaned a little goofy in places—but that was part of the series' charm. That blend of drama and silliness was the heart of Sheriff Juan, and Zaboru could already tell this game wasn't straying too far from what made it special.
When the gameplay started, Zaboru frowned. Unlike the previous Sheriff Juan games, this one was fully 3D and played more like a third-person shooter. You had to aim with the analog sticks, shoot with R1, and dodge with R2. At first, it seemed exciting, but the novelty wore off quickly. Despite the inclusion of dynamite and new weapons that exploded on headshots, it didn't feel like a Sheriff Juan game at all. It felt like a generic third-person shooter from his previous life.
Zaboru sighed. It reminded him too much of the kinds of games he had seen in his previous life—functional but lacking identity. Maybe people in this world didn't recognize it yet, since the third-person shooter genre hadn't exploded here, but he knew exactly where this was heading.
"Bigger hardware capabilities don't always mean better games," he thought, leaning back. "They still don't understand."
After about an hour, the boredom set in. He wanted to keep going just for the story, but even that wasn't enough to hold him. He stopped playing.
Ayumi, who had been watching quietly, finally asked, "Why? Not your thing, Zabo? I thought the 3D shooting was pretty cool."
Zaboru gave her a tired smile and nodded. "Yeah, it looks cool, but they gave up what made Sheriff Juan special. Just because you have powerful hardware doesn't mean everything needs to be in 3D. Some games are better in 2D. Look at Dragon Ride 2—it was amazing, and it only used 3D-rendered characters. It still felt clean, focused, and fun."
Ayumi nodded. "I see."
Zaboru decided to eat first, and by the time he finished, it was already around 8 PM. Without wasting a second, he returned to the Game Station and prepared to play the final game on his list—The Sun Knight.
"Let's hope they didn't screw this up," he said with a smirk.
He already suspected the game would be fully 3D, and that didn't bother him. He understood that Sun Knight was always the franchise Sonaya used to push the limits of their hardware. It was the flagship, the technical showcase—and if past entries were anything to go by, they'd definitely gone all out with this one.
Zaboru quickly started the game, eager to see how the latest Sun Knight installment would kick off. The screen faded to black, then transitioned into a cinematic cutscene.
"After defeating the Primal Evil with his Eclipse Power, Sony's body began to weaken," the narrator explained. "His very essence—once attuned to the power of the Sun—had been corrupted by the darkness of the Eclipse. Day by day, his body deteriorated. Yet, Sony refused to give up. Each morning, he would stand beneath the sky and stare directly into the sun, willing its light into himself, even as it scorched his skin and seared his eyes. The pain was unbearable, but Sony endured."
The camera showed Sony meditating atop a ruined temple, sweat pouring from his brow, light flickering across his armor. Zaboru watched in awe.
"Then one day, the Sun turned red—a blood-colored sky blanketed the world. A blinding crimson beam shot down from the heavens and struck Sony directly on the forehead. In that moment, he received a vision… and a prophecy. The Red Sun spoke to him."
The booming voice of the Red Sun echoed: "Go to Abyss Canyon. A place where sunlight does not reach. There lies a threat to all humanity. You must descend and purify the corruption."
Sony was then gifted with two divine relics: the Red Sun Force, a power source that surged through his veins clearing and recovering his body to its prime, and the Red Sun Apostle Sword, a massive silvery greatsword etched with molten red patterns—the very essence of solar fury. Its name: Aldebaran Might.
Zaboru's eyes widened. "The cutscene is so long… but man, the story's actually good."
As the cutscene ended, the game transitioned smoothly to gameplay. Sony stood at the edge of Abyss Canyon, a bleak, shadow-covered gorge stretching far into the distance. Zaboru grinned. The game had finally begun.
The combat was hack-and-slash, executed with a smooth 3D presentation and its look good and feel good even in just 32 bit. Sony could perform standard attacks, heavy swings, and devastating special abilities. He could jump, dodge, and even guard. The controls were responsive and the animations felt weighty, with sparks flying each time Aldebaran Might clashed against enemy.
Zaboru continued playing, slicing through corrupted beasts and navigating narrow stone bridges until he found a glowing red orb labeled Red Sun Essence. As Sony absorbed it into his body, the game paused briefly and a new ability unlocked: Red Sun Spell – Fireball.
Sony raised his hand, conjured a swirling orb of solar fire, and hurled it at a nearby enemy, causing an explosion that sent enemies flying.
Zaboru grinned wide. "Not bad. Not bad at all."
Zaboru continued playing until he finally reached his first major boss: a towering ape-like creature, its bulky frame covered in thick black fur streaked with crackling dark lightning. The beast pounded its fists into the ground, snarling and roaring with primal fury. When it charged, the screen shook with impact. Its eyes glowed a haunting purple, and black sparks erupted with each movement.
Despite the intimidating appearance, Zaboru handled the fight smoothly. He timed his dodges, parried heavy slams, and unleashed devastating combos with Aldebaran Might. Eventually, after a final well-timed slash, the beast collapsed to its knees.
A cutscene triggered. Sony, bathed in a faint red glow, stepped forward and raised Aldebaran Might high. With a powerful cry, he drove the blade into the beast's chest, piercing the pulsating dark orb embedded there. A burst of light erupted as the orb shattered, and flames from the Red Sun engulfed the creature's body.
The ape roared one last time—but then, something changed. Its black fur slowly shifted to a brilliant white streaked with crimson. The creature's glowing purple eyes turned golden, and the thunderous rage in its voice was replaced by something softer.
"Thank you, young knight," the creature said with surprising clarity. "My name is JuJu. I'm from the Ape Tribe who once worshiped the Red Sun. I've been the guardian of this abyss for many years. But I was corrupted... not just me. Many Red Sun followers have fallen to the darkness that festers in these caverns."
Zaboru's eyes widened as JuJu raised one arm, channeling red lightning through his fingertips into Aldebaran Might. A prompt appeared on screen: Aldebaran Lightning Unlocked!
"Take this gift," JuJu said. "May the Red Sun guide you. We call it Aldebaran, the star of rebirth and flame. I wish I could help more, but my time here is done. Be cautious, Sony. And if you can… free the others."
Then Sony asked, "Why did the sun turn red?"
JuJu shook his head solemnly. "To everyone else, the sun appears normal. Only those chosen by Aldebaran can see its true form. That red glow, the warning—it's a sign meant only for you."
With a final nod, JuJu turned and disappeared into the mist.
As JuJu faded into radiant light, the game resumed. Sony stood taller, now imbued with the Sword Coating: Aldebaran Lightning ability. Zaboru activated the new power and watched in awe as lightning wrapped around his blade, crackling with every movement.
"Whoa! Man!" he said, grinning from ear to ear. The visual effects were dazzling, and the sense of power was palpable. Every slash felt more impactful, every spark a testament to the game's attention to detail.
"They're really doing something special here," Zaboru muttered, impressed. He could feel it—Sun Knight 4 wasn't just a technical showcase. It was something greater.
He continued playing while Ayumi, now fast asleep on the couch in front of him, rested peacefully. She simply loved spending time near her husband, even if it meant dozing off mid-session. She knew Zaboru was an anomaly—someone who didn't need much sleep, and could stay up for hours immersed in games without losing focus. As he played Sun Knight 4, a grin stayed on his face. The game was a blast—polished, exciting, and everything he had hoped it would be and Zaboru the gamer will be fully unleashed!.
To be continue
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