Lupin Sansei: Colombus no Isan wa Ake ni Somaru

Lupin Sansei: Colombus no Isan wa Ake ni Somaru starts with a wonderfully Lupin-sized objective: infiltrate Gable Tower and get your hands on Christopher Columbus’ ship log before it disappears at auction. The stealth-and-disguise focus fits the master-thief fantasy far better than a straight brawler would, especially when Lupin is stealing clothes and items to slip past security.

Its bigger gamble is splitting the action among the whole crew. Lupin remains the main attraction, but Fujiko’s information-gathering, Jigen’s on-rails gunplay, and Goemon’s sword sections give the adventure a pulpy variety that should please fans willing to accept a deliberately uneven collection of action styles.

Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

The immediate hook is not subtle: you are Lupin, facing a supposedly impregnable tower stuffed with security and a priceless target at the top. That is exactly the sort of setup this series needs. Rather than treating Lupin as merely a guy with a gun, the game leans into sneaking, pilfering useful items, and taking enemy outfits so you can pass unnoticed. When you are looking for a route through the tower instead of simply blasting forward, the fantasy lands.

Disguises are the strongest part of the concept because they turn theft into more than a collectible hunt. An outfit can be a way around detection, which gives each enemy encounter a bit of mischievous possibility. Lupin still has his P38 and other weapons, but the game sounds most compelling when you are exploiting the tower’s people and security rather than treating every problem as a shooting gallery.

The team structure is also where the game becomes more adventurous and more uneven. Fujiko works in the same broad stealth space, but charms enemies for information rather than stealing their clothes. Jigen gets on-rails shooting sections, while Goemon cuts through enemies in basic sword-focused action. That is a lot of genres under one roof. It keeps the pace from settling into a single routine, though it also means the game asks you to enjoy several simpler side styles instead of one deeply developed stealth system.

If you want the most fitting material, savor Lupin and Fujiko’s missions. The disguise and deception angle is the reason to play. Jigen and Goemon are useful palate cleansers, especially if you like seeing every member of the gang take the lead, but their more direct shooting and slicing setups are unlikely to carry the game on their own.

Graphics

The game uses a third-person viewpoint for its main Lupin sections, putting the focus on navigating the high-tech interiors of Gable Tower and sizing up the people whose clothes or information you need. The recognizable draw is the cast itself: Lupin, Fujiko, Jigen, and Goemon all receive playable turns rather than being reduced to background support.

Story

A stolen Columbus ship’s log, a charity auction, and a tower described as a high-tech fortress: it is a clean, appropriately extravagant Lupin premise. The stakes are rooted in a valuable object rather than world-saving melodrama, which suits a caper where style, timing, and getting away with it matter more than brute force.

Gable Tower gives the plot a pleasingly focused destination. The log is scheduled to be auctioned on the top floor, so the story naturally points upward through layers of security toward a single prize. That structure gives the heist a stronger sense of purpose than a loose series of unrelated jobs would have.

The supporting crew matters because each gets a playable role. Fujiko gathers information through charm, Jigen handles the gunfire, and Goemon brings the blade. It is a direct way to honor the ensemble, and fans of the anime should appreciate that the job is not framed as Lupin working alone while everyone else watches.

Overall Experience

This is a better fit for someone who wants a Lupin caper than for someone chasing pure stealth depth or polished third-person gunplay. Its strongest promise is letting you think like a thief: acquire a disguise, avoid suspicion, and get through an absurdly secure building with more nerve than force. That is a solid first pull, and it remains the part most likely to click.

The payoff depends on how much affection you have for the whole gang. The rotating character sections give the adventure the shape of a proper ensemble episode, but they also pull it away from the stealth-and-disguise work whenever the game switches to shooting or sword action. If that variety sounds like a feature rather than a distraction, there is a lot to like in the changing perspective.

For more Lupin game history, the related Lupin Sansei: Hong Kong no Mashu – Fukushū wa Meikyū no Hate ni is worth a look. This PS2 outing earns a chance from fans who want disguises and heist plotting wrapped around a familiar anime crew; everyone else may find its blend of stealth, rail shooting, and swordplay too scattered to become a favorite.