In the transition from the Nintendo 64 to the Wii and its controllers, Sin and Punishment takes a bit of a hit. Moving the cursor, shooting, and jumping are relatively easy, but a poor choice when it came to mapping the buttons for strafing makes the game harder than it really should be. This might not be an issue if it wasn't for the fact that strafing is often key in surviving boss battles, and I ran into problems beating some bosses simply because I couldn't get out of the way quickly enough.

Now, the graphics aren't great, as to be expected. They're from 2000 and look very much the part of a Nintendo 64 game. However, the actual design of characters and enemies in the game is notably good. The Virtual Console version features English dubbing with Japanese subtitles, a nice addition. The voice acting itself isn't too bad, and the soundtrack fits the game's stages and battles.

Sin and Punishment stands out as one of the best deals on the Virtual Console service: a well-polished rail shooter that is cheaper on the Virtual Console than importing the game from Japan. It's certainly not for everyone and is namely something hardcore gamers will enjoy, but it's a game that's definitely worth being the highest-priced VC title.

Pros: A very unique and well-polished game with plenty of challenge. Feels a lot like Radiant Silvergun, Treasure's other notable shoot 'em up.

Cons: Even on the lowest difficulty levels, this game is hard. Somewhat abstract storyline and dated graphics might "scare off" some casual gamers.

Sin and Punishment is rated T (Teen) by the ESRB for Blood, Fantasy Violence and Mild Language.