Dual Review – Bionic Commando 0

by Adam Blue • Reviews

Dual Review is a new feature here at BlueGamer.net. What Dual Review does is get you in on Adam’s take of a particular game, followed by Sean’s in-dept analysis. There’s something for everyone.

Adam:

I wrote my thoughts down recently about Sonic going from 2D to 3D, and how it worked – or didn’t. Very few games can transition into that realm. Mario did it only because it transitioned being revolutionary in 2D to 3D. Bionic Commando is a Nintendo game from the 80′s that I barely even remember playing (got my refresher course from Grin’s ‘Rearmed’, which totally rocked). The announcement of a 3D version from Grin just made me think ‘shoot-em-up’. What else would they do? I figure I’d play it because I like the idea of grappling around and shooting. Grappling hooks rock. Right next to zombies and jet-packs.

Right away, Bionic Commando felt just like it should in 3D. You’re pretty much on a linear path you follow through in short sections with enemies in specific places. Incorporating the grapple and small health bar really gave the game a challenge reminiscent of those 8-bit and 16-bit games. You almost have to memorize sections so when you go back, you can dominate efficiently and feel rewarded for it. This is pretty much a description of the gameplay. But what do I think about it?

Well, it works. It’s also very refreshing. I don’t feel like I’m playing any ordinary 3rd person shooter here. There are a few weapons in the game with very limited ammo. The game makes you think about when you use what, and how. With the bionic arm, you have the option of hand-to-hand or throwing items at enemies – or enemies at enemies. There’s a wide variety of combat here which is each limited on when and how you can use it. This is what adds the simple depth that current games ignore. The swinging mechanic is very fun. As it’s difficult to master yet rewarding when pulled off. There are a few times though when frustration sets in. The game isn’t forgiving, so timing with the swinging has to be spot on. Trust me, you’ll say ‘fuck’ just like most of the characters in the game.

The story here is good, as is the dialog – even as cheesy as it is. I think they were trying to pull of the cheesiness found in the 80′s version, and, well, they nailed it. The story wasn’t shoved down your throat and you could simply ignore it if you wanted to. But I enjoyed what was there. The music in this game is great. Rocking when it needs to be, or dramatic when it’s called for. The sound effects themselves weren’t anything spectacular, but they did their job.

The graphics here are good. Early screenshots looked better, but as I’ve said before: consoles don’t have the resolutions found in screenshots. The character models and designs are good, as are the backgrounds; make sure to stop and look into the distance. But don’t train your eyes on explosions. They are the weak link to the visuals.

Multi-player. Unfortunately I have not touched online play on the retail copy. I did though play the online demo, which was an absolute blast. It’s nothing that will replace Battlefield or Call of Duty, but I guarentee I will purchase the game if I see it in the bargain bin. But, wait – does that mean the game is not worth it now?

Conclusion: Bionic Commando is worth playing right now. If you have the funds, you might as well buy. Replaying it for collectibles and achievements will only be fun. If funds aren’t free-flowing for you, rent it. And it just might be your kind of multiplayer.

Sean:

Bionic Commando is a very short game. It took me five hours to finish it on hard and it wasn’t hard. The graphics are good. Swinging around is fun and easy. My favorite move is swinging your arm around and killing everyone near you. I killed eight people while doing that, it was awesome. The best part of the game is:

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