Welcome Guest [Log In] [Register]
Welcome to The Third Moon. We hope you enjoy your visit.


You're currently viewing our forum as a guest. This means you are limited to certain areas of the board and there are some features you can't use. If you join our community, you'll be able to access member-only sections, and use many member-only features such as customizing your profile, sending personal messages, and voting in polls. Registration is simple, fast, and completely free.


Join our community!


If you're already a member please log in to your account to access all of our features:

Username:   Password:
Add Reply
Bionic Commando (Spoiler Free); Capcom/X360-PS3/2009
Topic Started: May 23 2009, 05:07 AM (130 Views)
Dual
Member Avatar
She and Her Cat
Mooninites
Let me tell you about the game I played while I was still young...

When I was still but a wee lass, I rented a book from my Elementary School library called "Bionic Commando." I mostly just rented it because it was based on an NES game and I was a big enough fan of my NES to check the book out without even having played the game it was based on. Not long after reading and enjoying (I repeat, I was in elementary school) it, I found a copy of the game in my local pawn shop when browsing their NES games with my mother. Needless to say, I was pretty eager to pick it up. Unfortunately, upon playing it, I found that I didn't like the game even one bit. My biggest complaint that I had with it, that will likely surprise no one, is that you could not jump.

I rather promptly traded it in for something else and thought nothing of it for years. Upon the announcement of Bionic Commando: Rearmed, however, a few friends tried to convince me to get back into it. I tried the original again, having found a rather cheap copy at a local mom 'n pop games shop, and was still put off by the same exact thing. When BC:R finally released, however, I was so settled on forcing myself to get into the series that I downloaded it within an hour of its release. Despite having a rather difficult time with my first hour, I finally got used to the controls and found myself completely addicted.

After having played a hefty amount of Rearmed, I finally got back into the original and loved it, as well. I was made an instant BC fan and was immediately looking forward to the next-generation sequel. Much like I didn't understand what made BC so fun when I was young, I don't think many reviewers are understanding what makes this next-generation Bionic Commando so much fun. I hate to sound shallow, but they really just don't seem to "get" it.

Bionic Commando was a misunderstood game back in 1989 and I firmly believe it is once again misunderstood in 2009. It's not to be taken as your run-of-the-mill, third-person shooter, just like the original was never meant to be taken as your average action-platformer. Most reviewers have compared it to other popular TPS's, such as Gears of War, freeroam TPS's, like Grand Theft Auto, and even the Spiderman games due to the swinging.

Really, the game is hardly comparable to any of those three titles. The swinging rewards skill, it's not merely a means of transportation like it is in the Spiderman games. The game was meant to be linear from the start, so the GTA comparisons don't even begin to make sense. And the game doesn't even have a cover system, making the people comparing it to Gears of War seem inept at reviewing. People have tried to liken Bionic Commando to all these games because they're refusing to look at it as a title that stands out as unique, instead, they try to focus on what game it is allegedly copying and negatively review it for falling short on that front.

You could easily label me as a pretentious elitist who refuses to acknowledge a bad game when she sees one and is blinded by nostalgia, but I've really only been big into Bionic Commando for the last year, why would I be biased towards this game? I don't mean to imply that it is for everyone, but I do think that people are really looking at it - and apparently playing it - from the wrong perspective. People are so used to ducking behind crates when they're being shot that the very concept of swinging away at high speeds to recover is so alien to them that they don't even try it.

If you're going to play BC like an average TPS, it's definitely going to suck. This game was not built around its shooting mechanics, but rather the limb the protagonist has attached to him that gave the game half its namesake. Ammunition is sparse, the amount of weapons you can hold is few, and the fights are often unskippable. And, in no way, does this cause even the slightest impediment towards the game's quality. There are numerous ways to address any combat situation without even needing to fire a single shot thanks to the many skills your bionic arm offers.

Aside from the combat making clever use of your arm, the game also puts a very strong emphasis on using the arm to make your way from point A to point B. Unlike in the "Spiderman" games, as I've mentioned earlier, skill is strongly exercised here. When to attach, when to release and building up momentum are all parts of performing a chain of swings that will successfully and speedily get you to your destination. If you can't grasp this mechanic and take advantage of it, you're going to die (a lot), but once you have the hang of it, it's extremely rewarding and almost feels like second nature.

As already mentioned, the game is linear, and some people have found fault in the way the game confines you to its borders. Radiation strongly pollutes the ruined city you find yourself in, and blue clouds of the radiation are found all about the city. Swinging into these clouds will kill you rather quickly, and some people argue that in addition to killing you too quickly and not giving you time to escape them, they're too hard to distinguish from normal scenery. I disagree with this, however, and found them to be easily distinguishable and generally give you enough time to escape from them. Only if you try to play the game like it is open-ended and has free-roaming will you typically find yourself flying into a cloud of death.

The linearity of the game was very intentional, and is something I actually believe deserves praise, rather than criticism. This generation of video games has had an almost asinine focus on making games more open-ended, and in doing so has, at least, in my opinion, drastically reduced the quality of "what could have been." BC's environments are often enormous, allowing for different approaches to situations and some level of exploration, but are all level-based with clear objectives. I believe a more open world would have strongly harmed the campaign, and that they've combined large environments well enough with linear stages that asking for more would have been far-fetched.

The game features a somewhat small variety of enemies, but frequently uses groups of them, often assorted groups, at once. Given that the game puts a large emphasis on swinging, how you approach a battle is constantly changing given the environment... Not just in how the environment forces you to approach and escape (if necessary), but also if objects are available either for a moment of cover or a makeshift weapon to sling at your foes.

Although a game like Gears of War may feature a more diverse number of enemies, how you fight each of them typically amounts to "hide behind cover, shoot until your health gets low, wait for health to regenerate, repeat." This process goes on the entire game with little diversity, whereas Bionic Commando is constantly forcing you to think on your feet (or, more accurately, in the air) and provides a very enriching experience for those looking forward to something that isn't as boringly formulaic as most TPS's are, these days. The special weapons you can pick up also force you approach situations differently, they're not just different ways to aim with varying degrees of strength.

The game offers a somewhat small number of bosses compared to some other games, but the few that there are are quite well designed and rather memorable. Some of the more common enemy encounters feel as exilirating as the boss fights, especially when you're going up against the aircraft enemies or the armored suits (which have a fairly wide variety of specialties in combat).

Another thing I'd like to address and compliment about the gameplay is the difficulty. Few games manage to really hit a "sweet spot" for me when it comes to how challenging they are. Newer generation games often feel as though they're either too easy or feel as if the difficulty is just completely arbitrary ("hard" in most games, these days, just means "stay in cover while your health regenerates more often"). Although BC does feature regenerating health, it brings skill back into the equation by having most of the environments open enough to stop you from just being able to take cover constantly.

If I had to describe the game's difficulty in one word, it would be "rewarding." I felt proud of myself when I had beaten the highest difficulty, unlike in other games where I only feel like I've just wasted enough time to cheese my way through one piece of cover after another... And this is coming from someone who frequently beats Call of Duty games on veteran, Halo games on legendary, and Gears of War games on insane. Bionic Commando really feels like a Godsend in that it's one of the only current-generation games I feel has a highly-raised, completely fair challenge to it.

Featuring 3 difficulties, dozens of challenges and 150 collectibles (which unlock achievements/trophies and concept art), as well as a campaign that lasts roughly 10 hours, the game has a very adequate level of replay value. Even having completed the game on every difficulty and collected everything, I still find myself playing it even more - it's just that fun to swing through. Collectibles and challenges do not save when you die, and you're also not allowed to backtrack to previous areas to pick them up. Although some gamers might consider this frustrating, I believe people who are angry with these game design choices have become far too accustomed to having everything in a game handed to them on a single playthrough. Games this good are meant to be replayed, not run through once so you can move onto the multiplayer and exclusively play that. Levels can still be individually replayed so you learn the ropes, anyway. Spend some time with the game - don't just try to rush through it.

Moving onto the story for the game, we're met with even more substance that seems to be misunderstood by the average gamer (or at least reviewer). Like Bionic Commando: Rearmed, BC mixes a somewhat serious story with a lot of tongue-in-cheek humor - Many people seem to be thinking the tongue-in-cheek humor is meant to be taken seriously or is out of place. Honestly, it fits perfectly, especially if you've played BC:R. Although the plot does take some ridiculous turns, at times, it never comes off as pretentious and is always down-to-earth enough to add a laugh or two in. Even during the final boss fight, which pits Spencer (the protagonist) in both dire emotional turmoil and a seemingly impossible fight for his life, Spencer manages to let out an exaggerated, comical "phew" (full with forehead wipe, if I'm remembering correctly).

Mike Patton, lead singer of "Faith No More" voices Spencer, and it's very obvious he had a lot of fun with the job. Some of the lines he delivers are absolutely hilarious, and his "freakishly angry tough guy" voice he gives to Spencer manages to really exaggerate his persona into a very memorable character. The majority of the rest of the voice cast performed quite well, too, managing to bring quite a bit of character out of their roles (then again, with Steve Blum on the voice cast, would you expect anything else?).

The game's settings, which you'll have plenty of time to admire while swinging through, are gorgeous. There's no excess of bloom or excessive use of browns and greys, nor do you travel through what feels like a single environment for the entire game. Although BC may not be the most graphically advanced game to come out in the last year, its environments are beautiful and detailed enough to easily overlook this. The game's musical score also manages to strongly accent the environments, the ambient track that plays while you're in the gardens is enough to make me want the soundtrack, by itself. There are times you'll find yourself in portions of the game that are completely devoid of enemies, and I treasured these, fondly, as they give you time to appreciate how much effort the developers have put into making this game feel just right - both in execution of how it is played and the audio and visual experience.

While I was initially skeptical of Spencer's new design for the game, and even criticized it, playing the game made it very obvious as to why they chose that design... It not only properly represents that Spencer has become considerably more hardened, but also manages to strongly accentuate the swinging's visuals. Watching his hair and the straps on his pants move in motion with the swing really adds a subtle layer to the game that makes it much easier to appreciate. Design choices like these, especially ones that are openly criticized and still stuck to, really make me appreciate both the developers of the game and the game more.

The last element of the game I find that I really need to address is the multiplayer. Personally, I think that it is amazing. It's constructed very well and surprisingly balanced. It also plays like no other competitive multiplayer game that I've ever played before and is an incredibly unique experience that I'd like to recommend to anyone. Putting an emphasis on skill-based swinging has made this a game that people who have little experience with TPS/FPS's can jump into and get the "hang" of rather quickly. You no longer feel estranged by the punk who's practiced aiming in FPS's for thousands of hours mowing you down the instant you start playing and realize that strategy and your approach to combat are far more important than your ability to place a cursor over an enemy's head. Although the options are somewhat limited, at least in comparison to your modern multiplayer game, the actual playing of the multiplayer is much more enjoyable and lovingly crafted.

To sum Bionic Commando up, it's excruciatingly well-designed, rewardingly difficult, tons of fun, and an experience that I feel has shaken my foundations on judging games from this current generation of consoles. For years I have looked at 3D gaming, in general, as something that will never be as skill-intensive or precisely developed as 2D gaming, but BC has really managed to change my mind and make me look at some of the more popular games I'd previously really enjoyed as somewhat lacking. Kudos to Ben Judd and everyone at Grin from bringing us this excellent game, and kudos to Capcom for letting it happen. The ending practically begged for a sequel, and it would be a crime to all the gamers out there who were open-minded enough to appreciate a game as quality as this one to not have it happen.

Arbitrary Number Score - 9.75/10
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Dire 51
Member Avatar
I always leave when the talk gets philosophical.
Edgecrusher
Well, you've sold me on it. Now to get a next-gen system.

*checks wallet*

Damn it.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Scion238
Member Avatar
Demiurge of Earth Prime
Opus Dei
It's not selling too well at my local GameStop. Gonna borrow it tonight.

God, I hope Dual's right.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Grey Fox
Member Avatar
...?
H-K (Hunter-Killer)
I wonder how it'll fare in sales, hoping it won't go under the radar like Okami and God Hand.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Dual
Member Avatar
She and Her Cat
Mooninites
Capcom apparently didn't have faith in it and cut the number being shipped to retailers from what was initially proposed. However, the multiplayer demo was on the top 10 Xbox Live games played for April and the demo released late April, meaning it very well might be a sleeper hit with people looking for a new MP experience. In addition to that, BestBuy.com had to backorder copies on both platforms, meaning that this might be a case of the fans ignoring reviews.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
themadmonk
Member Avatar
A roll of the dice. A flip of the coin. A turn... of the Wheel.
Mooninites
I'm loving it!!!! :rtfo
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
« Previous Topic · Over Now · Next Topic »
Add Reply