Great summer popcorn action game

by Jim Gatfield

Fun factor: Fun

Worth to: Buy/Rent

Doesn’t take itself seriously, but then neither did the old NES game. A fun ride for players capable of coming to “grips” with the swinging system.

Releasing 9 months after the excellent Bionic Commando Rearmed, this 3-D reimagining of the classic franchise results in something that, while it may not appeal to everyone, succeeds in creating something both interesting and genuinely entertaining in the third-person action genre. Fans of the original game, as well as those looking for something different in their gaming this summer, should give this adventure a look.

No awards here but plenty of bionic thrills

Acting as a sequel to the original game (and consequently, Rearmed) Bionic Commando picks up with Nathan “Rad” Spencer being freed from prison in order to aid Super Joe once again, this time to save a world that has turned its back on bionics. This leads to a story full of action and twists that would be at home in your typical summer flick. No, Bionic Commando isn’t going to blow anyone away or win any awards for its story, but the appeal of the series has never been for its storytelling mastery. That being said, the tale woven by the single player mode is fun and sufficiently tongue-in-cheek enough to feel right at home in this game.



In terms of gameplay, this sequel sticks to the main draw of the original: swinging with the bionic arm. Effective movement throughout the game world, as well as a fair amount of combat, is delegated to Spencer’s technologically enhanced left limb. Once mastered, this allows players to experience a level of visceral speed and momentum in movement that is rarely found in video games. However, this also means that players who are unable to come to “grips” with the swinging system will find themselves completely left behind in the Bionic Commando experience. So much of the game revolves around the use of the bionic arm that anyone who dislikes it should really consider moving on to another game. After all, it is called Bionic Commando.

Now, if you do find yourself liking and mastering the use of the arm, you will find a lot to like about this game, from the actual movement itself to the constantly upgrading combat effectiveness of the bionic arm that eventually lets you rip cars from the ground to use as projectile weapons, among other techniques. Of course, there is a shooting aspect to the combat, but the ammunition is generally scarce enough and the actual act of shooting generic enough to make Spencer’s gunplay seem like a secondary source of combat for the duration of the game.

A visual and audible reimagining

Visually, Bionic Commando is dazzling. The environments are varied and fit the world well, making sense in the progression of the story. The large size of every level, including sufficient vertical space, helps add to the sheer impact of the movement once swinging with the bionic arm has been mastered. Enemies range from your basic grunt, to much larger boss characters that take up a good portion of the battlefield, and all are rendered with the same level of excellence as the rest of the game. Spencer’s character model (while an area of contention among purists, due to his dreadlocks) is well crafted and finely animated, standing out from the environment without looking out of place in the game. These graphics aren’t going to be considered the best of the generation, but in terms of third-person action games, they are more than solid.



Sound, an area that rarely truly stands out to me in games, is one of the areas that Bionic Commando shines. From the piano-based version of the classic theme playing at the start screen, it is quickly obvious that the developers were committed to making sure that sound was a key part of the experience. The voice acting is appropriately cheesy enough, with the duo of Mike Patton (Faith No More), and Steven Blum (Cowboy Bebop) voicing Nathan Spencer and Super Joe, respectively. These two have no shortage of lines that fit the ridiculous nature of the experience, and freely find opportunities to use foul language, a good indicator of why the game received the “M” rating. Beyond the haunting rendition at the start screen, the famous theme song for the original game finds itself being remixed and reimagined a number of times throughout the action. This of course means that if you hated the original theme song, you will be angered to no end in this game. Let’s face it though, if you hated the theme song in the original game, you probably aren’t going to be playing the sequel anyway, are you?

In terms of replayability, the game suffers a bit. The single player story lasts right around 8 hours, and offers three difficulty levels to master, as well as a number of in-game challenges that garner trophies or achievements, but that’s about it. There is a multiplayer mode present, offering a pretty standard Deathmatch and Capture the Flag affair, but seen through the lens of someone with a bionic arm. These modes are entertaining for a while, but once again, only if you like using the arm. For those who purchased last year’s Rearmed, there are a few in-game bonuses that can be unlocked, including the original costume (for those dread-haters out there).

Summary

In the end, the best way to describe Bionic Commando is as a summer blockbuster “popcorn” game. You aren’t going to find a deep story that emotionally drains you, but you will find a whole lot of silly fun while you spend time swinging around and killing baddies with “Rad” Spencer. The swing-mechanics provide a new experience for gamers, and those who take to them will be in for a treat. It isn’t long, but it really doesn’t have to be to accomplish what it is trying to do, a fun action video game, and that really can’t be stressed enough. Bionic Commando is fully content with being a video game through-and-through. Sometimes it can be a bit difficult. Sometimes it can be a bit cheesy. Sometimes, no, make that all the time, it is ludicrous. When it comes down to it, however, that really is exactly what it should be. After all, it is a sequel to an NES game that had a red-haired man in a green jumpsuit swing around with his robotic arm killing fake Nazis, and if a game series like that can’t be absurd, I don’t know what can. Check out Bionic Commando. At least give it a rent, and you will find yourself playing one of the more unique action titles to come out in a while, even if it doesn’t quite appeal to everyone.