Bionic Commando Impressions [XBOX360]

The new Bionic Commando by Capcom and GRIN has been highly anticipated since the release of Bionic Commando Rearmed last year on the Xbox Live Arcade.  Rearmed was a redux of the original Bionic Commando on the NES and was remade with such vision and flare that had critics swooning all over it.  So then, after one year in the cooker, how does this 3D continuation hold up?

I'm sad to say that after initial play through of about two hours, I'm quite disappointed with the game.  I won't be doing a traditional "review" for this title as I have yet to finish it completely but at this point, I find very little incentive to actually go any further.

I want to rip my arm off just so I can have something to throw at you!

First of all, GRIN didn't try and re-imagine the mythos behind BC, they went with a full blown sequel.  The story takes place 10 years after the events of the first BC and you are once again in control of Nathan "Rad" Spencer.  This is a story not unlike the start of other high profile action titles such as Gears of War.  Your hero from the first game is now imprisoned by the very government that made him who he was and now that's he's no longer a popular choice, he's been put away - until he's needed to save the day again.  Seriously, just once I would like to see these heroes turn around and roundhouse their government handlers in the face and tell them to piss off.  It's a stupid premise and even with the best of writing, the story barely holds any water.

And good writing BC does not have.  The dialogue is full of campy pauses and horrible, disjointed voice acting where the actors were undoubtedly told to convey pain because that's what people in the future all sound like.  Sure, the story develops a little bit with past characters showing up and a bit of a conspiracy brewing beneath the surface but it's nothing that you haven't seen before.  Granted, Capcom isn't known for deep, engaging, story lines but the developers must have taken the "80's remake" thing just a bit too literally.  The original BC wasn't known for the Oscar quality either but being a sequel, at least have the decency to make a new story that's more engaging and thought provoking than a simple "Bionic-Jack-Bauer-Must-Save-All" plot.

What do you mean I can't reach?

If the story isn't enough to make you groan, then the controls will certainly have you throwing your controllers.  The bionic arm is the true star of the show and GRIN made sure you knew that.  If I were to describe what the arm-play is like, I would have to say it is like the Bionic-Arm-Sim you never knew you wanted.  If you think that this is like Spiderman with a Bionic Arm, think again.  You have to aim at structures and grapple points - even though they are common - but there's no way to zone in to one specific point or structure.  You have to simply move the camera around until the specific point lights up.  Often times, you have to jump before you can reach the point but it doesn't tell you if that will help either.

The physics are really well done in this game and Spencer feels like he's got weight and momentum when he's swinging - but that's where the problem lies as well.  You are too busy trying to time the momentum of each and every swing while looking at your next target, and watching for radiation clouds and bottomless pits, you might as well just walk on the ground.  But because the arm is really the star, you have to play by its rules and you got to keep swinging.  If Spiderman was forced to do this, he would never have won a fight!

Tarzan could kick my ass!

If GRIN only made the swing mechanic a bit more arcade like and less simulation, the game would have been that much more enjoyable.  The focus on proper physics and timing was good on paper but at the heart of the game, BC isn't a simulation - it's an arcade action shooter.  The silly thing too is that since it's been so long since you've used the arm (remember, the hero has been in prison without his arm for ten years) you have to relearn all the things you could do with it.  That's another stupid mechanic - making me unlock abilities of the arm.  It makes no sense why I can't simply use my arm the way I want to.  And to add insult to injury, these unlockable abilities aren't even all that great!

Then you've got the rest of the controls.  Gunplay is a part of this title and it certainly was equally important in the original BC. But here, it's been relegated to second fiddle and you're left with the constant reminder that you must use your arm to win a fight.  You can't just use the arm to climb up on a perch and take out enemies with a gun because your aiming reticule is about the size of a Volkswagen - even after you zoom in!  And of course there's the frustrating need to have all your weapons dead dropped.  You can't pick up fallen enemy's guns and not everyone will drop ammo (plus you can only carry 45 rounds at a time for the default gun - wasn't the original unlimited ammo?)  This game might as well have been called Tarzan 2010!

Old school isn't always the only school

The original BC and Rearmed were known for their ability to make grown men cry.  It was difficult to a fault and gamers that favor the digital pain found in such titles as Ninja Gaiden and Shinobi would enjoy these games.  Certainly back in the original NES days, where all you had was time and one game would last you six months because that's all you could afford, such a high difficulty level made sense.  But today, with games such as Gears of War and Mass Effect, it makes little sense to have such archaic mechanics like bottomless pits and radiation clouds be the tool of frustration for frustration's sake.  Instead of making smart enemies (one enemy soldier actually did a rolling dive to avoid my gun fire - only to dive head first into a bottomless pit!) GRIN rewards you for actually watching the swing timer and releasing when you're supposed to by having the fancy momentum kick in and you fall to your death (even though the game told you "Nice Swing!")

I'm sure with time, I would have acclimated to the momentum and timing of the title but honestly, I just don't have that sort of patience to learn only to have a mediocre experience reward me at the end.  All I was hoping for was an action title that allowed me to swing through a ruined city and afforded the chance to take down enemies in a creative way; however, Bionic Commando doesn't make that possible.

Final Word

If you are into old school gaming where you only get one life and a single bullet can kill you, then give BC a try.  The visuals are good and the framerate truly holds out.  But if you are looking for tight controls, an engaging story, and a fun to play game, then look somewhere else.  A good action title that made you feel like a badass would have been like Wolverine: X-Men Origins.  But because GRIN/Capcom was so focused on reminding you of how brutal the original game was and how much of a man you needed to be in order to beat that game, it made a title that looked good but plays like ass-on-a-stick.  This was one of my most anticipated titles of the year and unfortunately, the developers failed in making an entertaining sequel by refusing to change with the times.

In the spirit of full disclosure, I have not finished the game nor will I be.  This title is plagued with poor controls and awkward play mechanics; there is little reason to play Bionic Commando unless you have an unhealthy obsession with the series.  Instead of making a game that challenges you with creative puzzles or interesting gameplay, GRIN/Capcom tells you that "hard mode" is unlocked by tying one arm behind your back - so you can experience what it's like to be in Spencer's shoes.  Thanks, but no thanks.