Wolfpup
CAGiversary!
Started this as a sort of forum post, evolved into something resembling a review, but I'm posting it here:
For the record, I still think the 1988 NES original is one of the best action games ever made. I *still* play through it every couple of years, and most of what it does still feels fresh and original. (Note that technically the NES game was based on an earlier arcade game, but other than having a bionic arm and the same name, that game is nothing at all like the NES game, and absolutely terrible.)
I wasn’t expecting much from this sequel, as I thought NST’s late 90’s sequel was severely flawed, and I didn’t even like Grin’s remake much from last year (Rearmed). I thought it was okay, but in every area where it deviated from the original, I thought the original was better. (Even the graphics and music, which sounded like a generic techno remix.)
So the worse reviewed, and 3D sequel? Not very hopeful. And for some reason, the game took a LONG time for me to get into. There are a lot of times I had to replay a section multiple times to get through it. (Luckily there are fairly frequent checkpoints.) On top of that, while the weapons are fun to use, I dislike the use of a generic post-Halo “can only hold two weapons and grenades” system this game uses.
But those end up being fairly minor quibbles for me. It’s true that the game artificially restricts your path (mostly with blue “radiation”). Perhaps because of the freedom the bionic arm gives you, that feels more obvious than in most games. But after a point, the ability to quickly scale obstacles, avoid attacks, etc., becomes second nature, and the game controls beautifully for the most part. I also like that the bionic arm has become much more of an offensive weapon in this game than the original. It has me wondering (much like the original, actually) why the Bionic Arm mechanism isn’t copied in other games.
I love everything else about the game. The slightly larger than life characters fit the theme and setting perfectly. It somehow FEELS right to me, despite a 21 year gap, and a new team on the other side of the planet developing it. The plot, voice acting, and writing/characterization feels like a valid take on things.
I feel similarly about the graphics. Normally I dread post apocalyptic settings. They all look alike, and look depressing and generic. But not here. Somehow Grin made this world bright, colorful, and often beautiful, even despite the ruin-it’s anything but a normal looking post apocalyptic setting. The music’s fantastic too. Where Rearmed felt like a generic techno remix, this game’s original music and riffs on the first game are exciting and often beautiful (if-like most modern games-probably too infrequent). I’m astounded at how the original 8-bit game’s music sounds like it was always meant to be played on piano, violin, trumpet, or electric guitar (etc.).
In short, despite some very frustrating moment, on balance I loved the ride Bionic Commando provides. I just wish Grin was still around to provide us with some sort of sequel. I love these characters, and would love to spend more time in this world-there seem to be so many possibilities. I’d love another 3D game that perhaps provides a weapon, upgrade, and stage select system that’s closer to the original (and more in-depth than we get here). I’d also love another 2D sequel!
For the record, I still think the 1988 NES original is one of the best action games ever made. I *still* play through it every couple of years, and most of what it does still feels fresh and original. (Note that technically the NES game was based on an earlier arcade game, but other than having a bionic arm and the same name, that game is nothing at all like the NES game, and absolutely terrible.)
I wasn’t expecting much from this sequel, as I thought NST’s late 90’s sequel was severely flawed, and I didn’t even like Grin’s remake much from last year (Rearmed). I thought it was okay, but in every area where it deviated from the original, I thought the original was better. (Even the graphics and music, which sounded like a generic techno remix.)
So the worse reviewed, and 3D sequel? Not very hopeful. And for some reason, the game took a LONG time for me to get into. There are a lot of times I had to replay a section multiple times to get through it. (Luckily there are fairly frequent checkpoints.) On top of that, while the weapons are fun to use, I dislike the use of a generic post-Halo “can only hold two weapons and grenades” system this game uses.
But those end up being fairly minor quibbles for me. It’s true that the game artificially restricts your path (mostly with blue “radiation”). Perhaps because of the freedom the bionic arm gives you, that feels more obvious than in most games. But after a point, the ability to quickly scale obstacles, avoid attacks, etc., becomes second nature, and the game controls beautifully for the most part. I also like that the bionic arm has become much more of an offensive weapon in this game than the original. It has me wondering (much like the original, actually) why the Bionic Arm mechanism isn’t copied in other games.
I love everything else about the game. The slightly larger than life characters fit the theme and setting perfectly. It somehow FEELS right to me, despite a 21 year gap, and a new team on the other side of the planet developing it. The plot, voice acting, and writing/characterization feels like a valid take on things.
I feel similarly about the graphics. Normally I dread post apocalyptic settings. They all look alike, and look depressing and generic. But not here. Somehow Grin made this world bright, colorful, and often beautiful, even despite the ruin-it’s anything but a normal looking post apocalyptic setting. The music’s fantastic too. Where Rearmed felt like a generic techno remix, this game’s original music and riffs on the first game are exciting and often beautiful (if-like most modern games-probably too infrequent). I’m astounded at how the original 8-bit game’s music sounds like it was always meant to be played on piano, violin, trumpet, or electric guitar (etc.).
In short, despite some very frustrating moment, on balance I loved the ride Bionic Commando provides. I just wish Grin was still around to provide us with some sort of sequel. I love these characters, and would love to spend more time in this world-there seem to be so many possibilities. I’d love another 3D game that perhaps provides a weapon, upgrade, and stage select system that’s closer to the original (and more in-depth than we get here). I’d also love another 2D sequel!
