Topic: Bionic Commando (PS3/360)--a great game no one gave a chance

[RichterB]

After completing it, Bionic Commando PS3/360 from 2009 strikes me as one of the best games of the decade and Capcom's most ground-breaking video game since Resident Evil 4.

First let's get the common media complaints out of the way:

1.) Blue Death Fog
~This was a very reasonable way to prevent levels from becoming sandbox-style messes with zero direction. Plus, it's a disaster zone, so contaminants make sense and it makes for environmental dangers/consequences. If you're thinking ahead, you can usually avoid and/or escape these dangers.

2.) Swing Mechanics
~Do they take some getting used to? Sure. Are they fully functional and rewarding? Yes. The Bionic Commando franchise prided itself on strategic swing-timing as its central feature, and the mechanics are faithfully translated into 3D here. It's not on rails, so you get to have so much variety of where and how you want to swing. (I doubt any game will match it for many years, if ever). Yeah, it can be overwhelming at first, but it gradually becomes second nature. In-game prompts and demos really do go out of their way to make sure you understand the fundamentals, and then its trial and error until you get down the organic "feel" of swinging from object to object.

3.) Nathan Spencer's New Look
~The dreadlocks bothered me at first, but I gradually found that they fit with the character crafted and his circumstances (death row prisoner, lost wife, lost rank, etc). Spencer becomes very likable. (Plus, if you have Rearmed, you can play as a more "Classic-looking" Nathan Spencer).

4.) Sudden Ending/Twists
~This is one legitimate shortcoming, but it wasn't as bad as people said. The story kept the player guessing to the end with some of the turns it took, and one assumes a [now unlikely] sequel would have filled in the blanks. [I myself would say the use of "Mag" and "Sniper" could have been expounded upon in this game, especially the former, but it doesn't ruin the game].

Now, let's talk about what this game brought to the table: Huge level design with lots of detail, scale, variety of terrain, and interactivity. The levels are designed with a real organic feel, taking you all directions and over a lot of dynamic gradations. (IE: You swing up onto a broken highway and then pull a monorail car out of a demolished building, and then swing into said building). In many cases you can go through levels a variety of ways. The playable depth and height of some areas was mind-blowing (IE: The Fissure was like Castlevania IV's waterfall-caves brought to brilliant 3D).

The ability to attach to just about anything--with real physics and player-controlled aiming--to swing, climb, repel, etc was revolutionary.

A great mix of combat options, from a nice collection of standard weapons (with a nifty over-the-shoulder view that can be switched to on the fly) to throwing cars to earth-quaking foot stomps. You can combine various attack abilities, too, like shooting while swinging/repelling and then dropping down and performing a 360 whip-like attack. Moreover, you can swing onto/grab onto mechs and flying craft, and rip their pilots out or attack them with your feet. (And there are a few latter scenarios that take the interactivity to wild levels that I will not spoil).

Surprisingly, the voice-acting was pretty much top-notch, with a lot of entertaining/engaging dialogue. The military-tech design work really brought Bionic Commando into the modern era in a fitting way. The graphics were terrific with nice textures/lighting/shadows at every turn, and good character model movement/physics on the world. The music was epic, with plenty of Bionic Commando references.

All and all, the game was very hard to put down and had plenty of surprises. I feel bad for ever doubting it, but feel worse that it was a sales disaster for Capcom that has become a poster child for "bad games" when nothing is further from the truth. It is one of Capcom's best modern efforts!

I can only think of two reasons it failed. 1.) Capcom PR thought more people knew about the Bionic Commando name and didn't sell it right. 2.) People didn't play the game for very long. (The initial stages are paced slow to teach you how to play, and can be too open at times, so people never discovered how dynamic and yet focused the game gets).

I mean, I'm a casual Bionic Commando fan in terms of the franchise (thought the Original and Elite Forces were solid but not spectacular), but I thought this game was the best entry in the series and a great next-gen experience. (No offense, but it trumps the overrated Metal Gear Solid 4 in so many ways, and deserved that kind of good press with its design and presentation).

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow has its work cut out for it to try and match this huge 80s 3D relaunch of Bionic Commando by a Western crew. And already, Lords of Shadow has dropped the 3D controllable camera, which likely points to more restrictive level designs. Still, seeing Bionic Commando like this gives me hope for Castlevania LOS.

[X]

I thought that Capcom's referbished Bionic Commando game was cool. All the old micanics were still there. The only difference was the game had been turned into 2.5D. I watched my brother play it and it brought back fond memories of me getting frustrated to hell with trying to get somewhere but not knowing were to go (I was only a kid at that time) 

-X

[Abnormal Freak]

I'm interested in playing the '09 Bionic Commando, however I'd like to play through Rearmed first (which may not be till years from now since I'm always doing other things).

[shelverton.]

Too bad swedish GRIN studios went out of business after BC: Rearmed and this game. Or maybe it was that Terminator game's fault. Or Wanted, which bombed (and rightfully so cause it was quite bad). I did hear somewhere that it was Capcom who screwed them over though. Like, GRIN didn't get paid properly or something. Dunno.