Bionic Commando
Loren "AgtFox" Halek
Grin - Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC
Bionic Commando is a game that will go largely unnoticed. This is backed up by the recent news that it only sold about 27k copies in May. That is in huge contrast to the remade NES original game that came out on XBLA, PSN and PC last year. Not sure what turned off people from this game outside of possibly the reviews out there.
The fact is this game is an example of one where the second half is far better than the first half. You will spend most of the first half getting the hang of the bionic arm and when to let go to propel yourself forward. You will also get frustrated by the sections where you have to swing from place to place, sometimes missing the next piece and having to start over from the beginning again. Once you get used to it and actually give the same some time, there’s a really good game underneath it all.
Nathan “R.A.D.” Spencer has been in jail since the events of the NES Bionic Commando. Bionic implants have been outlawed and Nathan is set to be executed for treason. A terrorist organization that is pro-bionic rises up and the military needs Nathan to stop them. Now, why Nathan would want to stop these guys who are for them I never understood, other than Nathan has the promise from the higher ups of finding out what happened to his wife Emily who left him.
The shooting and bionic arm mechanics are really well done and there are several set pieces in the game that really stand out. The game itself runs about 12 hours to beat, which is pretty long for an action game these days. The graphics are really nice and the music is an aural pleasure as you hear updated NES original songs as well as original music.
At least give this game a try. You may not like the ending much since it is kind of sick and betraying of the series as a whole (remember, this started out with the original Commando game).
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