Bionic Commando Rearmed

THE BAD:
:- Feels outdated in todays next-gen titles

:- Only available through downloading, which is a pain at times

SUMMARY:

Reviews are scored on a mark out of 40

Bionic Commando Rearmed got my interest after I stumbled upon the original. After a few hours playing I could see why it would have been such a great hit back in the 8-bit era. So after a few weeks of wondering how a more dated version of the game would be like, I loaded up the PSN network and decided to find out. Just to point out I wasn't even on my Mum & Dad's mind when this game out

Story:-

You the hero are Nathan Spencer. A special commando agent with a enhance bionic arm and grappling hook who is sent to rescue a captured ally and friend, Super Joe. Now forgive the estranged names for a moment. Originally the story was a lot more deep, featuring a cult of Nazi's attempting to resurrect Hitler. However this remake has been toned down and references to that plot are significantly less than before. Quite sad to be honest and it ends this section of my review short: 6.7/10

Gameplay:-

On the opposite side of the spectrum, the game play of Bionic Commando has been fine tuned and improved. Now players may use their arm to grab and whip objects such as barrels into enemies. Spencer can change weapons, which will have a variety of effectiveness on different enemies after he earns them. Boss battles have been heavily remade, made from the ground up once more so now the final boss battle is it's own level. The classic side-scrolling gameplay which was impressive before has been perfected here and has also returned alongside the 'top-down' gameplay. Also a lighting effect has been added to the gameplay, creating shadows and dark areas Spencer will need to use flares to pass through and now he can hack into the enemy systems to learn about the level or contact HQ for story purposes.

Also when moving between levels the player does it using a helpicopter and moving from one map to the next, while engaging in aerial enemies as well. Also a health bar has been installed instead of the original hit points, so now Spencer must seek out health packs instead of simply getting more hits adding a new layer to the game. Challenge rooms have been added where the player must race from start to finish in the fastest time possible using the Bionic Arm.

The game has a co-op mode in which 2-players play through the game for double the carnage and also has a set of 4-player games such as one where the aim is to avoid hitting the floor and be the last man standing and simple deathmatch.

In the end, it's a great package: 9.1/10

Visuals:-

Before it was a 8-bit game with simply graphics, and that was enough of course, but now...its is so much more.

The rare and under-rated 2.5D visuals work perfectly for all modes of gameplay. The side-scrolling gameplay looks clear and fun, while the 'top-down' gameplay looks like a entirely new and seperate game. Lighting and shadows have been added, pyro effects, walls, ledges, ground, colour.

It's a total overhaul and nothing short of splendid even if yet a bit blocky and that is all that needs to be said: 8.7/10

Sound:-

Bionic Commando: Rearmed has brought with itself a great soundtrack. Classics have been revamped and remastered, while new and compelling tracks have been added. Players will hear there victims burn, scream, and cry for mommy as Spencer unleashes hell on them. Everything works, everyone is pleased. This is a arcade game, but doesnt sound anything like one: 9.2/10

End Review: 33.7/40, 8.2/10, 4.1/5