Review: Bionic Commando: Rearmed 2

The popular Capcom franchise has returned and it still manages to be both frustrating and lacking. Still if it is arcade action you are looking for then Bionic Commando serves up a lovely heathy dose. The main problem with Bionic Commando is the fact that it feels a step backwards, during my time with the game I have to admit I was disappointed.

The main selling point and in fact the main basis of the game is both grappling and jumping. Understandably this is an arcade game but after recently getting to grips with the grapple system in LittleBigPlanet 2 I was disappointed by how stiff both the controls and animations felt. I could only in-debt this to the developers wanting to encapsulate an arcade style feeling but when you are playing (and considering that the grapple hook is one of the biggest selling points) it almost seems static and with the grappling system been such a huge part of the game you can’t help but feel it would have been of a benefit for more time to be spent developing the system. Admittedly the new system is easy to grasp (no pun intended) but it doesn’t detract from the stiffness of the controls. Another prominent feature in the game is jumping but what struck me most was the fact that you can complete Bionic Commando re-armed 2 without jumping once, there is even an achievement for it, if it this is the case then why have the feature at all? Nathan Spencer’s new found ability of using his muscle to catapult himself upwards is wasted, why introduce a new mechanic then offer up an achievement not to use it? It would be like gaining an achievement in call of duty for completing the game without firing a bullet.

As you play through the levels it isn’t long before you realise that the pistol can carry you through. There are no tactics here, you don’t need specific weapons to carry you forward nor do you need to be hugely tactical about the way you fight enemies, most of the time you can jump in front of them, crouch and shoot as the A.I. is so slow to react. The only time specific weapons become useful are when you need to destroy barriers or activate switches, in essences these are tools and tools that rarely give you much advantage in combat.

You can add abilities to your bionic commando, the first of which you unlock is the grenade launcher attachment which is hugely handy for enemies who are ducked behind cover. To switch between abilities, however, you have to go through the menu system which feels tedious particularly considering that most games these days have shortcuts via the d-pad or other buttons.

Another ability that you can employ fairly early on in the game is the health regenerator and in some ways it is a god send. As with most Capcom games if you happen to die then you happen to have to start the level all over again which becomes incredibly cumbersome but whilst the health regenerator solves this problem (you can just hide in cover until your health returns) it takes away the sense of urgency and in some ways it will put off hardcore fans who love the difficulty of the series. The health regenerator also makes the boss battles bland as all you have to do is to wait for a pattern of attack and then merely follow it through, you can take damage of course but with the health regenerator it is nothing to concern you about.

Outside of the story there is the challenge rooms, the mode can be quite enjoyable and essentially you have to make your way through an obstacle course in a set amount of time and if you get a super score you can upload it to the leader boards. The challenge rooms offer a welcome distraction from the disappointing story mode and also adds an extra layer of depth.

Graphically it is precisely what you would expect for a side scrolling shooter (there are some neat effects to note!), the soundtrack itself doesn’t feel too bad but again fails to live up to the original. In every sense of the word Bionic Commando Rearmed 2 feels like a step backwards for the series. There is nothing entirely original to entice and excite both fans and newcomers of the series and the game feels like a series of let downs rather than anything else. The lack of online co-op is equally disappointing especially in age where online is standard and further to the point the co-op adds absolutely nothing to the game. Whilst it is possible to enjoy the game there are better titles and even the most hardcore Bionic Commando fan would find this a title that is difficult to recommend.