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Bionic Commando

XBOX 360• Other Shooters released May 9, 2009.

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The first true sequel to the classic 1988 Nintendo Entertainment System original, Bionic Commando sees the return of the bionically-enhanced Nathan “Rad” Spencer, voiced by Mike Patton, the former lead singer of Faith No More. Time has not been kind to Spencer: 10 years after his heroic defeat of the Imperials in the original game, he has been betrayed by the government he swore to serve, imprisoned for crimes he didn’t commit, and sentenced to death. On the very day of Spencer’s execution, terrorists detonate a massive experimental weapon in Ascension City, unleashing an intense earthquake that has turned the city into rubble and wiped out its population. With the terrain in ruins and the city’s air defense grid now in the control of a massive terrorist force whose goal remains unclear, the FSA have only one option left – a behind-the-lines assault. The perfect job for a Bionic Commando. Bionic Commando transposes the swing-and-shoot gameplay of the 8-bit original to a stunning 3D environment of towering buildings, suspended roadways and monorails, deep canyons and sheer rock faces, where every environment is scalable using swinging, scaling, climbing and wall-walking techniques. Starring Mike Patton, the former lead singer of Faith No More, as the voice of Nathan Spencer

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New article In Defense of Bionic Commando by TheDCD

2 years ago

New article Bionic Commando Demo by AndrewSeely

2 years ago

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A successful refresh of the original?

By TheDCD on July 7, 2009.

After several years in hibernation (not counting the previous XBLA/PSN release Bionic Commando: Rearmed), Capcom’s Bionic Commando franchise is swinging back into action with an all-new 3-D adventure, from the talented development team at Grin. Along with his firearms, he has a trusty mechanical arm that he uses to swing, grab objects and other neat features. The game has many things in common with the NES original (as well as Rearmed), but it’s not quite all it could’ve been.

7.5 Overall Bionic Commando has a lot to offer, if you’re a Capcom fan, take a look, if not, make it a rent!

After several years in hibernation (not counting the previous XBLA/PSN release Bionic Commando: Rearmed), Capcom’s Bionic Commando franchise is swinging back into action with an all-new 3-D adventure, from the talented development team at Grin. Nathan Spencer finds himself facing a terrorist force that’s trashed his city, forced to do battle in order to avoid incarceration. Along with his firearms, he has a trusty mechanical arm that he uses to swing, grab objects and other neat features. The game has many things in common with the NES original (as well as Rearmed), but it’s not quite all it could’ve been.

Part of the problem is the mechanical feeling of the arm itself. If for some reason you should fall into water (even shallow water), you’ll find yourself dragged down by its weight. Also, swinging takes a while to get used to, as you’ll sometimes miss your mark and swoop right where you don’t want to be, like in the sights of a sniper. However, the game’s not bad at all once you get used to everything. Your arm has numerous abilities you can get used to (especially the swoop-in kick, which is a fantastic attack), and the weapons aren’t bad either. We like the grenade launcher ourselves.

The game looks great. Grin did a terrific job reimagining the Bionic Commando’s world in full blown 3-D. There are occasional gripes with the camera angles and glitches in the system, but overall it really looks like a completely redrawn world. The soundtrack isn’t bad either, and the dialogue, while about on the level of Metal Gear Solid in corniness, has a few twists and turns. For instance, you now work for the original Bionic Commando, Super Joe, who’s been torn apart emotionally over the years. He’s now harder on people than he’s ever been.

Bionic Commando has a lot to offer, including unlockable goodies, 8-bit themed collectibles and training rooms where you can make the most out of your swinging abilities. The controls may not always be precise, and the presentation could’ve used some mild cleaning up. Also, dreadlocks, Nathan? Really? Overall, though, if you’re a Capcom fan looking for a nice, breezy way to spend summer, take a swing with this Commando.