In 2008 Bionic Commando Rearmed hit the downloadable scene and was greeted by much praise. The remake of the 1988 classic brought the nostalgia of the original while updating enough to keep the title competitive in today’s market. With it’s success it was inevitable that some sort of follow up would be made. And here it is: Bionic Commando Rearmed 2. The story picks up a few years after the events of the first game with the FSA, Nathan Spencer’s organization, under attack from a vicious dictator. In response, five bionics are sent out to stop this new threat, among which Spencer himself resides. Can this sequel capture the hearts of die hard fans as the last one did or are some games better off without sequels?
HOT
Visuals
Bionic Commando Rearmed was a great looking game in 2008 and, although the sequel didn’t receive a graphical overhaul, the newest entry follows it in terms of visually pleasing level characteristics. Most levels do their best to differentiate themselves from their predecessor. One minute you’re leaping through the industrial areas full of cargo and then suddenly you’re traversing a lush jungle. It keeps the experience aesthetically pleasing. Besides the environmental variety the other environmental interaction is worth noting. 2D has found itself right at home amongst today’s new games by applying minor, but important, updates to the formula. What we have here is 2D with depth. The environment in the background isn’t just a pretty backdrop. Sometimes what is presented in the background further drives home the point that the level is trying to provide. This is apparent in the jungle areas where it truly makes it feel as if you are swinging through an endless and full forest. In another instance, explosions were set off across the water in the background which sent debris flying into the player’s path and, consequently, destroying the current course. A simple addition such as this breathes new life into what some gamers may think is boring side-scrolling.
Bosses
Bigger is better. Rearmed 2 knows this and applies this motto to their bosses. Players can expect to see some bosses make their bionic look like a harmless bug. One of the initial fights pits the player against a spherical hovercraft that has numerous large flamethrowers for protection. These bulky enemies have taken a cue from the original games and it is good to see that they haven’t abandoned their roots in this aspect. As with most bosses of earlier times, their defeat comes from learning a specific attack pattern and exploiting that method. It is always exciting and rewarding taking down these end-level obstacles no matter how many times you encounter them.
Upgrades/Unlocks
The sequel gives plenty unlock throughout the course of the game to keep players enticed. At the basic level, new weapons are unlocked as the game goes on letting you switch to from your trusty pistol, to a powerful shotgun, and so on. On the more interesting side of unlocks are the possible upgrades for your character. These range from the Electro Claw for a more versatile and offensive grappling hook to the extremely helpful health regeneration. Not only are the upgrades fun to use, but many allow access to previously unreachable areas of levels. This may add enough of a reason to replay the game for some.
NOT
Controls
Bionic Commando Rearmed stayed true to the controls of the original title by making players rely solely on the grappling hook to traverse each area. Back then jumping wasn’t an option. Now jumping has been implemented. What could be so bad about such a basic and common feature? For one, the series has always structured its puzzles and level design around the need for the grappling hook. Adding a jump feature detracts from the overall experience now that there is a new, and unsatisfying, mode of movement. This feature has found itself in an unappealing limbo. On one end it takes away from the star of the game which is the grappling hook. On the other it doesn’t even do jumping any justice. These bionics are superhumans. They can get shot, shoot hooks from their arms, and hit with deadly force, but they can’t even jump a foot. The game’s smallest enemies might as well be skyscrapers since your character will fail to leap over them. The addition of jumping was a risky maneuver in the first place, but if you’re going to do it then why do it halfheartedly?
The controls manage to fail in nearly every other area as well. Sluggish controls tend to happen from time to time in games, but that would be forgiven if the rest played smoothly. The issues with jumping have already been addressed so that leaves us with the grappling hook as our preferred way of progressing. Unfortunately, it is not without its flaws. No longer are you able to just swing through areas with ease. The hook shoots up, horizontal, or diagonally upwards. That part is pretty standard, but the room for error that it allows can be quite aggravating at times. The bigger platforms are not usually an issue since they have plenty of room to snag on to. The problem arises mainly with small objects such as lighting fixtures. The small objects require extreme precision and even being off by the smallest fraction will leave you free falling to what may be your death. That problem is only amplified once you realize the game doesn’t let you see what lays ahead resulting in blindly swinging/jumping forward in hopes of latching on to another set piece.
Enemies
Without the presence of enemies or opposition in general what does a game become? I brisk stroll through colorful environments till the finish line? Sometimes that’s how it feels in Rearmed 2. The enemies don’t put up a fight which is odd since their lives are in danger. Slightly ducking behind barrels or shooting over you as you crouch directly in front of them are just a couple of the ways they fail at defending themselves. For most of the game you’ll find yourself blowing straight through any bad guys without breaking a sweat. Eventually, you might even give up on the brainless fools all together and just swing passed them. Ignoring them doesn’t make them any more deadly anyways. It’d be nice to have a purpose and somewhat of a challenge in dispatching foes so that the journey forward feels a lot more like an adventure and not a shooting gallery full of cardboard cutouts.
Co-op
Cooperative play is usually a good thing when implemented in games, especially downloadable titles. Rearmed 2 finds a way to make this often requested addition an issue. For starters, the game only allows the game to be played cooperatively in offline mode. We live in a day and age of social networking where it seems people get together in person less and less. I’m not saying it’s bad to accommodate those that enjoy sitting by their friends, but it seems that option has come second to online play for years now. Putting aside the fact that it’s offline only let us assess the mode itself. The camera always follows the first player no matter what. Imagine that Player 1 accidentally swings off of the edge of the map. The camera will follow his impending doom rather than remain with the living player. Other than that the game’s previously listed issues still exist. If enemies were barely anything but pacing bodies in single player, then, now with the protection of a second player, their presence is not even notable.
Verdict
Bionic Commando Rearmed 2 tries to expand on the winning formula that the first one crafted expertly. It was unable to reach this goal due to the implementation of a small feature: jumping. No longer does the player have to fully rely on the one item that set the franchise apart from the rest. The bosses still remain a joy to take down, but besides them the remaining forces filling up each level are nothing but scenery. If you can make it through the game and nab a decent amount of unlocks you might find enough of a reason to go back and annihilate everything with your new found upgrades. This sequel disappoints overall and is overshadowed by the greatness we saw in 2008. Only those who can’t wait another minute without experiencing a Nathan Spencer adventure should look into this downloadable title.
[Editor’s Note: Bionic Commando Rearmed 2 was reviewed on the PlayStation 3 platform. The game was provided to us by the publisher for review purposes.]
