Bomberman Generation

"Getting Critical"

Getting Bomberman Generation took some time for me. I was somewhat uncertain as to whether or not this game would be worth the cost, and Resident Evil and Eternal Darkness were on the shelf. However, I picked up BG, and decided I'd give it a shot, myself being a bit of a Bomberman fan, though I had been disappointed by Bomberman 64.

The game all around is not any more than mediocre. When reading the boards, I notice there are many confused players, who say that the game is a challenge, or that Bomberman Generation is worth your money. However, I found the game spectacularly easy, and it will show up in my judging of the different areas of the game.

This is my first review, so I'll be using standardized methods of rating:

Graphics:
Personally, I don't find the cel-shading bothersome. Characters look 3-D, only they have a black outline around them. I've heard comments from some saying that they find this annoying, and prefer a less cartoonish Bomberman, but I find that it suits the game. Backgrounds are not cel-shaded, and while colourful, they lack intricate detail that would make this game spectacular.
Overall score: 8/10.

Sound:
I found that the sound isn't as bad as some reviews warrant it. The voice acting is good in some aspects, in that there aren't too many annoying breaks in the speech, but is bad because some words get really garbled, or the script was just flushed down the toilet. I imagine that music would get repetitive if one was truly stuck in a level, but it's not something that I noticed. Some of the music and sound effects may seem childish, but they suit the cheerfulness of the cel-shaded graphics.
Overall score: 7/10.

Control:
Not tricky at all. The hardest maneuver you have to do with your hands is maybe holding the A and X button at the same time, or aiming a kick straight. Depends on the kind of video gamer you are, I suppose, but I found the controls straight-forward. There's not much difference between the beginner player and the advanced player, which is somewhat disappointing. Response is accurate though, which makes the game a lot less frustrating when Bomberman refuses to do something you want him to.
Overall score: 8/10.

Gameplay:
The single player has the major flaw of being too easy and too short. The difficulty of the bosses don't progress as you make your way through the game, but rather become easier. With new Charaboms, dusting them off is a piece of cake, with the exceptional few. What I found most irritating were bosses that could be hit at any time, which turns the battle into simply who has more health to start off with. After completion, I was hoping for another Mode to play the game through again, but I was let down. Only a few Lightning Cards are difficult to find, not including the boss Lightning Cards, which are somewhat more difficult. The areas are all linear, without mazes or much deviation, making it simple to find out where to go. However, one notable fact is that puzzles are introduced gradually, with the professor Ein informing you on how to solve certain ones first, but then leaving you alone to solve one large puzzle that incorporates all the previous ones.
Overall score: 6/10.

The multiplayer mode is something else though. If you have friends, it's a blast. Not so exciting without them, since you can't rub it in the computer's face when you win. The advent of the danger bomb, which explodes in a 5x5 square regardless of blocks in the way makes the multiplayer mode much more exciting. Remote control bombs, safety vests, hearts, landmines, all the Bomberman specials found in the previous versions except for the Homing Bomb. Standard, Reversi, Coin, Dodge, and Revenge battles allow for some interesting twists to the standard Bomberman game. The move back to 2-D Bomberman was a relief as well. Classic Bomberman was fun, and I'm glad Hudson brought it back.
Overall score: 9/10.

Final score: 7/10.

This game is only another grain of sand in a sand box, and it doesn't stick out from the other Bomberman games. The only part that I truly found amusing was one boss in one of the later levels. I won't spoil it for you, but it had me laughing. Other than that, I was somewhat irked by the way the game played. Not enough unlockables, and a lack of a challenge made this game too quick, and not worth the little time or money I invested in the game. So unless you have siblings or friends to play this game with, or if you're looking for a challenge, try a different game.

Sorry Hudson, this one's a dud.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 07/03/02, Updated 07/03/02