Bionic Commando Rearmed

"A Great Mix of Old School and New School"

This is what gaming is all about. As my buddy Will said once (or several drunken times), "games play better in 2D." That is what Bionic Commando:Rearmed does so well. It goes back to the 2D gaming style we young adults remember so well from our youth.

I played the original Bionic Commando when I was a kid. I wasn't very good at it. You can't jump. Where do I go? Oh, I swing off that light post in the first level? Ok. Missed. Missed again. Forget this.

Yet, I couldn't forget it. Somehow, the quirks and gimmick of the game called me back to it. And then I see the trailer for BC: Rearmed. 2D Gaming with 3D upgrades.

The characters look like real people and move as such. One of the great things to me is how when I kill an enemy, he falls off the screen. The ability to block with the claw, as well as pick up barrels and throw them at enemies is a great bonus. There are a few extra weapons and upgrades for the claws, grenades, and that's about it. And that's all it needs. The game is simple. I don't need to print off a guide from GameFAQs to get through it or to remember all the moves. And in terms of practice, since it is different that you can't jump, there are tutorials and challenge rooms.

The game is short and to the point. These are the bad guys. You are the good guy. Kill the bad guys. Stop the boss characters at the end of the levels. Done. Game over. And that's what's so great. The game's levels are short enough to get a level or two in after dinner and before getting back to work on a term paper. There are enough levels to justify the $10 price tag. But the game is short enough to be completable in a short amount of time, even for those of us with jobs and class schedules.

Combine the simple gameplay, the short levels, the stunning graphics (THIS is where great graphics matter -- when the game concept and game play also measure up), you get a great, fairly priced, quick game.

Play the demo if you must first, but as the demo will intimate to you, you want to get the full game. I was actually frustrated at how short the demo was personally. But given how good a value the game is for the money, it's worth getting the whole thing, and I can understand the brevity of the trial.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 09/25/08

Game Release: Bionic Commando Rearmed (US, 08/13/08)