Review: Bionic Commando Rearmed

Released for the Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360 and the PC, this platformer, Bionic Commando Rearmed reappears after a 20-year nap.

Downloadable games have hit it big in the latest generation of the console wars, with all three systems competing to sell games via their online services as well as store shelves. One of the trends is to re-sell what’s already sold well before: old classic games. While this has so far been a bit hit-or-miss, Capcom definitely has one big hit on their hands: Bionic Command Rearmed.

Rearmed is a re-make of the original Nintendo game by the same name. The new version, available for PC, PS3, and Xbox 360, remains true to the original Bionic Commando, right down to the similar levels and the lack of jumping. Anyone old enough to remember the NES will recall the venerable system’s controller had only two buttons – A and B – so having a shoot, jump, and arm button all at once was out of the question.

Getting the hang of the controls in Bionic Commando Rearmed takes a bit of getting used to. I often ended up falling or flying in odd directions when I intuitively pressed the buttons I thought would take me to where I wanted to go. But the game also provides a good tutorial, so you’ll have plenty of places to practice the various moves. Once you get the hang of it, you can zip across the levels in some pretty awesome ways: swinging and throwing yourself over a gap, then climbing up on a ledge and yanking yourself over an obstacle.

The graphics are completely re-done, of course, as Rearmed is fully 3D. However, I was disappointed that it was only available in 720p resolution and not 1080p, especially since it didn’t appear to be a hugely graphics-intensive title. This may simply be another case of a cross-platform game falling prey to a lack of optimization.

As a remake of a classic, Bionic Commando Rearmed is fantastic, and certainly raises the bar for future remake projects. With more intense graphics, 3D environments, and fairly realistic player models, this is a project that has taken the remake well. And as usual it's the multiplayer aspect of the game that makes this one replayable, giving you quite a few more hours of game-time after the single-play option is over.

I unfortunately, ran into issues with the game. Despite my best efforts, I never mastered the bionic arm and navigating levels ended up more frustrating than fun. A few other ‘classic’ features, such as only being able to shoot 2 bullets at once, also kept me from really enjoying the game. In the end, I just couldn’t get into it.

Capt. Maverick however seemed to take to the Xbox 360 version like a fish to water. Swinging from platform to platform takes practice and there are a few tricks to using certain areas for climbing while they didn't seem to be areas that were accessible. And the arm can also be used to pick up objects in the game that can be very useful.

There is no jumping either so you have to get used to using that arm to swinging over obstacles that are in your way, getting up behind enemy targets, and using the right weapon for the right target. Mav and I both enjoyed the cooperative mode where we were able to play together as Bionic Commandos. One of us would pick up a barrel and block the enemy shots while the other would shoot the target from behind the cover. This made the game quite a bit more fun for me as long as Mav would quit showing off and running far ahead of me.

Obviously Bionic Commando Rearmed is a game worth checking out, and the available demo does a perfect job of showing you what the game is like. If you’re not sure, at least get the demo and check it out before you buy it, but really for the price, you really can't go wrong. We both have to recommend this as a remake well worth your time.

Overall Score: 8.9 (Out of 10)