It's 1989 Again, and it's Been too Long
Remakes are all the rage these days, and while on the one hand they can be shrugged off as a cheap way for lazy developers to cash in, occasionally they not only reinvigorate a franchise that's been dead for two decades, but also create a game that's a sheer joy to play. Such is the case with Bionic Commando Rearmed. The original BC was released in the late 80s on the NES and was a unique game for its time in that it was a side-scrolling shooter where the protagonist couldn't jump. Instead, the player navigated the game's levels via a bionic arm that could grapple onto various objects, allowing the player to swing from ledge to ledge horizontally and scale structures vertically in a Spider-Man-esque fashion. This allowed for a different kind of gameplay and level design than was normally found on the NES. A few sequels were made for the Game Boy and Game Boy Color, but largely the series was thrown to the wayside.The plot was a hilarious fusion of futuristic Nazis and 80s style. The colors were bright and full of contrast, the settings were absurd, and through a few twists and turns the game culminated with the player shooting a resurrected Adolf Hitler in the face with a bazooka. It just doesn't get any better than that. Of course, with Nintendo of America's censorship policies at the time the game was cleaned up when it hit the States. All references to Nazis were removed, and the persona of Hitler was changed to just some mousy guy with a receding hairline, glasses, and a mustache. The graphics were great for its day, and the soundtrack was filled with catchy tunes in typical Capcom fashion. So how does the remake stand up?
If you're a fan of the original NES game, you won't be disappointed. Every level and enemy is recreated in gorgeous 3d, fixed to a 2d camera angle. The animations are smooth and silky, the levels are almost exact replicas of the originals, and controlling the bionic arm is a snap after an embarrassing five minute adjustment period. The music is all remixed, with the original melodies intact but glossed up and modernized resulting in a beautiful sound that you'll probably find yourself humming in the shower for a few days after you play. What really makes the game stand out though is the style. GRIN, the developers of BCR, completely embraced the shlocky 80s stylization of the original in an over the top way that both pokes fun at the decade and yet revels in the spectacle of it all. The two-dimensional natures of the characters are celebrated, from the Ray-Ban wearing "Duke Nukem" protagonist named "Rad Spencer" (I'm serious), to the spunky female helicopter pilot that shouts "Hey!" in a confident, commanding tone every time she's got something new to tell you, to the ridiculous dialog that precedes every boss fight. The game is also littered with self-referential humor that pokes fun at little silly parts of the original and NOA's censorship policies. There are also secret rooms and items sprinkled throughout the levels for treasure hunters, and bonus challenge rooms that let you try and get the best time through various VR-style challenge mazes as an aside.
The boss fights have been reworked, which isn't a bad thing as they were a bit lacking in the original. Now instead of simply running behind a boss and shooting them in the back, there's a little trick to each boss fight which must be learned, usually involving the bionic arm. While the fights aren't overly challenging, they're more colorful and fun than in the original. The developers also took license in a few other small areas, and while the game isn't a 100% replica of the original, it's damn close. Notable changes include: You have access to every item and weapon all the time, unlike the original. You can actually save your game this time around, which I'm really thankful for. There's a co-op and verses mode, but sadly it's not online. The arm itself also has a few new abilities; it can grab objects like barrels and toss them, and later you can even grab enemies with it and use them as human shields. And finally, the neutral zones are still there, but they're allied zones instead which is a minor script change, but functionally everything is essentially intact. The developers are fully aware that Bionic Commando is born from an era in entertainment that was all about big guns, big explosions, and the one lone hero that could slaughter legions of enemy soldiers singlehandedly, and was the last hope to save the world.If you're a fan of the original Bionic Commando, or are just looking for an inexpensive, gorgeous 2d shooter, you need to grab BCR now. This isn't a cheap knock-off remake intended to make a quick return on investment. This is a lovingly sculpted and crafted remake by a team that respected and enjoyed the original. For 800 Microsoft Points, or $10 USD for PS3 and $15 on PC, it's a steal.
