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Bionic Commando is a direct sequel to the NES game of the same name. Set ten years after the original, the game follows Nathan Spencer who has been spending his time between games sitting around in prison, counting down the days to his execution. While a phone call from the governor is the usual way for criminals to get off death row, Nathan does it big. Terrorists have detonated a bomb in the middle of Ascension City and the powers that be have decided that Nathan is the best person available to assess the situation and deal with the threat.
As you can imagine, Ascension City isn’t in the best condition following the bomb blast. Everything is a mangled mess; roads are torn up and once gleaming skyscrapers have been reduced to rubble. While navigating this treacherous terrain would be difficult for most people, Nathan’s bionic arm is a perfect mode of transportation. Similar to the original game, Nathan can use his arm to grapple onto just about anything in the environment – adding a vertical gameplay element. Once attached, Nathan can swing across cavernous gaps or reach areas above or below his location.
Nathan’s arm also plays a role in exploration and combat. Early in the game Nathan will be able to grab objects, like debris, and pull them – sometimes revealing new areas and paths around the city. A giant, extending arm is also useful for punching enemies or throwing them around like rag dolls. As the game progresses, Nathan will be able to upgrade his arm, giving him new ways to deal with enemies and his environment. If punches and enemy-tossing aren’t your style, Nathan will also have access to an arsenal of weapons.
Multiplayer elements will include most of the normal shooter gameplay modes like Capture the Flag and Deathmatch. As in the single-player game, players will be able to use the arm in multiplayer, adding a different dimension to gameplay to familiar gameplay modes.
As an added bonus, Capcom is also readying a remake of the original Bionic Commando for XBLA and PSN called Bionic Commando: Rearmed. The game follows the same plot as the NES game and adds new visuals, a reworked musical score and a few new play mechanics. In addition, Rearmed includes two-player Co-op play and online rankings. As an added bonus, players who purchase Bionic Commando: Rearmed will unlock a special Rad Spencer in-game character model in Bionic Commando.
Both games swing onto systems later this year. |
