Platformers during the 80's were commonplace, and Capcom was one of the true innovators of the genre. Through Mega Man, Capcom taught players the importance of understanding their environment and the location of the enemy. Ghosts 'n Goblins aside (that game can burn in the fiery pits of Hell, getting routinely fornicated with an untreated oak stick), I've always held their stuff from this era in high regard. Even Street Fighter 2010 is an amazing adrenaline rush. Then there's Bionic Commando, still one of the coolest Nintendo games out there. 
Originally a run-n-gun arcade game in 1987 by Capcom legend, Toruko Fujiwara, the home port for the Famicom/NES was developed a year later, utilizing the same grappling hook mechanic as a means to traverse around enemies and clear pit hazards. I suppose it can serve as a sequel, as Super Joe is the protagonist of the arcade game, but has been captured by enemy forces. You control Ladd in NES Bionic Commando, on a mission to rescue Joe and put a stop to the Albatros Project.

The "war" isn't necessarily specified, that's something that amuses me in video games. The manner in which Bionic Commando lays out its play style is a non-linear fashion. You start out in an overhead map and issue commands for your transport helicopter, choosing to drop at an open location to proceed.

Since Metal Gear was an NES game I never could get into (kinda hated it), Bionic Commando was pretty much MY espionage action video game, and it was one of my older brother's favorites. Reaching the end of an "area" is a means to an end, but accessing the computers to gather information by wire-tapping the enemy's conversations, or your superiors can relay details back to you about how to proceed safely, even leading you to some ammo caches. Some of these consoles can be traps, and you can get ambushed. Even in neutral areas, which can be used to gather more info, if you fire your weapon, expect the pain to be dropped.

Bionic Commando is one of Capcom's toughest games, and seldom does its difficulty feel unfair. Ladd has various bazooka shots, and there are ammo drops a-plenty. The grappling hook remains one of the most innovative means of mobility in a platform game to me. Sticking your land with a jump is at the very basis of motor skills with anyone who's played a video game.

Removing the jump feature altogether and learning how to navigate using this feature can be very challenging, but also exhilarating. Ladd can grapple in five directions, and measuring his trajectory is tricky, as momentum can only be gathered when in the air. Once you hook on to something, you're committed to the follow-thru. Along with being the essential console version of Metal Gear, this is also a quality Spider-Man game......Too much of a stretch? 

The visuals for Bionic Commando are very good, each location makes great use of hues, and seldom do the areas bear a similar look. There's something funny about the clashing outfit colors between good guys and the bad guys, who opt to wear bright green and magenta, respectively. Ladd has the similar spiky hair that Super Joe sported in the arcade game. There's also something charming about the generically EVIL bad guys, it puts me in the mind of G.I. Joe. It has way more personality than the 2009 reboot, which opted for the late-aughts' overly gritty, sloppy splashes of greys, greens, and browns. It did no favors that the protagonist, Spencer, the milquetoast Roman Reigns doppleganger, was as interesting as five-hour old dishwater.

With its great musical scoring and stimulating game design, Bionic Commando is, as mentioned before, a pretty tough game, but can be very rewarding. Not a title you can muscle through, this title requires some intricate execution in order to excel. It is too bad that there's no save feature, and continues must be earned through clearing certain stages, so it takes a lot of practice to get far. One of the higher learning curves on the NES, it's one of the NES titles that still stands out when it comes to creativity.

If the original has aged too rocky for gamers, I strongly recommend the reboot Bionic Commando: Rearmed. It's the same spiritual game with some quality of life changes. 

Views: 151

Comment

You need to be a member of Game Fix to add comments!

Join Game Fix

facebooktwitterinstagramyoutube

PODCAST

Events

FRIENDS OF THE SHOW


© 2024   Created by Verlane.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service