Game 3 - Bionic Commando

[namestolen]

General Information
- Release Date: December 1, 1988
- Availability: NES (Rearmed, which is pretty similar can be found on XBLA)
- Original Title: トップシークレット ヒットラーの復活 'Top Secret: Hitler's Revival'

Why I chose it?
Lots of kids grew up playing Mega Man. I mean, I did too. Mega Man 2 is one of my all-time favorite games. Because of its popularity, it became obvious that sequels and spin-offs were going to follow. One of these spin-offs is Bionic Commando. The cool thing about this game is that it takes the same basic formula for Mega Man, but then takes out jumping in exchange for a totally badass bionic arm that you can use to swing around levels! This concept totally transformed the 2D action genre for me, as the game became more focused on player navigation rather than combat skills. I really like this idea, especially considering Capcom's ability to make interesting environments. Even though there are games that have capitalized on navigation since the release of Bionic Commando, I figured I'd pick this game so you guys can experience the first instance (that I know of) of shaking up the familiar Mega Man formula you have most likely encountered before. Plus, it has 'State-of-the-Art High Resolution Graphics!'

Assignments
This works out quite nicely since there are twelve levels and twelve days to complete the assignment. I suggest you do a level a day, and I realize the world map has a weird numbering system so I'm going to try and map a region to each day real quick to save confusion.

June 8: Level 1 (Sea Fortress)
June 9: Level 4 (Sewers)
June 10: Level 5 (The Wilderness)
June 11: Level 2 (The Caves)
June 12: Level 3 (Desert of the Red Sun)
June 13: Level 6 (Nightsky Harbor)
June 14: Level 9 (Red Stone Valley)
June 15: Level 7 (Computer Center)
June 16: Level 8 (The Garbage Dump)
June 17: Level 10 (High Security Complex)
June 18: Level 11 (The Fire Plant)
June 19: Level 12 (The Imperial Fortress)

Note that all these zones are the ones colored white with red numbers. The other zones--that is, the ones that are red with white numbers--are neutral zones. These are also a necessary part of the game. They just shouldn't take long to explore, so I figured you could knock them out in between missions without me having to assign them.

Another Note: This game is notorious for its idiosyncrasies, and because of this, some things that are necessary for advancement in the game sometimes don't quite come across clearly. Please, if there is something that doesn't make sense to you, and it keeps you from enjoying this game, send me a PM and I can try to clear it up for you without giving away exactly what you are supposed to do, or you can consult a game guide if you want your hand held.

As we did in our trek with Banjo-Kazooie, I would very much like you guys to think about how navigation works in this game. Obviously, a platformer without a jump button is unfamiliar territory for most of you. The bionic arm mechanic is certainly one that takes some getting used to, so I urge you to be patient at first if you can't quite time the swings correctly.

Also, anyone that has Bionic Commando: Rearmed is encouraged to play it alongside the original. They are remarkably similar, but play rather differently... which is also... remarkable.

Alright, I'm done with my huge post now. Good luck! (Save States are recommended)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FgUrm8uoCY

[Erik]

Never played this before and really looking forward to it!  Especially after seeing the box art and description!

[grimey]

Let's see, I'm going to give this a shot.

[DaDaDan]

Just beat Stage-1.
I'm surprised I never got around to playing this game.  I knew quite alot about it, but the only incarnation I had played (before the XBLA version) was on Gameboy Color.
Considering that the game came out in 1988, I thought the animations were really smooth when you are swinging.

I'm still not used to swinging around, and my contra instincts are always telling me to shoot diagonally, but I was getting use to it towards the end of the map.
It does feel good when you really get going and you're flying around the map.

How do the controls work exactly?  I think at one point on jumped onto a guy's head?

[grimey]

I died quite a few times while getting used to everything.  I was a little annoyed when I found out you have to watch the whole communications room dialogue for the tower door to open.



Once I figured it out though, it felt good to swing around reliably.  It's still tough though because basically one hit can still finish you off.

[namestolen]

How do the controls work exactly?  I think at one point on jumped onto a guy's head?

Well, that's just how it is. If you land on enemies, sometimes you bounce off them. Other times, you just die. I think it was the designers' intention to be forgiving of less than ideal swings, but it doesn't seem to be that consistent.

I'm glad that it seems people are enjoying the swing mechanic once they get used to it. I know quite a few people that have been turned off by the whole thing, especially with the neutral grapple being diagonal instead of forward. And, as a pleasant surprise, I'm glad that no one has had to message me asking how to do anything (yet)! I mean, when I went back to the original after Rearmed, it took me a while to realize exactly how to move about the overhead map, and even longer to remember not to shoot when in a neutral zone... even though they tell you that.

Also, Matt, dying in one hit isn't exactly what happens. You know those bullet things you can collect from guys that you kill? Well, if you collect enough of them, you can 'level up' you character so that he can take more hits. If you are having a lot of trouble early on, I recommend camping out in a place where paratroopers keep coming in so you can max out your guy. It will make the rest of the game easier. The trade off for doing this is that you can't really heal your guy later on though, as leveling up also immediately restores your health. Then again, those energy recovery pills can do that too. Hope this nugget of info isn't too spoiler-y.

[grimey]

Also, Matt, dying in one hit isn't exactly what happens. You know those bullet things you can collect from guys that you kill? Well, if you collect enough of them, you can 'level up' you character so that he can take more hits. If you are having a lot of trouble early on, I recommend camping out in a place where paratroopers keep coming in so you can max out your guy. It will make the rest of the game easier. The trade off for doing this is that you can't really heal your guy later on though, as leveling up also immediately restores your health. Then again, those energy recovery pills can do that too. Hope this nugget of info isn't too spoiler-y.

Actually I knew about health power ups.  What I meant by my comment is that usually if you do somehow manage to bump into an enemy, especially while you're swinging, you're thrown off the level and fall into a pit.

[DaDaDan]

I was watching a video of the original arcade version and it looks really different from the NES one.
Here is stage 1.   You'll probably want to mute the guy. 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVB7kPY_pW0&feature=PlayList&p=11756335F72C1804&index=0&playnext=1

Can I use these items that I am finding?  Is there one in every map?  Every neutral-zone?

[Erik]

Yup, I played through a couple zones and like others I had some trouble getting used to the swinging.

It's interesting to see how old titles on the NES can still cause even veteran gamers to struggle with the buttons, given Nintendo's current fluffy bunny image.

Also like others, however, I'm finding it fun and different as I get used to it.  It's definitely tough... I usually feel dirty using save states but I quickly dropped that thought after swinging into the same guy three times in a row on stage one.

[namestolen]

I was watching a video of the original arcade version and it looks really different from the NES one.
Here is stage 1.   You'll probably want to mute the guy.

Can I use these items that I am finding?  Is there one in every map?  Every neutral-zone?

That video was... interesting. I never knew there was an arcade version that was this different from the original. Also, the items you find you can select when you are about to enter a zone. There is an item to be had in every zone. Some you have to find, and others you get when you clear a level. You press start to use them.

[namestolen]

How's everyone holding up? It's been quiet here the past couple days?

I guess the game is pretty straight-forward, but I'd still like to know how you guys are doing progress-wise at least.

[ExMachina]

I'm a bit behind (just beat Area 2), but I'll try to catch up tonight. I'm playing Rearmed, btw. So no need for save states here.

As far as navigation goes... I'm finding exploration to be pretty tough. I can move in the 'correct' direction to complete stages just fine, but looking around and exploring every cranny is kind of hard. I think I've only found one secret so far... Maybe once I wrap my head around all of the advanced maneuvers for later stages, I can go back to really look around the earlier areas.

I'm surprised at how funny the game is; yes, I knew from FBN that the final boss fight ends with an exploding Hitler head, but it seems like Grin had a lot of fun with the dialogue as well. The ROFL exchange is still my favorite...

Is everyone else playing the original on NES? Because the AI in Rearmed is quite slick. It's like little FPS dudes got dropped into the game, taking cover and chasing you around. I can see that the overall layout of areas and the world map are nearly identical, but is combat a lot different between the two versions? (Speaking of combat, the Bazooka is awesome - I've made it my goal to use it on as many things as possible, even though my self-inflicted death ratio is increasing with it. xD)

[namestolen]

The combat is pretty different, yes, but the same core gameplay remains pretty intact, IMO. The original game gives you less powerups, and thus gives them to you slower than in Rearmed. Also, you can only take one weapon, one powerup, and one communicator chip into each map. Way that NES holds its own in the enemy difficulty department is by throwing a lot more respawning enemies than in Rearmed. Plus, the boss fights in Rearmed are actually like boss fights whereas in the original you only really have to destroy a power generator guarded by a boss.

So, there are quite a few differences in the game going on, but I still feel like each game keeps the core of swinging and shooting in the foreground.

Just for a quick contrast here's videos of the first level played on the original and on Rearmed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x596_LPJn7w http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZWsMBP_doM

[DaDaDan]

I think the most complex that the basic enemy AI gets in the game is to duck behind barrels, but it is all done in a regular pattern, and hardly that impressive.

Are you guys going for the bosses or just taking out the generators?  I take the latter road, because I'm not sure how to approach a few of the guys without taking too many hits.

The game is still great, the only thing I actually had trouble with was that I kept trying to beat the second area without realizing that there was an item that lights the whole place up.  Once I got that figured out, it wasn't much of a problem.

[namestolen]

I always just go for the generators because, as I recall, there is no reward for killing bosses. It just wastes time.

But, here's another question, or series of related questions rather: what do you guys think of the level design as compared to old-school Mega Man games? What do you think of the verticality of some levels, like Area 05? Would you rather just run, jump, and kill dudes Mega Man style?

[Erik]

Well... yes, I think overall I'd rather run, jump, and kill dudes Megaman style.  I'm still enjoying Bionic Commando though.  Every stage has some new challenge, which is nice.  Like, the quicksand, or the slimes that push you around, or new enemy types.  I remember thinking "whoa!  I didn't know they had quicksand in videogames way back when Bionic Commando came out!"  I died at that part due to surprise!

But the bionic arm still feels just a tad random.  I find myself frequently clipping through things or not being able to control the length of my swing.  Megaman is more basic, but it also feels a little more solid to me.

[DaDaDan]

Alright cool I just finished it up tonight.
I never really got to the point where I could rely on myself not to swing into enemy fire, but I guess that is what savestates are for (shame on me).

But the bionic arm still feels just a tad random.  I find myself frequently clipping through things or not being able to control the length of my swing.  Megaman is more basic, but it also feels a little more solid to me.

This is true though.  Those spots with the barrel right above me.  Half the time I could clip up through the barrel and make it up a level, the other half I would just be stuck underneath and have to swing around.  I noticed in a speed run that this is how people shave off some of their time.


I found that with the vertical levels, I could usually skip past most of the enemies if I simply clawed my way up quick enough.  Except in stage 4 (? The organic one) I had trouble with those moths that chase after you.

In the level with that ooze stuff, I spent ages trying to get up (while the ooze comes down) without taking too much damage.  It was just something about their movement that was bugging me.  I thought that, as opposed to megaman, you never really were fighting the level in this game.  Despite not having a jump, I wasn't too worried about falling into water/fire/spikes because I knew that the hook could rescue me from most instances.  Usually my focus was more on avoiding enemies than trying to time my swings.

As for the bosses (these were a little different from what I remembered seeing in rearmed, yea?), the single large bosses were generally much easier than those ones with tons of minions running around.  I never really had to worry about swinging to the wrong spot against the giant man and that helicopter doohickey.

In the end the game was fun.  I don't enjoy too many 8-bit outings (aside from megamans, kirby, etc), I guess because I never had a NES.  I am surprised that the gameplay was never really emulated by other platformers, because it seems to have something very unique.  I do with the music were a bit more memorable though.

[namestolen]

Yea, I guess everyone should be about finished. Anyone else have final thoughts?

[grimey]

http://kotaku.com/5341365/grin-were-working-on-a-final-fantasy-game/gallery/

Thread resurrection here, but I don't think anyone was talking about it.  The developers who worked on the new Bionic Commando filed for bankruptcy recently and apparently their unfinished project was going to be a new Final Fantasy game.  Little bit of trivia for ya.