Recently, all three console download services: XBLA, PSN, and Wii Ware are truly beginning to produce quality game play on a level expected from disc-based titles. This blooming game space has enjoyed some of the freshest titles, from Geometry Wars to Lost Winds. But it is also within this realm that older companies are beginning to delve into their portfolios to freshen up some classic faces.
Capcom, a company built on recognizable action heroes, has grabbed this idea with gusto so far unmatched. Two titles that gamers would have never expected to see reborn are going to appear months between each other. The first, Mega Man 9, is a truly revolutionary sequel, but not because of its game play advancements. Instead, it is the developer’s willingness to admit what has not worked in the Mega Man game series since the NES days and thereby strip the game back to purest essentials.
The second, and recently released, is Bionic Commando: Rearmed. A revival and remake of the original Bionic Commando on the NES, Capcom has managed to catch the golden goose twice with this title. This is how you catch lightning all over again as a game maker. The love of the original product glimmers almost as if the programmers are winking at you. Remember the sprite for the big steel balls that would roll you over in Area 5? Look hard enough and you’ll spot it.
So we move into the future by looking to the past and discover a two prong tactic from Capcom. One is to take a flagship product like Mega Man and remind the world why it became a flagship product. The second is to take a cult classic that never quite hit the big time and wrap it up with a pretty bow to attract those younger gamers that would never pick up the original NES version.
Mega Man 9 Preview
The term “love letter” is thrown around easily in the genre of classic remakes. Make no mistake, Mega Man 9 is no love letter and you don’t need to look any further than the title. This is the true next game in the Mega Man series. Capcom tried their hand at a remake of the original on the PSP years ago in the terrific Mega Man Powered Up. While a very functional title it did not strike the cord that Capcom was hunting for.
Years later, brings us cutting edge bleeding hardware. Blazingly fast GPUs and motion sensing open up the world of development unlike any previous generation. In this sea of change Capcom has reached the best decision regarding the Mega Man series: ignore those changes. Short of embracing the concept of digital distribution, Capcom’s Mega Man 9 will look and plays exactly like the NES games. More specifically it will play like the earlier titles, Mega Man 2 and 3. It isn’t simply due to their sales and staying power that Capcom has chosen these titles to mimic. When played through back to back without the rosy tint of nostalgia, Mega Man 2 and 3 simply are the best titles of the bunch.
Mega Man 9 will continue the legacy of battling against 8 robot bosses in an attempt to cleanse the world of yet another mechanical rampage. The designs are terrific with just a touch of relevancy found in the only woman to grace the boss roster of the original series; Splash Woman. The music is stellar and the game play is top notch. The sterile animation of the original series unfettered by charged shot animations or jumping gimmicks, returns in Mega Man 9. Mega Man will become an extension of the player, the arm cannon that millions of kids wish they could wear themselves years ago.
Remakes and re-imaginings are grounds for excitement. Reaching back to the game play in the Wario Land series for the upcoming Wario Land: Shake It is a great decision. Reaching back to the spirit of the Mega Man series for Mega Man 9 is a true leap in development strategy. By standing still Capcom moves forward gripping a new generation in the brutal game play and excellent tunes that we all experienced 20 years ago.
Bionic Commando: Rearmed Review
When you are working with the 800 lb gorilla of action games like Mega Man you can get away with 8 bit graphics. Short of technical limitations from the NES hardware it is hard to debate that Mega Man 2 and 3 really need improving.
Bionic Commando is a different story. It never latched into the gamer psyche like the blue bomber did. On top of that, the game did have a fair share of issues. Released just last week, Bionic Commando: Rearmed is the perfect way to reintroduce the cult franchise.
Capcom has decided to embrace the accidental humorous translation of the original with an all new script that has dozens of quips that any hardened Capcom player will enjoy. Bionic Commando has the feel of an 80’s action movie, where one lone warrior is sent to rescue a hero of the people and at the same time defeat a rising imperial army. The plot is over the top and the characters are firmly implanted into 80’s action mode. Joining your team is a brash female helicopter pilot that is responsible for shuffling you from stage to stage. Character art is done in the realistic Capcom flavor thankfully bypassing a forced anime style.
As the player travels from area to area, he will pick up weapons, equipments, and various decoder keys (used to access the game’s quick but fun hacking sequences). The aforementioned armaments are used to destroy the game’s wide variety of enemy soldiers, mechanical bosses, and onward to the stellar ending. The odd over world movement leads into Rearmed’s beautiful 2.5D side scrolling action stages, punctuated by Ikari Warriors style overhead shooting. Enemies have a breadth of intelligence that raises the bar for AI seen in a side scrolling shooter.
While the obvious improvements in graphics and sound are welcome, it is the subtle changes in the game play of the original that skyrocket this title to the top of this generation’s digital titles. Gone is the frustration of having every little bump of an enemy knock your bionic arm from whatever it is attached to. For a game that has no jumping, this was a huge irritation of the original. Grenades have been added to the arsenal of rocket launchers and plasma rifles that add a whole new dimension to the run and gun setup. The decision to have unlimited ammo not only for firearms but also grenades is a blessing as well as the ability to toss the grenades downwards through floors.
The bionic arm itself has seen a face lift in function. Barrels that were impregnable in the original title can now be lifted and thrown at enemies. With an upgrade to the arm, those enemies themselves can be grappled and used as shields against oncoming fire. The simple mechanic of swinging instead of jumping is preserved and indeed improved upon the original. The hero remains just stiff enough to bring back visions of the NES title, but has gained some finesse in his years, much like the newer Castlevania games.
Wrapping all of this into a cheap cost would be enough but Capcom has armored this shooter with some lasting tricks. Challenge rooms exist with online leader boards to constantly push those players who are looking to one up the world with their swinging skills. Multiplayer despite be online local is an absolute blast with the best option being the co-op. Rearmed with two players is reminiscent of a slower more intelligent Contra.
Bar none, Bionic Command: Rearmed is the best title available on XBLA even with competition like Ikaruga and Geometry Wars 2. It is remaking the way it should be for a cult hit; designed with a new audience in mind but there to make the same impression Capcom tried to make with it so many years ago. If Capcom’s plan was to oil the wheels of interest for the upcoming Bionic Commando console effort, it has succeeded. Someone should warn the company though… the console version better be damn good.
