Launching back on the NES over twenty years ago, the original Bionic Commando was one of those titles that stays fresh in the minds of gamers, and harking back to the best period of NES development, if not gaming on the whole. Doing away with the jump mechanic originally popularized in games like Super Mario Bros. and giving players a bionic arm to grasp onto objects in the environment, swing across distances or pull themselves to higher ground, Bionic Commando was innovative, challenging, and timeless, as evidenced by its runaway hit remake, Bionic Commando Rearmed, which launched on downloadable platforms last summer. Now comes the first official sequel to the original NES classic, also titled Bionic Commando.

Bionic Commando takes the core concepts from the original NES game, namely the bionic arm mechanic, and updates it for modern consoles and 3D worlds. While the game manages to do a fine job of nailing the ever-important bionic element, making swinging through the sprawling cities a blast to do, there are still some things that the game doesn’t handle so well, including the spotty AI, lackluster combat, and run-of-the-mill multiplayer modes. However, while the game is not the second coming that NES fanatics and nostalgia hounds would hope for, it’s still fun when it’s in its groove.

Bionic Commando takes place ten years after the events in the first game, and things have changed quite a bit. Nathan “Rad” Spencer had received a hero’s welcome after the events in the original game, but has since become imprisoned and put on death row as a traitor. However, his former higher-ups have realized that they need his know-how and skill when a pro-bionics terrorist organization detonates a huge bomb in Ascension City. They take him off of death row, outfit him with his mechanical arm and put him back in action.

Where Bionic Commando really excels is the arm mechanic. The game is the most fun when you are presented with large, sprawling outdoor environments where you must swing around with your bionic arm to navigate the terrain. While there is a little bit of a learning curve (it will probably take you about half an hour to really get used to the bionic arm mechanic), the bionic arm is a blast once you get the hang of it.

Unfortunately, the game really takes a hit during the moments that don’t utilize the swinging element to its fullest. There are several indoor segments where you can’t really use your arm very well, and when left to rely completely on the combat, doesn’t feel nearly as fun. The gunplay isn’t great, and the weapons are pretty average stock for an action title. You can utilize some pretty cool functions with your arm in combat, like grabbing enemies and zip kicking them or throwing them, but if you’re held up in an indoor area where there isn’t a lot of room, performing these moves isn’t very easy or intuitive.

Additionally, the AI is pretty problematic. Their main attack strategy involves running directly at your character shooting, albeit with impeccable aim. This can make the action element of the game feel very frustrating. Additionally, there are a few one-hit kill enemies in the game, and since the checkpoints are spaced out pretty far from each other, you’ll find yourself repeating full segments more often than you should be.

The game’s multiplayer is pretty workable, utilizing three stock game modes: Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, and Capture the Flag. Pretty standard fare, but the game includes the bionic arm into the mix, which adds a pretty fun element to multiplayer skirmishes.

Graphically, the game looks pretty good. While outfitting Spencer with dreadlocks is a somewhat questionable choice, his character model is well-rendered and accurately animated, especially while swinging through the air. The environments look great, with well detailed cities and open areas, showcasing the destruction and debris nicely. The framerates are generally pretty consistent, with only a few bouts of slowdown.

Soundwise, the game is also pretty well done. While some of the voice work and dialogue gets quite cheesy, the music adds a great element to the gameplay. The sound effects also sound great.

The real question here is whether or not Bionic Commando lives up to its beloved predecessor. The short answer is no, but that doesn’t mean that action fans won’t have a good time swinging around the city.

Gameplay: 7.0
Swinging through large cities is great fun and where the gameplay shines. Unfortunately, the spotty AI and ho-hum combat bring the whole experience down, and the indoor segments are a drag.

Graphics: 8.5
The character models are solid and nicely animated, and the large environments are detailed and look great.

Sound: 8.0
The voice work is pretty cheesy and there are some groan-worthy moments in the dialogue, but the music and sound effects are both very well done.

Difficulty: Hard

Concept: 7.0
The game nails the bionic arm element, making it very fun to do after a slight learning curve. However, the rest of the game falls short in key ways.

Multiplayer: 7.0
The three modes are very basic fare, but the bionic arm adds a fun dynamic.

Overall: 7.2
Bionic Commando isn’t quite the worthy successor that fans have been waiting for, but it still manages to be mostly a fun, albeit flawed experience.