Bionic Commando Rearmed 2 Review

Unresponsive controls and confusing level design make Rad Spencer's latest adventure an exercise in frustration.

The Good

• Lots of replay value and bonus content
• Eye-catching visuals with plenty of neat effects.

The Bad

• Sluggish controls undermine all of your actions
• Chaotic, directionless level design
• Cannon-fodder enemies are a waste of time
• Cheap deaths.

At the bottom of the crumbling tower that was once the mighty Bionic Commando, a culprit for the collapse was found: the jump button. It seems like such an innocuous inclusion. After all, there's no genre where vertical locomotion is more appropriate than in a 2D platformer, and more diverse movement options could lead to fresher level design. But Bionic Commando's most noteworthy characteristic was that its protagonist, Rad Spencer, couldn't jump. He has a mechanical grappling hook in place of his right arm, and his swinging ways are what separated him from his peers. Now that Bionic Commando's precious distinction no longer fits, the delicate fabric holding this game together has been torn to shreds. Controls that were once novel are now unforgivingly clumsy, and haphazard level design ensures your frequent deaths come at the hand of unseen dangers lurking offscreen. When you try to propel yourself above a spike-lined floor and die for the seventh straight time, it makes you wonder what you ever saw in this franchise to begin with. It's only when you take down an oversized boss or happen upon a secret area that the dormant feeling of elation returns. But by that point, it's far too late. Bionic Commando Rearmed 2 fails to capture the magic the series has dutifully wielded before now.

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