Bionic Commando Rearmed

Posted 4 years ago By - Brian Edey

Twenty years ago there was a Nintendo Entertainment System game that was a big hit and was such an influence on many gamers we can still see its subtle influences today in many games. Bionic Commando was this game and Capcom has gone back and re-created the original with new graphics but the same fun gameplay we imagine from the original. Capcom has also added original content such as 2 and 4 player co-op multiplayer and some challenge rooms for you to enjoy.

Using your bionic arm, various weapons and just your wits to survive, you infiltrate various enemy encampments to destroy, investigate and more in a hope to rid the world of a force of a pure evil mad man.


Controls have broken similar games that have been re-made, in the case of Bionic Commando the controls are just useable, but should be near perfect. At times you just wish you could control your arm or your character a bit better, just to miss a grapple and end up dying for the third time, which will happen often. The game can be unforgiving at times control wise but every level is passable, just put the game down when you get frustrated and come back later.

Your Bionic arm is very impressive, you are able to grab items, pull your self alone and under low areas, fire up, left or right and at 45 degree angles up left or right, even using it to swing or do multiple swings across a dangerous area. Swinging takes the most practice because you have to be careful where and how you land, if you land wrong you can easily move from full life to all dead in a moment after you fall on spikes.

During your adventure you will pick up various items at friendly camps or after boss battles, everything from new communication cards that get you into new areas, flares to light up the dark, steel boots for some flying head kick action, shotguns, rocket bazooka’s and more. The game will require you to use each item at some time and learning where to use what item or weapon is key to finishing the level quickly and safely.

The AI for the game is almost non-existent, very scripted actions that are based on what you do, but what is sad is you can throw a grenade and the bad guy will walk right towards it, stop and blow up. How about having them jump away or even grab it to throw it back? This is just one of many times you wish the Re-Armed side of Bionic Commando Re-Armed was Bionic Command Improved.

Multiplayer is such a huge let down in the game, the Co-op is fine but you can not play online and are forced to play with people in your house. Capcom made a foolish mistake not to have the multi-player game online and is a total let down to the player, especially when other games, even those by Capcom which are available on Xbox Live Arcade are online. The 4 player multiplayer action is a joke and nothing more then running up to the next player and firing at point blank range over and over again and maybe you will win.

Challenge rooms are entertaining at times, but they could be much better and more fun but at least there are enough to keep people entertained if they are fans of the game and its overall flaws.


Initially the game has some great graphics and nice graphical design choices from the menu screen and loading system, to the actual 3D graphics and backgrounds, but behind those 3D backgrounds is another set of backgrounds that are plain and ugly, even distracting at times during some of the levels, it was a good choice overall though, but I would have hoped for a higher quality graphic upgrade in the long run.

Two of the things Bionic Commando Re-Armed had done extremely well was the character/enemy models and in game effects from weapons, explosions and everything else. I love the flare lighting and explosions the most out of everything special effect wise because they were lit well and big and that is exactly what an arcade game needs.

They audio hit me as hit and miss, sometimes it comes across as extremely well done and others are almost directly out of the NES version we loved 20 years ago. Some basic voice work is well done but I hoped for more because even bad voice work would have made the horrible dialogue bearable or even fun.

As soon as the game starts the music will remind you of the original which was a nice initial treat, but because this was Re-Armed or a re-made version of the original the sound track could easily have been updated to the 1990’s at least. Overall I was disappointed by the audio.


Since the Co-Op is offline only and the game is not exactly that long the value is low except for the challenge rooms, but even they get old fast.

Buy only if you are a fan of the original or the demo really sells you. The demo is a bad example of gameplay from the actual game and some people will feel ripped off if they buy BC:RA based on the demo.

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