With the creators of Bulletstorm being ‘Epic Games’ and ‘People can Fly’ it should come as no surprise to you that Bulletstorm is both bizarre and often way over the top. I’ve been watching this game rather closely since its announcement and I must admit that the game isn’t entirely what I expected it to be.
Players take on the role of Grayson Hunt (who looks remarkably like Hugh Jackman as Wolverine), as he and his pirate crew recklessly seek vengeance against General Sarrano for manipulating Hunt’s squad into killing countless innocents before they defected from their former squad ‘Dead Echo.’ As clichéd, yet also generically interesting as this plot line is, the story really seems to take a backseat to all of the extreme-machoism present in the game. You will probably spend the majority of your time feeling like you’re at a frat house party; as fun as this is for a while it really leaves little room for a serious story or character development.
Maybe Bulletstorm 2 Could Be A Family Reunion!
Having played the game from start to finish I can barely explain the characters in a meaningful way, for the most part they are all pretty similar with only minor personality variations.
The comedic aspects of Bulletstorm are immediately visible, most notably the banter between characters in-game and during cut-scenes. The game is chocked full of witty comically inappropriate one-liners. The game can occasionally have you laughing rather extensively. However the language isn’t exactly clean or even all that logical at times, one of my favourites being “I will kill your dicks!” What does that even mean? Your gonna kill my dick? I’ll kill your dick! How about that, ‘huh’?
The unique selling point and major appeal within Bulletstorm comes from the Skill Shot system which rewards players for killing enemies in creative ways. This system is great because it forces players to look for different ways to eradicate their foes and encourages gamers to avoid basic run-n’-gun tactics. There are various Skill Shots available in Bulletstorm – one particular ability uses the environment to dispatch enemies, another involves dragging enemies toward you so you can use them as a human shield. Each weapon comes with its own set of Skill Shot challenges, these encourage players to mix things up rather than sticking to the same load out time after time. With that said many of the challenges feel pretty repetitive, there is only very slight variation between most of the game’s weapons. This also applying to the various environmental challenges.
The Skill Shot system really does add a unique touch to Bulletstorm and makes it seem fresh enough to stand out among the countless shooters that are constantly being released. Visually, Bulletstorm is quite a beauty, its intricate scenery really makes you feel like you’re on a different planet. During combat, which is really the only reason to buy this game, the action is ridiculously fast-paced. You are outnumbered and out-gunned every step of the way. The main problem is the experience is over way to soon, you can reach the final battle after only around six or seven hours of play time.
First person shooters aren’t exactly renowned for their longevity but Bulletstorm literally seemed to fly by, which although is a potentially good thing it also made me feel as though I’d been ripped off in some way. The Anarchy multiplayer mode manages to pad the game’s shelf life slightly. It allows you and three other players compete for the highest score in a survival-type game. Anyone who played Horde mode in Gears of War 2 you should feel right at home with this mode.
Bulletstorm is as close as most people will ever get to being stabbed in neck with an adrenaline shot (without breaking into a pharmacy or having a seedy drug dealer of course.) Bulletstorm seems to acknowledge what it is, a fast-paced action game that doesn’t care if its characters aren’t exactly spouting out literary genius. Buy this game if you want some fast, fun and explosive action, it will definitely keep you entertained for a while.
Pros
- Funny dialogue
- Great graphics
- Skillshot system
- Non-stop stylish action.
Cons
- No real connection with the story or characters.
- Short play time.
Overall score: 7.5/10
Recommendation: Buy It (Even though it’s pretty short)
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One of the most underrated games of 2011. The review mentions that the game is pretty short. But to me it felt long cuz there’s soooo much happening in this game, you have to replay it in order to fully enjoy the skillshots. I hope they make a sequel. The end hints to it.
Its a worthwhile purchase if you have some spare cash lying around.
Maybe the whole looking like Wolverine thing was a trick to get Marvel fans to purchase the game along with some members of the opposite sex. Looks like its working so far =).
Ha I saw this game in a magazine and liked his character design, especially compared to the others it was showing me. It’s a bit generic but what the hell. He does look a lot like the move and the comic book version of Wolverine ran into each other really fast and then got taller. I might have to get it now. I have a reason to trust the gameplay a bit, sounds as if I’d like it, though the lack of solid plot and characters might get annoying. Still, brawly fighting, pretty scenery… (and the main character looks like Hugh Jackman) *cough*