Bionic Commando: Elite Forces (Game Boy Color) Playthrough - NintendoComplete
101A playthrough of Nintendo's 2000 action-adventure game for the Nintendo Game Boy, Bionic Commando: Elite Forces.
Bionic Commando: Elite Forces is a direct sequel to the 1992 Game Boy remake of the original Bionic Commando, though Capcom had no hand in its development. Rather, this one was first-party Nintendo effort created by Nintendo Software Technology, and it was their first work for Nintendo. This group, you may recall, also handed the Game Boy Color port of SNK's Crystalis, in addition to Pokemon Puzzle League, Wave Race: Blue Storm, and Metroid Prime Hunters, among others.
Bionic Commando keeps fairly close to the formula meted out by the first two Bionic Commando games. You navigate stages, equipped with your grappling hook and a distinct inability to jump, as you destroy computer cores and collect equipment and card keys.
Though it's not a huge departure from the earlier games, there a few notable differences. You choose from two commandos, both of whom model impressively repellent color schemes, with slight differences in control between them. The Commando style top-down scenes return from the NES title, and a new sniper-mode has been included: at predetermined spots in certain levels, you can turn to face the background and have to pop your targets before they see you. It's a minor, but cool, addition that feels a lot like the sniping sections in Golgo 13: Top Secret Mission. A couple of secret levels can be found, as well, though seemingly the only reward for completing them is a new uniform.
The game is substantially more difficult than the original Bionic Commando, and this was largely due to the smaller screen. It can be difficult to swing between out-of-reach sections of the ceiling (at least, until you've memorized the stages) since they're generally hidden from view unless you are jumping or holding the up button. It's not particularly ideal given how fast moving the game is, and for just how much it relies on utter precision. In the later stages, one slip trying to the reach the exit door regularly can mean repeating an entire stage over again. You can work around the limitation, but still - it would've been better to play if everything had been scaled down a bit. The animation looks great, but the size of the sprites comes at the expense of some playability. The odd bout of heavy slowdown doesn't help things much, either.
If you've played the GBC version of Crystalis, you know exactly what I'm talking about, I'm sure.
A lot of effort has apparently gone into the presentation here. The graphics are nicely detailed and fluid, though sometimes it can be difficult to tell what you can and can't walk on or cling to. I'm not a fan of some of these color schemes, but the game is a looker for the Game Boy Color. Well, except for those super-lame computer terminal screens. Those character portraits are pretty cringe-worthy - talk about pedestrian. I really liked the music - it's sometimes a bit harsh because of the instruments, but most of it is really catchy and carries the action well. There are also a surprising number of voice samples, which is neat to hear, despite the poor quality.
I liked Bionic Commando: Elite Forces quite a bit, but it's hard not to be disappointed or frustrated by a few of its design choices. The designers' unwillingness to accommodate the screen size drags the difficulty straight into cheap territory a number of times, which really pulls the experience down. The controls are smooth, it looks and sounds great, and the game play is alright - but I can't help but wonder what might've been if Capcom had handled the game instead of Nintendo.
*Recorded with LCD shaders in Retroarch for the authentic GBC look.*
_
No cheats were used during the recording of this video.
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