I appreciate that there are still some fans of this game. I've played through Bionic Commando 2009 multiple times, and I consider myself a fan. Unfortunately, it is a very stereotypical 7th gen game. Questionable character redesigns, sacrilegious plot twist, comedic levels of swearing, unnecessary multiplayer, and rushed and unfinished pieces throughout.For example, a couple of days ago I started playing Bionic Commando again on the 360. It garnered average reviews when it debuted in 2009 (which is originally when I bought it), but for the life of me I could not put the damn game down. So now that I've started playing it again it's the same thing. I was up for two hours last night WAY PAST MY BEDTIME and it's one of those games where you HAVE to keep playing until you reach the next stage or save point, and then you'll do that again just for shits & giggles, not because you have to, but because you can't put the damn game down. I swear this game is massively underrated and it's just a BLAST to play.
Capcom really should have made it clear that BC2009 was a linear story-based game. More coverage and a single-player demo would have helped the game during reviewtime. Letting reviewers think the game was more like Spider-Man 2 was a bad move.
The story is full of missing pieces. I'd have to replay it to remember all the details, but there's history between Spencer, Super Joe, and the politician that isn't completely explained. From what I remember, Super Joe had manipulated Spencer into abusing the politician, leading to a ban on bionics. The ban on bionics was to prevent them from stopping Super Joe from releasing some mechanical demons. Also, wife-arm. I think there was a tie-in comic that's available online somewhere, but I'd need a superfan to help fill in all the blanks.
I do think the gameplay is genuinely fun. The level design doesn't always allow the gameplay to reach its full potential, but the game isn't a lost cause. Once you realize that you can hold the button (and hover over the next grapple point) to combine swings, the game feels very fluid. Really, the first playthrough can be rough. It's amazing how quickly the tutorial can be passed in the second runthrough. The very limited ammo really lowered the fun factor, in my opinion. I used a certain program to give myself unlimited ammo in the PC version, and I can confirm that the game is a blast that way. It's a shame that multiple boss fights were shelved.
Capcom and Grin needed the game to be an unexpected success, but the mixed reviews and lack of a demo really tanked it. From what I understand, Grin had spread themselves thin across multiple projects, and BC2009 suffered because of it. Grin had proven themselves with Bionic Commando Rearmed, an excellent game, and I think BC2009 had the potential to be a much more solid product.
EDIT: As another 7th gen go-to, the final boss fight is a QTE. Also, if you're interested, TCRF has an article on what can be found in the PC version. There's a Debug Menu, some unused audio, and even a test level.
Last edited by Robert Newbie,








