Bulletstorm

Developed by People Can Fly & Epic Games (2/22)
Multiplatform

I'm sure by now most of you have seen or heard of Bulletstorm and if not, you probably know it as that game that makes fun of other shooters.  Epic actually released a free game spoof titled Duty Calls: The Calm Before the Storm.  Aside from the clever marketing campaign, Bulletstorm also got some free publicity by the Media targeting it as "too violent a title marketed towards our youth."  I'm sure many have completely glanced over this game deeming it too immature, but should you really pass this title by?

Bulletstorm is from the studio that brought you Gears of War and for fans of that franchise, it definitely shows.  Your hero Grayson Hunt is a loudmouth drunk who leads a former Black Ops squad on a mission for revenge.  You and your men were being used as mercenaries killing innocents under the lies of General Sarrano and now Hunt is seeking atonement.  The story is typical but the dialogue is oddly decent.  Penned by one of the writers for Marvels Punisher, we're treated to some of the most colorful language I've seen in a video game.  Sometimes the cursing is overly excessive but overall it's not too grating.  Don't have high expectations for the story though because it's really just a reason to kill enemies in the most brutal fashion you possibly can.

Early in the game you're given a device which is essentially a energized lasso.  Using the energy leash, you can grab enemies out of the air, snatch up explosives, or use it to clear a path for your group.  Hunt can pull enemies into an electrical field followed by wrapping another in an explosive and kicking him into a group before his untimely demise.  These are what the game calls Skillshots and players are awarded with more points to be used for upgrades for every skillshot they achieve.  Before I continue though lets get one thing straight: If you play Bulletstorm like typical shooters then you are completely missing the point.  Is it possible to go through the entire game using the original assault rifle and leash?  I don't doubt it at all but given the creativity of some of these guns along with their respective skillshots, you'd be doing yourself a great disservice to attempt such a boring feat. 

Aside from the various weapons you wield, you're given control of different turrets (one of which you control from a helicopter in what is one of my favorite scenes) and also given the reigns of a remote control *SPOILER REMOVED*.  While these are nice distractions, after awhile I grew tired of the braindead enemies.  The AI either directly runs at you or randomly fires near cover, but doesn't exhibit much logic.  Throw in the fact that there's only a handful of enemies and things sometimes get tedious.  I found myself eventually just kicking enemies into the environment instead of attempting various skillshots due to the fact that I've either gotten most of them, or that some of these are downright ridiculous (have a cannonball travel 100 meters without bouncing and killing an enemy).  Overall though I'd say the single-player is an enjoyable experience while it lasts.  Unfortunately, there isn't a proper co-op campaign and instead gamers are given a horde mode similar to GoW.  This isn't to say that it's not worth your $60, just to be wary of what you're purchasing.

Pathetic

AI leaves much to be desired
Not too much in the way of replay value
Lacks a true co-op campaign
Language may be a turnoff
Plot is forgetful
Partners are just plain bad

Very Nice!

Energy Leash feels fresh
Skillshots are clever and fun
Some really epic boss fights
The Sniper! (see Singularity)
Using the Environment to take out enemies

FINAL GRADE: B

While the story was enjoyable, I really didn't have the immediate desire to go through the campaign again.  The weapons are a lot of fun and the game has a lot of memorable moments.  The game is a nice change from the typical shooters that Epic is trying to spoof.  Revolutionary though?  Not really.