Bionic Commando – In the Swing of Things

As someone who did not own an NES, Bionic Commando was one of those elusive titles I would often hear about but never got a chance to experience. You’ve got a bionic arm, you can’t jump, and you swing around and blow up Hitler “Master-D’s” head? Sounds kinda interesting, I suppose.

So it was a welcome surprise when Capcom released Bionic Commando Rearmed — a 2.5D remake of the NES original — last year, which I promptly downloaded. Most reviewers familiar with the original agreed that this remake was an overall improvement on an already great game. Having never played it myself  it was all new to me, but I mostly agreed; The game was challenging but enjoyable, and I could see why people liked the original so much. The fantastic “Neo Chip Tunes” style soundtrack was worth the price of admission alone.

Rearmed’s release was also a lead up to the fully 3D sequel, coming a full 20 years after the original version. The remake did a decent job of getting me a bit hyped up for this game, which was obviously Capcom’s intention to begin with. I liked Rearmed, so it makes sense that I’d like the sequel, right?

…right? *cricket noises*

Terminator Salvation: His Heart Will Go On

I will start this article honestly. Ten minutes into the latest entry into the Terminator franchise, Terminator Salvation, I wanted it to be over. Now, I rarely feel that strongly about not wanting to continue watching a movie. Hell, I was curious enough to watch, like, half an hour of Ultraviolet on TNT one time. The only other time I remember being so completely over a movie practically before it had begun was Jurassic Park III. I was checking my watch twenty minutes in on that one. What do Terminator Salvation and Jurassic Park III have in common? Could it be that they’re both unnecessary science fiction sequels that absolutely no one clamored for?