BULLETSTORM

PLATFORMS: PS3, XBOX 360 AND PC

GENRE: SHOOTING-ACTION

PC SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS: Operating System Windows Vista (SP2), or Windows 7
Processor QuadCore 2.0 GHz
Memory (RAM) 2 GB
HDD Space 9 GB available
Video Card DirectX 9.0c compatible, 512MB of VRAM; NVIDIA GeForce GTX260, or ATI Radeon 4870
Soundcard DirectX 9.0c compatible, 16-bit
Disc Drive 16X CD/DVD Drive
Network Broadband Internet (TCP/IP) connection

 

    Bulletstorm is actually something kind of special. Sure, it's still brash, and it's still full of toilet humor, but with context, Bulletstorm is a violently charming popcorn shooter that plays well with some great design. Bulletstorm's premise is original enough. Set in a space-faring future full of pirates and American Civil War cliches, Bulletstorm tells the story of Grayson Hunt, a former Confederate operative turned outlaw. Grayson has spent his post-Confederacy time harassing his former commander and keeping company with his also-outlawed squad, Dead Echo. When a random opportunity arises to strike directly against the heart of the Confederacy, Grayson sets his ship on a suicide run and maroons himself and his crew on the planet Stygia. It's up to him to get the survivors off the planet, and maybe find some of the revenge and redemption he so desperately wants in the process. 

        The idea of upgradeable weapons and skills isn't all that new or different, but Bulletstorm provides a welcome dose of functionality and suspension of disbelief to its combo system. The Leash AI takes all of Bulletstorm's unique and genre-defying mechanical elements and makes sense of them within its own particular reality. It's... smart. Who'd have thought, particularly given the throwback nature of Bulletstorm's first person shooting? There's no cover, enemies aren't especially smart, and levels are a straight shot from A to B, but Bullestorm still impresses. In tandem with shooting that feels responsive and meaty, with powerful, interesting weapons, the combo system makes Bulletstorm's combat a success. 

       Bulletstorm runs out of tricks and new combat situations about two-thirds of the way through -- there are points where Bulletstorm devolves into "kick these guys off that ledge" or "kick that guy into a heavy metal cactus" nonstop, pushes its gimmicks and set-piece design elements out there too many times and losing momentum and my interest. But seeing more of Stygia kept me engaged. 

     Bulletstorm demonstrates the value of "why" for action games. Taken out of the context of its fiction, People Can Fly would have something fun but forgettable on their hands, but the way Bulletstorm fits together results in something cool and memorable. Multiplayer failings notwithstanding, Bulletstorm shines as a single-player shooter. Despite its crass humor and wang-flinging bravado, it's got some real character and heart to it. I'm not happy about the story's sequel-bait belly flop of an ending, but I'm excited to see where Grayson and Bulletstorm go next.