IT'S ONLY GOT M BISON'S DAD AS THE MAIN BOSS!*
Just given the demo a good few goes last night and I am gagging to get a hold of some MS points to unlock the full game. BCR is an update of a classic Capcom NES game from the 80s, and the developers have really embraced 80s in this remake as it just oozes cheese, bright colours and shocking hair.
You carry on pointing like the BAD ASS you are Spence! ^_^ You guys should check out more of Shinkirou's artwork on this, the boss characters look fabulous! The uber airbrushed and clean style fits this game so well. Anyway...
For a demo it's pretty generous by XBLA standards. You get to traverse the entire first level of the game and encounter the boss, you have quite a lengthy and informative tutorial to run through as well as having access to to 2 "Challenge Rooms". I'm pretty certain the demo is more then sufficiant enough for someone to make up their mind if they want it or not. Although I can't understand how anyone couldn't want an old school game...with ragdoll! 
Infact, everyone should play through the demo first if they are going to buy it. The devs have snuck in some mildly humorous dialogue when you go into the communication tower, or when you finish the little "hacking" puzzle in the room right at the top of the first section on the first level. Even the boss has a go when initiating boss mode, and fails because it's a demo. TAUNTING ME AND MY LACK OF POINTS TO BUY A GAME I AM ALREADY SOLD ON. ;\/
The main hook of this game is the biomechanical arm your character has to swing, climb and get around the levels while shooting enemies sporting purple shell suits. To use the arm all you have to do is press the B button. Pressing the B button while standing shoots the arm at a 45 degree angle; pressing up with B shoots it right above you, crouching and moving forward shoots the arm infront of you which is handy for grabbing barrels to lob, collecting items and apparently deflecting bullets, but I've not had a chance to test that out yet.
The momentum gained from a jump seems to be the same regardless of how early or late you deployed the arm.
You have to learn how to control the arm as there is no jump button at all. All obstacles that can't be walked through has to be swung or climbed over by using a platform above. The other thing which might take a while getting used to is Spencer cannot drop down a level or a floor as you might expect, you have to fall of the edge if you want to get back down to a lower level. This might annoy people into thinking this is backward but the devs wanted to keep it as faithfull to the original and "old skool" as possible. Plus, the Challenge Rooms would become much easier to tackle if they gave Spencer those abilities.
So you've got all these platforms of various heights and you use a combination of shooting the arm straight up to climb up to higher levels and swinging yourself across. Spencer can remain in his swinging animation as long as there is enough rope and room to do it. If Spencer shoots off his arm close the cieling you will only have a while before he stops dead. Only choice you will have is to either climb on up if you can, or press down to disengage the arm and quickly try to latch back onto the cieling again.
To quickly fling yourself across just hold the direction you are going in and thats it. Release the arm as many times as you want to get to where you need to go while pressing forward. Pretty simple.
The "Challenge Rooms" even in the demo are enough of a task to get through, it will no doubt teach people how to effectivley use the arms in different situations in no time! Don't believe me? Try the 2nd Challenge level. 
Tutorial also lays down more or less all the fundamentals of the arm mechanic you will probably need in the entire game.
The challenge rooms have even more of a "Retro" vibe then the main game, think MGS VR missions in 2D and through a Virtual Boy filter.
These challenges are all self contained little obstacle courses that you try and swing and fling yourself through as quickly as possible through. Lots of tricks you can pull by manipulating the arm in certain ways such as releasing the arm by pressing down mid swing or clamping up to the ceiling and reeling yourself in. Also found an ace shortcut which helped me knock off loads of time on the 2nd challenge room which involved an early release of the arm inorder to get the neccessary height to attach the arm to a higher platform and swing across the room.
Theres apparently 50+ of these levels and all can be competed on via leaderboards. Fastest time is the main requirement for getting high on the board, but it also tracks how many attempts you have made at that level. xD The 1st place guy on the first challenge room has got over 200 attempts to his name.
Yeah and thats all I can say at the moment. The first level is pretty short once you got to grips with the arm, but theres plenty of things to shoot, swing and throw. Full game has offline co-op and multiplayer which is a shame it's not online as it means I will hardly get any use out of it. Lots of guns, grenades and upgrades for the arm which allow you to grab enemies and then punt them wherever you like!
Have to also give a BIG UP to the awesome first level muzak with technoish and DIRTY big drum beat going on in the background. The whole game seems to have an awesome soundtrack to the little bits I've heard here and there on various trailers.
WATCH AND LISTEN TO THIS!
http://www.gametrailers.com/player/usermovies/252626.html
Mint tunes! Great trailer, shows off more clearly what I was explaining above. Love the marchin soldiers and M Bison's dad "NOW WE HAVE YOU!" lol.
*As of yet unconfirmed, awaiting DNA test.
Well I loved the original game, so this is a no brainer for me. I'll dl the demo tonight
Surely once they are done with Mega Man and Bionic Commando the next game in Capcom's sights has to be Strider.
This is fucking brilliant!!!
The game gives me a weird nostalgic feeling, it's just like when you finally load up the latest C64 game you'd been gagging to play for ages. The music has a wicked SID vibe to it and even accessing the computer within the opening section gives you text that tastes like the C64 startup screen.
The demo is so cruel that it shuts down just as you're about to fight the boss, Spencer REALLY wanted to fight it too - he even said "Please!" T_T
It sounds and smells like a PROPER videogame, I need to get hold of some Japanese PSN points to buy the full game (prefer playing on D-pad so the 360 version is out of the question).
NYAAARRGH!!1 Why does this happen every time I'm broke!?!?! >_<
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I managed to get some points! ^^
Everyone needs this game NOW! It's even got top-down shoot em up levels in it (it's fucking COMMANDO!) - complete with what sounds like a tribute to Rob Hubbard's version of the Commando music
http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=hDAhixO2t5w&feature=related
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the "Super Saurian Sell" always wins me over.
Reckon you could use the 360 arcade stick... are there any controls that aren't face button related?
There's "Weapon Select" on the triggers - not used it yet,
There is a config menu but not sure if it lets you configure it freely. It did mention controlling missiles using hte right stick - that might piss on your arcade stick fire.
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I'm sold. Still not dl even the demo. Want this bad. Selling our house at the moment, so everything is tidied away, that includes the network cable that connects the 360 to the fun servers
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We're all dinos here. Everyone drifts, all the time: it's impossible to drive straight. DUKE OUT!
There are a lot of clever little awsums in this game,
Like for example once you reel in the line from the bionic arm you stop swinging - but from this position if you fire the shotgun you start swinging again due to the kickback. Once you're in motion again you can jump in the direction you want and fire the arm again to stay off the ground, little things like this make controlling the character a joy.
The controls feel odd at first, getting used to the arm firing diagonally as default took me a while, but once it all clicks at all works a treat.
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I can't remember the last time I said "FFFFFFFFFFFUCK!" for having to start back at the start of the level when I used up all my lives, because there never seems to be any fear of that these days! [/oldman] Back in the NES days, you would have had to start back from the begining!
Been some brilliant boss battles, all making use of the arm and the surroundings. The best one has to be that massive JCB and that semi circle stabbing contraption with a midget controlling it.
Got the hang of the arms abilities properly now. You can deflect bullets and rockets with it no problems and it's even possible to scale the levels with just the arm and not firing a single bullet. Also you can climb up through floors which have obstacles in the way, if you shoot past them and when the hook goes through the barrels or girders, it attaches itself ontop and you can pull yourself through. Allows for plenty of short cuts in the levels if you want to improve your speed runs. Vital for the construction level, where you can get an achievement for getting to the boss in 1 minute 30 secs...yeah, that massive level which keeps going up and up. 1 min 30!
Also...LOL AT SHOTGUN KICKBACK SAUR! XD Brilliant. Managed to get to some areas where it seemed impossible to get to with that!
I'm stuck at the factory level at the moment, got pretty lost where I was supposed to go, even though I think I found every single door to get through, still ended up in a previously visited area. It's got the music from that trailer in the first post too!
Far too much awesome for an old school remake of a game, I can't wait to see what they've got instore for their full 3D adventure. The trailer for that already has me pumped as it seems to have a great looking swing mechanic and some of the elements of the arm in combat look quite fun.
Challenge Room 2...lol, must have had like 20 attempts at that before I managed to get the timing right!
Have you found the Secret Tunnels yet? They're absolutely ROCK! T_T
What you mention about the fear of dying is what I love most about this. Getting punished for being rubbish here is a atsrk reminder of how stupidly easy games are these days. I'm still playing today, I know I've missed loads of secrets but this level I'm on currently is pure sadism - and I MUST work it out!
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Yep this is class. The controls haven't clicked in with me yet + I have the problem of the 360 fluff a direction dpad to contend with.
I also made the arrogant mistake of selecting 'hard' >_< That was a BIG mistake. Think I might start again on normal. I'll see how it goes for a bit.
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We're all dinos here. Everyone drifts, all the time: it's impossible to drive straight. DUKE OUT!
D pad? Been playing with the analog stick throughout, works a treat.
That's because you're an alien!
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I just feel dirty using analogue for games that are built around digital control. Having said that on the 360 I can't even navigate the blade menus without fluffing it using the dpad. It seems to randomly select diagonals (maybe it's just me). Perhaps I need to get over it and switch to the wiggly stick.
Demo was just right for this.
Bought it immediately I got to the boss and had a play with the challenge room.
The D-Pad is deeply, deeply terrible though... the stick is an option, but this game is ALL ABOUT THE DIAGONALS.
Pwned your time on the LEADERBOARDS Mads, for some of the challenges at "15"? Was it?
The Ikari Warriors bit is oddness, I wonder if the auto aiming of the bullets is a result of playing on normal.
Essentially I am struggling with the input mechnism... it might be easier to play with the wheel, didn't try the stick, the curve for technique introduction appears to be perfect though, and the humour is A grade.
It basically exactly the kind of game I've been wanting to play since 1994 when they all stopped being made.
I just feel dirty using analogue for games that are built around digital control. Having said that on the 360 I can't even navigate the blade menus without fluffing it using the dpad. It seems to randomly select diagonals (maybe it's just me). Perhaps I need to get over it and switch to the wiggly stick.
This is exactly the same problem I have with it, random diagonals coupled with the way you have to push the thing really hard to get it to register makes it totally unusable.
I'm right at the end of this now, but there are a couple of optional stages (namely the "Secret Tunnels") that I want to clear before going for the final. Every weapon has an upgrade aswell, there's quite a pile of stuff you can miss out on if you don't go over the stages with a fine-tooth comb.
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Any use of the right analogue stick?
Only for controlling the rockets when you get that particular upgrade. Good point actually, the right stick is barely used - might have to try using the arcade stick myself.
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Damn you! I'm going to have to get back in there and sort that. Off for a week in a field so it'll have to wait until I get back.
Nah it's the same on Hard mode. It's a bit fruity isn't it. I love top down shooty stuff like this though, so these stages are a welcome break from the main game.
Incidentally is it me or is the hacking mind-fuckingly hard. I must have tried the hacking tutorial about 20 times before I managed to get it. Pure evil.
The little top-down sections are better than the entirety of that Commando remake garbage they released a while back.
I find the hacking really easy on Normal Mode, you still on Hard Mads?
You haven't experienced auto-aiming until you get the final weapon, during the Commando sections you just have to wave the gun in their general direction for instant carnage.
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They listen:
http://uk.xbox360.ign.com/articles/900/900487p1.html
Although 8 way sounds like it could get even worse!
It's hard to work out what they're on about -
8 switches? That's just silly.
8 prongs on the D-pad itself....that's just silly!
What they need is something as simple to use as a cross-key, the problem is that the 360 D-pad is too clunky, stiff and innacurate. I wish they'd ditch the Fisher Price face buttons while they're at it too.
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I think I worked out, whilst I was a bit bored watching TV that pressing the "Start" button on the 360 controller powers the console up... which is faster than pressing and holding the massive X thing in the middle.
Anyone want to tell me I am a foo.
Nah man that's genius!
I knew someone who didn't realise the PS2 didn't have a standby mode for at least a couple of years!
The charging cable/kit thing has also conked out on my 360, so I have to have the pad plugged in all the time. Which means when you switch it off the fan will run for all eternity until you unplug the controller.
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I smell shenanigans...
http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=218894
"We're always looking to improve products and we made these changes based on feedback from gamers."
However, the new pad is "a limited edition promotional item that is only available in Europe, Asia and Latin America while supplies last", which is likely to upset fans who feel the d-pad needs full-time replacement rather than a one-off patch for PES.
For a remake of a 2D game, I think it's quite impressive visual and audio wise. I'm surprised they put this much effort into the whole package really, the animation of the main character, music, the ragdoll, physics and brand new bosses, a brand new COCK hard final stage and ofcourse the challenge rooms.
I am now on the FINAL stage of this game, and from my understanding it is a totally brand new built from scratch final level + boss. It has 3 interior sections which must be cleared and then when you've navigated through them which are quite hard, you then come across a section which requires absolute pin point precision and timing for swings and movement. Rediculously hard, really having a hard time with it at the moment, as platforms and grips just constantly dissapear and reappear when you are on or off screen.
Took me ages to get to where I was but ended up mistiming a hook and dropping to my doom. I'm up for a challenge, but I think this one is taking the piss!
Watch the first 4 minutes of this, spoilers obv.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=T3OWtagCDEw
NRGHHH. It's doable though, just need to survive with all my lives intact before getting to that section and giving it a proper go. Might have to do some old school backtracking and stock up on lives! lol
There's tons of content packed into this game, I've not even scratched the surface of whats available. Theres secret emblems and secret areas to go into in each level (not found any yet though) and I would honestly have paid full price for this game on PSP\DS or on a disc.
The final set of levels are amazing though. Mission Number 10 for example it was fucking solid!
As soon as you enter the door, there are those pink cieling turrets spitting bullets everywhere with a handfull of soldiers for good measure, and when you manage to get out of that, its straight into a SUCCEED OR DIE swinging section. Miss your jump and it's straight onto spikes. Dead!
Took me a fair few tries to get these two opening sections down, but man was it tough going. Huge relief of satisfaction when I realised the correct way of negotiating both sections though...wasn't too happy when I got killed straight away on the next part, and had to restart my life back at the begining. But I am really enjoying the challenge of it
Amazing game, can't believe that this game is existed years ago on the NES, and it's scary to see just how faithfull and similar the new game is mechanics wise.
Part 2/2
http://www.gametrailers.com/player/38745.html
Part 1/2
http://www.gametrailers.com/player/38743.html
TOP BOY TUNEAGE!
I see that they remade every single boss for Rearmed, but I'm kind of dissapointed that they all cloned for you to fight again on future levels, would have been nice to have totally new bosses each time each with a new trick of using the weapons and the arm. They don't feel that special when you fight them twice. I just wanted to see some more goofy Shinkirou's art work tbh!
Where have you lads got in this so far. Also, I've not found a single secret tunnel area yet, tell us where one is!
Not had a chance to play this since being back from camping (which was a washout). Can someone tell me whether Super Joe makes a proper appearance in this game? I might have to go and play Speed Rumbler on my arcade cab instead, which is one of my favorites.
Saur I'm still on Hard, but based on some of the posts here I think I will have to go back to Normal as it's going to be too much later on.
Woo, this game just RRoD'd my Elite 360!
I win!
Lies, you found one of the secret tunnels and it broke you!
*Singho currently is in a broken state
Final Stage, still kicking my ass. I really do think it's gonna be a case of collecting extra lives over and over. It's really evil, because it's mid way through the level where you get all those annoying trap doors. So after going through the 3 initial rooms to get there, one mistake and it's all over. So you have to go back do all that again, only to die 10 minutes later on the same section.
Arghh, I'm not weak sauce...but it's just mean! Trial and error isn't the word. It's trial and die, heavy breathing, foaming, rage and taking a bite out of your desk...error.
I've never heard of Super Joe till I played this game. You get to see him 3/4s of the way through. Hard increases the strength of enemies bullets and attacks, too tough to subject yourself through that on an initial play through.
Way I do it, if theres a normal mode, play that first. If theres a KIDS and an Adult mode...hit Adult Mode. You should have gone for option 1!
I'm up to the final boss too, but I found the flipping platform section easier than the three rooms that preceded it - managed to get through the platform section on my second life
Once you get to the bottom left of the flipping platforms it is pretty easy, lots of opportunities to mash your may to the boss from there with the arm, even if you screw up and drop.
I've made my way through the two secret tunnels too, which are about as tricky as that last platform section. I'm finding the difficulty level pushed to exactly where you want it to be - the game feels fair, but is one hell of a challenge. Lots and lots of fun.
I almost didn't bother with BC:R at all, I played the demo and wasn't too fussed. That first level doesn't really tell you very much about the game, but the mission rooms and training just about made me stump up the cash.
I went with the 360 version in the end as it was fractionally cheaper and so I could spy on Mission room times. Not struggling with the d-pad too much, but my pad is fairly worn in by now - the biggest pain is that diagonals are too easy to accidentally trigger. Arcade stick works a treat, but I have a feeling the right analog stick will be needed at some point...
Has anyone tried co-op? It is pretty mental. The screen 'auto' splits horizontally or vertically, which is quite impressive but a little disorientating. You have to play with this in mind, as a delicate set of maneuvers with a screen spilt half way through royally screws things up. Also the horizontal or vertical split, and direction, depends entirely on where the players are on the screen - it doesn't switch depending on the platforms around you (which might have been useful). It seems kind of broken, but adds fun in that you have to work to manage the splitscreen so that it doesn't fuck you over. Not entirely sure that it is intentional though.
Before the screen splits it zooms out really far, it would have been cooler to zoom out even further and stay zoomed out once split - it's ok, the HDs can cope! I have teh pixels!
I've only played the arcade version before now, and not the NES sequel, so the story and setting was a bit confusing for me. From what I can tell this is a remake of the NES sequel (Top Secret: Hitler's Revival), but with most of the tweaks taken from the Game Boy remake. Madness! Makes me want the Game Boy original. In fact, as far as remakes go, this pretty much only overhauls the audio-visual; it seems like the core gameplay (and the maps?) are straight from the Game Boy version.
No doubt. Just restarted on Medium difficulty and the gap is huge. Enemy behaviour is different, hacking is no longer against the clock (Bloody hard when it is), enemies are weaker and you seem to be able to take more damage too.
I'm enjoying this much more now.
YOU BEAST! Done it all now!
Killing the boss makes UP for that section ten fold...so worth the scene, so worth it! SO.WORTH.IT. *cries with lol*
I ran through the entire map collecting as many free lives as I could before I tackled that section, must have got 13 in total and then went through it.
But I swear those 3 interior rooms are designed to be as infuriating as possible. They are not hard once you know how to beat them, but the obstacles and traps control the pace of that level so much, if you ever so try to bolt it through and not wait, you will die everytime gauranteed! I'm sure they had this in mind, especially with that trap door section outside. People rushing it to get back there, only ending up dieing well in advance of it!
Anyway...13 lives. ALL GONE! LOL I got pissed and just exited to the dashboard...then I thought, hang on...reloaded the game, full 13 live stock still there! WHOOO! Did the interior section and had another good go at that outdoor swinging section.
As you say, once you get to the left as far as possible, it's quite easy. It becomes less about swinging, and more about shuffling onto the next platform. Later on you have to clamber up platforms and shuffle across, it really does get easy once you see the pattern. That first section is still tough though. Just have to focus on the platform you are standing on and the next one coming up. Looking at them all moving is what was wrecking me up before.
Soon as you see the platforms all in a row going skywards, just start spamming the arm to get there. If I can get my capture card working, I'll do a quick and dirty video edit highlighting things. Dunno when though...
End boss was fun, tricky and surprising when you first fight him and you don't have a clue whats going on, but you figure it out, especially when you've got a 13 live stock to burn through. xD
Great game, just tried Super Hard on the first level, fuck me! It's nuts. If you aint got the 100 bullet deflect achievment yet, gauranteed to get it once you've played Super Hard a few times. Soldiers are beasts! Fuck knows how hardcore the bosses will be. So hard to play it through again without your upgrades too!
An achievment stingy game too, I've only got 2 since I played the thing.
Not tried co-op yet but I was talking to a mate at work who is playing it through with his brother, and that boss which shoots spikes at you is meant to be a right bitch on co-op as the boss patterns and difficulty changes to balance the extra person on screen.
"2 SPIKES AT A TIME!"
lol
I ran through the entire map collecting as many free lives as I could before I tackled that section, must have got 13 in total and then went through it.
Yeah, that ending is pretty special. It all goes a bit 80s action movie for a moment. I finished off 'The Leader' last night too, using the same trick to rack up lives first.
Definitely. The key is taking the time when you can, and staring at the flipping platforms until you get the patterns, then it becomes easy. Splitscreen is a total arse here, you can't always see platforms above or below you.
Not tried co-op yet but I was talking to a mate at work who is playing it through with his brother, and that boss which shoots spikes at you is meant to be a right bitch on co-op as the boss patterns and difficulty changes to balance the extra person on screen.
"2 SPIKES AT A TIME!"
Quite a few of the bosses change their behaviour on co-op. The last boss fires twice as many missiles I think - you have to run in opposite directions to be able to handle one each. Even the first boss acts differently, meaning you have to co-ordinate the barrel throwing. Co-op is pretty good overall, but sometimes that splitscreen is too unfair... although you do have some control over this, meaning you have to work to manage when it happens.
It is very achievement stingy isn't it, same here only two for completing it. They do seem overly masochistic, don't think I can be bothered to pursue them. I did miss two of the weapon upgrades, I might go back for those, and about 10 of the Yashichi items. I did get the Friendly Fire item though, that was stupidly difficult to obtain. Secrets for the sake of secrets, this game transports you back 20 years based on that alone. Well, that and the clear rip of Hubbard's C64 Commando theme.