Last summer,
gamers from all around were consumed by Bomberman Live, the first true Bomberman
for Xbox 360. The Live edition sacrificed the adventurous single-player modes –
which had been both successful and disastrous on other consoles – in favor of
multiplayer content.
In June,
John Lee (VP of Marketing & PR for Bomberman Live)
told GameZone why: “We did not include a quest this time around because no
one ever associates Bomberman with a single-player mode. In fact, it’s probably
the least requested feature. We’re talking about a game and a brand that pretty
much created the party game genre, so we’ve focused on multiplayer this time.”
That’s why
Bomberman Land, the series’ first multi-platform game this generation, has a
dedicated multiplayer component. The gameplay is classic Bomberman action, and
the 47 stages give you plenty of battle arenas. Inside are four modes: normal
(last man standing), stars battle (grab the most stars), point battle (most
successful attacks), crown battle (touch the crown first), and all-out battle
(random rules). Game sharing is enabled for multiplayer enjoyment with those who
don’t have a copy of the game.
If it sounds
like this review was written in reverse – old content first, new content second
– that’s because I didn’t want to lead with the Land portion of the game, which
is less Bomberman and more of a novel. Not a novelty – an actual novel.
Bomberman
Land begins with a library of text blocks you may have expected to see in a
Nintendo game during the kiddie days of N64. The first reads: "The Bombermen
spent their days living their happy, fun-filled lives as they always had. That
is until one day when a latter arrived."
Soon the
traditional white Bomberman is met by a black Bomberman (named Cool Black) and a
pink Bomberman (presumably the lady of the bunch, named Cute Pink). Next up
you’ll encounter Giant Gold, a portly Bomberman; Bookworm Green, the apparent
nerd of the bunch; and Kid Blue, a short Bomberman whose color also matches his
name.
Two or
three-dozen text boxes follow. Next up, a scenario with Cool Black where another
20 text boxes appear, leading to a slow-moving sequence with a plane taking off.
Inside, 20 more text boxes. At this time, a few minutes have passed but no
gameplay has occurred.
After the
plane crashes into a giant bomb statue, an additional 40+ text boxes are
displayed. There aren’t many story developments – just the usual, kiddie-flavored
words that are barely acceptable for a children’s book, let alone a video game.
After that
the game jumps to the top-down world map. There are five accessible locations:
Area Gate, Bomb Statue (where you crashed), Waypoint, Speed Boat, and Ship. With
the thought of explosive gameplay lingering in my mind, I ran to each point.
At the Bomb
Statue, players are introduced to the director of Bomberman Land, an old fellow
who looks like the Planters mascot. He flees the scene after saying a few
things, none of which have any effect on the gameplay. In fact, actual gameplay
has yet to be discovered.
Head over to
the ship for another conversation with the director. Do the same at the Speed
Boat location, and again at the other areas before finally making your way back
to the Bomb Statue. Thirty text boxes later, the player is rewarded with a
colored piece. It has the number 23 written on it, and may be used to access new
areas in the game. By this time, several minutes have passed. I start to ponder
the number of cola cans sitting in the fridge. Caffeine. I need caffeine.
Twelve new
areas are opened after using the numbered piece, none of which are marked with
the words "Play now!" or "Enter for excitement!" Instead, each locale is given a
generic label (sign, bench, fountain, etc.) that fails to reveal the contents
held within. To find the first seconds of gameplay, you’ll spend several
minutes visiting each location.
Pardon
me, but do you know where the nearest gameplay is?
When you
finally do reach the appropriate, mini-game-revealing area, the game plays a
silly word game that must be solved before the mini-game can be played. To solve
it, say "no" to every ridiculous question the character asks. Had I not revealed
the solution, you’d have no way of knowing how to solve this puzzle – a sad
truth I faced upon its discovery. Trial and error led to my victory, but not
without one too many text boxes. It wasn’t long before I wondered: is there any
amount of caffeine that can keep players awake long enough to reach the first
bit of gameplay?
Jump ahead
several minutes and we’re at the first mini-game: a single-car race across a
short track. This game is played from a near-isometric view and controls like
the Micro Machines racing game (and other similar racers). It’s over in a minute
or two, but the reading continues. You’ll encounter several more text boxes –
totaling in the hundreds and eventually thousands – as the next few mini-games
are unlocked. They include a timing game where you’ll have to knock five
rectangles off a pillar without throwing off its head, and a puzzle game with a
ball that needs to be tilted toward its goal.
There are
dozens more to be unlocked, like a jump roping game that requires an insane
amount of button timing. But the reward for all that textual nonsense is far
less exciting than the addictive, genre-defining content the Bomberman series is
known for. The mini-games are generic iterations of mini-games that can be found
elsewhere. Aside from the name and appearance of the land’s inhabitants, there
is nothing here that will resonate with Bomberman fans.
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Gameplay: 5.0
Bomberman Land or
Bomberman Land of Nod?
Graphics:
4.0
The classic
Bomberman content looks good, but the rest of the game is several stages below
what the PSP can produce.
Sound: 2.0
No special music,
sound effects, or anything memorable in this game.
Difficulty: Easy
Not much of a
challenge.
Concept: 5.0
The classic
Bomberman gameplay is great, but we’ve been there, done that. The new stuff,
unfortunately, is also a been there, done that kind of experience but from games
that have no relation to the Bomberman series.
Multiplayer: 8.0
Tons of fun, tons
of stages, and game sharing is supported. No online play is offered, but the ad
hoc capabilities (2-4 players) are pretty great.
Overall: 6.0
Bomberman Land
will likely be viewed as a handheld gem to those that have enjoyed but never
owned the original game. Its classic mode is very entertaining, and the game
sharing feature makes it possible to play with friends who don’t have the UMD.
If that content is worth $30 to you, proceed to your nearest retailer. But don’t
let the "new" content have anything to do with your desire to purchase the game.
For that alone, the price tag is much too high.
