So I'm reviewing this game in two aspects. The first is as it's own thing, completely detached from anything else in this release, and second as a Duke Nukem game, with the addition of Duke's Bulletstorm Tour.
Bulletstorm is pretty fun and holds up well for the most part. It's not perfect, but I feel many of these issues could easily be addressed in a sequel; it really deserves another shot.
The core gameplay loop is pretty good. The weapons are fun to use and using them in conjunction with the leash and kick to create intricate skillshots that give currency to use in the store is pretty fun. I even like how it's integrated into the story, as the Confederacy has an "only the strongest survive" mentality and goes out of its way to reward those who kill their enemies in the most brutal way possible. I just have a few issues that kinda bring it down for me.
For one I don't really think this game benefits from a weapon limit. I don't have an inherent issue with FPSes using weapon limits so long as they're integrated in the design right, but in this game it just feels limiting, not helped all the more with the machinegun not being unequippable. Sure, it's still a good workhorse weapon, and has its' uses even towards the final areas of the game, but why can't we make our own loadout? Why even have a weapon limit in general for a game that's about tying together weapon combos and throwing enemies around to create the most brutal skillshots? Even considering how the post-game "overkill" mode completely removes the weapon limit entirely, I don't understand why they didn't try balancing the game around this in the first place, aside from the fact that weapon limits were the big thing for console shooters around this time.
Alongside this, I feel the upgrades at a certain point balance the game way too much in the player's favor, regardless of difficulty. By the halfway point, you'll be able to buy 10+ one use mod shots (Thumper for leash, overcharge shots for machinegun, etc.) and can easily spam them for bosses or just to purely wipe out singular areas. Again, it really kills the idea of wanting to experiment with skillshots when you can just use the same overpowered secondary over and over again, not helped that they're pretty cheap as well and by this point of the game you'll be drowning in skill points.
These don't completely kill enjoyment for me, but it's something that now with other "throwback" styled games and other over-the-top shooters, I wish was addressed. Another reason why this game needs a sequel.
Now, Duke's Bulletstorm Tour. Gearbox's effort to tell the public "Hey, We own Duke still!" to the audience and justify this new release. I've heard from many that Duke's placement in this game isn't bad and carries some basis as to what a new Duke game could be, so I was interested in looking at this game from that perspective. Does it succeed?
Ehhh, not really.
There's some good stuff, but Duke in this game feels really shoehorned in. Duke kinda sticks to the script for the most part, and aside from one or two unfunny jokes he barely gets a reaction out of me. Instead of frustration or annoyance, I just feel nothing. There's a few good moments, like him saying "that's fucked up, why would you force me to kill civilians in a flashback!" but even then it's kinda... no shit to me, yknow? Doesn't help either that Jon St. John suffers from the same issue he has with the re-recorded 20th anniversary Duke 3D lines, where he just doesn't have that aggression and punch Duke SHOULD have. I understand why, the original Duke voice was quite literally just him gritting his teeth and doing a deeper Dirty Harry impression and that shit hurts after a while, but again it unfortunately means he just sounds bored for most of it and not really Duke-like. Even from a gameplay stance I don't feel it entirely fits Duke either. I can see it in the idea of the kick (It could be an interesting natural evolution of Duke's Mighty Boot), but the lack of mobility/jumping and secrets doesn't make this game feel like a successor to Duke 3D at all. I know this game wasn't intended to be that, by all means, but with how many people do see this game as that I can't help but analyse it like that for myself.
Overall, I like Bulletstorm as a fun, over-the-top shooter. Worth the play if you like games like this, and really deserving of a second chance. As a Duke Nukem game? Nah. There's much better content, either in Alien World Order or even mods in the fan community will satisfy you more.
Bulletstorm is pretty fun and holds up well for the most part. It's not perfect, but I feel many of these issues could easily be addressed in a sequel; it really deserves another shot.
The core gameplay loop is pretty good. The weapons are fun to use and using them in conjunction with the leash and kick to create intricate skillshots that give currency to use in the store is pretty fun. I even like how it's integrated into the story, as the Confederacy has an "only the strongest survive" mentality and goes out of its way to reward those who kill their enemies in the most brutal way possible. I just have a few issues that kinda bring it down for me.
For one I don't really think this game benefits from a weapon limit. I don't have an inherent issue with FPSes using weapon limits so long as they're integrated in the design right, but in this game it just feels limiting, not helped all the more with the machinegun not being unequippable. Sure, it's still a good workhorse weapon, and has its' uses even towards the final areas of the game, but why can't we make our own loadout? Why even have a weapon limit in general for a game that's about tying together weapon combos and throwing enemies around to create the most brutal skillshots? Even considering how the post-game "overkill" mode completely removes the weapon limit entirely, I don't understand why they didn't try balancing the game around this in the first place, aside from the fact that weapon limits were the big thing for console shooters around this time.
Alongside this, I feel the upgrades at a certain point balance the game way too much in the player's favor, regardless of difficulty. By the halfway point, you'll be able to buy 10+ one use mod shots (Thumper for leash, overcharge shots for machinegun, etc.) and can easily spam them for bosses or just to purely wipe out singular areas. Again, it really kills the idea of wanting to experiment with skillshots when you can just use the same overpowered secondary over and over again, not helped that they're pretty cheap as well and by this point of the game you'll be drowning in skill points.
These don't completely kill enjoyment for me, but it's something that now with other "throwback" styled games and other over-the-top shooters, I wish was addressed. Another reason why this game needs a sequel.
Now, Duke's Bulletstorm Tour. Gearbox's effort to tell the public "Hey, We own Duke still!" to the audience and justify this new release. I've heard from many that Duke's placement in this game isn't bad and carries some basis as to what a new Duke game could be, so I was interested in looking at this game from that perspective. Does it succeed?
Ehhh, not really.
There's some good stuff, but Duke in this game feels really shoehorned in. Duke kinda sticks to the script for the most part, and aside from one or two unfunny jokes he barely gets a reaction out of me. Instead of frustration or annoyance, I just feel nothing. There's a few good moments, like him saying "that's fucked up, why would you force me to kill civilians in a flashback!" but even then it's kinda... no shit to me, yknow? Doesn't help either that Jon St. John suffers from the same issue he has with the re-recorded 20th anniversary Duke 3D lines, where he just doesn't have that aggression and punch Duke SHOULD have. I understand why, the original Duke voice was quite literally just him gritting his teeth and doing a deeper Dirty Harry impression and that shit hurts after a while, but again it unfortunately means he just sounds bored for most of it and not really Duke-like. Even from a gameplay stance I don't feel it entirely fits Duke either. I can see it in the idea of the kick (It could be an interesting natural evolution of Duke's Mighty Boot), but the lack of mobility/jumping and secrets doesn't make this game feel like a successor to Duke 3D at all. I know this game wasn't intended to be that, by all means, but with how many people do see this game as that I can't help but analyse it like that for myself.
Overall, I like Bulletstorm as a fun, over-the-top shooter. Worth the play if you like games like this, and really deserving of a second chance. As a Duke Nukem game? Nah. There's much better content, either in Alien World Order or even mods in the fan community will satisfy you more.