It would be enough for Epic Games to work on Gears of War 3 and call it a year for 2011, but the studio is actually going to great lengths working on another project, this one in conjunction with Electronic Arts. The game is the highly anticipated Bulletstorm, a frantic first-person shooter where pretty much anything can happen – and does. It all ties together into a unique combination-powered combat system and some truly absurd ideas. Not that that’s a bad thing, mind you. Brought to you by the development team at People Can Fly, Bulletstorm’s single player campaign puts you in the troublesome shoes of a former mercenary named Grayson Hunt. He’s found himself in a fall-out with the wrong employer and launched into deep space as a result. Suddenly, following a crash landing, he finds himself on the planet of Stigya, a place that used to be a luxurious resort, similar in fashion (but not directly related) to Las Vegas. However, a cataclysmic event has changed the landscape, and covered the place in devious, harmful plant life. If that isn’t enough, the local populace has become hostile and angry, and wants to take out their aggression on any unwelcome visitors. In this case, you.
Bulletstorm leans heavily on the fantasy element, as you can probably tell from the trailer. You’ll face all kinds of nasty thugs, along with angry plant monsters that want to eat your face, huge buzz saw-like transport machines and flying menaces, and, at one point in the game, a gargantuan that wants to eat you in one bite. We would tell you what else you could probably expect in the game, but hey, why ruin the surprise for you? The fact of the matter is, you should just be prepared for the fight of your life, because that’s pretty much what you’ll get. People Can Fly has done great things with the combat engine here. There are plenty of great weapons available, including the Peacemaker assault rifle (your default piece), along with other cool weapons like the flail gun, a grenade launcher that actually ties two shots together, tethering them into one nasty explosion. Grayson also has a speeding ability, as he can run into groups of enemies and kick them into next month if he feels so inclined. Melee attacks actually serve a purpose if some cacti are nearby, as you can make enemies stick to the needles in the messiest way possible.
Last but not least, the whip is a handy tool that draws enemies closer, while also working as a grappling hook, something you’ll need from time to time. It sounds cut and dry, but Bulletstorm thrives on a combination system, where you rack up mega points depending how creative your kills get. Headshots are fair game, by all means, but we’re talking about grabbing an enemy, sticking grenades on him, kicking him away towards other enemies and taking them out with one collective blast. And that’s just one of the dozens upon dozens of ways to kill someone in Bulletstorm. You “kill with skill”, and the more insane your finishing moves are, the higher you score. That factor alone will make this game one that stands out from the crowd (as if the carnage didn’t do that already). Visually, Bulletstorm looks like a damn good feast, with huge environments to romp through, a speedy frame rate (ideal for intense combat situations, which this game has no shortage of), and plenty of cool effects – especially when larger enemies fill up the screen. The music sounds like it’ll be a blast as well, and some of the comments really stand out.
We especially like how Grayson yells at us to pull up our skirt and strap on a sex toy. Or, in this case, a Drilldo, the mother of all melee weapons. Hope these guys hate getting screwed. Along with the single player campaign, an Echo mode is also included. This is sort of like an arcade mode, where the cut scenes and story are done away with, in favor of a high scoring competition. Your best scores from each stage are marked through the leaderboards, so you can compare your sessions with others to see how you fare. We can’t wait to see where this competitive angle of the game takes us. If you prefer combat with friends directly, though, go right for Anarchy Mode. Like Gears of War’s Horde mode, this pits you against onslaughts of enemies, letting you and your friends fend them off as long as you can last. This should shape up nicely as well. Oh, yeah, Bulletstorm’s got us psyched. And best of all, it’s less than two months away from release, set to arrive in late February. Bring the pain – and the whip.
