When the demo of The Bourne Conspiracy hit the Xbox Live Arcade, excitement arose from both fans of the film series and action games. Not only did High Moon Studios, the developer, put forth an entertaining demo, but it captured the essence of what being Jason Bourne is all about -- fast-paced combat and frantic chases. Now that the game has hit retail shelves nationwide, does it provide salivating worthy action or did it fall into repetition with monotonous gameplay?
If you missed out on the high-octane film series that debuted in 2002, then let’s do a recap on what the series revolves around. Jason Bourne was a contract assassin who would terminate anyone’s life without question and he would do it with perfection in tact. Now, after being left for dead in the Mediterranean Sea, Bourne wakes up with amnesia on a fishing boat and devotes himself to find out his mysterious past. While the films served sequels to The Bourne Identity with The Bourne Supremacy and Ultimatum, the series turns out to be much simpler in terms of storyline when compared to the books, which is ultimately what The Bourne Conspiracy is based on. While the film series does lend its choreography, it’s Robert Ludlum’s novels that take the forefront for the storytelling.
If you happen to be a fan of the Bourne films, you’ll feel right at home with the lightning quick combat that takes place. The best part of the combat is that it doesn’t require you to be an expert gamer to take full advantage of Bourne’s arsenal of maneuvers. For complex maneuvers, you’ll be required to hit the correct button when it flashes on the screen and then watch the ensuing painful attack inflicted on the enemy. The action-timed sequences were used effectively by High Moon Studios as The Bourne Conspiracy is full of moments of authentic Bourne fights.
If you worry that the action-timed button combinations are the only type of action then worry not, you’ll be able to pull off light and heavy attacks, along with the ability to block incoming attacks. Stringing together the attacks into a variety of combos is the best way to overwhelm your enemies when engaged in combat since they’ll be attacking at the same fast pace. There isn’t much room for any mistakes to occur so get the job done and get it done fast. The best advice for any novice gamer is to take full advantage of the blocking as it’ll interrupt your enemy’s attacks and provide breathing room for yourself to string together a successful combo on your enemy. Another key to the Bourne Conspiracy’s combat system is your timing; if you figure that out then you’re golden.
There are also takedowns incorporated into the combat that provide a sense of violence that’s only seen in Ninja Gaiden 2. The takedowns are automatic combos that will send Jason Bourne in a flurry of attacks using the environment and objects around him to his aide. Whether it is smashing the enemy’s head through glass or judo throwing your enemy into a wall, Bourne’s ability to dish out pain is quite high. On top of all that, there are times when you’ll be asked to perform multiple takedowns, but those are few and far between. If you have any friends that you want to show off your 360 to, our advice is to showcase The Bourne Conspiracy’s takedowns since they are adrenaline pumping to the maximum.
Another aspect of the combat is the ability to charge up your light or heavy attacks for more shocking results. Usually the end result is a roundhouse kick or a high thrust kick to send your enemy flying. The downside of these attacks is that they take a few seconds to pull off and leave Bourne vulnerable to incoming attacks. With one simple jab, it stops Bourne in his tracks and you’ll have to start all over again charging up for a round house kick. If you are the type who loves boss fights, then be prepared to battle some worthy adversaries in The Bourne Conspriacy. The boss fights are intense and will prove to be commendable counterparts to Jason Bourne. Not only can they deal out a lot of damage, they also have a high pain threshold -- you’ll give them a butt whooping and they’ll keep coming back for more. Throughout the boss fights, you’ll be asked to perform at least three to four takedowns, so be prepared to hit the correct button combinations.
One aspect of the game that fails to meet expectations is the gun combat. It doesn’t hold a candle when compared to the excellent hand-to-hand combat within The Bourne Conspiracy. Taking cues from Halo, Bourne is allowed to equip two weapons at all times which usually includes a pistol and a rifle/shotgun of some sorts. Frustration will occur when there are multiple enemies shooting at you and they’ll continue to advance on your position or crouch behind a wall for an alarmingly long time. Another problem with the shooting is the camera angles that are often presented will hide an enemy off screen that’ll pester you with incoming fire.
For the last part of the gameplay, High Moon Studios added in car chases. With loose steering and somewhat bland missions, the driving portions of Bourne are added in to give players a breather from the fighting and shooting rather than taking up a huge chunk of the game. So even though they are generic missions, the car chases at least break up the gameplay from constant fighting. The most telling part of The Bourne Conspiracy is the audio department. The sound effects are excellent, as so is the music. You’ll hear knuckles crack and bones break making the action more exciting. The music allows for tension to build up and often times you’ll find yourself lost within the game thinking you are actually Jason Bourne.
In comparison, the visuals aren’t as superb as the music, but they do get the job done. The character models, even with the lack of Matt Damon’s representation as Jason Bourne, are great in retrospective. The level environments are exquisite and full of interactive objects to use for satisfying takedowns. Throwing your enemy into a pillar and having it burst into pieces is gratifying. The levels are sharp in detail and present a world that breathes espionage. The hand-to-hand combat system is where the heart of the game lies; it’s full of action and stunning maneuvers that will have you cringing at the pain inflicted on your enemies. This is what Jason Bourne is all about – non-stop action mixed in with awesome hand-to-hand combat. Overall, The Bourne Conspiracy is perhaps one of the better adaptations in recent memory that developers should take note of when handling a license as such.
