Bulletstorm was a game I've played and beaten 3 times over the years. I never thought much of it but I appreciate aspects about it's design a lot more on this latest playthrough. The thing that really holds it back is how many modern shooter conventions it has despite having elements of the shooters of yester year at the time of it's release. It can be even more bizarre considering this was made by the developers of Painkiller. What also pours salt into the wound is that they also made a parody game mocking Call of Duty known as "Duty Calls" that was promoting the release of Bulletstorm...and it has mostly everything that it mocked the Modern Warfare CoDs for having. It is very easy to call Bulletstorm, "power armor is for pussies the video game". Unlike Duke Nukem Forever, there are a number of aspects of Bulletstorm that can be endearing so much so that for the most part I can look past them. It is hard not to think that parody when playing it in the moment however.
There is a surprising amount of story considering how much People Can Fly mocked CoD for having but it is mostly just...okay. One improvement over Painkiller is that the story by comparison is easier to follow and it doesn't take itself as seriously and leans into how absurd everything is. Grayson Hunt is at least more flamboyant and over the top by comparison to Daniel embracing the crazy side of People Can Fly's games. He does play off the other characters well and Steve Blum is just going full on over the top ham mode here which is a delight. The fact that Grayson does eventually come to realize how his reckless actions is what caused the events of the game does ground him a good deal.The whole premise of getting off a crazy resort planet does a decent job at rationalizing all the crazy traps and insane ways of killing enemies the game has.
One thing that does let the story down is the character of Sarrano. I have never liked this character. He is a villain sure but he is often "go away" heat than geniune heel heat. The only time I ever liked him was when he quickly dealt with a giant monster by timing the self destruct on his pod to kill the giant monste that was antagonizing the Grayson prior. Other than that, he is just insufferable in that the way he talks and presents himself, you got to wonder how he was ever able to trick of fool anyone into thinking he had any good intentions. He makes multiple racist remarks towards Ishii and even when he is revealed to behind all the dirty black ops hits, he just acts like, so unapolgetically amoral about it. He could be a parody of the manipulative villain but it's not a very interesting one.
Gameplay is where yes, I bring up that People Can Fly mocked CoD but all the hallmarks of the latter is here despite the inital parody. Linear levels that only go in one direction? Check. Bloody screen effect at critical health that tells you to go into cover? Check. Set pieces and scripted sequences? Check. Scripted first person cutscenes? Check. Going into slo mo to shoot the main villain? Check. Mandatory sniping sequences or parts where you have to use one weapon? Check all though not just a CoD thing. Weapon limits? Check. Sprint button? Check. Sections where it will have a mechanic that appears once? Check.
It is very easy to call out People Can Fly for being hypocritical. With all that said, the moment to moment combat of Bulletstorm is really enjoyable in spite of it all.
The moment to moment combat encourages you to kill people creatively and effeciently. Like kick enemies into spikes(very Dark Messiah surprisingly), lighting them on fire, kicking them off platforms and using the leash along with the kick. Both create a decent amount of air time for the player to get a quick head shot, light on fire or even shoot them in the crotch. You can also a robust slide ability which can be used for kills too and create air time for enemies.
What really ties everything together wonderfully is how the skills are used for upgrades or to buy ammo so when you are at an upgrade station. It becoems a choice of, "should I buy alt fire upgrades, buy ammo, or buy some more alt fire uses". The more creatively and efficently enemies are killed the more points you can spend.
While the game has regen health, one mechanic that counters this is the slide since it can dart you across the map so fast that it's easy to get out of the enemy's line of sight.
It's not without issues. Some arenas box you in that the slide won't be effective to get out of enemy sightlines for health to regen. The leash makes it hard to grab which enemies you want. The kaiju monster section is terrible due his lasers can also be pointed at you and might cause accidental damage to you as well as it being projectile. The sniper should've been hitscan since guiding bullets just makes these dull sections longer.
The flare gun alt fire can have OP AOE.
Overall, Bullestorm more now even though I dislike modern FPS coventions in it
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