Bomberman Story (Nintendo DS) - Review by Andrew

Introduction

There can be few people now who have never encountered Bomberman. Like Pac-Man, Sonic and Mario this maze-based terrorist can count himself as computer game royalty and like other classic heroes of electronic entertainment he's also the star of one of history's most memorable games. This was old school in the truest sense of the word; simple sound and visuals, with gameplay to match but could you put it down? With bags of that 'just one more go' quality I, like many other gamers have seen hours wiped off my life by attempting to be 'the last man standing' and not 'the first blown up'. There is a downside to all this though and completely ignoring the 'if it 'ain't broke' line of thinking developers have done allsorts with Bomberman so here we have what's best described as an RPG. Could be interesting but don't we have enough of those already?

Gameplay

To anyone reading the box text Bomberman Story appears to be the highly anticipated sequel to Bomberman Land and why wouldn't it be? After all the latter was well received by both gamers and critics alike, which is always a challenge given how beloved this franchise is. Bomberman Story is split into three very different sections but we'll deal with the bulk of the cart first - the Story Mode or RPG as most of you will get to know it. This puts you on a mission (playing as the White Bomber) to track down stolen Scientific Data under the watchful eye of the 'Justice Department'. This involves talking to inhabitants, collecting and using useful items, etc. The problem is you wander around for some time simply bombing enemies and obstructions before encountering anything of interest, let alone a mini-game. There are much better RPGs out there, indeed I have a stack on my desk, most of which treat the genre with far more care and respect than is on display here.

Much better is the Battle Mode, which not only takes place over both screens but is also open for up to eight players. This is before you even delve into the various game types such as amassing the most stars or locating a hidden key to escape. These are all generous bonuses but any arcade fanatic will tell you that Bomberman itself is well worth the price of entry and the same is true here. There are also a number of Multiplayer options including a Wi-Fi Mode allowing you to battle it out with people you've never even met. Elsewhere there's the Card Box and while this is not a game it does allow you to view all the items collected and inhabitants met along the way.

Controls

A very standard and intuitive control system. No surprises and very responsive.

Graphics

Visually you can't really work out if the developers wanted to update the graphics in some way for the franchise or simply leave them as they are and this results in a bit of a mixed bag. The sprites are tiny and animation is minimal throughout the game, which is no bad thing as this always the way most of us have seen Bomberman. Elsewhere there are some rendered cut screens but the fact remains that this isn't going to win any awards in the visuals department.

Sound

As with the graphics the music and sound effects are average at best with the bulk of the upbeat tunes brought to you in the MIDI format which has all but been forgotten thanks to the DS superior sound capabilities.

Dual screen

Just uninspiring touch-screen use for the odd mini-game but absolutely nothing which is going to win any awards.

Final comments

It's difficult to know just who Bomberman Story is aimed at and while it does include the classic Bomberman arcade game in all its glory, there are far better RPGs out there. Those expecting a sequel to Bomberman Land will also be sorely disappointed as this outing is all about exploration rather than mini-games which is likely to frustrate any gamers who have purchased this because they enjoy arcade games. Its saving grace is the fact that it does have one of the best versions of the original Bomberman and with the ability for eight player to battle it out with a Wi-Fi function to boot you're likely to completely ignore the RPG section and focus on what Bomberman does best.

Pro: Great Battle Mode, Wi-Fi Compatible.
Con: Awful Single Player RPG, Dated Sound and Visuals.
Final score: 6.5

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