Bombshell Review (PC)

poor
key review info
  • Game: Bombshell
  • Platform: PC
  • Show system requirements
  • Gamepad support: Yes  
  • Reviewed on:
Bombshell review on PC

Interceptor Entertainment and 3D Realms have proven with their previous collaboration, Rise of the Triad, that there are plenty of gamers out there eager for some retro-themed outlandish action. Unfortunately, after the publisher lost the rights to the Duke Nukem property, their next project, an action role-playing game, had to be reworked with a new character and theme.

This obstacle turned out to be a pretty good reason for a change, as the new experience, called Bombshell, now boasts a female protagonist, a slightly different theme, but still the 1990s-themed action and tone.

After a pretty lengthy wait, the title is finally available, and fans can see whether or not it manages to create a good mix of dungeon crawling and isometric shooting mechanics.

Does Bombshell make a solid showing or should it be defused prematurely? Let’s find out.

Story

Bombshell kicks off with some pretty lengthy scenes that talk about an alien civilization, but then quickly shift to present day, as the president is kidnapped by the previously mentioned extraterrestrials. While the Earth boasts a Global Defense Force, the only person up for the job is actually Shelly "Bombshell" Harrison. She’s a former bomb tech specialist who, after a bit of subterfuge, sustains a serious injury, netting her a robot arm complete with its own artificial intelligence.

While the plot certainly has the potential to deliver a compelling protagonist as well as some tongue-in-cheek references and moments, in classic Duke Nukem style, the execution falls quite short. The Rise of the Triad remake, made by the same developer, or the Shadow Warrior one from Flying Wild Hog proved that the outlandish style of ‘90s action games can still work in the present, but Bombshell shows that it’s not a guarantee.

The one-liners uttered by Bombshell are supposed to be witty and sarcastic but don’t make a lot of sense. The supporting cast is also lackluster even if they have plenty of potential.

Great alien environments in Bombshell
Great alien environments in Bombshell

Gameplay

If you jump into Bombshell without knowing what to expect, you can have a decent amount of fun. However, 3D Realms and Interceptor have hyped up the action role-playing game mechanics to great lengths, leading many to expect a chaotic experience in the vein of Diablo 3 or Torchlight 2. That, unfortunately, doesn’t happen at all.

Bombshell is more like a twin-stick shooter than an ARPG. The weapons in the game aren’t that many and don’t tread new ground. There’s the default ion blaster that regenerates ammo, a machine gun, a shotgun-like weapon, and a few others. You can upgrade them by spending money and while some can evolve into interesting devices, the ammo you find on the ground isn’t that plentiful. As such, you mostly go back to your ion blaster, keeping the other weapons for bigger groups of foes or boss enemies.

Another key staple of any self-respecting ARPG – loot – is also missing here. You only find money, ammo, and health packs on the ground. The level-up system is minimalistic. You can spend skill points in your basic abilities or, preferably, in your health, armor, and energy.

Enemies are pretty varied but the environments, while well-designed, are a bit too big for their own good, forcing the game to outstay its welcome. There are lengthy stages that feature just a handful of enemy types. What’s more, their behavior is pretty straightforward, so just run around, shoot them from afar, or throw a few bombs their way.

The camera zoom is fixed and for regular sequences, it’s a bit too close to the action. It does zoom out in certain sequences, particularly when it comes to platforming, but these moments aren’t that numerous. The actual exploration system is also hit and miss, literally, as some jumps are extremely tricky to land and you can end up falling to your death.

Execute foes in Bombshell
Execute foes in Bombshell

Visuals and Sound

In terms of visuals, Bombshell is a pretty good-looking experience. The design of the alien worlds is fresh, and while the themes (fire, ice, etc.) aren’t ground-breaking, they’re executed pretty well. The visual effects, however, aren’t that great and animations, for enemies as well as Shelly, aren’t that polished. Special mention goes to the executions that are possible for various enemies. The animations aren’t that varied and are a bit too lengthy for their own good.

The soundtrack is your classic 1990s rock’n’roll, although not all players might appreciate it. Unfortunately, the voice acting, while boasting great performers like Jon St. John (Duke Nukem) or Valerie Arem as Shelly, is lackluster and unimpressive.


The Good

  • Great alien environments

The Bad

  • Lackluster delivery of the story
  • Repetitive taunts
  • Shallow RPG mechanics
  • Erratic platforming

Conclusion

Bombshell is a relatively decent twin-stick shooter. It most certainly isn’t an action role-playing game, like its marketing claims. It’s also weighed down by its shoddy story delivery and by its tedious stages. Some players can have fun with it but, especially at its 35 USD/EUR, it’s not worth the investment.
story 5
gameplay 6
concept 5
graphics 6
audio 6
multiplayer 0
final rating 5.5
Editor's review
poor
 
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Bombshell Screenshots (11 Images)

Bombshell review on PCBombshell's leading ladyIsometric action in BombshellExecute foes in BombshellTurret section in Bombshell
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