It’s time for another Retro Ad Replay article, this time focusing on Bulletstorm as it’s been 11 years since its release date! This is the series where we head backward in time to reminisce and celebrate the anniversary of some of the most significant moments in gaming. If you find yourself wanting more content like this, be sure to visit Mandatory.com.
In this February 22 edition of Retro Ad Replay, we’re heading back 11 years in time to when Bulletstorm first launched on PC, PS3, and Xbox 360. That’s February 22, 2011. This first-person shooter implemented a unique “Skillshot” mechanic, which rewarded outrageous kills with big point bonuses. Players could kick, slide, and leash to kill their enemies in creative ways.
GameRevolution awarded Bulletstorm: Full Clip Edition an 8/10 in our review, highlighting the “mayhem,” enhanced “poly counts, textures, and frame rate,” the “Skillshot combo system [still being] equal parts hilarious and compelling,” and refreshing “creativity and variety of weapons.”
At the time of its original release back in 2011, Bulletstorm was tough to pin down. It played and presented itself like something ripped out of a parallel reality, where instead of striving for realism, Hollywood set pieces, and an endless infatuation with World War II, shooters simply proceeded down a lineage inspired by DOOM, Duke Nukem, and perhaps a pinch of Platinum’s gratuitously gory Mad World for good measure.
Flash forward to 2017 and Bulletstorm’s Full Clip Edition remaster releases into a world where Nukem himself is playable in-game, DOOM has been reborn to critical acclaim, and Quake Champions is approaching just beyond the horizon. It appears we’ve arrived in the reality Bulletstorm originally came from, but that doesn’t make its absurd brand of comedy-carnage any less fun.
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If you haven’t played the original Bulletstorm, then Full Clip Edition is well worth your time if you simply want the definitive version and have always wondered what its unique brand of butchery might be like. That said, despite clear effort toward graphical enhancements, it’s simply a much harder sell for those who have already played the game. $60 MSRP isn’t exactly cheap, and while it’s true there are already opportunities at acquiring the game for less floating around online in plain view, the fact remains that the original PS3, Xbox 360, and PC editions don’t look all that bad. Call it a symptom of issuing a remaster under the 10-year mark, but it’s the reality.
Regardless, minor worries shouldn’t hold you back if you simply want the game, and if you do opt for Full Clip Edition you’ll surely have a blast with its wacky Skillshots and outrageous, funny, and somehow oddly affecting story just like before. There’s an argument to be made that the likes of DOOM and Quake Champions owe Bulletstorm for warming up the public to the unabashedly macho, gore-heavy shooter style that is clearly seeing a resurgence right now. Keep your expectations in check regarding Duke Nukem, and you should enjoy the experience just fine.
Check out the Bulletstorm launch trailer below:
