Update: CVG's Bulletstorm review has now been published in full and is ready for you to check out.
The first Bulletstorm review has appeared online and it's a 4/5 from Empire.
The movie mag boldly calls Epic's new IP "the most innovative first-person shooter in years," praising its "addictive" skillshot system and "instantly endearing" arsenal of weapons.
Other online reviews go live tomorrow afternoon.
We've already offered you the chance to tell us what you want to know - so get your requests in and we'll make sure it's covered in our verdict.
Comments
41 comments so far...
shibling on 21 Feb '11 said:
Wouldn't trust Empire!
Not because they're a movie mag... i love them... got a sub and everything
But they often have 'reviews' with scores a long time before reviews are due and give very little detail that I haven't heard in previews. So often I doubt they've played a final build of a game.
Very_Silver_Ownz on 21 Feb '11 said:
no mp mode for a FPS ? tut tut for shame
zombiesinmyhead on 21 Feb '11 said:
Yeah because there totally aren't enough identi-kit shooters out there to keep the bedroom snipers happy. They really missed a trick by trying to build something distincive and unique. For shame, people can fly, for shame.
jonbwfc on 21 Feb '11 said:
Really? Can't wait for C&VG's review of '22 Bullets'...
Film mags should stick to reviewing films, much like games mags should stick to reviewing games (check some of the BluRay reviews in OPSM for examples).
jdkoke on 21 Feb '11 said:
I don't think gaming reviews are any better in OPSM to be fair
sonic_uk on 21 Feb '11 said:
Innovative???!!! INNOVATIVE??????!!!! lol.
I tried the demo twice (I thought I may have been a bit harsh the first time) and thought the complete opposite. The gameplay seems ten years old. Theres nothing wrong with that, but it brings absolutely nothing new to the table and in a year filled with AAA shooters soon to be released I'm afraid Bulletstorm is looking awfully dated gameplay wise. I also thought the characters and enemies were extremely stereotypical. The only good thing about it were the graphics which were quite pretty, but everything else about it bored me. I'm looking forward to Epics other big game though, Gears Of War 3. I'm sure that will be better if its anything like the other two games in the series (excellent).
mw13 on 21 Feb '11 said:
empire isn't even a good movie magazine. wouldn't trust them. they give all blockbuster movies 4-5 stars so they can have the actors/ directors on their cover.
craiglackenby on 21 Feb '11 said:
Talking of Gears 3, it's influenced my decision to buy Bulletstorm altogether because without the beta I wouldn't pay 40 quid for it. I'd buy it new but not for full price. Also it's 100% influenced my choice of platform to get it for (360 obviously)
I can't see IGN giving it more than 8/10 and I can't see the game being longer than 6 hours. Epic seem to think that everyone plays games again and again making it ok to release a short game based on re-playability. For me there is too many games due out to be playing them again, unless they are truly epic that is
ricflair on 21 Feb '11 said:
There is mulitplayer, it just doesn't have co-op. I'm not sure how the MP will play though, with it slowing down and all that jazz, it might not translate well to traditional deathmatches etc.
I thought as far as FPSs go, the scoring system and reward for different kills (not just more xp for a headshot etc) were pretty innovative. The macho characters and swearing etc are not, but then most FPSs go down that route anyway. It (leaderboards, varying kills etc) certainly grabbed my interest as a new way to approach an FPS and give the single player some longevity.
ffcoppolla on 21 Feb '11 said:
Yes, your opinion is valid because you played the demo not once, but twice!
StonecoldMC on 21 Feb '11 said:
You see I thought it had co op but just not thr traditional MP?
Is the co op not some seperate entitiy for up to 4 players, seperate from the main campaign (kind of like Horde?)?
Will be picking this up for a laugh and the Gears 3 Beta, just probably not on launch day.
mogel94 on 21 Feb '11 said:
I love Empire, but it is a film magazine. Its not like I buy Edge to check what to go and watch in the cinema
sheah1 on 21 Feb '11 said:
Is it just me or is everyone who hates this game playing it like a normal shooter? I mean, they'll go on about repetitive enemies and such but never mention the features of this game that make it awesome?
zombiesinmyhead on 21 Feb '11 said:
No, its not just you. And people complaining about the characters, the whole tongue-in-cheek/pastiche thing is completely going over their heads. Its pretty depressing, really. Something with a bit of imagination and wit comes along, and 60% of people just don't have the wit or imagination to get it.
Pea brains.
Focker420 on 21 Feb '11 said:
He has a point though. Yes they are trying something new and unique with a FPS, but they could have pushed it even further into multiplayer. Imagine everyone running around trying to perform different skillshots. It would be chaos, but also fun as hell. They really missed a huge opportunity imo. I'm not saying Bulletstorm will be bad by any means, but they did have a chance to create an entirely new multiplayer experience.
sonic_uk on 21 Feb '11 said:
Actually my opinion is valid because its MY OPINION and because I know a boring game when I play one. Whats your excuse?
UltraVioletZero on 21 Feb '11 said:
Yeah, I'd like to see anyone play Bulletstorm like a standard shooter and actually get a good score. I played the demo five times and got nowhere near the top score. Bulletstorm requires a different approach for those looking to actually score highly in the game, which is how it's designed to be played.
My big issue with the demo is that you're not given enough direction on all the possible ways to increase your score. It's fine for people who take the time to experiment, but for a lot of gamers it just goes right over their heads and that's a shame and not really their fault. Not everyone has the time or attention span to work out the scoring mechanics.
If the final version had some tutorial rooms where you could try to complete high scoring, pre-scripted scenarios that'd be great.
spaced73 on 21 Feb '11 said:
played the demo,and i think it's great,big ballsy fun,probably wont bother with multiplayer single player seems like a blast.
ffcoppolla on 21 Feb '11 said:
Like the reviewer's opinion is valid because its HIS OPINION? Love your logic there. Saying a game doesn't make it boring, neither. Opinion ?fact
razors edge on 21 Feb '11 said:
They gave Attack of The Clones five stars.
Attack. Of. The. Clones.
Five fooking stars....
sonic_uk on 21 Feb '11 said:
Reviews mean nothing. If you don't agree with my opinion of the game then fine, I don't really care - it sure wont change the way I feel about the game, and as I said its MY opinion and I'm entitled to it. As I said I was prepared to give the game another chance and still found it boring. I don't see what me not liking it has got to do with you? I just don't get why you try to demeanor someone because they don't like/agree with something you do? Whats your problem? Grow up.
ffcoppolla on 21 Feb '11 said:
If reviews (the opinion of one person) mean nothing, then why does your opinion? I'd make it simpler for you to understand, but I don't have any crayons handy. I guess I could get a couple of old socks and make puppets....
sonic_uk on 21 Feb '11 said:
You're pathectic. Get off your high horse. Reviews mean nothing to ME(do they to you?). MY OPINION does to ME. What? Am I not allowed to have an opinion? Can I not think something that may be different than someone else? What should it matter to you? Get a life, grow up and learn to respect the fact everyone in life doesn't like the same things you do, because if you go around (as you have done here) starting arguments, p**sing people off and putting people down becuase they have a point of view that differs to your own you wont get very far.
ffcoppolla on 21 Feb '11 said:
Wow...you're mad.
sonic_uk on 21 Feb '11 said:
Maybe but at least I respect other peoples opinions.
Marlonjb on 21 Feb '11 said:
Gonna pick this up Friday with Killzone 3, quite looking forward to it to.
Very_Silver_Ownz on 21 Feb '11 said:
'' Wow...you're mad. ''
lol yep he is. I can just imagine internet tough guy bashing his keyboard
ffcoppolla on 21 Feb '11 said:
Unless they're reviewers...
sonic_uk on 21 Feb '11 said:
Of course. No, seriously, I still respect their opinions even though I might not necessarily agree with them. I prefer to make my own mind up based on what I've read, seen and if possible played of it.
Very_Silver_Ownz on 21 Feb '11 said:
'' Maybe but at least I respect other peoples opinions. ''
yeah funny how your making out as if your opinion is fact just because you played a demo twice.
maybe if you didn't take it seriously you would have enjoyed it.
sonic_uk on 21 Feb '11 said:
'' Wow...you're mad. ''
Don't you start. Its hard enough fending off one madman, let alone two.
Since when did I make that out? Seriously? I simply stated what I personally thought of the game, only to be set upon by someone for having an opinion, and now you're jumping on the bandwagon?
djreplay on 21 Feb '11 said:
I'm gonna wait for cvg's review but an average 6-8 hour campaign (bound to be), a horde mode and and online leaderboards aren't going to keep me busy for long.
El Mag on 21 Feb '11 said:
I like puppies more than kittens.
*hope that breaks the tension in here, unless somebody's a kitten fan.... then i'm f**ked*
DeathReunited on 21 Feb '11 said:
But what about the Skillshot system? I could see that getting quite repetitve.
theblkwhsp on 21 Feb '11 said:
Who the f**k said they don't like kittens?!? What's your problem man? You got something to say about kittens then say it to my face, bitch!
My own personal doesn't-matter-what-people-think-because-it's-my opinion is that Bulletstorm, going off the demo alone, was dumb and dull. I get it's a bit of escapism - a game to switch off to compared to, say, Portal 2, but it's not for me.
Also I buy Empire and Total Film every month and to be honest, for all the insight their reviews offer, they might as well use the space to discuss something more fitting to their chosen field. I'm digging the above handbag-off by the way. I love a good forum fight.
El Mag on 21 Feb '11 said:
It was me biatch, kittens are s**te i tells ya. They aren't even real pets, you can't walk them and their s**t absolutely stinks. I rate them under goldfish, a kitten is like a furry hippy....it'll eat your food then p**s off outside and lick itself.
But seriously, Bulletstorm should be fun in short blasts but it could become repetitive in longer spells. Now i'm off to chase that cat that keeps s**tting in my garden, least i hope it's a cat and not that weird bloke next door again.
seabeast on 22 Feb '11 said:
The demo didn't really do it for me. I think a demo of the actual campaign would be better, as a lot of people don't like score chasing.
I will be renting this one.
The_KFD_Case on 22 Feb '11 said:
I think sonic_uk has presented a quite coherent and fair argument. It's his opinion that he doesn't care much for Bulletstorm after trying the demo twice. To him his opinion matters. That should hardly come as a surprise to ffcoppolla. (Generally speaking most people's own opinion matter to themselves - otherwise they're quite possibly clinically insane.) Besides, all the counter spin-doctor feints he's thrown at sonic_uk can just as easily be applied to his comments. At the end of the day none of it changes this irrefutable fact within liberal Western societies: Everyone is entitled to their opinion. Lambasting or demeaning them for it for whatever reason - be it due to a sense of self-importance, an inferiority complex, or desire to express dominance - does not eliminate that right nor does it render the opinion invalid when dealing with matters of personal taste.
Now, as for Bulletstorm, will I buy it? Fat chance. Certainly not upon release and no where near RRP.
The_KFD_Case on 22 Feb '11 said:
Disagreeing with another person's opinion - be it a reviewer's or otherwise - is not necessarily disrespectful. Attempting to publicly humiliate someone for daring to value their own opinion over that of a reviewer in a matter of personal taste, however, is.
sonic_uk on 22 Feb '11 said:
Thank you KFD. Its nice to see there are still some mature people on here.
ensabahnur on 22 Feb '11 said:
Jesus this thread went a wee bit mental didn't it, i mean kittens? Come on everyone knows puppies rule, especially Boxer pups!!