It may not seem like it, but few games are based solely around the subject of gore. There have been plenty of violent games, sure, but usually killing is secondary to completing your objective. Very few games make the killing itself the objective. "Mortal Kombat" was one, and now we have "Bulletstorm," a unique FPS which is sure to please some adults and horrify others. Children, however, should stay far away.
THE BASICS
"Bulletstorm" is an FPS about creatively killing your foes. Sure, there's a campaign which happens to have a storyline, but you can safely ignore it and just focus dispatching enemies with great vigor. Creative kills equal points which you can spend to buy weapon upgrades and ammo.
In addition to the campaign, there are two modes: Echoes and Anarchy. Echoes has you replaying short segments of the campaign with the aim of getting the most points. Anarchy is the game's only multiplayer mode and it places you and three other friends in an arena filled with deadly traps with the objective of using those traps to rack up as many points as you can in 20 waves.
THE HIGHS
Killing Creatively
The hook of this game isn't just marketing speak. You really do need to "kill with skill" in order to succeed, and you're likely to spend a good portion of the campaign cross-referencing your special kill database to collect them all. Some of the kills are simple: Shoot an enemy in the butt to finish him off (maturely titled "Rear Entry"). Others are more involved, like wrapping an enemy with an exploding flail before kicking him off a large cliff ("Sadist," because you wrapped him up, but killed him before he could explode and "Vertigo" because, well, you kicked him off a large cliff).
It makes for strange pacing, at least when you're first learning the 100+ skill kills. It almost turns each enemy encounter into a speedy game of chess as you're trying to rip the most amount of points out of the scenario, mixing multiple kills together for bigger combos. I found it invigorating.
My Kind Of Vacation
"Bulletstorm" is safely one of the best-looking shooters I've ever seen. Unlike previous efforts from Epic and People Can Fly, this entry is bright and sunny, set on a planet designed as a vacation destination. Of course, things have devolved since its inception, with roving, maniac gangs taking over, but the gorgeous vistas, fancy hotels and amusement parks are mostly unchanged and look spectacular. The level of detail is matched by brilliant art direction, on par with games like "BioShock."
Duke Nukem Without The Duke
"Duke Nukem Forever" is actually coming out this year (maybe) but it seems "Bullestorm" has beaten it to the punch. The game's hero unleashes offensive, Duke-like witticisms, and the willingness to playfully engage with the environment is right on par with the tone of that classic shooter franchise. And example: When exploring an abandoned amusement park, you manage to get ahold of a remote control for a 50-foot-tall, laser-shooting dinosaur. You can then guide him around, stomping and blasting enemies as you laugh maniacally. It's such a "Duke" moment, but based on early looks of that game, "Duke Nukem Forever" seems nowhere near the visual fidelity of "Bullestorm."
Echoes
At first it seems like Echoes is not much more than a chapter select for the campaign. In truth it's more like a racing game as you attempt to maximize your score total in each scenario. The difference with the campaign and Echoes is that, in the latter, you really don't have to worry about a story or your ammo. You just have to worry about boosting that score. It's where you'll be spending the majority of your time, as it's "Bullestorm" in its purest form.
THE LOWS
Multiplayer
Anarchy is only multiplayer portion in the game (unless you count the leaderboards in Echoes), and I found it underwhelming. You're basically placed in arenas filled with traps and must work together to get the most amount of points with your teammates. Conceptually it's fine, but after about an hour, I was ready to be done. Unfortunately a full game of 20 waves can take considerably more than an hour, depending on your skill level. Spend two hours in the same small arena and you'll start to understand where I'm coming from. There are a handful of maps for Anarchy, but the experience on each isn't different enough to justify the time spent.
Personally I would've been fine if Anarchy was axed entirely in favor of bringing online co-op play into Echoes. I guess that's what sequels are for.
THE VERDICT
As a multiplayer game, "Bullestorm" fails to make a huge mark. It is, however, an excellent solo FPS with a unique hook, incredible graphics and brilliant art direction. Played as a mindless shooter, it's enjoyable enough, but played with an eye for creativity, it's a blast and one that shouldn't be missed.