Bionic Commando

Starting off in Ascension City, a ruined metropolis devastated by a nuclear blast, the game really does throw you in at the deep end, with a brutal difficulty setting and ruthless enemies. Once you obtain your bionic arm, a whole wealth of freedom is given to you as the enhancement allows you to climb vast skyscrapers and swing about the environment.

Death is frequent due to the harsh difficulty and widely-spaced checkpoints irritate. But if anything, this grind early on in the game makes things progressively easier as you really are forced to get good at the game or die trying.

Along the way, a series of challenges will unlock depending on how well you play. For example, if you pick up a new weapon, you may be tasked with killing several enemies with it. Completing these tasks awards achievements and trophies, but also upgrades your skills related to the challenge. For example, completing assault rifle challenges increases Spencer's efficiency with that weapon.

Bionic Commando is, in true Capcom fashion, a difficult game that rewards those who persevere. The sense of scale as you swing around the ruined streets of Ascension City and the surrounding areas is breathtaking and the sharp visuals complement this perfectly. The arm motions are incredibly fun while the gun and melee combat work well. To recycle a tired cliché, this is a game that is easy to pick up, but difficult to master. Persist, however, and you will experience one of the best action titles of the year so far.