I was originally interested in Bulletstorm because of a couple of articles. First was the journalist’s interpretation of a psychologist’s comment on the game. Second was the psychologist’s clarification of his comments and critique of the article. This vague interest in the game (as I have no interest in FPS games to begin with because it a) makes me dizzy and/or b) involves jumping and ultimately lands me in the hole instead of over it) was full-blown when I started my summer research on text in games. I haven’t yet been able to use it in any of my written work, but it’s simmering in the back of my mind.

So, when Amazon had a sale of the game for $7, I had to jump on it. It also made me wish I had bought a game during the Christmas sales so I could have gotten a $5 off coupon, making the game $2. I penny-pinch, but so far it’s been worth my lunch money.

One of the main critiques about Bulletstorm is its use of language. It’s very crude and it wasn’t until the developers translated what they had written in English back to their native language did they realize just how bad it was. Now, I turn off language filters in games that have the option, especially in MMOs. I’m old enough and mature enough. This is actually the one game where I wish there was an option to turn ON a language filter. It is pretty bad, but on the other hand, I’ve learned some colorful new words and hopefully never will use them. Having gone to private school for the first 2/3 of my primary school career and then going to public school for the last 1/3 was a big culture shock in the way people spoke – there was a lot more cussing and swearing and that is how I felt when I started playing.

Bad language aside, I’m finding myself playing purely because it’s got destructive fun, doesn’t require too much thought, and has an interesting, if perhaps templated, story. A big change from my normal puzzle, indie games. And welcome too.

You take the role of Grayson Hunt, a pirate with a complex backstory that you get to relive a portion of. The rest of the game involves finding a way off a mutated world. Without having to resort to zombies (an overused genre), you fight Skulls (or bad guys with silly body paint), Creeps (semi-mutated guys who are rivals to the Skulls), and Burnouts (completely mutated enemies). At your disposal are several types of guns, including your simple carbine, a 4-barrel shotgun, a sniper rifle, and some other fun ones. You are also in possession of a leash, a handy tool that can reach through objects and pull enemies towards you or into other objects. Lastly, you have your leg for kicking.

It’s purely action. The world and environment graphics are very colorful and pretty. I generally pause for a second when the skyline is visible because its got pretty pinks and yellows and blues. Admiring the scenery is something that isn’t done these days. Anyway, usually you’re shooting or running to another location, so admiring the scenery isn’t always possible. I did mention pure action, right?

It’s not quite a rails shooter in that you have control over where you want to stand and move, but the progression through the game is very linear. The world isn’t so much a sandbox as a themepark attraction with objects directing where you need to go. I find this to be useful because I always need a map to get around these worlds, something that is conveniently absent, leaving more screen space to admire the scenery (okay I’ll stop about that).

The music, which goes unnoticed behind the near-constant barrage of gunfire and dialogue is actually quite beautiful. The first time I noticed the music was during last night’s play session and we were running down a hall trying to escape through a quickly closing door. I downloaded the soundtrack when it was offered for free last year without realizing what game it was for (I collect game music) and have used it while working. While the dialogue is crude in its choice of words, the music is very much the opposite.

The story is the typical stranded on an island and need to get off story. There’s the betrayal twist, the stereotypical lone tough woman character, and character progression (both you and your cyborg companion) that so far has been fairly believable (unlike the movie Thor). I haven’t finished, so there’s not much I can say to spoil the story even if I wanted to. I plan on finishing the game, just because I enjoy stories and progression, something that indie puzzle games aren’t doing for me right now.

One last thing to discuss is the concept of skillshots. This just basically means killing your enemies in interesting ways, typically using the environment. A couple that I use a lot are throwing enemies off of ledges (Vertigo) and impaling enemies on cacti (Pricked) or sharp metal protusions like building supports (Voodoo Doll). There are some interesting things you can do with each gun as well and provide additional challenge and fun. Plus, skillshots are a way of getting more money (or skill points) that you need to purchase ammo, charges (special uses for each gun), and upgrades. Essentially, in order to make sure you have enough money to purchase what you want, regular skillshots will ensure you have more than enough.

I can’t really recommend a FPS game when it’s not my genre that I will typically turn to play. However, I am having a lot of fun and if there isn’t too much expectation (game play, story, audio, …), it can be enjoyable. Don’t forget about the language, though. A friend of mine was surprised to see me buying this game and playing it so he went and tried it and he’s also finding it fun to play. Take it as you will. One last thing, there are multiple checkpoints so it’s possible to play in small amounts, but once you get hooked on playing, it gets really hard to stop!