Joystiq impressions: Bomberman Live! (XBLA)
I recently played Bomberman Live! at a Hudson media event, getting a sense for this title that goes back to the original Bomberman formula. This Xbox Live Arcade game is expected to launch later this month and will be available for 800 points ($10).
How is it? It's Bomberman. Will you like it? It's Bomberman. Do you like Bomberman? It's Bomberman.
%Gallery-4716%
In passing conversations the Hudson staff ripped apart Bomberman Act Zero, trying to distance themselves from that dud but making me uncomfortable in the process. Hudson did release it after all. It's like a parent talking about how their next child will right all the wrongs of the first, with the first in the room.
But clearly an old-school Bomberman, the XBLA game features up to four players on a single console and up to eight player games online. Customizable Bomberman characters run through top-down maps dropping bombs and hoping they explode into opponents, eliminating them all. Familiar power-ups include the ability to punch and kick lit bombs and a few new additions feel true to the simple gameplay. Special game modes that have appeared in recent Bomberman releases -- including the objective to claim map territory with each blast -- add longevity to the game.
What more can I say? It's Bomberman. Did I like it? Yes.
