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Published by: Hudson Developed by: Backbone Entertainment Genre: Puzzle/Party Number of Players: 1-4 (2-8) Bomberman Live is a successful return-to-form for the decades-old franchise, combining a multitude of customization options with slick controls and Xbox Live play to create one of the best Live Arcade games yet.
He may look young, but Bomberman has been kickin’ around since 1983 now. Features have been added and gameplay elements have changed, but to its core, Bomberman is the same frantic maze-running and block-bombing game it was back then, just with a few new coats of paint. Thankfully, this iteration is the quintessential Bomberman experience. Bomberman Live capitalizes on the series’ trademark easy-to-grasp, difficult-to-master controls that make the multiplayer aspect of the game so addictive.    
For those new to the series, the gameplay is simple: you play on a grid intersected by unbreakable barriers, with breakable barriers scattered around (and, at the start of the game, covering) the area. These barriers (be they triangle shapes, snowmen, boxes, etc.) are destroyed by dropping bombs in proximity to them. At first, your bombs have a very small field of damage, but as the game goes on and you collect power-ups, your bombs will become much more powerful, and mayhem ensues. The game becomes a deadly dance of risk-taking and running as you dart in to drop a few bombs in your foe’s path, and then quickly maneuver behind a barrier to protect from his blasts. Power-ups are common and range from increases to your bomb’s blast radius to timed mines to.
Like many retail-to-Arcade titles before it, Bomberman Live adopts a cute and colorful look. Everything is vibrant and easy to recognize, without going overboard and cluttering up the screen. The game is in quasi-3D, but played like a 2D game. Thankfully, the developers nailed this art style, and the game manages to look great and play perfectly smooth at the same time.
Long-time fans have been clamoring for more customization options (as many gamers who grew up on Bomberman have different favorite settings), and Hudson answered. The game is loaded with settings, all at your whim to change or tweak for your favorite Bomberman experience. Aside from settings, there are also new modes to complement Classic mode. Most of the new modes are just the same thing with a gimmick (quicksand instead of blocks, for example) but a few get more creative. Plunder Isle is one such case, where players start on the outside of the grid and must bomb their way inside to a bevy of free power-ups. This becomes a desperate race to run through all the power-ups while still dropping and avoiding bombs.
To add to the customization theme, you can also deck-out your Bomberman with new outfits and toys. Playing and winning games will open up new features – eyes, clothes, props – that you can use to make your online character more distinguishable. There are a lot of set costumes, like a full pirate or cowboy suit, but you can mix ‘n’ match as much as you want. It has no bearing on gameplay (unless you want all the Achievements), but it’s a nice addition.
Xbox Live play, even with 8 players, runs very well for the most part. There may be an odd bout of lag, but it only affects the player lagging and not you. Playing online is a blast, but the offline mode is a little sparse. If you don’t have a Gold account or people to play locally with, Bomberman may feel a little empty.
Bomberman Live, in all, is a success. It adds features, options, and spruced-up graphics to the same old – perfected – formula of dropping bombs and having fun, which is a win-win combination. That means you get all the fun (maybe more), with all the options. Without Xbox Live, this is a tough game to recommend, but if you have locale friends or a Gold account, don’t pass this up. It’s simple, fun, and easy – but, at the same time, oh so competitive and deep.
- Stays true to its roots
- Tons of customization options
- As hectic as it ever was
- A little sparse in terms of single-player
Final Score: 8/10
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