Bomberman Live

Gameplay - 9

Bomberman Live features arguably the most enjoyable gameplay on the Xbox Live Arcade since Uno and Geometry Wars. The entire game is based around controlling cute little bombermen that place bombs that destroy obstacles and other players. The arenas are a grid format and littered with obstacles. Each player spawns in a different area of the map and tries to destroy the many blocks and obstacles in order to obtain the powerups inside and to reach the other players so they can kill them.

There are about twenty powerups ranging from extra bombs and increased explosion radius, to kicking bombs and super-powered bombs that can cut through multiple blocks at once or go all the way across the level.

There are four gametypes: Deathmatch, bombing run, paint bomb, and zombie. Deathmatch is well, deathmatch. Each player gets one life and tries to kill the other bombers while staying alive himself. Bombing run is like deathmatch but every player starts with superspeed. Paint bomb is a territory gametype. The winner is the one that controls the most area on the map at the end of the time limit or the last man standing. You control the area or, more specifically, the tiles by hitting them with your bombs. Any tile that is touched by the flames of your bomb turns your color even if it belonged to another player. The more powerups you get, the more tiles you can “paint” with a single bomb. The fourth gametype, Zombie, is exactly like Paint bomb with one exception, unlimited lives. Zombie is the most enjoyable gametype of them all.

The games are round based and the first to reach the winning number of rounds (decided by the host) wins the match. The end of a Xbox Live match is always a blast. If you have a vision camera, the game will show you the faces of your opponents. Here is the catch, only the winner gets a live feed. The loser’s cameras take a picture at the moment the game ends. This can lead to some hilarious moments as the losers are caught off guard and caught up in the moment.

There are eight maps in Bomberman Live. Now one would think that you could not have very much diversity when maps are just grids. However, Bomberman Live’s levels all have their own unique touch. There is the basic grid, a few with trap doors and teleporters that warp you to different parts of the level, and one where the unbreakable blocks are replaced with holes that allow fire to pass through them. There is even one with no barriers at all but only a pile of powerups and a few breakable blocks in the middle..

The game also features a bit of character customization. The player begins with a few outfits and can earn more by picking up costume orbs that appear near the end of matches. There are many different combinations to be used and some achievements even require you to kill other players while wearing a certain outfit.

There are a few draw backs to this otherwise amazing experience. While there are many powerups, there is one that can ruin the game for most people. Its name is the Deathbomb. Instead of exploding in the classic “+”, the death bomb explodes in a rectangle and can pass over the grid barriers that block ordinary bombs. The reason this is a problem is that if the player with the deathbomb powerup also maxes out his explosion radius, his bomb will cover almost half of the level. In Bombing run or Zombies this player is unstoppable because he can claim the whole level in a matter of seconds.

Visuals - 7

Like most arcade games, the visuals of Bomberman live are nothing spectacular. However they are clean and very well done. All the bombermen are smooth, colorful, and the costumes are actually visible and look great. The special effects, such as teleporting and flying out of trap doors are very nicely done. However without any real unique art style, Bomberman live’s visuals are really just the average grade of Xbox Live arcade games.

Sound - 6

There is not much to say for the sound. There is nothing wrong with it, its just there is not much sound at all. There is a very light, almost negilgable, background tune during the battles but the constant explosions drown it out most of the time. The only voice is the very high-pitched, 7 year old kid-sounding voice that has four lines: “Bomberman Live!”, “Ready....GO!”, “Ow!”, and “Winner!”. There is one redeeming quality, the bombs. There is something enveloping about the constant stream of explosions. That, my friends, is the sound menu of Bomberman Live.

Longevity - 9 (High)

Bomberman Live is an amazingly fun party game. I put it up in the ranks of Uno as a game that you and a few friends can just jump in and play a few relaxing and fun games after a hard day at work or school. Its just an all around fun game to play with a group of friends.

Learning Curve - 9 (Very easy)

There is almost no learning curve to Bomberman Live. All you have to learn is not to stand next to your bomb and what the different powerups do. This can all be learned in one or two battles. Xbox Live play takes a little longer to learn how to play well. The one skill that MUST be mastered is how to place your bombs so that you trap your opponents in a corner without killing yourself as well.