Lego Bionicle: The Game (Game Boy Advance) - Review by Andrew

Introduction

When I was younger I loved LEGO. I had tons of the stuff and would sit there surrounded by these mountains of plastic bricks letting my imagination run wild. It's gone through many incarnations since then of course with the introduction of Technical, Robotic Sets, Harry Potter and Star Wars Licensing and now Bionicle. This is clearly the LEGO for the new millennium with movies and games running parallel to the releases of the latest construction set. The game?s plot takes place on the secluded island paradise of Mata Nui where a Toa protects six Mantoran tribes. These represent the basic elements of Fire, Air, Earth, Stone, Water, and Ice and, for a while at least, all is peaceful. That is until the island is threatened by the evil Makuta resulting in the Mantoran fleeing their villages, which is where the game begins. Clearly fans of the series will no doubt be won over by this latest GBA version but what about everyone else?

Gameplay

Your first task is to select which of the Toa available you want to control although you'll have to play as all of them eventually if you want to complete the whole game. Each Toa possesses special and unique abilities so while Tahu can smash through rock, Lewa can glide through the air. You'll quickly discover that each section has been designed to take full advantage of these abilities but that doesn't mean that each level is as simple as getting from 'A' to 'B'. Instead your main challenge is to locate eight Mantorans throughout the varied environments where some are simply hidden but others are out of reach until you become more powerful. You'll also have to collect the Light Stones as these unlock new areas, which is probably where that last Mantoran, who you've been searching for for hours now, is hiding.

Once you've managed to locate all eight Mantorans it's off for a bit of end of level boss (known as a Bohrok) bashing. This isn't nearly as difficult as it could (or should) be, although once you have defeated the Bohrok the same level is now opened up a second time with new sections and you'll have to beat a second, more difficult boss, a Rahkshi. Even after completing all six sections there's still more to do as a seventh and more powerful Toa is unleashed for the final showdown. After that... well that's up to you to discover but let's just say that if you have managed to reach this stage then you've likely been playing the game for some time. Finally, unfortunately, there's a password save and why the developers didn't opt for a battery back up is anyone?s guess but let's just say it was something of an oversight.

Controls

Bionicle falls into the trap that has plagued many isometric platformers through the years in that both the platforms and your current direction are incredibly difficult to judge. Clearly this is not a problem when you?re running around 'safe' environments but the main challenge of any game of this nature is to see just how you cope with the threat of impending doom hanging over you. This is helped, to some degree, by some very tight and responsive controls but the fact remains that isometric generally involves more of a leap of faith than anything resembling intentional gaming movement.

Graphics

Clearly if you placed this next to the more powerful console version of this game, the GBA wouldn't stand a chance but even by Mobius Entertainment's standards the visuals can best be described as mixed. On the plus side the cut screens and the various Toa models look wonderful and move just as well with some solid and fluid animation. Unfortunately the same can't be said of some of the enemies, which appear simplistic in comparison. The environments are not nearly as engaging as they could be either, with each level becoming very samey after you've wandered around it for a while.

Sound

Unfortunately the GBA has cartridge limitations, which have a habit of severely compromising the soundtrack. Bionicle is no exception and a looping soundtrack accompanies each of the six levels and although it does last around a minute you will eventually become irritated by its repetition. Elsewhere there are sound effects ranging from rather standard gun shots and enemy collisions to the more impressive boss levels although there still little to warrant getting your headphones out.

Final comments

Bionicle manages to deliver a solid and reasonably rewarding adventure but it's not without its problems. The first is the isometric perspective and while this has been used to varying degrees of success in many other titles it should clearly not even be considered for a platformer. This is mainly due to the fact that the end result is generally more frustrating than challenging, which obviously hurts the overall enjoyment of the title. Then there is the password! There is constant criticism leveled at developers who decide that games that don't require a battery back up will get one but that others where you'd think it essential, won?t. Bionicle falls into the latter category. Losing your final life when you?re minutes from the end of the level is not much fun in any title but the size of the areas here means that you may have invested hours in something you have to repeat later. Criticisms aside there's enough gameplay here to keep Bionicle fans satisfied for some time but general platform enthusiasts may find it all a little too much like hard work.

Pro: It's LEGO
Con: Isometric Perspective
Final score: 6

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