Newsletter
  • Guides
  • Previews
    • Indie Games
    • PS4
    • PC
    • Xbox One
    • Nintendo Switch
    • Nintendo 3DS
    • PS Vita
    • PS3
    • Xbox 360
    • Wii U
  • Site Info
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Staff Directory
    • Join Our Team
    • Privacy Policy
      • Cookies Policy
    • RSS Feeds
    • Social Media
      • Youtube
      • Facebook
      • Twitter
      • Twitch
      • Instagram
      • Tumblr
      • Linkedin
      • Pinterest
      • Discord
  • Discord
  • Store
  • Logitech G
  • green man gaming
  • Affiliates
    • GAMIVO.com
    • Logitech
    • Astro Gaming
    • Nord VPN
    • Best Buy
    • Namecheap Hosting
    • Blue Mic
    • Ultimate Ears
    • Jaybird
Wednesday, May 21, 2025
BG
  • News
    • All
    • Esports
    • Interviews

    Bungie Premieres Gameplay For Marathon

    Bitcoin Browser Mini Games To Play Online

    Screenshot

    Rival Stars Horse Racing: Is The VR Edition Worth It?

    Evolution of iGaming: What’s Changing for Players in 2025?

    Top Played Sport Games in Canada

    The Legend of Heroes: Trails Through Daybreak II Releases 2025

    esports new frontier

    The New Frontier: Exploring the Thrills of Esports Betting and its Impact on Traditional Sports Betting

    XDEFIANT REVEALS INFO FOR SEASON 1

    KENA: BRIDGE OF SPIRITS IS COMING TO XBOX

    Trending Tags

    • Top Stories
    • PlayStation
    • Xbox
    • Nintendo
    • Retro Games
    • Mobile Games
    • Indie Games
    • Square Enix
    • Sony
    • Microsoft
    • PAX
    • EGX
    • Gamescom
    • Rockstar Games
    • Electronic Arts
    • Activision Blizzard
    • E3 Expo
  • Reviews
    • All
    • Flash Game Reviews
    • Google Stadia
    • Indie Game Reviews
    • Mobile Game Reviews
    • Nintendo 3DS Reviews
    • Nintendo Switch Reviews
    • PC Reviews
    • PS Vita Reviews
    • PS3 Reviews
    • PS4 Reviews
    • PS5 Reviews
    • Retro Game Reviews
    • Reviews RoundUP
    • Xbox 360 Reviews
    • Xbox One Reviews

    Wild Assault Early Access Review

    Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land PC Steam Deck Review

    ENDER MAGNOLIA: Bloom in the Mist PC Review

    Ninja Gaiden 2 Black PS5 Review

    Atomic Heart

    Atomic Heart Enchantment Under the Sea DLC Review

    Tomb Raider I-III Remastered PC Review

    ATOMIC HEART: TRAPPED IN LIMBO Review

    Granblue Fantasy: Relink PS5 Review

    Crymachina

    CryMachina PS5 Review

    Trending Tags

    • Resident Evil
    • Call of Duty
    • Final Fantasy
    • Destiny
    • Borderlands
    • Halo
    • The Elder Scrolls
    • Fortnite
    • PUBG
    • Bioshock
    • The Witcher
  • Opinion
    • All
    • Second Opinion
    From Gamers to Punters: How UX Turns a Bet into an Experience

    From Gamers to Punters: How UX Turns a Bet into an Experience

    Why Gamers Are Flocking To Online Casino Apps

    casino games you can play on your mobile phone

    Most Casino Games You Can Play on Your Mobile Phone

    Sport Betting and sports bets or online sporting events gambling as football betting and draft picks or basketball game bet and Hockey betting with 3D illustration elements.

    Overlooked Strategies That Can Improve Your Betting

    Bitcoin Browser Mini Games To Play Online

    Screenshot

    Rival Stars Horse Racing: Is The VR Edition Worth It?

    Evolution of iGaming: What’s Changing for Players in 2025?

    Online Games That We Always Keep on Playing

    Online Games When You Have Only 15 Minutes

    Trending Tags

    • Is It A Classic?
    • Remember When
    • Do We Even Care Anymore?
    • Humpday Haikus
    • Top Series
    • Thirsty Thursday
    • Aging Gamer
    • On The Way To E3
  • Podcasts
    • All
    • The BagoCast
    • TSR BagoCast

    Bagocast: Interview with Upper Echelon Gamers – The Future of Game Journalism

    Bagocast: Interview with Upper Echelon Gamers – Social Media & Esports

    Bagocast: Interview with Upper Echelon Gamers – Politics in Video Games Games

    Bagocast: Interview with Upper Echelon Gamers – Content Creators vs Game Journalist 2

    Bagocast: Interview with Upper Echelon Gamers – Titan Fall and Apex: Legends Hacked

    Bagocast: Interview with Upper Echelon Gamers – Content Creators vs Game Journalist

    BagoCast EP: 12 – Code Vein and the DLC

    Debate/Discussion: Bad Video Games That We Love

    Discussion/Debate: Is Bioware Gone?

    Trending Tags

    • Film Fallout
    • 8Bit Proof
    • Gaming Historia
    • Bago Anime Cast
    • Gamers In Beta
    • Gamers Unscripted
  • Videos

    Controller Guide For Wild Assault

    Trevor Bogan Interview

    Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden’s Gets Gameplay Trailer

    Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden Gets New Story Trailer

    Stephen Oyoung Interview

    Jacqueline Pinol Interview

    So, You Wanna Play Junker Queen?

    Matchpoint Tennis Championships Live Review

    Void Slayer – Review

  • Geek Culture
    • All
    • Anime and Manga
    • Anime/Manga Review
    • Collectibles
    • Comic Books
    • Cosplay
    • Movies
    • Tech
    • TV Shows

    Tickets Are Now on Sale for OVERLORD: The Sacred Kingdom

    Crunchyroll Announces Blu-ray Titles Coming in January 2025

    MY BOYFRIEND IS A DOG Manga gets English release

    Jae Woo Kim Interview

    Crunchyroll Anime Award 2024 Winners Announced

    GAYMING AWARDS 2024 NOMINEES & HOSTS ANNOUNCED

    The Tunnel to Summer, the Exit of Goodbyes

    Anime Review: The Tunnel to Summer, the Exit of Goodbyes

    Crunchyroll Acquires Anime Film The Concierge in North America, Reveals Trailer

    Crunchyroll Announces New Titles Coming Next Year at NYCC

    Trending Tags

    • Movie Reviews
    • Movie News
    • TV News
    • TV Episode Review
    • Episode Guide
    • Competitive Gaming
    • Tech News
    • Tech Review
    • Anime and Manga News
    • Anime and Manga Review
    • Comic Book News
    • Comic Book Review
  • Forum
No Result
View All Result
  • News
    • All
    • Esports
    • Interviews

    Bungie Premieres Gameplay For Marathon

    Bitcoin Browser Mini Games To Play Online

    Screenshot

    Rival Stars Horse Racing: Is The VR Edition Worth It?

    Evolution of iGaming: What’s Changing for Players in 2025?

    Top Played Sport Games in Canada

    The Legend of Heroes: Trails Through Daybreak II Releases 2025

    esports new frontier

    The New Frontier: Exploring the Thrills of Esports Betting and its Impact on Traditional Sports Betting

    XDEFIANT REVEALS INFO FOR SEASON 1

    KENA: BRIDGE OF SPIRITS IS COMING TO XBOX

    Trending Tags

    • Top Stories
    • PlayStation
    • Xbox
    • Nintendo
    • Retro Games
    • Mobile Games
    • Indie Games
    • Square Enix
    • Sony
    • Microsoft
    • PAX
    • EGX
    • Gamescom
    • Rockstar Games
    • Electronic Arts
    • Activision Blizzard
    • E3 Expo
  • Reviews
    • All
    • Flash Game Reviews
    • Google Stadia
    • Indie Game Reviews
    • Mobile Game Reviews
    • Nintendo 3DS Reviews
    • Nintendo Switch Reviews
    • PC Reviews
    • PS Vita Reviews
    • PS3 Reviews
    • PS4 Reviews
    • PS5 Reviews
    • Retro Game Reviews
    • Reviews RoundUP
    • Xbox 360 Reviews
    • Xbox One Reviews

    Wild Assault Early Access Review

    Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land PC Steam Deck Review

    ENDER MAGNOLIA: Bloom in the Mist PC Review

    Ninja Gaiden 2 Black PS5 Review

    Atomic Heart

    Atomic Heart Enchantment Under the Sea DLC Review

    Tomb Raider I-III Remastered PC Review

    ATOMIC HEART: TRAPPED IN LIMBO Review

    Granblue Fantasy: Relink PS5 Review

    Crymachina

    CryMachina PS5 Review

    Trending Tags

    • Resident Evil
    • Call of Duty
    • Final Fantasy
    • Destiny
    • Borderlands
    • Halo
    • The Elder Scrolls
    • Fortnite
    • PUBG
    • Bioshock
    • The Witcher
  • Opinion
    • All
    • Second Opinion
    From Gamers to Punters: How UX Turns a Bet into an Experience

    From Gamers to Punters: How UX Turns a Bet into an Experience

    Why Gamers Are Flocking To Online Casino Apps

    casino games you can play on your mobile phone

    Most Casino Games You Can Play on Your Mobile Phone

    Sport Betting and sports bets or online sporting events gambling as football betting and draft picks or basketball game bet and Hockey betting with 3D illustration elements.

    Overlooked Strategies That Can Improve Your Betting

    Bitcoin Browser Mini Games To Play Online

    Screenshot

    Rival Stars Horse Racing: Is The VR Edition Worth It?

    Evolution of iGaming: What’s Changing for Players in 2025?

    Online Games That We Always Keep on Playing

    Online Games When You Have Only 15 Minutes

    Trending Tags

    • Is It A Classic?
    • Remember When
    • Do We Even Care Anymore?
    • Humpday Haikus
    • Top Series
    • Thirsty Thursday
    • Aging Gamer
    • On The Way To E3
  • Podcasts
    • All
    • The BagoCast
    • TSR BagoCast

    Bagocast: Interview with Upper Echelon Gamers – The Future of Game Journalism

    Bagocast: Interview with Upper Echelon Gamers – Social Media & Esports

    Bagocast: Interview with Upper Echelon Gamers – Politics in Video Games Games

    Bagocast: Interview with Upper Echelon Gamers – Content Creators vs Game Journalist 2

    Bagocast: Interview with Upper Echelon Gamers – Titan Fall and Apex: Legends Hacked

    Bagocast: Interview with Upper Echelon Gamers – Content Creators vs Game Journalist

    BagoCast EP: 12 – Code Vein and the DLC

    Debate/Discussion: Bad Video Games That We Love

    Discussion/Debate: Is Bioware Gone?

    Trending Tags

    • Film Fallout
    • 8Bit Proof
    • Gaming Historia
    • Bago Anime Cast
    • Gamers In Beta
    • Gamers Unscripted
  • Videos

    Controller Guide For Wild Assault

    Trevor Bogan Interview

    Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden’s Gets Gameplay Trailer

    Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden Gets New Story Trailer

    Stephen Oyoung Interview

    Jacqueline Pinol Interview

    So, You Wanna Play Junker Queen?

    Matchpoint Tennis Championships Live Review

    Void Slayer – Review

  • Geek Culture
    • All
    • Anime and Manga
    • Anime/Manga Review
    • Collectibles
    • Comic Books
    • Cosplay
    • Movies
    • Tech
    • TV Shows

    Tickets Are Now on Sale for OVERLORD: The Sacred Kingdom

    Crunchyroll Announces Blu-ray Titles Coming in January 2025

    MY BOYFRIEND IS A DOG Manga gets English release

    Jae Woo Kim Interview

    Crunchyroll Anime Award 2024 Winners Announced

    GAYMING AWARDS 2024 NOMINEES & HOSTS ANNOUNCED

    The Tunnel to Summer, the Exit of Goodbyes

    Anime Review: The Tunnel to Summer, the Exit of Goodbyes

    Crunchyroll Acquires Anime Film The Concierge in North America, Reveals Trailer

    Crunchyroll Announces New Titles Coming Next Year at NYCC

    Trending Tags

    • Movie Reviews
    • Movie News
    • TV News
    • TV Episode Review
    • Episode Guide
    • Competitive Gaming
    • Tech News
    • Tech Review
    • Anime and Manga News
    • Anime and Manga Review
    • Comic Book News
    • Comic Book Review
  • Forum
No Result
View All Result
BagoGames
No Result
View All Result

BagoGames > Articles > Game Reviews > PC Reviews > Bombshell Review – Better Left Unexploded

Bombshell Review – Better Left Unexploded

Kailan May by Kailan May
9 years ago
in Game Reviews, PC Reviews
Reading Time: 4 mins read
0
Share on FacebookShare on Bluesky

Duke Nukem. He feels less like a person, as I roll it around in my mind, and more like the personification of the 80s cranked up to 11. He shoots problems in the face, he saves the world and screws the prom queen. I admit I never played any Duke Nukem games growing up but when I heard there was going to be a spiritual sequel in the form of Bombshell, I signed up for a chance of some chewing-the-scenery gameplay with writing more hammy and cheesy than what you can find in a sandwich factory. I didn’t sign up for this though…

Bombshell, by Interceptor Entertainment, is an isometric shooter with RPG mechanics stapled to it. Interestingly, it was originally meant to be a Duke Nukem game up to the point when 3D Realms lost the rights to the series (because nothing pours salt in the wounds like your 15 year old game bombing and then losing permission to try again). So, replacing Duke Nukem is Bombshell: A female action hero with a bionic arm, a bad attitude and an itchy trigger finger.

Bombshell feels like a female version of Duke (well, minus the sexualization of all women) complete with quips. Unfortunately, you have about 8 quips being rammed into your ear-socket like thick greasy sludge once every few minutes. At first it seems spaced out enough…and then you hit that moment when you’re an hour in and hear the same damn quip about Bombshell’s car blowing up for the twentieth time. At that point Bombshell becomes the vocal equivalent of tinnitus.

RelatedStories

Wild Assault Early Access Review

2 weeks ago

Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land PC Steam Deck Review

To be fair to the game, it doesn’t have much to offer in terms of story: “Oh no, aliens have kidnapped the president, are you a bad enough dude (…dudette?) to rescue the president?”. Although the aliens made for an interesting twist; the story took me an hour to remember it isn’t a Duke Nukem game and that aliens invading is a major event they forgot to talk about. The rest rolls out like an average boiler repairman: It technically works after all is said and done, but it is no-thrills and is done with zero enthusiasm.

Bombshell 1
(Bombshell, 3D Realms)

Let’s be honest though, I think honesty is best in this situation: You’re not here for the story. You want to shoot all the bad guys and win the day.

As I mentioned before, it is an isometric shooter with RPG elements to it. You gain XP (from shooting anything that moves and for doing quests) which not only gives you points to spend on health, move-power, armor or leveling up said moves, but it also unlocks gun upgrades. Each of the eight guns at your arsenal (and one grenade) can be upgraded (at least assuming you have the money to do so) as well.

This would normally invite “ooohh”s of customising and focusing down on your favoured form of gunplay, except you’ll need to flick between the whole array during the game. The game favours the “swarm the player until they give up” approach to gunfights (some of which involve the enemy shooting you from off-screen) and since each gun has a very limited capacity, you will run out of ammo a lot. This tends to make the gameplay horrifically repetitive, especially as enemies will often require tactics no more sophisticated than Hollywood films’ cop arresting method: “SHOOT UNTIL IT STOPS MOVING”.

“Well, at least the environments are nice” you may mutter, slightly defeated. I have to agree; they are nice to look upon in terms of a nice gory aesthetic. Bombshell has enough variation to keep things fresh and allow for enough environmental manipulation (e.g. platforming on spinning discs, unlocking iced up tunnels with a flamer and discovering hidden tunnels behind portraits), so you don’t feel like you’re stumbling down palette-swapped halls.

Bombshell 2
(Bombshell, 3D Realms)

To actually navigate these environments, however, is an absolute nightmare and a chore. You are prone to getting lost with objectives which amounts to “hide and go seek in the caves.” In addition, most of said objectives are you finding a door and then finding X many macguffins that will open said door. This is repeated like a broken record and loops the same old padding (as well as the never-ending numbing quips). So, along with the previous gameplay (and the quips, oh they never end), soon enough you stop feeling anything above your neck.

The final thing that struck me was how glitchy it was. The game has many bugs. After a level loads up, it’ll take a good few slams of the space-bar to get things rolling. I’ve also managed to get an XP reward for a singular side mission multiple times by talking to an NPC over and over. Then there are the times when the AI will decide to stare into space as though amidst a existential crisis for a brief flicker, before going back to shooting me. Then there are the times a menu will pop up (e.g. shop or character menu) and invisible walls will ensure I can’t reach things like the buy button; like a baby reaching out for the dangling car keys, scraping the metallic edges but nothing more.

Bombshell 3
(Bombshell, 3D Realms)

The final score for Bombshell, from the perspective of someone who doesn’t have the nostalgia of Duke Nukem, is a 4.5 out of 10. A good nostalgic game uses the past as a leaping off point, while still taking the advances of today to further make it shine. While a game like Hard Reset embraced the old-school Quake-style FPS genre, it also knew you couldn’t just hand the player 9 guns in a grey and brown world filled with demons. Instead it gave you two guns that had three firing modes each and pit you against robots in a colourful environment.

Bombshell seems to bank entirely on the nostalgia. It hasn’t noticed the “recent” advances such as despising back-tracking, not being big on flipping through all nine guns due to ammo concerns and actually having room to deliver characterization and plot on top of the gameplay. Maybe it will sell to some people because its like a Duke Nukem game? To others though, without that history of the video-game equivalent of chewing on the 80s action film scenery with condensed masculinity, Bombshell might be a reconditioned relic of days gone past. A relic with all the stretch-marks, the out-of-touch attitude and best buried again


A PC code for Bombshell was provided by 3D Realms for the purpose of this review

Bombshell

$34.99
Bombshell
4.5

Score

4.5/10

Pros

  • Aesthetically enjoyable

Cons

  • Oh god, the quips, they just keep repeating over and over...
  • Most quests boil down to fetch quests with back-tracking
  • Enemies rely on swarming you often
  • Bugs
Tags: 3D RealmsBombshellDuke NukemFPSInterceptor EntertainmentPCRPGTop Stories
ShareShareTweetShare


Previous Post

Kôna Injects Survival Within a Mystery Narrative

Next Post

Venture into the Borderlands – Part 11: Finale

Subscribe
Connect with
Login
I allow to create an account
When you login first time using a Social Login button, we collect your account public profile information shared by Social Login provider, based on your privacy settings. We also get your email address to automatically create an account for you in our website. Once your account is created, you'll be logged-in to this account.
DisagreeAgree
Notify of
guest
The comment form collects your name, email and content to allow us to keep track of the comments placed on the website. Please read and accept our website Terms and Privacy Policy to post a comment.
Save my name, email, and website in this browser cookies for the next time I comment.

I allow to create an account
When you login first time using a Social Login button, we collect your account public profile information shared by Social Login provider, based on your privacy settings. We also get your email address to automatically create an account for you in our website. Once your account is created, you'll be logged-in to this account.
DisagreeAgree
guest
The comment form collects your name, email and content to allow us to keep track of the comments placed on the website. Please read and accept our website Terms and Privacy Policy to post a comment.
Save my name, email, and website in this browser cookies for the next time I comment.

0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

BAGOGAMES WEEKLY NEWSLETTER

Get this week's top news, reviews, guides, videos and opinion for your favorite games, movies, TV and tech in your email every Friday.

Don't worry, we don't spam.

NEW ON BAGOGAMES

Game Reviews

Wild Assault Early Access Review

by Michael Mosley
2 weeks ago
From Gamers to Punters: How UX Turns a Bet into an Experience
Opinion

From Gamers to Punters: How UX Turns a Bet into an Experience

by Trevor Kincaid
2 weeks ago
Guides

Controller Guide For Wild Assault

by Michael Mosley
3 weeks ago

LATEST PODCASTS & VIDEOS

Currently Playing

Void Slayer – Review

Void Slayer – Review

Game Reviews

The IDEAL Spider-Man VR Game

Opinion

BPM: Bullets Per Minute – Shooting to The Beat (Review)

Game Reviews

She Will Punish Them – Warning: Mature Content (Early Access Review)

Game Reviews

Bagocast: Interview with Upper Echelon Gamers – The Future of Game Journalism

Opinion

FOLLOW US

BagoGames

BagoGames.com © 2023 BagoGames LLC. All rights reserved.

Navigate Site

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Staff Directory
  • Join Our Team
  • Privacy Policy
  • Advertise
  • Newsletter
  • RSS Feeds
  • Discord Server
  • BG Store
  • OpenCritic
  • green man gaming
  • Logitech G
  • GAMIVO.com
  • ASTRO Gaming
  • Logitech
  • Namecheap Hosting
  • Nord VPN
  • Best Buy
  • Blue Mic
  • Reviews
  • News
  • Opinion
  • Guides

Follow Us

  • Login
  • Sign Up
No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Opinion
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • Geek Culture
  • Previews
  • Guides
  • Short Videos
  • Forum
  • Site Info
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Join Our Team
    • Staff Directory
    • Privacy Policy
    • Newsletter
    • RSS Feeds

BagoGames.com © 2023 BagoGames LLC. All rights reserved.

wpDiscuz