Game Review: Binary Domain

Image from here.

The Machine Age has begun.

From Sega and the team that brought us the Yakuza series, Binary Domain is a third-person shooter set in 2080 Tokyo. Mankind has progressed and technology has brought us truly advanced robotics. The problem is, advancement has been so rapid that robots can act like and look like humans. You play as Dan Marshall, a US Army operative who, with his crew, undertakes missions and battles an unknown enemy.

Plot
The story was quite interesting, and the environment was set up nicely. The main character is a bit too much of a Commander Shepard (Mass Effect series) clone though, with slightly more personality. Apart from him and a Chinese officer named Faye Lee, the characters are barely interesting. The events of the first half of the game were actually a lot of fun to experience, but that quality significantly dropped during the latter part of the game. Was development rushed? I played the first half for pure enjoyment, and the second half just to see how the story ends.

Gameplay
The mechanics are very straightforward, pretty much just all-out action throughout the game. With only a very, very simple weaponry upgrade system, there is not much by way of customization so you'll spend barely any time doing anything other than shooting. This is appreciated, but I would have liked to have a bit more development in my skills and weapons. Run, shoot, duck, cover, shoot, shoot, shoot. Occasionally, you'll get to interact with your teammates even while doing all that. Unmute the video below to have a listen. :)

Well, he didn't like my affection. The one thing which makes this game slightly unique is the voice commands. During battle, you can command, curse, or even flirt with your teammates. I enjoyed that diversity. Even through story plot points, people start talking to you and await your reply from your own voice. A lot of fun in playing that way, but sometimes, recognition can get frustratingly inaccurate in comprehending your voice. I've had to try different accents and voice volumes to get some of the phrases in. All in all, still quite entertaining.

Graphics
The game is actually visually smooth, in a Japanese game sort of way. I can't say the same about movement though. Well, I guess it's smooth too, in a way, but it isn't realistic at all. Ironically, movement is very robotic. I may be overjudging because I am reviewing this after The Last of Us, which sets the bar pretty damn high for all games. Graphics are close to Metal Gear Solid 4, but without the great environments. All the areas in this game seem all-too-conveniently boxed in.

Sound
The music and sound effects are pretty average as action games go. The voice acting was also nothing stellar.

Verdict:
3/5 - While only the first half was good, it is not an experience I regret. If you want to just dabble in it, play the first half then stop. Haha!

Loved Binary Domain? Hated it? Let me know by commenting below, or just tweet me!



Available on:
PlayStation 3
Xbox 360
Microsoft Windows

Trailer below!