1. JPoppaWUSC

   10

   Binary Domain is an interesting beast. Whereas Yakuza: Dead Souls was still uniquely Japanese in flavor and has endured some criticism of its TPS mechanics as a result, Binary Domain is a Western-style shooter with some added elements that its Japanese developers must have thought would enhance the typical TPS experience. The result is surprisingly effective and enjoyable.
   
   Yas, if your team is the one who localized Binary Domain, I need to give you some serious commendations. The script, the voicework, and the crisp presentation are all high-caliber. The same love and care that obviously went into the localization for Yakuza 4 and Dead Souls are here, but the addition of a great English dub makes it even more impressive (not that I would EVER want the Yakuza games to be voiced in English again, mind you).
   
   That being said, Binary Domain is still quite different than its Yakuza brethren. It's a lot more linear, and the gimmicky voice command and relationship systems don't work that well most times. The multiplayer is also pretty mediocre, but the single-player campaign is far more enjoyable than any standard Western shooter that I've played in the last few years. The constant banter between teammates, the well-conceived story, the atmospheric locales, the variety of gameplay, the brilliant mechanical designs, and the satisfaction of blowing pieces off of the enemy bots all combine for some compelling gameplay and replay value. The enemies are fairly intelligent and can be quite difficult to take down, which contributes to a sense of real achievement. Menus and interface components are streamlined and user-friendly, and the auto-save/checkpoint system is about as perfect as you could ever hope to have. You never need to worry about losing progress or screwing up a save file, career profiles, hard saves vs. quicksaves, or any of the other aggravations that seem to pop up in Western shooter campaigns.
   
   Also, the plethora of upgrades, crafting options, item pickups, and shop offerings still feel like they benefited from Yakuza's pedigree. And like Yakuza, you actually start to understand and genuinely care about the characters, even if they do seem painfully stereotypical and forgettable in the first couple hours. I love the way that minor puzzles, mini-games, and QTE-esque rail sequences keep the shooter combat from feeling repetitive, and the quality cutscenes are lengthy but don't overstay their welcome. Players can also approach objectives in a variety of ways. NPC squad members might suggest an action to take down the enemy, but you are still welcome to do it your own way, to which they will sometimes reply "nevermind" in a comical way. The script is perfectly balanced, too, throwing in some clever humor amidst the intense drama of the narrative. It tackles some difficult existential material at times, so the occasional comic relief is certainly appreciated.
   
   If there is one thing that I could say is a missed opportunity, though, it's the linear structure of the game. While shooters normally ARE linear and it may not bother a majority of players, I feel like Binary Domain would have been a more stand-out title if it had allowed you to approach mission content and objectives in a more free-roaming fashion. I didn't expect the game to be a Mass Effect contender or anything, but if you were able to set up a base camp as you moved through Tokyo and handle secondary objectives freely before moving to the next hot spot, perhaps even selecting your teammates to supplement your abilities in each scenario, it probably would have made better use of the relationship system and customization that the game touts. Still, this is just wishful thinking, and perhaps the devs will consider that if Binary Domain 2 ever becomes a possibility. Otherwise, the major gripes that you will hear in reviews for this game are focused on the lack of multiplayer options. Sure, the mainstays are present, though not original or revolutionary by any stretch, and there is no campaign co-op. And that's a shame, since it could've garnered Binary Domain some much-deserved attention from critics and players alike.
   
   The bottom line is this - Binary Domain is, surprisingly, one of the best third-person shooters we've received in the seventh generation, if only for its meaty single-player campaign. Unfortunately, the game wasn't marketed very well for its American release, and many gamers may overlook it assuming that it's just a generic throw-away title. In actuality, even the best Western TPS franchises could learn from Binary Domain's stellar presentation and localized script. I would encourage ever Yakuza fan, shooter fan, or general action gamer to give Binary Domain a shot, and you may be pleasantly surprised by the quality of its experience.… Expand

   • Helpful? 1 of 1 users said Yes.
2. Bulldozer

   10

   An interesting and well directed story, good solid characters, a well balanced mix of humour and deepness that drive into suspense, an outstanding playability, the smoothness of controls, a superior AI, often above average graphics, the variety of scenarios, the ability to suck in the action and the best boss-fights ever seen since a long time now are just few of the reasons that makes Binary Domain one of the best shot actually on the market, it's definitely worth the fee cause it's a real gem that will let play itself several time before letting you say "ok, now I definitely want Binary Domain 2". Few little things like some voice not always "perfect" at a given time, a sporadic repetitiveness of some teammates in few circumstances, or the smallness of some non-shooting areas doesn't scratch a bit the greatness of this game. Just do yourself a favour, it's a wonderful 2PS or "TPS", as good as GoW series if not even better, don't ruin it pick watching anything on the web, if you can think you could like the gender buy it blindfold, you will not be disappointed. I can highly recommend this game, I give it an overall 9,4 (better CG on PS3 but better controls and details on 360) cause it deserves it, happy robot wrecking to everyone...and thanks to you Nagoshi for this great game.… Expand

   • Helpful? 7 of 10 users said Yes.
3. Dezuuu

   8

   A excellent third person shooter. Though it looks generic and mediocre at first glance, it has a lot of things which sets it apart from other third person shooters. The 'trust' system is a great addition to the genre, the story is brilliant and shooting robots never gets old.… Expand

   • Helpful? 0 of 0 users said Yes.
4. JDConspirator

   7

   Stripped of its unique ideas, you'd be forgiven that this is a hyper generic third person shooter. Luckily there are a few new ideas that give it extensive appeal beyond conformity. Such ideas come in the form of the Voice Recognition System. Whilst the idea is flawed (you need to sound very American to trigger the most elaborate recognition) it's a good idea to give it a slice of novelty. When giving commands, you have a quasi moral mechanic. Do you act like a fool, and constantly reply in childish and sophomoric ways? Then expect them to ignore you, though they only betray you if you keep slamming your gun into their mush and acting like a noob. The real star of the Domain though is the deformation of your bot foes. Decapitate their head and they'll instantly fire at fellow drones. Shoot out their legs, they'll scrabble over to you in an attempt to take you out. In this way it's more hectic than other shooters. Though there are great ideas at work, it's still all about progression- shooting, following objectives and orders whilst occassionally varying up the repetition with boss fights and some wild excursions. Generally a decent game with great ideas that don't quite congeal into a blockbusting blaster.… Expand

   • Helpful? 0 of 0 users said Yes.

See all 27 User Reviews