(XBLA/PSN) Wolf of the Battlefield: Commando 3

Wolf of the Battlefield: Commando 3

Also known as:
Senjō no Ōkami

Release date:
11th June 2008





Wolf of the Battlefield: Commando 3 is a top down run and gun shooter and is the latest game in the Commando series. The first game was Commando, then came Mercs on the Megadrive then this game. I cover Mercs and Wolf of the Battlefield: Commando 3 in RetroNoobz Episode 10. That's just a heads up for those of you who prefer to listen to a review rather than read. You know who you are



You have a selection of three character who are Wolf who looks like Arnold Schwarzenegger, Coyote who looks like Sylvester Stallone and Fox who is just some random woman. Each of them have different abilities and play differently. Wolf can get the most weapon upgrades, but is lacking grenades and doesn't have too much health. Coyote has loads of health and grenades, but is slow and powerful. Finally, Fox is fast, has the most grenades, but has the lowest health.



There are a total of five stages, each with their own themes, enemies and other unique bits and pieces. Most of these are similar to Mercs and Commando so those of you familiar with those games are in for some nostalgia bukkake. The stages also have similar traps like land mines and enemies jumping out of no where which is a nice thing to keep in the series.



You have four different weapons to find and choose from. The Machine Gun (blue box) this is the fast firing default weapon and is really weak, but it has a long range. Spread Shot (green box) this acts like a shotgun and great for taking out multiple enemies at once. Flame Thrower (orange box) this is great for taking out infantry, but nothing else, personally I'd stay well away from this. Finally is the Rocket Launcher (red box), this is my weapon of chose because it deals massive damage and has quite a large explosion radius.

Your weapons are upgraded by collection the POW block which has been featured in countless Capcom games. The extent of the upgrade depends on which character you choose. Each time you die you'll drop a POW block so you need to make sure you pick it up. You'll need to do it quickly if playing online because someone else will usually steal it.



As well as having your standard weapons there are grenades and special move called M-Crash. The M-Crash was first introduced in Mercs and makes its triumphant return once again. It's a super powerful explosion attack which will destroy almost anything on screen in one go. Once activated you'll see a brief animation and the explosion will emanate from wherever you character is on screen. As well as doing massive damage it removes all projectiles. I always keep one spare so I can save my life just before I see the final hit coming towards me. It's a cheap trick I know, but I'd rather stay alive.



Every so often you'll come across mountable machine gun turrets. These shoot ridiculously fast and have a wide range on them. It's always a good idea to get on these because you can quickly and easily destroy anything that gets in your way.



As well as running and gunning you can usually find a vehicle to drive. Apart from the last level it'll be a six wheeled jeep with a machine gun on the back. Strangely the driver can shoot rockets which doesn't make much sense, but it's fun none the less. There's room for some one to get in the passenger seat so all three people can cause some massive damage.



Some levels have a part which requires you to get on a moving platform and take out enemies on the way. These are pity pointless and don't really add much to the game. The path is pre-set so there's no real skill involved apart from dodging enemy projectiles. The movements of these things usually look spazy and could have had some more work put into them.



The bosses in the game aren't all that great. Most of them have attack patterns which are so easy to see coming you might as well not even fight them. If you're like me, you'll have up all your grenades and M-Crashes and spam the boss all at once. If done right you can take off half its health before the battle begins. There's no challenge and you always feel let down after the battle.



If you haven't already guessed this game has three player online or offline co-op. However, there's a slight twist to this. You all share the same lives so working as a team is crucial. If you play with two players you get nine lives and three players get twelve. This gives to game a somewhat unique team playing element.

Final Thoughts

There are lots of hidden areas and can try and rescue all the captured prisoners. Doing this doesn't do much, but it gives you some other objectives to work towards which are optional.

If you like top down run and gun shooters you'll more than likely have a good time with this game. The game can be quite short and doesn't have much to offer when it comes to boss fights. It's great to play locally with friends or online.

I have to give this game a conditional thumbs up. If you're a fan of Mercs or Commando you'll love this. I'd recommend playing the demo if you have an Xbox 360. If the old school style gameplay isn't your thing then I'd give it a thumbs down.

Personally, I love these types of games so it's great for me. The 800 Microsoft Points/$10 may be a little too much for what you get. If the game ever drops in price it's defiantly work picking up if you're still unsure about it.

The game gives people access to the Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix beta and you can read my review here.

References

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commando_3

(Megadrive) Mercs
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLNaqkkDfRI