Bomberman Party (PSOne)
There's not really much to be said about this game except that it's Bomberman; what makes this game different from the rest, though, is that Bomberman Party Edition is Bomberman done right. This Bomberman is one the most fun update in years, and it has gameplay that traverses the plane of Nintendo 64 Bomberman mediocrity, into the land of pure Bomberman Zen. Most of the clutter and derision from the N64 games has been taken out, leaving us with nothing but party Bomberman nirvana (and a bit of single player nonsense, but that doesn't detract from the experience). Bomberman Party Edition is just as addictive as heroin, but without the morally and socially unacceptable side affects.
Developer Hudson Soft has gone back to its roots with Bomberman Party Edition. This game was meant to be a party staple, and Vatical has been the first publisher in a long time to do it right. Bomberman is a simple game with a simple premise, but because it's so simple, its easy to screw up -- and it has happened before.
The last few Bombermen on N64 suffered from an ill-conceived isometric view, but included interesting and fun single player experiences. Single player does make a good B-Man game, so this probably did not appease purists who craved and deserved the real thing. Now Hudson Soft returns to the classic top down perspective and is better for it. Bomberman is a timeless classic in any form, but Bomberman Party Edition is the only one out now it with any semblance of the frenzied action that it should contain.
BPE is complete with both the God awful one player mode, and the frenzied party mode. The single player mode, a part of the game you should stay away from at any cost, is modeled after the old Nintendo version of the game. Warning: do not play this mode for more than a 30 minutes or your head will cave in from sheer boredom. The real meat and potatoes of the game is the multiplayer where up to five players can duke it out in an all out battle for supremacy.
Priced for the budget minded consumer, Bomberman Party Edition should only run you 19.99; there is no reason not to get it if you don't already own a Bomberman game.
The Bottom Line: Stay away from the N64 Bombermen, go for Bomberman Party. It is one of the best Party games on the Playstation.
SOUND: 7/10
- Cute sound effects and music that you would probably hear on a Japanese cartoon for children.
GRAPHICS: 9/10
- A bit cluttered, but on the whole, great rendered graphics and backgrounds bring the game alive.
CONTROL: 10/10
- Nothing to gripe about at all.
REPLAY VALUE: 10/10
- Arguably the most reply value you'll get from a game you can play with your friends on the PSOne.
FUN: 8.5/10
- This Bomberman is one the most fun update in years
OVERALL: 8.9/10
