Spyborgs
Encyclopedia
Spyborgs is a beat 'em up
video game for the Wii
developed by Bionic Games and published by Capcom
. It was released in North America on September 22, 2009.
Spyborgs sees players controlling a member of a team of cyborg
secret agents, each with their own unique abilities, through several levels populated by enemies. The game is designed to be played co-operatively with two players, though the AI will take control of the other character in single player games. Players can also gain experience points to upgrade their character's abilities.
For each level, players can choose two out of the three Spyborgs, which include:
Played using the Wii Remote
, motion controls initiate special attacks while the two characters can team up their attacks for additional damage. Alternatively, players can also choose to play with the buttons on the Wii Remote instead.
awarded the game a 7.5 out of 10, praised the game for its high quality graphics and large amount of polish. Despite this, IGN criticised the title for its punishing difficulty and lack of innovation. 3xGamer issued a poor rating of 2 out 5 stars due to it being a "an experience that has been done before". Eurogamer
issued a nominal rating of 5 out of 10, criticising the game for being generic.
Beat 'em up
Beat 'em up is a video game genre featuring melee combat between the protagonist and a large number of underpowered antagonists. These games typically take place in urban settings and feature crime-fighting and revenge-based plots, though some games may employ historical or fantasy themes...
video game for the Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
developed by Bionic Games and published by Capcom
Capcom
is a Japanese developer and publisher of video games, known for creating multi-million-selling franchises such as Devil May Cry, Chaos Legion, Street Fighter, Mega Man and Resident Evil. Capcom developed and published Bionic Commando, Lost Planet and Dark Void too, but they are less known. Its...
. It was released in North America on September 22, 2009.
Gameplay
Cyborg
A cyborg is a being with both biological and artificial parts. The term was coined in 1960 when Manfred Clynes and Nathan S. Kline used it in an article about the advantages of self-regulating human-machine systems in outer space. D. S...
secret agents, each with their own unique abilities, through several levels populated by enemies. The game is designed to be played co-operatively with two players, though the AI will take control of the other character in single player games. Players can also gain experience points to upgrade their character's abilities.
For each level, players can choose two out of the three Spyborgs, which include:
- Clandestine, formerly known as Kuno IchiKunoichiis the term for a female ninja or practitioner of ninjutsu .-Etymology:The term is thought to derive from the names of characters that resemble the three strokes in the kanji character for ; said in the order they are written: ku - no - ichi...
, a quick and nimble female ninjaNinjaA or was a covert agent or mercenary of feudal Japan specializing in unorthodox arts of war. The functions of the ninja included espionage, sabotage, infiltration, and assassination, as well as open combat in certain situations... - Bouncer, a lumbering but powerful robot
- Stinger, a soldier with a cybernetic gun arm.
Played using the Wii Remote
Wii Remote
The , also known as the Wiimote, is the primary controller for Nintendo's Wii console. A main feature of the Wii Remote is its motion sensing capability, which allows the user to interact with and manipulate items on screen via gesture recognition and pointing through the use of accelerometer and...
, motion controls initiate special attacks while the two characters can team up their attacks for additional damage. Alternatively, players can also choose to play with the buttons on the Wii Remote instead.
Development
Initially announced in early 2008 at Capcom's Captivate event, Spyborgs underwent a major redesign after a lukewarm reception from the gaming press. Changes include a shift from bright cartoony graphics reminiscent of Saturday morning cartoon shows, to a grittier and more realistic visual look, as well as the removal of minigames which served as parodies of children's toy commercials. The current game also shifted focus from an action-oriented game with superpower-based puzzle elements to a brawler.Reception
Spyborgs has achieved mixed reviews among critics. IGNIGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
awarded the game a 7.5 out of 10, praised the game for its high quality graphics and large amount of polish. Despite this, IGN criticised the title for its punishing difficulty and lack of innovation. 3xGamer issued a poor rating of 2 out 5 stars due to it being a "an experience that has been done before". Eurogamer
Eurogamer
Eurogamer is a Brighton-based website focused on video games news, reviews, previews and interviews. It is operated by Eurogamer Network Ltd., which was formed in 1999 by brothers Rupert and Nick Loman. Eurogamer has grown to become one of the most important European-based websites focused on...
issued a nominal rating of 5 out of 10, criticising the game for being generic.