Бионикл: Видеоигра 2003 года

2003 video game

Bionicle (also known as Bionicle: The Game) is a 2003 platform video game developed by Argonaut Games and published by Electronic Arts and Lego Interactive for GameCube, PlayStation 2, Xbox, and Microsoft Windows. A port was released for Mac OS X, and a version was also developed for the Game Boy Advance. In the home console version, the player controls the Toa, elementally powered warriors, as they traverse through levels; some levels are 3D platformers, while others utilize mechanics like snowboarding or lava surfing. The game's story, which takes creative liberties with the official Bionicle story, follows the Toa as they defend the island of Mata Nui from the return of the evil Makuta and his minions. Bionicle received mixed to negative reviews from critics, who disliked its short length and camera angles. Some gameplay elements, like the elemental absorption mechanic, were viewed more favorably. Bionicle sold poorly upon its release, resulting in Argonaut not receiving any licensing royalties; the company would dissolve in August 2006. A tech demo for a sequel, tentatively titled Bionicle: City of Legends, was leaked online in 2012.

Bionicle is a 3D platform game. Elemental energy depletes after each use. In order to replenish their supply, the player can shield and absorb attacks from enemies or draw in energy directly from the environment. When drawing from the environment, the player is vulnerable to attack. Each village is protected by a Toa, a warrior with elemental powers. According to Bionicle story team member Greg Farshtey, the game took creative liberties with the official Bionicle story, although some aspects, like the Kanohi of elemental energy, were later adopted into the official lore. All six Toa are playable in the game – some as normal Toa, and others as upgraded Toa Nuva – as well as the new seventh Toa, Takanuva, the Toa of light. culminating with a battle between Takanuva and Makuta. The Game Boy Advance version of Bionicle, an isometric platformer, adopts a different gameplay structure. In an interview with Bionicle fan site BZPower, the game developers noted it told the same story and offered a greater variety of playable characters but lacked the variety of the other versions. along with Takanuva.

In an interview with Bionicle fan site BZPower, the game's producers said that development on the home console version of Bionicle began in October 2001. Argonaut Games and Electronic Arts were brought onboard in late 2001 and early 2002, respectively. and the first screenshots were shown that June. For the console and computer versions of the game, the developers could not get access to the voice actors for Bionicle: Mask of Light, they instead chose "sound alike" actors for the game's cutscenes. The game was officially announced in March 2003. A total of 13 playable Toa (all six Toa and Toa Nuva, as well as Takanuva) were said to be available. According to Brad Shoemaker of GameSpot, players would help the Toa "evolve" into the Toa Nuva and discover the "seventh and final Toa". The game was previewed at E3 2003; early trailers, including the E3 trailer, showcased a level featuring Lewa – one of the Toa – that was ultimately absent from the game. Bionicle was showcased that July at EA's "Camp EA" event; IGN praised this version's gameplay as "fast and furious" and said that "the level of detail and care put into Bionicle was really surprising, and it gives the impression that LEGO Interactive is committed to delivering a quality kid friendly title". They also noted that each level required collecting a certain number of lightstones to complete and cited the game as being an "eight to ten hour adventure". The Game Boy Advance version of Bionicle was released on September 9, 2003. The home console version of Bionicle was released in the following month on October 20. A PC version was released on October 28, featuring additional lighting effects the console versions did not have. In Europe, the PlayStation 2, Xbox, as well as the GameCube and PC versions were released on October 10, October 17, and October 31, respectively. A version for Mac OS X, ported by Zonic and published by Feral Interactive, was released via Feral Interactive's online store on January 22, 2005. In 2009, Feral included Bionicle's OS X port in its Family Fun Pack 3 collection.

According to review aggregator Metacritic, the PC and PS2 versions of Bionicle received "mixed to average" reviews from critics Brett Todd of GameSpot said that "all the wonder of the Bionicle universe has been bled dry by a vapid design and an atrocious camera system" and questioned whether even kids could remain engaged throughout the game's short length; he noted the game could be completed in less time than it takes to watch Bionicle: Mask of Light. PC Gamer likewise criticized camera angles "which shift at inopportune times" and the game's controls, calling it "a terribly frustrating experience". Nintendo Power praised variety of playable characters in the Game Boy Advance version as "a welcome addition to the genre" but stated there was "little else" upon which to recommend the game. Byron Wilkinson of Cube claimed that readers would "have more fun buying a bucket of Lego and building a toilet" than they would playing Bionicle and called it a "sad" indictment of the video game industry's treatment of licensed properties. Some critics viewed Bionicle more favorably. Adam Biessener of Game Informer called it "quite solid" and said it lacked any "glaring problems". However, he felt it was too generic to be a "competitive effort" and would be safe to skip for anyone other than "kids with an affection for Legos that borders on obsession". MacAddict called the OS X version "impressive" and "enjoyable—if not engrossing—from beginning to end", praising the game's graphics, sound, map design, and game modes, as well as criticizing the storyline as "enjoyable" but cliché, the camera as "adequate but not intuitive", and the default control setup as "awkward".

Bionicle (along with Argonaut's other Christmas titles SWAT: Global Strike Team and I Ninja) reportedly sold poorly and failed to generate any licensing royalties for the studio. The company was placed into administration in October 2004, and all of its employees were laid off one month later. Argonaut Games was officially dissolved on August 12, 2006. Footage of a tech demo for a planned sequel to Bionicle, titled Bionicle: City of Legends, was later leaked online and builds of the demo purported to date from December 2003 to January 2004 were later leaked to the BioMediaProject, a fan website that preserves Bionicle related content.