14 DAY TRIAL // Bulletstorm, contrary to popular belief, does have a story, which we discussed in our previous gamer diary, and, what's more, the story does manage to incorporate all of the gameplay mechanics, including the skillshot system or the weapons.
Bulletstorm takes place on the desolate planet of Stygia, a once beautiful resort that is now overrun by tribal gangs, mutants and Dead Echo, a team of mercenaries led by Grayson Hunt, the main character of the game.
Instead of being a regular shooter, the title developed by Polish studio People Can Fly actually adds new mechanics like the skillshot system, which tasks players with killing through imaginative ways in order to unlock experience points.
What's the explanation behind such a thing?
It's quite an interesting story. Before Dead Echo wounded up on the planet, soldiers were sent there in make-shift training missions, and the skillshot system was developed in order to gauge the performance of soldiers, actively monitoring their kills and dispensing rewards that they could exchange for better weapons and upgrades.
The plasma leash you also wield alongside your weapons was used by soldiers to interface with ammo drops, and also acts as a GPS device and even a flashlight.
Weapons feel reasonably outrageous, as besides Grayson's trusty Peacemaker Carbine, you will also wield some outlandish items, including The Screamer, a pistol that can be upgraded to shoot fireworks, the Flailgun which sends two grenades chained together into the nearest object or creature, the Bouncer Cannon, which fires exploding metal balls, and, my favorite, the Penetrator, which shoots giant drills into enemies impaling them in the ground or sending up in the sky.
You feel that these contraptions were the fruits of tribal labor, with members retooling old construction equipment in order to suit their blood lust.
This goes against People Can Fly's other big shooter, Painkiller, who had just a barebone story but compensated with the over the top action and the unique weapons that shot everything from wooden stakes to shurikens and lightning.
Explaining gameplay elements through story is a great thing when it happens and it's just another solid point in favor of Bulletstorm over other shooters.