Following the downer known as the 70s, the 1980s were a great time for Americans as our sense of patriotism was renewed under the charm of Ronald Reagan. It was an era defined by the rivalry with the Soviet Union and a pop-culture dedicated to sticking it to the oppressive Commies.
Broforce allows gamers to go back and relive that glorious freedom-loving era on steroids.
While titles like Kung Fury and Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon pay homage to the cheesy sci-fi b-movies of the 80s, Broforce pays its respect to the action films that defined the early blockbuster era of cinema. This was an era of film defined by actions stars like Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Bruce Willis who reminded audiences that America never negotiates with bad guys.
When evil terrorists, aliens and demons threaten the peace of the world, America dispatches Broforce (an elite but underfunded special forces unit) to protect liberty by using extreme violence. Operatives like Rambro, Bro Hard or Bro Dredd are deployed to an occupied country and tasked with liberating them by killing every terrorist in sight then raising the American flag.
Its simple plot is a nod to classic films of the 80s such as Rambo: First Blood Pt. II, Commando along with Die Hard to some degree followed by Aliens in later parts.
The game features a list of playable characters based on films of the era with the word Bro added into the name. Players start as Rambro (based on Rambo) followed by Brommando (based on John Matrix from Commando) along with Bro Hard (based on John McClane) and Snake Broskin (based on Snake Plissken).
Broforce does not limit itself to pop-culture references of the 80s as action heroes from the 90s and early 2000s also join the roster of playable characters. Characters from this era include Bro in Black (based on Agent K from Men in Black) and Broheart (based on William Wallace from Braveheart).
Besides the references to one’s favorite movies, the game also has a great sense of humor thanks to its hypermasculine tone and the many times it tries to shoehorn the word “bro” into something.
The gameplay is simple; a Bro is dispatched to a country and tasked with liberating it. This is achieved by killing the terrorist in each stage and the devil boss followed by raising the American flag. Players must also rescue a Bro who has been captured by the enemy — this unlocks new playable characters while adding an extra life.
To overcome the challenges of each stage, players have to use the Bro’s special ability to their advantage. The destructive levels along with the many opportunities to set traps allow players to embrace their strategic imagination.
All of this not only makes Broforce a must-play title but it’s an example of why indie games have become so popular in the last few years. Its a reminder that all it takes to make a good game is either unique imagination along with a reminder of its cultural upbringing.
With an old school style that blends a love of the 1980s with 8-bit gaming and a sense of humor makes Broforce a unique experiences for the PlayStation 4.
Final Score: 5/5
