Binary Domain

 Xbox 360
User Score
8.1

Generally favorable reviews- based on 216 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 176 out of 216
  2. Mixed: 24 out of 216
  3. Negative: 16 out of 216
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  1. neomoonsevin
    Nov 11, 2022
    10
    I liked this game back when I purchased it on Xbox 360 then I got a Xbox one and I couldn't play it anymore than years later it came to back compatibility I was so happy for a game from back in the days this still looks awesome even by today standards great game now we need a sequel
  2. OleMannLogan
    Feb 20, 2022
    8
    Played this recently on the Xbox Series X and FPS boost does wonders for this game! Fluid combat, crazy fun story and building a trust with your team makes Binary Domain a great game to play! If you missed it two generations ago I would highly recommend to give this game a go!
  3. storygamer
    Sep 13, 2020
    8
    Binary Domain is simply great. The story is thrilling, mechanics work well, graphics and models look great and the boss fights rule! Some aspects seem a bit unpolished, but this game is real fun.
  4. beano
    Dec 8, 2014
    8
    For the first hour, I thought I was dealing with a so-so game. But that didn't last long. Just an excellent game...good story, really decent shooting action, and fantastic boss battles throughout. Also, the game stays fresh...mixes up the action a lot. Kind of a B level Mass Effect 2. But that is a high compliment, as good as ME2 is. Check it out...for the price, you can't go wrong.
  5. Puante
    Feb 19, 2014
    8
    Well lets say first that i didn't even know this game existed before Playstation decided to put it on free for Plus membership. At first i wasn't sure if i wanted to give it a shot with the low reviews and all... But if you are in the same situation in which i was: do it.
    Lets start with the bad:
    This game is not flawless, the characters are a bit too much and stereotypical, but not bad.    Well lets say first that i didn't even know this game existed before Playstation decided to put it on free for Plus membership. At first i wasn't sure if i wanted to give it a shot with the low reviews and all... But if you are in the same situation in which i was: do it.
    Lets start with the bad:
    This game is not flawless, the characters are a bit too much and stereotypical, but not bad. They are just not has interesting has characters in other series, lets say Mass Effect for example. I would say that they are between pretty good and cliched. Something else that was very frustrating for me was the music. There is almost no music in this game, the overall sound is good, but when you hear some kind of music you might like it, or not all at like me. I listen to a lot of music, but here it is like a medley of some techno rock, very Japanese kind of music, which is ok for some people, and they keep the volume very low at the same time. Which is like listening to Dragonforce at a very low volume while trying to beat a boss that send you waves of stunning rockets up your ass and THAT is an annoying experience. This bring me to the real annoying part of this game. This game can get very F***ing irritating when it wants. Some bosses are awesome to fight and to look at. They are very japoneses in the aesthetic and this time in a very good way. But some of them have some really randoms events which will kill you and make you restart the 15 minutes fights for no reason. I love hard game. I LOVE Dark Souls kind of very hard bosses that make you try on over and over and still you can overcome him. In this game when you die to a boss it wont be fun at all. Only 2 or 3 bosses are that bad. I think of a boss that keep sending freaking rockets at you and stun locks you over and over and even if i didn't die to that boss, it wasn't a good experience: i don't like to lose the control of my character for half the fight (and a 15 min one).
    Now the good:
    Firstly, the combat system, which is amazing. For a third person shooter with cover, i think its pretty much better than the one in Gears of War, even though i like this last one a lot. What make it so good is the way you fight the robots and dismember them, it make the fights very dynamics and entertaining still the last minutes, and this is pure joy. Like i said, i was not a big fan of the character development in this game even if it is not that bad, but the real charm in here come from the background of the universe which is nicely done in many ways. At first, it feels like a boring copy of Deus Ex. After 1 hour or 2 you realize that it is much much more. They did put a lot of love in the making of this world and it shows, and just for that this game worth the 10 hours of your time. There is also a very good variety of enemies and weapon. Too bad you can't change your primary weapon.
    Oh and i forgot. Do NOT buy/download this game for the multiplayer. I did try it a bit and it was mostly a frustrating experience because of d/c and a strange ganking experience which include me spawning and getting exploded by a rocket around 0.5 second after (like i said, I don't like having rockets in my face and not being able to avoid them).
    With all that said, i did like this game a lot. If you can forget the couples of irritating experiences, the bad music (for me) and the 10 hours campaign long without multiplayer, you should really try it.
    8.2/10    … Expand
  6. simtra
    Nov 28, 2013
    10
    Brilliant Shooter!!!! So many details have gone into this game that puts every other game to shame. The ability to use voice to interact with your teammates, the story line, character development, etc. are all top notch. Killing robots by disassembling them piece by piece has never been more fun and this game should have received far better reviews and more recognition than it deserves.Brilliant Shooter!!!! So many details have gone into this game that puts every other game to shame. The ability to use voice to interact with your teammates, the story line, character development, etc. are all top notch. Killing robots by disassembling them piece by piece has never been more fun and this game should have received far better reviews and more recognition than it deserves. You really have to play it to appreciate the genius of a game it really is!!!… Expand
  7. zanella_marco
    Jul 12, 2013
    8
    Ottimo sparatutto e trama intrigante con personaggi carismatici ed interessanti spunti di originalità. Binary Domain non l'ennesimo clone di Gears of War. Voto: 8,5
  8. happyslug
    Jul 10, 2013
    8
    When I started playing I wasn't overly impressed but the more I played the more I enjoyed this game.

    The graphics at first seemed just, OK but are actually pretty impressive in a non obvious way Game play is challenging at times but you always know you can achieve it it never seems impossible. The dialog is a bit cheesy and a bit repetitive but overall a fun game especially at    When I started playing I wasn't overly impressed but the more I played the more I enjoyed this game.

    The graphics at first seemed just, OK but are actually pretty impressive in a non obvious way

    Game play is challenging at times but you always know you can achieve it it never seems impossible.

    The dialog is a bit cheesy and a bit repetitive but overall a fun game especially at the price you will find it for.    … Expand
  9. RustyBoots
    Jun 29, 2013
    10
    My favourite single player game of this generation (Only beaten by San Andreas for all time). The multiplayer is not played anymore, but it was okay. It's cheap now too. Get it.
  10. DesNukem
    May 29, 2013
    8
    I am bursting with accolades for this game. As a third and first person shooter junkie of many years, this is my second all-time favourite game after Halo Anniversary. BD almost slipped under my radar due to a lacklustre advertising campaign in the West which reduced sales and pretty-much killed the chance of a sequel.

    For me, Binary Domain ticks all the right boxes: engaging story and    I am bursting with accolades for this game. As a third and first person shooter junkie of many years, this is my second all-time favourite game after Halo Anniversary. BD almost slipped under my radar due to a lacklustre advertising campaign in the West which reduced sales and pretty-much killed the chance of a sequel.

    For me, Binary Domain ticks all the right boxes: engaging story and characters, smooth gameplay, crisp graphics, attention to detail, powerful weapons, interesting enemy AI and great music. Some have criticised the story and characters for being stereotypical and cliché-ridden. Although these elements might seem generic on the surface, there is a surprising amount of emotional depth attached to them and even a generic story can be enjoyable if it is intelligent, stylish and well-written, which this is. Personally, I think the writers and developers deserve multiple awards the game just stands that far above its shallow Western counterparts such as the Gears of War franchise.

    The only real flaws are the ineffective voice recognition (which can easily be bypassed), the dead multiplayer and the meagre Invasion/Horde mode that is too difficult to play solo. Despite these aspects, I have no hesitation in recommending Binary Domain to all shooter fans.    … Expand
  11. jayakers
    Apr 16, 2013
    8
    *1 SP run completed (~9 hours) & MP played (1 hour)

    I thoroughly enjoyed Binary Domain. Personally, I felt that the story is adequate but no, it's not going to win any awards. The twist is foreshadowed and while it's not blatantly obvious, is not overly difficult to figure out. SEGA also published Vanquish (by Platinum Games), which I thoroughly enjoyed. Again, the story in Vanquish    *1 SP run completed (~9 hours) & MP played (1 hour)

    I thoroughly enjoyed Binary Domain. Personally, I felt that the story is adequate but no, it's not going to win any awards. The twist is foreshadowed and while it's not blatantly obvious, is not overly difficult to figure out. SEGA also published Vanquish (by Platinum Games), which I thoroughly enjoyed. Again, the story in Vanquish isn't the greatest but the gameplay was stellar and I believe SEGA learned from this for BD (both are 3rd person shooters) as navigating through the levels, environments and varying challenges is fun, kept me interested and wanting to find out what comes next.

    The one thing I did enjoy and admittedly haven't investigated thoroughly is squad selection and the gameplay options that arise from them. Choosing characters A and B, at certain points in the game, allows for some things to differ than if you chose characters C and D to accompany you. That capability and overall narrative option via gameplay was pleasant and refreshing and made me want to explore the game further.

    As you are the primary force in your squad, there were times when the ability to level up others in your party seemed irrelevant. As long as your gun(s), health, defense and so on were upgraded... you could take on anybody. Something I liked was that I wasn't given a million rocket launchers for each boss and the difficulty spikes are annoyingly challenging but certainly possible.

    The game isn't left on a cliffhanger but a BD2 isn't out of the realm of possibility either.

    All in all, fun game that does some innovative things. Challenging and worth playing. 8/10.    … Expand
  12. Caste
    Mar 14, 2013
    9
    The game is actually quite good in every feature. Animations are specially polished and the feeling during the shootouts is great.
    Maybe the voice commands are a little inaccurate but you can calibrate them as you please. This feature is a nice touch for third person shooters, for sure.
    I'm really enjoying this game and you will probably like it too.
  13. Sakai
    Jan 21, 2013
    9
    The press does not do justice to this game. This is it a real GOOD third person shooter. It has nothing to envy to Gears of Wars or Vanquish, in plot is better than both. It has things that I liked a lot like the characters, and fun gameplay it offers. It can be purchased at a great price, I would not think twice.
  14. partyintheback
    Jan 6, 2013
    10
    Brilliant game! Do not miss it! The gameplay is buttery smooth, making it very satisfying to blast apart robots. The characters are in-depth, interesting and likable. The graphics and art direction are superbly. The boss battles are huge and impressive, making them very satisfying to take out. But most of all, the story in Binary Domain is top notch. This game will keep you interested fromBrilliant game! Do not miss it! The gameplay is buttery smooth, making it very satisfying to blast apart robots. The characters are in-depth, interesting and likable. The graphics and art direction are superbly. The boss battles are huge and impressive, making them very satisfying to take out. But most of all, the story in Binary Domain is top notch. This game will keep you interested from start to finish.… Expand
  15. BearzYo
    Dec 22, 2012
    10
    Sad story of a brilliant game just not getting good enough advertisement.

    Try it now you've finally heard of it, if you like cover shooters, you'll love it.
  16. Rice303
    Dec 21, 2012
    8
    A unknown gem, I bought this game for $20 in a bargain bin and boy did I get more then what I paid for, the game basically combines Vanquish, Final Fantasy and Gears Of War together, giving a great RPG like TPS with command elements, the major reason that game succeeds so much thought is mainly in the story, which has a few different paths to go down and is made more emotional then manyA unknown gem, I bought this game for $20 in a bargain bin and boy did I get more then what I paid for, the game basically combines Vanquish, Final Fantasy and Gears Of War together, giving a great RPG like TPS with command elements, the major reason that game succeeds so much thought is mainly in the story, which has a few different paths to go down and is made more emotional then many other shooters which have become quite mindless in the past few years, the games voice controls may not work properly but it's rare that a shooter try's to get the player to care for the characters and therefore makes a good attempt at something different the only other major problems with the game is that it becomes quite monotonous after a few hours play time, but despite it, there's not much holding it back as one of the best games no one played this year… Expand
  17. Passmeabeer
    Sep 5, 2012
    9
    Ok I'm going to be honest I bought his game recently for a steal of a price and it was worth it!! This is the game terminator salvation should have been! You feel the damage of every bullet! It neve gets old as you destroy countless robots! It plays just like gears of war and visually it is awesome! It's was a complete surprise to me! If you enjoyed deus ex and love the movie blade runnerOk I'm going to be honest I bought his game recently for a steal of a price and it was worth it!! This is the game terminator salvation should have been! You feel the damage of every bullet! It neve gets old as you destroy countless robots! It plays just like gears of war and visually it is awesome! It's was a complete surprise to me! If you enjoyed deus ex and love the movie blade runner I would recommend to pick this up! The storyline at times is silly as well as the charecters trademark catchphrases. However it just added to the pure fun of the game! I like my games simple I just want to put it in and shoot everything that moves just like the good old days! And this delivers! With epic
    Boss battles which you unload your entire arsenal into a robot that is HUGE!! It never gets old! The downside however is the lack of customisation it is very limited! And the acting is a bit underpowered at times. Another thing is due to my accent the voice recognition did not pick me up everything was frustrating! However as previous reviewers have said the cross and homage to terninator an Irobot are their and if u live those two things you shall not be disappointed!! Absolute steal and a surprise of a game which has sadly been overshadowed by "bigger" releases. This is a classic and all I can say is PLEASE SEGA DO ANOTHER!!! Honestly so far in 2012 this has been the standout game for me! And yes i have played mass effect 3!    … Expand
  18. osprey
    Jun 18, 2012
    9
    This is one of my all time favourite games. The mechanics are awesome, the voice acting and the writing are fantastic and the fun factor is constant throughout multiple plays. It is a shame that more people aren't playing this game as the developers have done everything right with it. Any flaws it has are minor, one being that we don't need a character explaining what we already see , aThis is one of my all time favourite games. The mechanics are awesome, the voice acting and the writing are fantastic and the fun factor is constant throughout multiple plays. It is a shame that more people aren't playing this game as the developers have done everything right with it. Any flaws it has are minor, one being that we don't need a character explaining what we already see , a fault that many games suffer from, give us credit for seeing what you have put before us. Buy this game, you will love it.… Expand
  19. UsagiYojimbo
    Jun 2, 2012
    9
    This game was the biggest surprise for me. I wasn't waiting for it, skipped the trailers and haven't played the demo. First hour is kinda dull but then Binary Domain starts to shine with interesting story, fluid gameplay mechanics, likeable characters and boss fights (masterpiece!). It's decent game so well executed that it provides more fun than most of latest AAA's. It's polished and itThis game was the biggest surprise for me. I wasn't waiting for it, skipped the trailers and haven't played the demo. First hour is kinda dull but then Binary Domain starts to shine with interesting story, fluid gameplay mechanics, likeable characters and boss fights (masterpiece!). It's decent game so well executed that it provides more fun than most of latest AAA's. It's polished and it doesn't cut corners with QTE's or cutscenes instead of gameplay. You will do much more than shoot and cover here.… Expand
  20. ZenXianDi
    May 12, 2012
    8
    Binnnaaary Dooommain,A very fun and refreshing game with a either wtf or brilliant storyline and over dramatic cutsences which actually makes me feel attached to my squadmembers.gameplay and graphic are decent,voice acting and some other minor elements can be refined. A 8.5
  21. VermillionHaze
    May 9, 2012
    8
    Recently picked this up after Syndicate ended up being a bust. It's a "Gears of War" style game with a "I-Robot meets Bladerunner" plotline. While not original it is a breath of fresh air compared to most new shooters. 10+ hours campaign and a mediocre yet playable multiplayer. You can use voice commands to talk to your squad in the campaign which is great. It has some RPG elements when itRecently picked this up after Syndicate ended up being a bust. It's a "Gears of War" style game with a "I-Robot meets Bladerunner" plotline. While not original it is a breath of fresh air compared to most new shooters. 10+ hours campaign and a mediocre yet playable multiplayer. You can use voice commands to talk to your squad in the campaign which is great. It has some RPG elements when it comes to your team's abilities and morale as well. Big surprise of 2012 so far.… Expand
  22. ShootTheZombie
    May 9, 2012
    8
    One of the most underrated games of 2012. Amazing story, interesting characters, and the combat mechanics work well. I just wish this game got more coverage, instead of being released without any trailers or TV ads. Hopefully people will start to pick this up, once they realsize that they are missing out on a very impressive game.
  23. JPoppaWUSC
    Apr 16, 2012
    9
    Binary Domain is an interesting beast. Whereas Yakuza: Dead Souls was still uniquely Japanese in flavor and has endured some criticism of its TPS mechanics as a result, Binary Domain is a Western-style shooter with some added elements that its Japanese developers must have thought would enhance the typical TPS experience. The result is surprisingly effective and enjoyable.

    Yas, if    Binary Domain is an interesting beast. Whereas Yakuza: Dead Souls was still uniquely Japanese in flavor and has endured some criticism of its TPS mechanics as a result, Binary Domain is a Western-style shooter with some added elements that its Japanese developers must have thought would enhance the typical TPS experience. The result is surprisingly effective and enjoyable.

    Yas, if your team is the one who localized Binary Domain, I need to give you some serious commendations. The script, the voicework, and the crisp presentation are all high-caliber. The same love and care that obviously went into the localization for Yakuza 4 and Dead Souls are here, but the addition of a great English dub makes it even more impressive (not that I would EVER want the Yakuza games to be voiced in English again, mind you).

    That being said, Binary Domain is still quite different than its Yakuza brethren. It's a lot more linear, and the gimmicky voice command and relationship systems don't work that well most times. The multiplayer is also pretty mediocre, but the single-player campaign is far more enjoyable than any standard Western shooter that I've played in the last few years. The constant banter between teammates, the well-conceived story, the atmospheric locales, the variety of gameplay, the brilliant mechanical designs, and the satisfaction of blowing pieces off of the enemy bots all combine for some compelling gameplay and replay value. The enemies are fairly intelligent and can be quite difficult to take down, which contributes to a sense of real achievement. Menus and interface components are streamlined and user-friendly, and the auto-save/checkpoint system is about as perfect as you could ever hope to have. You never need to worry about losing progress or screwing up a save file, career profiles, hard saves vs. quicksaves, or any of the other aggravations that seem to pop up in Western shooter campaigns.

    Also, the plethora of upgrades, crafting options, item pickups, and shop offerings still feel like they benefited from Yakuza's pedigree. And like Yakuza, you actually start to understand and genuinely care about the characters, even if they do seem painfully stereotypical and forgettable in the first couple hours. I love the way that minor puzzles, mini-games, and QTE-esque rail sequences keep the shooter combat from feeling repetitive, and the quality cutscenes are lengthy but don't overstay their welcome. Players can also approach objectives in a variety of ways. NPC squad members might suggest an action to take down the enemy, but you are still welcome to do it your own way, to which they will sometimes reply "nevermind" in a comical way. The script is perfectly balanced, too, throwing in some clever humor amidst the intense drama of the narrative. It tackles some difficult existential material at times, so the occasional comic relief is certainly appreciated.

    If there is one thing that I could say is a missed opportunity, though, it's the linear structure of the game. While shooters normally ARE linear and it may not bother a majority of players, I feel like Binary Domain would have been a more stand-out title if it had allowed you to approach mission content and objectives in a more free-roaming fashion. I didn't expect the game to be a Mass Effect contender or anything, but if you were able to set up a base camp as you moved through Tokyo and handle secondary objectives freely before moving to the next hot spot, perhaps even selecting your teammates to supplement your abilities in each scenario, it probably would have made better use of the relationship system and customization that the game touts. Still, this is just wishful thinking, and perhaps the devs will consider that if Binary Domain 2 ever becomes a possibility. Otherwise, the major gripes that you will hear in reviews for this game are focused on the lack of multiplayer options. Sure, the mainstays are present, though not original or revolutionary by any stretch, and there is no campaign co-op. And that's a shame, since it could've garnered Binary Domain some much-deserved attention from critics and players alike.

    The bottom line is this - Binary Domain is, surprisingly, one of the best third-person shooters we've received in the seventh generation, if only for its meaty single-player campaign. Unfortunately, the game wasn't marketed very well for its American release, and many gamers may overlook it assuming that it's just a generic throw-away title. In actuality, even the best Western TPS franchises could learn from Binary Domain's stellar presentation and localized script. I would encourage ever Yakuza fan, shooter fan, or general action gamer to give Binary Domain a shot, and you may be pleasantly surprised by the quality of its experience.    … Expand
  24. Over_World
    Apr 15, 2012
    9
    Binary Domain is a great game. I was totally surprised by how much I enjoyed it. For those of you who don't know much about it, BD is a third person shooter with some lite rpg elements thrown in and is drawn together by a well told and interesting story. The game is set in Japan and you play the entirety of it as one character in an extended team of specialists who form what is called aBinary Domain is a great game. I was totally surprised by how much I enjoyed it. For those of you who don't know much about it, BD is a third person shooter with some lite rpg elements thrown in and is drawn together by a well told and interesting story. The game is set in Japan and you play the entirety of it as one character in an extended team of specialists who form what is called a 'rust crew'. As things progress you get to choose 2 characters of the rust crew to join you during your missions however the story makes it clear that the other characters on the roster are not inactive but are fighting the battle simultaneously undertaking their own specific missions. This gives the feeling that you really are a team tackling the bigger objective together and there are numerous times when all characters meet up at set points providing the option to change up your team. Changing up your team gives the opportunity to delve into the rpg aspects of the game which encourages interaction with the different members of the rust crew with the intention to help you either build up confidence and respect with team mates or diminish it. I loved this. If you max out confidence and respect with certain team mates it can lead to variations in terms of how the story develops in relation to your characters' relationships with the other members of the crew. But, I got the feeling that any rpg developments were always secondary to the direction of the main story and don't hold any real ability to deliver a different ending to the one programmed in. This is not Mass Effect. Still, the rpg elements add a nice touch that lead to a deeper and enjoyable sense of immersion with the unfolding story and are carried out subtly and satisfyingly enough to make it a good inclusion in an otherwise straight up shooter. As a quick aside, it would have been great if you could embark upon multiple play throughs as each member of the rust crew and explore different possible story developments nuanced to each character even if the ending is set in stone. The enemy ai include a good variety of rank and file types to mash up with some specialist classes mixed in and each enemy robot class has it's own distinct look. Let's make no mistake here, Binary Domain is an action title first and foremost so it is it is imperative that the action is decent and let me tell you, the fire fights are bloody fantastic! You will have to use cover appropriately and the cover mechanic works great. Though the arsenal of available weapons isn't extensive they still cover all the typical bases for a modern shooter including assault rifles, sniper rifles, pistols, smgs, shotties and LMG's.You can also spend points earned by destroying hostile robots to upgrade your main weapon and its unique special ability called the Bosonic Charge at vending terminals. Here you can also upgrade your own characters' augmented skills and those of your team mates and each of their primary weapons if you want to. I have to say the boss battles are excellent and there are plenty of them with very little repetition. In fact Binary Domain is not a short game, you get a good solo campaign for your coins and you can adjust the difficulty to bring further challenge especially if you want to play the whole thing co op with a mate. This all adds up to make the action in Binary Domain a highly positive achievement. Add in good lite role playing, fantastic boss battles, an engaging story and fun team mates to fight alongside and for me, BD is a surprising stand out in the third person shooter genre.I highly recommend it.… Expand
  25. kungfudickbag
    Apr 2, 2012
    8
    I really enjoyed this game it was long enough for me to get my moneys worth and had a very good storyline and some very enjoyable characters, the best being a French robot. But it feels like there are some loose ends and the ending comes off as too preachy at points, like the whole point of the game is to say racism is bad. I understand that is a theme but seriously? Good twists make upI really enjoyed this game it was long enough for me to get my moneys worth and had a very good storyline and some very enjoyable characters, the best being a French robot. But it feels like there are some loose ends and the ending comes off as too preachy at points, like the whole point of the game is to say racism is bad. I understand that is a theme but seriously? Good twists make up for it though all in all it's worth it.… Expand
  26. PROmasterTech
    Apr 1, 2012
    10
    Well done Saga! This is what video gaming is all about. Polished levels, great weapons, fabulous character handling and just non-stop action.
    Only flaw: repeated dialog from team characters. This and Vanguish is great fun for any trigger happy gamer that fed-up with the same old game sequels.
    Hope Binary Domain finds a sequel. Ps: From my gaming experience, SAGA is vast moving towards a    Well done Saga! This is what video gaming is all about. Polished levels, great weapons, fabulous character handling and just non-stop action.
    Only flaw: repeated dialog from team characters. This and Vanguish is great fun for any trigger happy gamer that fed-up with the same old game sequels.
    Hope Binary Domain finds a sequel. Ps: From my gaming experience, SAGA is vast moving towards a game developer that was ok, towards a Creating House for real gamers.    … Expand
  27. Devilseed
    Mar 28, 2012
    8
    Wow. this game is so overlooked. In my opinion this game is way better then alot of games out right now. Its fun, has replay value, looks clean and crisp, plays well, and has a fun story. I wish more people bought the game so that i could enjoy the multiplayer.
  28. LadyDumrotten
    Mar 23, 2012
    10
    Wow. Biggest surprise of 2012. Like Vanquish before it, Binary Domain has turned out to be another excellent, stylishly executed third-person shooter from Japan. Unlike Vanquish, however, Binary Domain actually tells a somewhat interesting story and although I didn't like the characters at first, they really grew on me and I came to find their banter oddly charming in a sillyWow. Biggest surprise of 2012. Like Vanquish before it, Binary Domain has turned out to be another excellent, stylishly executed third-person shooter from Japan. Unlike Vanquish, however, Binary Domain actually tells a somewhat interesting story and although I didn't like the characters at first, they really grew on me and I came to find their banter oddly charming in a silly action-movie kind of way. Unusual for a Japanese game in this day and age. The game looks and sounds amazing and the colorful, clean environments are about as far from a Gears of War style aesthetic as you can get which gives this game its own unique look that sets it apart even from the similarly stylized Vanquish. The game plays like a dream and the campaign is superbly paced. An absolute must-play for shooter fans looking for something a little different and anyone who still wishes there were Japanese games worth caring about. This is one of those.… Expand
  29. StarlessBB
    Mar 20, 2012
    10
    Just going to open up my review - This is the best cover-based shooter I have ever played. The amount of polish in the shooting is unbelievable, and the enemies are all extremely satisfying to fight.
    And unlike most generic MANLY SPACE MARINE fare from the genre, this game delivers an unparalleled story with fantastic writing and great characters. Not a single weak member in the cast. Now    Just going to open up my review - This is the best cover-based shooter I have ever played. The amount of polish in the shooting is unbelievable, and the enemies are all extremely satisfying to fight.
    And unlike most generic MANLY SPACE MARINE fare from the genre, this game delivers an unparalleled story with fantastic writing and great characters. Not a single weak member in the cast. Now down to brass tacks. The game runs at a fantastic framerate and looks nice all around. Seeing plating peel off of enemies is fantastic. And speaking of the enemies, oh my god are they awesome. Unlike other Sega robot shooter Vanquish, this game's robots are fun to fight. Blow their arm off? They run out of cover to go pick up their gun. Blow their legs off? They crawl toward you. Blow their head off (and this has a fantastic little sound that plays every time)? They start targeting their allies. It's unbelievably satisfying in nearly every encounter, it refused to get old for me. Speaking of never getting old, they throw A LOT of variety at you in this game. What really sets this game apart aside from the level of polish is the squadmate interactivity. This is fantastic, and to my surprise when I played the demo the game uses voice controls. And WOW, voice controls have come a looooooong way since Lifeline on the PS2. They mostly work well, but some words REFUSE to register (I'm looking at you F-word)
    And unlike most other cover-based shooters, this game will throw boss battles at you by the boatload (nearly the entire last 2 or 3 hours are boss battles). Some of these are annoying, but some of them are absolutely amazing and fun all the way through. The game itself clocks in at around 10 hours, not bad for a modern game, especially one this good.
    The sound design is great. As I mentioned before, the DING when you pop a robot's head is so pleasant, the voice acting is all great featuring big name anime actors like Travis Willingham and Laura Bailey, and the music at some parts is really good. Most of the tracks just blend in with the background though.
    And now for the bad news - the multiplayer in this game is terrible. Netcode is some of the worst I've seen since I tried to play Spear Pillar on Smash Bros. Luckily, the multiplayer isn't worth playing anyways and the single player campaign was clearly the entire focus of the game.
    So all in all, best shooter I've played in years, BUY IT, BUY IT AND PLAY IT. You won't regret it.    … Expand
  30. ExMassEffectFan
    Mar 15, 2012
    9
    Superb game! While Binary Domain could perhaps be called somewhat derivative, the game overall is so satisfying and fun to play that any of those complaints are long forgotten. It's quite sad that Binary Domain has been overlooked, as it's a real unsung gem of a game. The game itself is a mixture of Terminator, Gears of War and Mass Effect. The sci-fi story is surprisingly deep, askingSuperb game! While Binary Domain could perhaps be called somewhat derivative, the game overall is so satisfying and fun to play that any of those complaints are long forgotten. It's quite sad that Binary Domain has been overlooked, as it's a real unsung gem of a game. The game itself is a mixture of Terminator, Gears of War and Mass Effect. The sci-fi story is surprisingly deep, asking hard questions about what it is to be human or robot. The squad of soldiers seem initially stereotypical, but they very quickly start to develop personalities of their own, and the dialogue system encourages you to frequently communicate with your squad mates to raise their loyalty to you. The loyalty system is very important to the game and can have huge repercussions in the games ending(s).

    The gameplay is very satisfying, blasting wave after wave of robots. The limbs of the androids can be shot off, which often results in robots hopping on one leg or dragging themselves along the floor to get at you. The AI is pretty good too, which makes ordering your squad mates around an important tactic. Grab this game while you can, it's probably going to be in the bargain bins at this point, but I foresee a time when it's a pricey item on eBay. Great work, Sega!    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

94
#94 Best Xbox 360 Game of 2012
38
#38 Most Discussed Xbox 360 Game of 2012

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
74

Mixed or average reviews - based on 43 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 27 out of 43
  2. Mixed: 16 out of 43
  3. Negative: 0 out of 43
  1. Gamer.nl
    May 19, 2012
    65
    Binary Domain wants to be more than a generic shooter, but unfortunately drops the ball with the unique gameplay elements. What remains is an entertaining, reasonably interesting and good looking shooter that could've scored better with an extra layer of technical polish.
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  2. IncGamers
    May 6, 2012
    80
    It's a fun, frivolous sci-fi narrative with just enough strength of writing to provide some memorable moments of dialogue; satisfying combat and set-pieces; and a competent grasp of pacing. After some bad experiences with the genre, Binary Domain has convinced me that there's still some value in cover shooters.
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  3. Pelit (Finland)
    Apr 17, 2012
    78
    A Japanese adaptation of the Gears of War franchise with voice commands. Besides the mechanical novelty, which would have been better executed with buttons, the game is just another regular shooter with some interesting boss fights. [Apr 2012]
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