What you think is better, BIONICLE the Game, or BIONICLE Heroes and how do two compare against other?
I personaly prefer BIONICLE the Game, but concede that some things are better about BIONICLE Heroes. To avoid typing BIONICLE over and over, I decided to omit the word from titles of games starting at this point. I describe both games in detail, including spoilers. To be clear, this is about the PC versions of both games.
To overview structure of the games, the Game has level select, where you unlock a level by beating previous one. There were supposed to be thirteen levels, but five of these were unfortunately cut. Visualy, it is quite cool, using Kini Nui as setting.
In Heroes, you have a hubworld. The game is divided into six themed worlds with branching progression, each having a level select with linear progression. Visualy, it is also quite cool, each world being hidden behind a Piraka head. I certainly appreciate uncut length and branching progression, so in this aspect, I favor Heroes.
The Game has the better gameplay of the two. It consists of mix of platforming, and combat. Platforming makes traveling the Game’s worlds interesting. You can jump and double jump. Sometimes, platforming is made more difficult.
In Tahu’s level, there are two sections with moving platforms, the second harder and involving fight against a giant Nui-Jaga.
In Onua Nuva’s level there is section where you jump over minecarts, sinking platforms, and section where you have to get through Kane-Ra that periodicaly ram into the wall. You also push blocks.
In Lewa Nuva’s level, you can fly, there are vines to swing on, you have to time your double jump, you jump on floating bubbles, ride a Gukko, and the boss is partly based around platforming.
Second half of “Takua Nuva’s” level is mainly platforming based, and will be secribed in detail in boss section.
Gali Nuva’s section is interesting, as it is partly non-linear. The level is divided into several sub-levels, accesed in linear order. Aside from the first sub-level, you can collect Matoran in any order to advance to next sub-level. You also swim, welcome change.
Some sections of the Game are autoscrollers. In Kopaka’s section, you first have to arrive to end in time, then chase a Bohrok, outrun a giant boulder, and chase another Bohrok. I like it.
In Pohatu Nuva’s section, you have an underground minecart section instead of the cool desert you begin in. I dislike this, both because lack of the cool desert, because Onua Nuva does cave level better and partly because unlike Kopaka and Tahu Nuva, you cannot move to sides. Lewa Nuva also has some sections on rails, but these do not make the bulk of level.
In Tahu Nuva’s section, you have to get to Ta-Koro before Kurahk, who has Kanohi Avohkii. It makes for cool stage before the final boss.
Heroes lacks platforming entirely. There is rarely used jump function you can only use on predetermined spots, and you have no control over it. Gameplay variety between levels is also minimal.
What Heroes does have is that you switch between Toa Inika on fly. Each Toa has different attack, different abilities, and are more distinguished than Toa from the Game are. Hahli can walk in water, Jaller on lava, Hewkii can assemble objects, Nuparu climbs walls, Kongu can “jump” and Matoro can shoot switches. Hewkii is the most useful, as his ability is most often used.
Each Toa also has abilities you can buy for parts you get from breaking things and defeating enemies, and you can upgrade their weapons for same parts. These parts certainly have more utility than the Game’s lightstones. If you collect enough, you enter Hero Mode when you can activate golden constructions.
Combat in the Game is also better. You shoot, recharge and time shield to block. If you are not good at blocking, you can dodge and jump over attacks. Enemies are varied visualy, and somewhat mechanicaly. Nui Jaga shoot long lasting beam from the one side to the other side, and Nui-Rama’s and Nui-Kopen’s attacks cannot be jumped over, the frogs jump, the fish are hard to hit due to their swiming. and Kane-Ra cannot be defeated, being more of a obstacle. There is the Nui-Jaga encounter where you fight while platforming. Bohrok in Kopaka Nuva’s level must be first stunned by the shield bubble to be attacked.
Combat in Heroes consists of shooting hordes of enemies. Each enemy last laughably short time, and they are all either Bohrok, Visorak or Vahki. But each Toa’s attacks are very varied, an improvement from the Game.
Bosses in the Game are varied. When you fight Bohrok and Bohrok-kal in Tahu’s and Gali Nuva’s sections, you fight a Bohrok at a time, while avoiding others, and dodge or block their attacks. In Gali Nuva’s case, arena is smaller. In Onua’s level, you have to push blocks into holes to defeat Lerahk. One hole is open at the time, and which one is open rotates. You also have to avoid burrowing attacks. Lewa’s goal is to knock Parahk into water.
Final boss is against Makuta himself. In first phase, he summons various rahi for you to fight. In second phase,you first jump from platform to platform to deactivate Makuta’s shield. Then, you use his attack against himself, disable his shield again, this time with less platforms, and again deflect his attack. In final part of second phase, the platforms begin to fall beneath you. After you defeat Makuta, there is cool cutscene featuring Takutanuva, and credits.
Bosses in the Heroes are mostly samey, featuring heavy use of Hero Mode with some variation. In one particulary memorable instance, you climb insides of a tower while fighting Roodaka. What is cool is that each time you seemingly defeat a Piraka, Vezon shows up. Final boss battle against Vezon is very good, but I do not remember it very well.
Heroes’s funny cutscenes feel somewhat unfitting. The Game does comic relief better, by having hilariously bad voice acting.
Graphicaly and musicaly, the Game is rather good, but Heroes is excelent. Heroes’ worlds each look and sound great, aside from the Vezok’s, which is somewhat underwhelming start. There is variety in look and purpose of constructions. But constant use of dissonantly colorful breakable objects somewhat harms the feel of Heroes.
The Game’s worlds are more interesting at conceptual level. They are composed better, but graphics and music are less good than in Heroes. Smaller size of Game’s worlds is also compensated by greater difficulty. The Game is actualy challenging, as opposed to merely being long like Heroes. Collecting lightstones feels more fitting than breaking everything, and the game as whole feels better and less gamey. Things you do are interesting as well.
Through both the Game and the Heroes have their pros and cons, I personaly prefer BIONICLE the Game.
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