Bombshell (video game)

Did You Know?

• The game's protagonist Shelly Harrison lost her arm and her team in an event called the Washington Incident.
• Harrison is a colonel in the Global Defense Force before being offered a new contract with a mechanical arm.

Development

Bombshell originated during a legal dispute between Gearbox Software and Interceptor Entertainment over an unauthorized Duke Nukem game. Initially planned as Duke Nukem: Mass Destruction for PlayStation 4 and Windows, the project was retooled after Gearbox, which holds the Duke Nukem rights, filed a lawsuit. The title was changed to Bombshell, and the main character became Shelly Harrison, originally a supporting role in the Duke Nukem project. In April 2014, Interceptor launched a countdown website, NoGumNeeded.com.

The game was officially revealed on May 14, 2014, with a trailer and a 2015 release window, using the Unreal Engine and promising modding tools. After the trailer received negative feedback, 3D Realms restarted development from scratch. A new gameplay trailer debuted at GDC on March 2, 2015, followed by an E3 trailer on June 25. A ten-minute gameplay video aired at QuakeCon on July 23, and a boss battle trailer for the Zeroth Guardian appeared at PAX Prime on August 27.

In January 2016, the voice cast was announced, featuring Valerie Arem as Bombshell and Duke Nukem voice actor Jon St. John as Professor Jadus Heskel. The Windows version was delayed to January 29, 2016, for additional bug fixes.

Reception

GameSpot gave the game 2.0 out of 10, describing it as a buggy, bland game with poor writing. Hardcore Gamer rated it 2 out of 5, calling it dull rather than entertainingly stupid. PC Gamer awarded 30%, citing weak combat and numerous bugs. IGN rated it 6.9 out of 10, calling it a fast-paced, energetic, deliberately absurd action shooter that is mostly competent. Leo Espada of GoneWithTheWin rated it 6/10, praising its combat mechanics, visual design, and soundtrack but noting limited RPG depth. The game holds a 44% score on Metacritic.

Legacy

A prequel for Harrison's story, titled Ion Fury, was developed by Voidpoint and released in 2019 by 3D Realms, using an updated version of the original Build engine. Harrison will appear in the upcoming game Phantom Fury, a sequel to Ion Fury developed by Slipgate Ironworks, the new name of Interceptor Entertainment. Tempest Rising, a real-time strategy game set in the same universe, begins around 100 years before Ion Fury and is developed by Slipgate Ironworks and 2B Games, published by 3D Realms and Knights Peak.