Bionic Commando multiplayer demo coming to Xbox LIVE

Capcom has announced today that a demo for its upcoming third-person re-imagining of the classic Bionic Commando will be coming to Xbox LIVE in the coming weeks. 

The demo will focus on the game’s multiplayer, in particular the Deathmatch mode. The demo will feature one of the game’s 16 multuiplayer maps, “Vertigo,” and will support up to 8-players. No word on a PlayStation 3 or PC demo yet, so start crying now. 

I’ve had a chance to play Bionic Commando a number of times over the past year, and I’m still not sure what gamer’s reactions will be. The bionic arm and swing mechanics are completely different than what you’d expect, with a learning curve that’s a bit steeper than it probably should be. If you’re expecting controls like the open-world Spider-Man games, prepare for frustration.

But getting the hang of the swinging was definitely rewarding (even though I had to re-learn the controls almost every time I played). Hopefully the demo will drop early enough to get people acquainted with the controls before Bionic Commando‘s May 19 retail release. 

If you missed it, check out our recent Bionic Commando concept art exclusive. Am I the only one who thinks the earlier concepts of the game’s lead, Nathan Spencer, look a hell of a lot like Axl Rose? 

[Update: Capcom has let us know there is currently no plans to release a PS3 demo of Bionic Commando.]