Based loosely on the previous arcade, NES and Game Boy versions, BC: EF is an all-new 18-stage side-scrolling action game. The story is similar to previous BC games: an evil dictator, Arturus, plans world domination through the use of a device known as Albatross, and a captured comrade, Commander Joe, needs rescue.

You take control of either a male or female bionic commando and begin your fight to defend your Karinian homeland from being dominated by Arturus' Avarian forces. There is no difference between the male and female characters, except for a slight variance in the path taken through the game and a different starting weapon for each commando.

The use of bionic arm for swinging from platform to platform keeps the game true to its roots. Although some will become frustrated at the inability to jump; practice with the bionic arm will lead you to understand the clever gameplay elements that it provides. In a very short time you'll be swinging with the greatest of ease without a second thought.

The map screen is where you choose your characters' next stage. Although the game is mostly linear, there is a small amount of freedom in the path you can take to complete the game. In order to gain access to stages, you may need to communicate with the correct decoder or use the right key card. Fortunately, before you go into a stage you choose your weapons, items, armor and decoder. You get another chance to change your weapon and decoder when you reach communication rooms in each stage. The communication rooms also serve as a saving point for your progress.

As with previous Bionic Commando games, there are enemy trucks patrolling the map screen. If you intercept a truck on your way to a stage, your commando is placed into a top-down view stage where you must pass enemy barricades and destroy enemy tanks in order to earn extra lives. Since there's no continue option, it's a good idea to stock up on lives in this mode.

At certain places in stages you will see a crosshair pop up above your character and hear the word "Sniper", indicating that you can press Up to enter the Sniper Mode. New to the BC series, Sniper Mode lets you view enemies through the scope of your rifle as you attempt to shoot 3 enemies in the time limit. Both the time limit and number of enemies remaining are displayed above the scope. The game shakes the scope view slightly to give a semi-realistic feel to the action. Upon successful completion of the Sniper Mode you'll receive a full health refill, which often comes in handy.

And so you progress through the levels, defeating various bosses, destroying generators, commandeering helicopters, collecting new weapons, items and decoders until you reach Level 18 and your final confrontation with Arturus. Although there are plenty of things to do and two "secret" stages, one of the game's only faults comes from its less-than-average replayability.

NSTC has done an amazing job with the GBC hardware in BC: EF, cramming in a few voice samples and some colorful, high resolution storyboard sequences for the introduction and ending. The animation is also very smooth and is reminiscent of the NES classic, Code Name: Viper. The sound effects are below average, with little variance among each weapon and among climbing, grappling and running. The music consists of four or five tracks, only one or two of which are memorable.