Bombs away.
For those who have, somehow, never come across an arcade machine of Metal Slug, expect a fast-paced 2D side scrolling shooter, in the vain of Probotector (or Contra, depending on where you’re from). You come equipped with a weedy pistol and grenades, and it’s your job to wipe out hordes of enemy soldiers – who bare more than a slight resemblance to Nazis. As you progress and save hostages – by walking into them, no less – you are often granted a weapons upgrade. Machine guns, rocket launchers, double machine guns – they’re all here, and bring a whole lot of fun to the game. And you will need these improvements if you expect to survive against the various armoured vehicles that come your way. One hit, and you’re toast.
That’s basically all there is to Metal Slug – kill everything at sight, walk to scroll the screen, kill everything in sight again, pick up a power up, and repeat ‘til the boss battle. Which are, for the most part, utterly terrifying. Not only do they take up most of the screen themselves – they fill the rest of it with various things that will kill you, making dodging a tricky prospect. However, when you do manage to somehow avoid the bombardment with some spectacular aerobatics, the sense of accomplishment is overwhelming.
A giant robot. How original.
For an old arcade game, the visuals look fantastic. There are no polygons in sight – this is an all-sprite affair. And, to be honest, we wouldn’t want it any other way. Each character has their own unique mannerisms – a lot like the enemies really, who have some spectacular animations, which are quite amusing. The arcade charm has been well retained.
Sounds great, right? Well, it is. For about half an hour. Our preview build seemed more like a finished game, which had the same few levels as the arcade machine. These levels do not take long to complete – combine that with an unlimited continue system, and the game is an absolute cakewalk that will be done and dusted within thirty minutes to an hour. The game is fun, but that’s just not long enough. You’ll probably play it through once, and then come back for the occasional blast every few months – unless you want a really high score.
Apparently, the concept of DVD has been lost on SNK/QVS/Sony etc. Decade old arcade games ported to the PS2 DO NOT cut it. Some extra levels, unlockables or whatever are simply ESSENTIAL for any sort of lifespan. Heck, a collection that had the entire [iMetal Slug[/i] series on one DVD would be an essential purchase. Or, even better, they could be ported to the PSP or DS, where short, sharp games are often the order of the day. In the UK and US, Metal Slug 4 and Metal Slug 5 are being bundled and sold as one game. In Australia however, QVSoftware seem to be selling them separately. Absolutely criminal.
The look on that soldier’s face when she turns around and stabs him will be amusing.
Even at a budget price point – assuming the game gets it, as there is no way full price could be charged for an ancient, thirty minute arcade game – we can only recommend this game to dedicated fans of the series.
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