Metal Slug X
Score: 89% ESRB: Teen Publisher: Agetec Developer: SNK Neogeo Media: CD/1 Players: 1 - 2 Genre: Miscellaneous
Graphics & Sound: The Metal Slug series has always been amazingly solid on the 2D graphics front, and Metal Slug X is no different. The visuals are sharp, with metric tonnes of character animation and a style that is borderline wacky. Oh, all right, it crosses the line on a regular basis. What other game lets you climb onto a camel and use it as a weapon of mass destruction? People who tell you that the PSX can't do 2D graphics need to be given a copy of this game. Of course, then you'll have to steal it back from them because you want to play it some more. The game's sound isn't as brilliant as the graphics, but it's definitely servicable. The sound effects are solid, with the proper 'waugh!'s and the like, and the music is the typical thumping Metal Slug stuff. It's nothing that you're going to hum afterwards, but you won't be searching for the Mute button either. Considering the fact that this game was originally cartridge-based, you shouldn't be expecting elaborate voice acting or other such nonsense anyways.
Gameplay: Ahh, gameplay. 2D shooters live and die by their gameplay, and thankfuly Metal Slug X has more than enough of that. The game is short, and you won't be unlocking any super secret modes or anything as you play, but the adventure is fun enough to return to again and again. Metal Slug X is an expression of a genre that just about died in the early nineties, and as such it will appeal to the old-school gamer almost instantly. But even more recent initiates into the fold of gaming should find a lot to like here; the action is fast, the humour is apparent, and the game's a lot of fun. I won't even pretend that there's a plot here. The main concept of the game is the same as pretty much every 2D shooter ever made--Go Right and Shoot. This basic principle can be applied in full force throughout this game, as you scroll from the starting Left Side to the inevitable boss encounter on the Right, blazing away at enemies the whole way through. The situations you're put in are usually rather unique, ranging from the Middle East to where the aliens roam, and they look nice enough to distract you from blowing up all of the bad guys. And there are tons of bad guys. They pour in from both sides, but usually from the Right, and it's up to you to destroy them. You have unlimited ammo with your starting weapon, but there are the inevitable powerups that give you better weapons--machine guns, homing, et cetera--but have limited ammo. You also have bombs, which do serious damage but are limited in both range and count. And then there are the Slugs. You can pilot a number of vehicles, ranging from the everpresent tank (Metal Slug, which the game's named after) to the aforementioned camel. They all have serious firepower in the form of cannons, and they can also take multiple hits. You, of course, can only take one. What more is there to be said? The game's short, yes, but shooters usually are. The real pleasure in the game comes from playing through it over and over, perfecting your style and getting the loss of lives down to a minimum. If that's not your idea of fun, you should definitely avoid Metal Slug X, but you probably aren't reading this review anyways.
Difficulty: Metal Slug X is either very easy or very difficult depending on your point of view. If you use the unlimited continues with feckless abandon, the game's simple enough. Of course, using continues like that isn't really beating the game, and true mastery only comes when you can beat the game without using any continues. That's a devilishly hard task, and you'll find yourself spending many hours perfecting your game trying to meet that goal.
Game Mechanics: Move. Shoot. Throw bombs. Is there anything more complex than that? Nope. This is a 2D shooter, for goodness' sake--complex control schemes are an absolute no-no. The game runs solidly, with no drop in framerate and no glitches that I personally saw. The mechanics are as solid as the genre's ever had; considering how many years SNK's been working on this stuff, it's not much of a surprise. There are some load times between the levels, but they're not obnoxiously long, although a little shorter would have been nice. PS2: Of course, if you have a PS2 and turn on the Fast disc load option, you'll trim a little off of those load times. Don't even think about touching the Smooth graphics option; this is a 2D game, and as such is antithetical to what the Smooth option does with games. Don't say we didn't warn you. It's short, sweet, and to the point, but Metal Slug X is still a lot of gaming bang for your buck if you're into the genre. Yes, your first play-through will take you a short amount of time, but after that you'll want to come back again and again for the solid action and entertaining visuals. If that isn't your cup of tea, give Metal Slug X a rent and be done with it; it's fun enough to entertain anyone for a few hours. Real shooter fans, on the other hand, will definitely want to have this one in their collection.
-Sunfall to-Ennien, GameVortex Communications AKA Phil Bordelon
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