Metal Slug 5

"Louder, More Frenzied, but Problematic."

Metal Slug players are a critical bunch. Who can blame them? When the series first came out, we saw a new sort of action shoot-em-up, playing like Contra, but with a vibrant style, with a hint of humor that an observant player could chuckle at every time. Then came Metal Slug 2 and X, which brought the series to new heights, with the same frantic action, but with different creatures instead of regular grunts. SNK obviously noticed that the series could handle action from all sorts of monsters, instead of regular army men, and this led to Metal Slug 3, the widely held king of the entire series. Everyone was happy, it seemed SNK could do no wrong; the world was an oyster worth 5000 points.

Then, SNK collapsed. Everyone was sad, but for awhile we were happy after hearing that Playmore would be releasing another sequel. Course, when it came out, the peoples were quite confused. Here was a game that looked like Metal Slug, sounded like Metal Slug, played like Metal Slug…but wasn’t Metal Slug. Metal Slug 4 wasn’t bad by any stretch of the imagination, but after such experiences such as the train stage in Metal Slug 2/X, 4 just seemed to be there, going through the motions, but not exhibiting that action and wit that the others in the series showcased at every moment.

So, now we have 5. In a way, the series seems to have gone back to its original roots, albeit with a far greater appetite for destruction. Is this a good step? Mostly, yes. Still, there are some problems that need addressing if the next Metal Slug is to be hailed as the next 3.

Game play: It’s like every Metal Slug. Jump, shoot, throw grenades. The utterly stupid combo system of 4 has been scrapped, and this installment’s attempt to influence the game lies in a new slide, done by holding down and pressing the jump button. While this is nice for dealing with death from above, it makes death from below (i.e. torpedo speedboats, bazookas from lower floors) far more potent, since half of the time you will slide when you meant to jump and shoot downward. Not nearly as useless as the combo, but that’s not exactly a good thing.

The pace of the game is far more militaristic. After a initial (and extremely dull) stage in the tropics featuring natives in masks and grubs, there is literally almost nothing in the game that isn’t a mechanoid or human. Instead of dealing with zombies or mummies, you will face alot of soldiers. A LOT.

Speaking of enemies, the game thankfully decided to come out with a good batch of whole new adversaries, instead of 4’s method of simply changing a sprite’s color. Ranging from hover-bikes that bring back memories of Contra III’s biker stage, to loads of giant robots equipped with machine guns, it’s a pretty nice amount of boomboom. Bosses are interesting, though not particularly inspired. Don’t expect that same level of awe as when you met the boss at the end of X’s train. Though, none are as depressingly bad as the Blimp of Doom from 4.

One of the aspects that made Metal Slug 3 so great was its ability to shift you from one combat situation from another. One moment you could be killing tanks on a camel, a few minutes later, you have to throw batteries into a machine while man-eating plants attack. While 5 doesn’t capture that very well, it’s a good try. The final stage especially accomplishes this aim.

As for difficulty, it’s about in the middle of the whole series. There are some frustrating areas, but overall the difficulty is relatively kind. Unfortunately, alot of your deaths will be due to that sliding function, and a spamming of the screen with bullets, instead of situations that you had a chance to escape from. (7/10)

Graphics: It’s pretty much the same. Always good, always detailed. (9/10)

Sound: Now, here’s a departure. The series’ music has always been fairly military based, maybe a few little speedy tunes. 5 is hard rock, with guitars, and just generally alot more in your face. I like it. Sounds are fine, as always. (9/10)

Play Time: Now, here is a major failure. The game can be beaten in less than 30 minutes, as opposed to the full hour that Metal Slug 3 took. And for the number of dull moments that can be found, this is pretty unacceptable. As for replay, there is also a pretty glaring lack of multiple paths, only three having been found so far. Don’t expect having to play the game at least 4 times to get the full experience. (3/10)

Final Recommendation: It’s worth playing at an arcade, but only a true fanatic should think of buying it. (7/10)

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 01/16/04