Metal Slug X

"Unsung hero"

Say, have you seen my slug?

The video gaming industry never ceases to progress and the latest technology continues to be put at use to create visually impressive games. The gigantic boost observed these past years has enabled games to become both more intriguing and indefinitely complex. In spite of all this, certain old games are still cherished although they obviously look ugly and decrepit (compared to the newer titles). Of course, the melancholy associated with them is not something to be forgotten as it is primarily what will make a couple of gamers brush aside Final Fantasy X and rush towards those old, but genuine gems.

You must have guessed it by now, Metal Slug X falls under this category. SNK may be particularly famous for its fighting games, but the Metal Slug series is perhaps their finest franchise. It was actually popular worldwide while the fighters were mainly known in Japan (without forgetting how people started to request them in the U.S. only after SNK's closure). In spite of all the time that flew by and 2 sequels, Metal Slug X remains the pinnacle of 2D side-scrollers and even fully pre-rendered backgrounds and other supposedly stunning light effects haven't been able to tarnish it.

What makes Metal Slug X so different is that it is not one of those games which you absolutely want to beat. In fact, you play it simply because you know it will be incredibly fun and you will not regret one moment of it. It is only as you reach the final boss that you realize you are close to beating it, but even then, it is almost as if you are in a lethargy. And once you do beat it, you can play it over and over again without ever finding it frustrating or boring because it is so fulfilling.

Towering Inferno!

Metal Slug X is so simple in its concept one would almost be puzzled as to why it is revered in arcades. Indeed, the game abides by normal standards although it does have its fair dose of innovations and unique features. After choosing your alter-ego from the four characters available, you are placed in the second World War and it is your duty to bring victory to your side. While small, the cast does present some variety as there are subtle differences between the characters gameplay-wise. However, such trivial matters are quickly set aside because the hilarious designs of the main characters are extremely surprising.

In a sense, that is maybe what makes Metal Slug X so different from its peers. Although the setting is World War II, the game takes a humorous approach and is never serious. Funny situations are thrown into an action-packed atmosphere to render the whole adventure unique and to fill it to the brim with replay value. Don't ask how such a thing is possible, it just is.

From the affable characters to the beautiful backgrounds, one simply never ceases to be enthralled. Tarma, Marco, Eri and Fio return from the prequel and are still so lovable with their small, comical designs. Even General Morden, the Hitlerian bad-ass, reappears, still obsessed with the idea of ruling the world. And as you are left alone to survive among troops of snipers, mortars, tanks and huge bosses, this eerie sensation runs through your veins and prepares your whole body for one of the craziest gaming experiences.

Welcome to the Zenith!

In addition to your regular and lame pistol, power-ups and bonus items are earned by rescuing hostages and a pretty archeologist whenever you come across them. The hostages will then salute you before running away while the tomb-pilferer simply stumbles to leave an item behind. Of course, some items may also be found just by walking forward since the computer isn't really that cheap. And in spite of its linearity, Metal Slug X does host secret or hard-to-reach items and hostages that will surely appease all the masochists yearning for extreme challenges.

A plethora of weapons can be garnered to enable you to fight back. Interestingly, powered-up versions of certain common weapons also exist and add to the frenzy around the whole game. Such devilish and explosive artillery that the Laser Gun and the Heavy Machine Gun (to name a couple) are merely represent the game's basics though. Obliterating through the mini-armies you encounter is what really matters. And in this primordial aspect, Metal Slug X still remains unequalled and and is, simply put, the genre's acme.

In spite of its pace and gripping aura, the game manages to be disconcertingly misleading when it starts. You are launched in an Egyptian but inhabited desert and the first enemies you meet barely oppose resistance, even on the harder difficulty settings. A helicopter then tries to take you out by dropping missile after missile onto you. This too is not really a challenge and you courageously plod forward, thinking Metal Slug X will be a breeze.

Wrong!

Indeed, this was just a prelude. Suddenly, the whole world seems to explode. Enemies walk in from the right, troopers appear from behind to throw grenades at you. Paratroops descend from the sky with bazookas dangling from their cutesy hands. Other soldiers stealthily crawl towards you only to brandish knives once they are in a position to harm you while turrets endlessly shoot at you from a distance. Mortar grunts, tanks, helicopters and the most frightful collection of armored vehicles you will ever see settle down to bombard you from every possible direction.

You know death is inexorably approaching and retaliate with all your might. A fraction of a second too late in turning around or a mistimed jump and you can forget about going as far as meeting the level boss. The fact that weapons have limited ammunition also plays an important part. You are doomed to make the most of what you have and it is requisite to conserve the best guns out of the repertoire available.

As you are surrounded by such ludicrous reinforcements to get rid of a single soldier, you realize your initial assumptions have been duly shattered. The excitement of facing this mess pushes aside your prior views and leaves you actually wishing for more. And don't worry, you will never be disappointed. Remember, this is just the first level we are talking about.

It then becomes obvious that you are set to face one of the craziest and most unrelenting artificial intelligence ever seen in a video game. The enemies react to any of your actions and this makes for strategic (and fun) gameplay. And this can be stunningly observed once you are finally in the almighty Metal Slug which is the game's prime attraction although there are other vehicles available with one of them being...a camel !

Sure, you can still see the grunts happily unloading their pistols or rifles to make your tank drop down to a pulp. But it is nevertheless so easy to just crush them once you are in the slug, right ? As you proceed to do so, you then realize that this is all a shameless ploy to bring about your demise. While you are busy feeling invincible, other soldiers climb onto your tank and try to either slow you down or just destroy your weaponry by banging on it (which is utterly hilarious !). And overthrowing them necessitates frenetic button-mashing that will have you fingers ache quite quickly.

At the same time, the game's humor will make you chuckle as you keep wondering whether this is really a shoot-em-all or not. Enemy soldiers mock you when you are on the verge of dying. As your poor alter-ego falls down after being torn apart by the protruding spikes of a huge armored tank, they even congratulate themselves and regroup together. As your character then drops down from above once more, they cry out with the most hilarious expressions being shown on their kiddy faces. Remember how Crono would show his surprise in Chrono Trigger ? It's a bit similar to this, only much better.

Further ahead, you notice them shivering in the barren fields of Alaska and they even go as far as running away in certain situations. Finally, comes the final mission which is vicious and hilarious at the same time -- without forgetting how the ending will have tears of laughter running down your cheeks the first time you watch it. Metal Slug X never gets serious and yet provides that excitement only such frenetic side-scrollers behold. This is what is so amazing and such heights truthfully cannot be put into words. You just have to experience it yourself.

The imagery throughout the whole game makes it even more incredible. Character designs constitute the most brilliant part -- not just your cast, but also everybody else. The enemy soldiers are awe-inspiring, specially when you consider how they are barely divided into distinct categories. You can easily make out every tiny detail of their clothes and facial expressions are accurately reproduced. Whether it be a soldier in deep thoughts or merely a mortar grunt relaxing behind a crate, you will never cease to laugh.

Of course, their artillery counterparts nevertheless crush the devilish designs that characters themselves are. Metal Slug X indeed has the most breath-taking and fluid bosses seen in a 2D game. Aside from the mad lieutenant-colonel who thinks he is Rambo, you are set to face huge artillery that should easily crush you. And it must be said that there is nothing more refreshing than watching small Eri walking under a caterpillar-like machine while projectiles ooze in from both sides.

Descriptive, vivid backgrounds of New York and other cities are lush and abound with details. Feeling short of items ? Just shoot at the backgrounds and they will very likely crumble to leave behind food and weapons. Even the aliens (which appear much later) manage to be funnier than the humans and watching them wobbling around with a gun in one tentacle remains an unequalled treat. The animation surprisingly manages to be fast-paced from beginning to end without ever slowing down. And I do think everybody will agree with me when I say that this is what really matters.

''Go back to your momma!''

Music is yet another extraordinary aspect of Metal Slug X. Dynamic tracks perfectly punctuate the intense action and surprisingly add to the atmosphere of the game. They may all seem jazzy and a bit redundant at first, but you will find yourself humming them after some time. That is not to say they are just decent though, this would be a lie. On the other hand, the orchestrated music is truly wonderful and never a letdown.

With some being either melodic or chaotic (which seems quite appropriate given the setting), the different tracks will enthrall you throughout the game. They will even be your saviors in more than one instance as they provide that additional boost of adrenaline you need to bring down an over-sized boss. You will actually feel as if your small alter-ego is dancing to the music instead of just moving around. I truthfully still have all the tracks stuck in my head and think it's a pity SNK never decided to release a separate soundtrack.

Sound effects are as classy and as realistic as can be with the gun-firing being extremely life-like. Logically, Metal Slug X opts for realistic effects since the game is a parody of a real event. Each weapon has its own sound and bosses always make one hell of a noise, even when they do not seem to be doing anything.

Metal Slug X also amazingly implements some voices amidst the incessant sound effects. You see, the enemy soldiers don't just look terrified and die without a word. You actually hear them cry out.. And it must be said this is a huge change from what would be an otherwise generic situation. You will be indefinitely enraptured by the catchy sound effects of a tank crushing its way through everything and this is again what makes SNK's masterpiece so surprising and interesting.

Metal Slug X is arguably a fine title. But one shouldn't think it gets redundant afterwards. That is what really awed me when I first beat the game. While I should be walking away, I instead prepared for a second game after watching the credits. And this ironically enabled me to experience this game in 2-player mode, something that I have never ever forgotten in spite of all the countless hours I spent alone on the game.

However fun it may be alone, you must also play it with a friend to realize its depth and the sheer fun two players can have with it. This mode will require both players to help each other out and weapon-sharing soon turns out to be a very primordial aspect. Or you can just ignore your partner's appeals and settle it out once you are both dead, something which shouldn't take very long to occur.

Of course, everything must end. And Metal Slug X is no exception. But you will not walk away feeling terribly frustrated though. Thoughts about how it was a waste of money will never cross your mind. Instead, you will still be as excited as when Fio suddenly became big and started spitting out weird-looking bombs. The game's eerie atmosphere will sink into you and you will probably cherish these memories forever.

This is what Metal Slug X is all about.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 04/20/04