Metal Slug X

"A great game but not the best in the Metal Slug Series."

Another great Metal Slug title, but not the best. However, it's still a great game and is worth a bit of your time.

Gameplay-10/10
Metal Slug X has everything you expect and wouldn't expect from a Metal Slug game. It continues the trend and has the same basic objectives and enemies. One great thing about X is that there are more vehicles. Instead of just hopping in a tank like the old Metal Slugs, you now can hop in an airplane, on a camel, and this weird jumping thing. At times, you and a friend can hop in two different vehicles for vehicular mayhem. With the variety of vehicles also comes the variety of weapons. You have your old school Heavy Machinegun, Shotgun, Flameshot, and others plust some new weapons like the "RC Gun" and the Laser Gun. Probably the greatest feature in the Metal Slug series is the Prisoner of War rescue. This is related to the overall barrage of secrets you can find in this game. You will find yourself looking in every nook and cranny for a POW or some hidden item, unless you rush through everything which takes the fun out of it. Overall, the gameplay is simply excellent.

Controls-9/10
Metal Slug X keeps the standard Metal Slug buttons. A is fire, B is jump, and C is bomb. These are very easy to understand and they allow for smooth gameplay. A problem I find with the controls is that sometimes, I accidentally jump out of a vehicle and send it crashing into a wall at full health, which I hate. This is more of a personal problem, but its still deserves some attention. Another thing I would suggest is more buttons, to allow different actions and commands. Although it is fine as it is with 3 buttons. I simply would prefer more buttons, so new and different things cna be executed, while still maintaining the Metal Slug touch.

Graphics/Sound-10/10
The graphics in this game are simply beautiful. The illustrious backgrounds and the different characters are all displayed in the best quality. The vehicles are awesome and so are the bosses, which are known for their details. The sound quality is good. I always love hearing the anoouncer's voice when he says "Mission Complete" and they play that addicting music. You also never get tired of the screaming of the enemies as they die. The music is catchy and skillfully backs up the graphics and gameplay without being overpowering.

Playtime/Replayability-8/10
The problem with this game is that it is rather short. But every second is packed with action. It may take around 45 minutes to an hour to beat this game, which is not bad considering it is an arcade game. If you never beat the game, you will always be back to replay it and keep trying. If you beat it, you will still come back and play it a couple more times.

Overall-9/10
Overall, this game is great. It has great gameplay, anm easy control system, good graphics and sound and a decent replayability. I would suggest going to your local arcade right away and see if they have this game. It usually comes in the Neo-Geo arcade where there are 3 more games plus Metal Slug. I hope this review has been helpful and thanks for reading.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 05/23/04