Originally released on the DS as Metal Slug 7 in 2008, Metal Slug XX began has an enhanced remake on PSP, which was then further enhanced for the Live Arcade release. The only real changes presented from the PSP version is the inclusion of Downloadable Content, Leaderboards and online play. All are rather nice bonuses.
The story is similar to the previous 6 releases. General Morden and his Rebel Army are up to no good and it's up to the Peregrine Falcons, the S.P.A.R.R.O.W.S. and the Ikari Warriors to stop them. The game lacks a lot of the supernatural foolishness that made the previous ones so fun, but the game does contain the "Mars People" from Metal Slug 3 as well as Rebel Soldiers from the future. Ridiculous, just like it should be.
EPIC ROBOT DUEL!
The Metal Slug franchise isn't one that changes drastically from game to game, it's simple, frantic and fun Run and Gun gameplay. You play as one of the 6 playable characters and you shoot everything on the screen. The game features several secret paths as well as 3 difficulty levels, which add lots of replayability to the game's criminally short length. (You can run through it in less than an hour.) The inclusion of some new playable vehicles, like a Giant Mech, are some refreshing touches to the tried and true gameplay and are genuinely fun to play, especially with another person. Metal Slug XX is a game that's meant to be played with someone else, it adds a lot the experience.
Multiplayer is where this game shines it's brightest.
Like the gameplay, the presentation hasn't changed much either. Which isn't necessarily a bad-thing, but it gets tiring after a while to see the same Rebel Army sprites over and over again. Aside from the new "Future" Rebels and the bosses, the game doesn't use very many new sprites, but A LOT of reused ones. Fortunately, the audio doesn't suffer from the same fate. The music is catchy and fitting. Though it's similar to the tunes found in previous titles, it's a shift away from the Rock and Heavy Metal-influences, into the more orchestral-style, which is a nice change of pace.
Overall, it's a fun and addictive experience, which will appeal to fans of the series and similar titles, but it's not necessarily a great starting point for everyone else. The 1200 point ($15) price tag, along with the lack of features makes the game hard to recommend. But if you're a fan of frantic shooters, or Metal Slug in general, you're gonna love this game. Everyone else, you should start with the Metal Slug Anthology on the PS2 or Wii first before considering moving on to this one.
- Kyle K.
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