Metal Slug 4 & 5
Genre: Third Person Shooter
Platform: XBox
Rating: T (Teen)
Publisher: SNK NEOGEO USA
Developer: SNK PLAYMORE
Release Date: 08/16/2005

SNK, Neo Geo, and side-scroller fans, rejoice! After hitting the PS2 earlier this summer, Metal Slug 4 & 5 have finally hit the XBox. But for those people who have no idea who SNK were, never heard of the Neo Geo, and only know arcades from watching 80s movies, is this game worth the purchase? Let’s find out.

1. Story

I was sure that a popular franchise like Metal Slug had to have a storyline. I just had no clue what it was. So I hit the internet to find out exactly why I was blowing the bejeebus out of things, and this is what I found:

Metal Slug 4 Storyline: In the year 20XX, a cyber-terrorist group has struck out at the world by unleashing a computer virus through the internet with a sole purpose of hijacking the militaries of the world’s nations. Join Marco, Fio, and new Metal Slug team members Trevor and Nadia to stop the distribution of the virus before it’s too late.

Metal Slug 5 Storyline: A research installation developing the next-generation of Metal Slugs is attached by unknown forces and a disc containing Metal Slug secrets has been stolen. Lead Marco, Tarma, Eri and Fio into “The Corridor of Fire” to recover the secrets and destroy the paramilitary syndicate known as the Ptolemaic Army.

But really, do you need a reason to go blow the crap out of stuff? The story is there for people who are obsessive over these things. For the rest of us, it will never cross our minds. We’ll be too busy shooting bad guys.

Score: 3/10

2. Graphics

Look, this is an import of an old-school 2-D side scrolling shooter. Anyone expecting Halo-level graphics needs their heads examined. What you will get are solid graphics that look great for their genre. The colors are bright and vivid, the figures in the game are well done, and the level bosses are impressive looking. Back in the day when this was in the arcades, this was top of the line stuff. Obviously, it’s a bit dated. But that shouldn’t detract from the fun.

Score: 6/10

3. Sound

The sound in this game is old school. There’s no voice acting, just the sound of things shooting and blowing up. The synth score is a pleasant reminder of simpler days, when there were actual arcades, and a kid could walk in with a battered dollar and play for hours if he was good enough. Once again, compared to current gen sound designs, this is lacking. But that’s really not the point here, is it?

Score: 5/10

4. Control/Gameplay

The controls are basic and simple. Move around with the left thumbstick. Fire with the X button. Throw grenades with the B button. Jump with the A button. Metal Slug 5 also allows you to platform slide with the B button, which is a nice little addition. These are about as basic a set of controls you’ll come across, and it adds a level of intuitiveness that means you’ll have the control scheme mastered by the time you complete the first level.

The gameplay is about as basic as you can get. It’s a 2D side-scroller. Run around and shoot things. Each level will provide you with a Slug, or mechanized apparatus, which provides the game with its name. The Slugs will vary with each level, from mechas to airplanes to subs to tanks. Each level is also filled with prisoners you can free, and they will reward you with power-ups which make your gun more powerful, from heavy machine guns to rockets to lasers. It’s simple in concept, difficult in execution, as this game will definitely challenge your skills and abilities. If all you’ve played are FPS and platformers, chances are you’ll be chewed up when you begin playing. But if you give the game a chance, it will reward you with hours of fun.

Score: 6/10

5. Replayability

Each game clocks in at about 45 minutes. That’s incredibly short in this day and age. But the whole point of this game is to constantly try to improve your skills. The game is short enough that you can pop it in at any time and play and have fun, and your buddies can show up and join in, as the game supports 2-player action.

Score: 7/10

6. Balance

Each game has four difficulty levels: Easy, Normal, Arcade, and Hard. I played each game at Normal. Metal Slug 4 took me 64 lives to complete. Metal Slug 5 took 57 lives. I would hate to imagine playing this game on a harder level, but they’re there for the shooter pros to try their hands out on. For the rest of us mere mortals, Normal, or even Easy, will be more our speed. This game is extremely challenging, and doesn’t let up.

Score: 4/10

7. Originality

It’s a port of an older game. It’s a 2D side-scroller, a genre that proliferated arcades back in the 80s and early 90s. It’s the fourth and fifth entries in a series. So, no, there’s not much originality here. But is that the point?

Score: 2/10

8. Addictiveness

I played through each game a couple times, but there wasn’t the overwhelming urge to spend my entire day playing. For those people who have been praying for this to hit the XBox, I’m sure they’ll burn their eyes out playing this for hours at a stretch. But for most people, one or two times through at a sitting will be enough.

Score: 4/10

9. Appeal Factor

For fans of SNK and the Neo Geo, the arrival of these games for the XBox is probably something they’ve been wishing for since they bought their console. But the average game player probably hasn’t been holding their breath for an old school 2D side-scroller. They’re too busy playing Halo and San Andreas. This is a game for a narrow niche market.

Score: 3/10

10. Miscellaneous

Metal Slug 4 & 5 is retailing for $40. Two games for $40 isn’t bad, except when you think about the fact that both games could easily fit on one disc. But it is a SNK game, and the SNK name still carries a lot of weight with old school gaming fans. And, let’s face it, there aren’t a lot of titles out there for the XBox for side-scroller fans to choose from.

Score: 6/10

Story: 3/10
Graphics: 6/10
Sound: 5/10
Control/Gameplay: 6/10
Replayability: 7/10
Balance: 4/10
Originality: 2/10
Addictiveness: 4/10
Appeal Factor: 3/10
Miscellaneous: 6/10
Total Score: 46/100

Final Score: 4.5/10 (BELOW AVERAGE)