32. Metal Slug (Neo Geo MVS)
I've always maintained that Konami's Contra is the best run and gun video game of all time. With its slick eight-directional shooting, flawless controls, extraterrestrial adversaries, and stylish graphical presentation, Contra and its various ports and sequels ruled the shooting scene throughout the late 80s and early 90s, with installments spread across arcades, consoles, handhelds, and (somewhat regrettably) home computers. However, when the mid 90s arrived and gaming transitioned to 32 and 64-bit machines, the allure of 3D was too strong and Contra became yet another victim, with Legacy of War marking the descent of a once-great series. While 1996 may have marked the downfall of Contra, it's also the year that welcomed a new run and gun titan by the name of Metal Slug. Developed by Nazca, the game was released by SNK across their "trinity" of systems: as an MVS arcade cartridge (the subject of this review), as an AES home cartridge (comically rare), and as a disc for the Neo Geo CD. The game was soon after ported to the Saturn and PlayStation (in Japan), and has since shown up on multiple compilations. Not to mention the digital reissues on Steam, the Nintendo eShop, and elsewhere. The game is everywhere. Begging to be played, to be experienced.
There's a backstory here, though it's not relayed within the context of the game itself. The year is 2028 (uh-oh...) and General Morden has waged a coup d'état, apparently overthrowing all the world's governments (nice...). Only a one-man (or two-man) army can save the day. Some players may be disappointed in the limited character roster here, as there are only two dudes, Marco and Tarma, who are assigned to players one and two, respectively. Additionally, the original Metal Slug features a "realistic" setting. There are no aliens, no zombies, no lurching Egyptian mummies. Just endless hordes of Morden's decidedly human underlings.
What's immediately apparent is the game's slapstick nature. The heroes are perpetually smirking doofuses, eager to unload lead upon the opposition. The enemies themselves are portrayed as hapless and stupid. They remain idle -- sunbathing, roasting sausages, conversing -- until snuck up on, whereupon their eyes bulge out in confusion and fear. Metal Slug is comically violent, where perpetual blood splatter and explosions consume a noticeable share of screen real estate. The holistic experience is "sloppier" when compared to the likes of Contra, given the massive glut of foes. There's less emphasis on stealth and stage memorization; it's more about frantic button mashing, joystick twirling, and mowing down anything that moves.
The control scheme is initially relayed via a tutorial, in typical Neo Geo fashion. There's a button for jumping, one for shooting, and one for tossing bombs. Button D is akin to the Neo Geo X: completely useless. Controls are fluid and pleasing. The initial pea shooter is four-directional and a little stiff, but weapon upgrades are common. These are granted by liberated hostages, scruffy blonde gentlemen who pace around frantically, or are tied up in need of a rescue. There's the rapid-fire heavy machine gun, heavy-duty rocket launcher, wide-projecting flamethrower. Special weapons have limited ammunition, but there's no use trying to conserve ammo given the constant stream of enemies. It's best to just blast away and seek out every hostage. The player starts with a cache of ten powerful bombs, though more can be collected along the way. These are tossed at an arc and best saved for bosses, larger enemy arrangements, and "panic" situations.
An interesting twist to combat: Marco and Tarma don't receive damage when simply "touching" an enemy; instead they must be struck by an actual enemy attack. Additionally, when pressed against an enemy, the player's default "gun" attack instead becomes a quick knife swipe. There's an element of strategy here: as some foes carry shields in addition to firearms, they must be defeated with precisely-timed melee sneak attacks. Overall, combat itself, the meat of the game, is incredibly satisfying. There's a pleasing "weight" to all hits and kills, and the carnage never ceases.
But there's more. Occasionally players will get to hop on board an eponymous "Metal Slug" -- a massive "super vehicle" tank. These tanks come with their own lifebar, a reprieve from the standard one-hit death system. The tanks are equipped with a rotating turret, primed and ready to take out scores of onscreen belligerents and put quite the dent in bosses. The "Metal Slug" controls are a bit finicky, in a way that's difficult to explain. It's like they were designed to be twin-stick, but the Neo Geo obviously only provides one joystick per player. The firing turret can be rotated in a 360 degree manner, but doing so also tends to move the entire tank simultaneously. In any event, destruction of the tank doesn't actually annihilate the player, provided they can escape in time.
Graphics are excellent, boasting some gorgeous pixel art. That said, the "realistic" setting does make things feel a bit samey, as most stages present some variation of the "burned-down war-torn city" trope. On a similar note, bosses are all of the "giant tank or plane" variety. There's an element of "interactive scenery" to be found within each stage: bridges crumble, boats sink, forts disintegrate. Animation is hand-drawn and exquisite. The soundtrack is upbeat and militaristic, with an emphasis on thumping synths and rhythmic percussion. Of course, much of the music is drowned out by the constant barrage of sound effects. These are amusing in their own right: enemies emit varying death yells based on the manner of their executions, and an overly enthusiastic announcer shouts the name of each acquired piece of weaponry.
As an arcade game, there is a point tally in Metal Slug. The score can be maximized by rescuing hostages, and then subsequently finishing a stage without losing a life. An additional chunk of points is granted to players who manage to compete a stage with the "Metal Slug" tank fully operational. As far as Neo Geo games go, this is on the lower end of the challenge spectrum, especially compared to the likes of, say, Magician Lord and all subsequent Metal Slug sequels. A 1CC is doable for those willing to put in the time and effort. All told, being the first Metal Slug entry this one is the most simplistic of the bunch. But there's something to be said for that. It's a straightforward thirty minute sweaty palms romp through hell and back, and sometimes that's all we really need.
