METAL SLUG X
- October 2, 2014
- Dotemu
- 5h median play time
Get on Steam
Get on Apple Store"METAL SLUG X" is a run-and-gun shooting game that features military combat and humorous, over-the-top action. It's a revamped version of "METAL SLUG 2" with additional features, such as new weapons, levels, and enhanced graphics. Players control a soldier fighting against an army of rebels, using a variety of weapons and vehicles to blast their way through each stage. The game is known for its fast-paced action, challenging levels, and quirky, retro-style visuals.
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Reviews
- Metal Slug X is a nostalgic classic that brings back fond memories for many players.
- The game features engaging gameplay with a variety of weapons, vehicles, and humorous elements.
- Co-op mode enhances the fun, allowing players to enjoy the game together, despite some performance issues.
- The port suffers from significant performance issues, including frame drops and unresponsive controls, especially during intense scenes.
- Multiplayer functionality is often laggy and can lead to frustrating experiences.
- The game is relatively short, which may leave players wanting more content.
- story190 mentions
- 8 % positive mentions
- 88 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The story of Metal Slug X is generally considered simplistic and brief, consisting of six missions that can be completed in under two hours. While the game features a humorous and engaging narrative with varied mission settings, many players express disappointment over the lack of additional content compared to previous versions, such as the PS1 port. Overall, the storytelling is seen as a backdrop to the gameplay rather than a central focus, with players encouraged to interpret the plot through their experiences in each mission.
“Believe it or not, Metal Slug actually has a fairly well thought out storyline, and while there is no in-game dialogue that progresses this feature, it is up to the player to interpret the majority of what is happening by being aware of what is going on within each mission.”
“I like how it starts to throw every crazy new idea in each mission and wraps up the adventure in the most absurd way possible.”
“There's a wider variety of enemies and places to fight; every mission feels completely different and there's a nice twist in the final mission that had me laughing pretty hard.”
“The game itself is rather short, coming in with 6 missions in total that last for just a few minutes each; although the ending boss battle takes up a large amount of time.”
“In terms of story there isn't really one.”
“A full playthrough of the single player story took me just under an hour, which to be honest was a little disappointing.”
- gameplay166 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Metal Slug X is characterized by fast-paced, frenetic action that demands quick reflexes and strategic weapon use, making it a standout in the side-scrolling shooter genre. While the game features engaging mechanics and a variety of enemies, some players have noted issues with slowdown and unresponsive controls, particularly in intense scenes. Overall, it remains a fun and nostalgic experience, especially when played with friends, despite some criticisms regarding its age and port quality.
“The gameplay is frenetic, demanding quick reflexes and strategic use of weapons.”
“The addition of new weapons, enemy types, and power-ups in Metal Slug X compared to its predecessor keeps the gameplay fresh and engaging.”
“With fun and frantic gameplay, a good sense of humor, and an art style that, in my opinion, has held up very well since 1998, this game is incredibly fun.”
“Maybe it just didn't age well, but the graphics feel very cheap, controls are uncomfortable, and the overall gameplay dynamic is very primitive.”
“Massive slowdowns and unresponsive controls, especially in the last mission, severely impact gameplay.”
“The game started lagging heavily during the final mission which made the gameplay basically impossible.”
- graphics126 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 55 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The graphics of Metal Slug X are widely praised for their vibrant, detailed pixel art and nostalgic charm, with many reviewers noting that the art style has aged well and remains visually appealing even on modern hardware. However, some criticisms arise regarding performance issues, such as blurry visuals at higher resolutions and input lag, which detract from the overall experience. Despite these drawbacks, the game's unique aesthetic and humor continue to captivate players, solidifying its status as a classic in the run-and-gun genre.
“The graphics in Metal Slug X are excellent, with detailed character models and environments.”
“A masterpiece in SNK’s emblematic 2D run & gun action shooting game series, still continues to fascinate millions of fans worldwide to this day for its intricate dot-pixel graphics, and simple and intuitive game controls.”
“The pixel art graphics are the best ever seen in a game and the music is epic.”
“Maybe it just didn't age well, but the graphics feel very cheap, controls are uncomfortable, and the overall gameplay dynamic is very primitive.”
“Terrible performance, visuals are blurry at modern resolutions, and the input lag is unforgivable.”
“As expected, the pixel graphics aren't upscaled to the desired resolution, and everything looks just awful.”
- music78 mentions
- 41 % positive mentions
- 55 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its iconic and memorable soundtrack, featuring a blend of intense and whimsical tracks that enhance the action-packed atmosphere. While some users noted issues with sound emulation and occasional lag, the overall consensus is that the music is enjoyable, fitting, and adds significantly to the gameplay experience. Many reviewers highlight the soundtrack's ability to evoke strong emotions and maintain engagement throughout the game.
“The music is iconic, featuring a mix of intense and whimsical tracks that perfectly match the game's tone.”
“Not to mention the brilliant soundtrack, which has everything from upbeat, frenzied tracks to laid back, jazz inspired scores.”
“The music is great, and they fill the atmosphere of their respective mission stages very well.”
“Metal Slug X is a timeless classic, but this port sucks. The sound emulation is completely bonkers and ruins all of the beautifully crafted music for each stage.”
“Music is broken most of the time, sounds like an amateur punk band without any sense of rhythm.”
“The music and sound are less dynamic and full.”
- humor46 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in Metal Slug X is characterized by its intricate and funny animations, satirical depictions of soldiers, and a skewed sense of comedy that enhances the frenetic gameplay. Players appreciate the game's ability to blend challenging action with hilarious situations and memorable voice samples, making it a standout in the side-scrolling shooter genre. Overall, the humor is a significant aspect that adds depth and enjoyment to the gaming experience, appealing to both young and old players alike.
“This skewed sense of humor, combined with its frenzied gameplay, gives the game a unique flavor and makes it one of the best side-scrolling shooters out there.”
“The sound design is terrific, the 16-bit sprites and backgrounds are lovingly designed, and the whole thing is rife with a great sense of humor.”
“Art style is top notch, animations are top notch, sprites are from another world, the overall satirical spoof of a dystopian army gone completely insane is so hilariously depicted that once you play this game, you won't be able to forget its art style.”
- replayability40 mentions
- 35 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is mixed; while some players find it highly replayable, especially in co-op mode and for those who enjoy challenges, others note that once mastered, the incentive to replay diminishes significantly. Comparisons to other titles like Ikaruga highlight that this game may not offer as much replay value overall, particularly for casual players. However, it remains a fun option for quick play sessions, especially with friends.
“That being said, the game has a high replay value, and you'll probably find yourself coming back to it again and again.”
“This classic still holds up, my personal favorite from the Metal Slug series, it's a short game but highly replayable, especially with friends.”
“While Metal Slug X is pretty short, the game is plenty replayable with the addition of Steamworks-enabled online co-op.”
“Limited replayability: once the game is mastered, there may be limited incentive to replay, as the experience remains largely the same.”
“A pretty nice game to kill time with, although it does not have that much replay value.”
“But I can't recommend this game at full price, not because the port is bad, but just because this game does not have very much replay value.”
- optimization34 mentions
- 18 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 24 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has been widely criticized, with players reporting frequent performance issues such as lag, stuttering, and significant frame rate drops, especially in crowded scenarios. Despite being playable, these issues detract from the overall experience, leading many to call for patches to address the input lag and performance inconsistencies. Overall, the game is seen as fun but marred by poor optimization, making it one of the least performant entries in the series.
“The game has some weird inconsistencies with performance/frame rate (no matter how powerful your hardware is, you should expect some slowdowns), but this is a common issue you'll get used to regardless.”
“The performance of the PC port is good, but suffers from slowdown when things become hectic, and this is more apparent during the last mission.”
“As I wrote for the review of the first game, it should be really fun and good but it's not: the porting is atrocious with frequent lag, stuttering, and slowdowns, making the game feel terribly unresponsive and awful to play.”
“Terrible performance, visuals are blurry at modern resolutions, and the input lag is unforgivable.”
“Another problem involves performance issues: lots of players (if not all of them) noticed there are huge FPS drops in overcrowded situations... which is ridiculous considering the game and the engine.”
- atmosphere16 mentions
- 13 % positive mentions
- 69 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is vividly described as electrifying, reminiscent of a nostalgic arcade experience, enhanced by a memorable soundtrack and high-quality sound effects that complement the action. Each stage features its own unique ambiance and iconic art style, contributing to a diverse and engaging overall atmosphere that stands out in the side-scrolling genre. The combination of crisp weapon sounds and a lively announcer further amplifies the game's playful and dynamic environment.
“Walking into an arcade hall as a kid, the cacophony of game sounds and the glow of CRT screens created an electrifying atmosphere.”
“The game's music and sound effects are also top-notch, adding to the atmosphere.”
“The weapon fire is crisp, and the booming announcer adds to the game's already silly atmosphere.”
“Each stage has its own atmosphere and feel to it, which is something that a lot of side-scrolling games like this have.”
“Each stage has its own atmosphere and iconic art style of the MS series.”
- stability14 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 57 % negative mentions
The game's stability has received mixed reviews, with many users reporting significant bugs, performance issues, and freezing, especially during crowded scenes or when multiple keys are pressed simultaneously. While some players have had a smooth experience on lower-end systems and the Steam Deck, others have struggled to complete missions in co-op mode due to these glitches. Overall, the game is seen as a fun experience for solo play, but its stability issues detract from the co-op experience.
“Definitely worth buying for solo play or coop with a friend, runs great on Steam Deck too.”
“Certainly a fun time, runs great on my low-powered Windows 8 computer, and it's definitely a better buy than putting money into Metal Slug 2.”
“Gave a gift copy to a friend and it runs great on my rig with no problems.”
“Port runs poorly, staggers and freezes when the screen gets crowded.”
“Also, if you hold down more than two keys at once (for instant jump, right, and fire), your character freezes up and utterly fails to respond.”
“The whole point of buying this game was to play co-op with a friend, but we can't even finish the 2nd mission with all these glitches.”
- emotional8 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional responses to the game are mixed, with some players expressing frustration and disappointment rather than enjoyment, particularly due to its unique gameplay mechanics. However, there are also deeply personal moments, such as a player’s emotional coming out experience while engaging with the game, highlighting its potential to evoke significant feelings in different contexts. Overall, the game elicits a range of emotions, from frustration to profound personal revelations.
“He admitted his homosexuality while slaying tangos at 6:00 AM, and it was a deeply emotional coming out experience for him.”
- grinding6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be somewhat tedious, particularly during solo boss fights where weapon pickups are scarce, leading to frustrating moments. While some achievements offer a break from the grind, the overall experience could benefit from a better balance between challenge and reward.
“Bosses can get tedious playing solo, weapon pickups during these portions can get very stingy, often leaving the players dropping a life just to get the heavy machine gun or grenades.”
“I'd like a little more challenge at least, although there are less grindy achievements like MS3's 'play as X character 100 times' achievements.”
“A bit grindy sometimes.”
- monetization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The monetization model has been criticized for promoting a "pay-to-win" structure, leading to a sense of emptiness in gameplay even when monetization elements are removed, as players feel that having infinite resources diminishes the challenge and engagement.
“It's still a pay-to-win game, even with the monetization removed. When you have infinite money, it just feels rather empty.”
- character development2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Character development in Metal Slug X is highlighted through its unique character design, which sets it apart from typical shooters, suggesting a deeper narrative and personality behind the characters.
