METAL SLUG X

by wagesofsyn

As I put my new copy of Metal Slug X into my PSX, I wondered if I would spend another day cursing Sony for their disregarding of RAM in the Playstation. The first Metal Slug on PSX, while undoubtedly good, had its appeal detracted from by excessive load times in the middle of stages. Since Sony was still too slow to correct this problem even in the PS2 and bring it up to par with the Dreamcast, a superior system in 2D terms (if the PS2 didn't have backwards compatibility and enhanced features for PSX games, I wouldn't have entertained the thought of owning one for a second...) in most every aspect, I cringed to think of the thousands of SNK sprites that would slow my machine down. Despite Sony's stupidity, SNK's genius shown through once more, and they proved once again that 2D games are not dead, and they are gaming gods. 

Graphics 

Why is it that all the games look better on PSX than they do on the Saturn? SNK did a far superior job on this game than the previous one, including what I think to be almost every frame of animation for every enemy! Huge explosions and spectacular effects look incredible on the PSX, with the typical detail of any SNK game showing through in spades! 

Gameplay 

Fantastic. I was speechless after playing this game. Virtually NO LOADING times, and NONE IN THE LEVELS! just as many characters on screen (if not more!!) than the MVS original, and there's absolutely no slowdown! Control is excellent and ultra responsive, remaining simple like the original. This is why I continue to buy SNK games - they only get better with time. 

Sound 

Wow... every scream, every comment, every word in completely intelligible and loud. The music is really top notch, adding once again to the overall effect of this incredible game. I can never emphasize enough how much a little sound can do for a game, and this is a prime example of it. 

Final Thoughts 

A few people ask me why I think so highly of SNK. I respond simply and concisely, pointing out their superior animation quality, character design, and gameplay than any other company on the market. SNK was founded by gamers, unlike the corporate worlds of Capcom, Acclaim, etc., which is why their games fill one category so many others don't: they're fun. Metal Slug X is certainly no exception. It scoffs at the Playstation's hardware limitations and delivers a better than Neo Geo CD (not Home cart...) arcade quality performance to the Playstation. 

- John Gillerlain 

Overall: 9.4 / 10

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