Another funny game from this mythical Metal Slug saga, never lets you down and you can always replay it whenever you want without getting tired. That "Master of Metal Slug X" achievement gave me more than one headache though...

Metal Slug X is pretty much exactly the same game as Metal Slug 2. If you've played Metal Slug 2 it feels like you're playing the same game. It's still a fun game but no different to Metal Slug 2. Worth playing one of them at least.

More like a quick summary than an actual review, as I'm actually playing the game right now rather than typing.

The game does have:
- Online lobbies, feel free to play with strangers all you want
- Freeplay, don't like limited continues? No problem, just play with freeplay on.

So it does fix the two biggest complaints about Metal Slug 3's Steam version. How is the game itself? It's a bit easier than Metal Slug 3. That doesn't mean that it's not challenging though. I've played it now twice from start to end, once in single player and once in multiplayer.

The game runs a bit more fluid than MS3, but it will still slow down when the screen is full of enemies and you and your friend both have laser gun. The music does fluctuate a bit. Only noticed it on the China level, as I was otherwise too busy trying to keep myself alive. It's nothing major, but some players will notice it.

I have only played the multiplayer once now, but it didn't have any desync issues. Menus are a lot better this time around and the port overall seems to be higher quality than MS3.

I preordered it at 5,99€ and I'm not sorry about my purchase. I'll end this review here and go back to play the game. See you in multiplayer, maybe?

Here's some gameplay, if you want to see it in action:
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=321403889

One of the Arabic signs in Mission 1 roughly translates to "I have diarrhea"

10/10

An incredibly fun Run ´N Gun game in both single player and Co-op. If you haven’t played this before expect to die every five seconds but the chaos on screen and barrage of death is actually part of the fun!

If you are wondering whether to get Metal Slug 3 or Metal Slug X my advice would be to wait until they are on sale and get both! They are both very good games and it really just depends on what mood you’re in and how much time you have as to which game to pick.

Metal Slug 3 is a longer game overall and a slightly more difficult one too. It has a little more variation in the type of enemies that attack you, at least from level to level and there are branching pathways to explore. There is more variety with some flying and underwater levels and a greater amount of craft and animals to get in/on to mix things up. This along with more actual levels to fight through at the end stages bulks the game out more.

Metal Slug X is a more streamlined game that takes less time to complete and is a little easier overall. It has a more linear level design and more opportunity to pilot the Metal Slug tank itself. This perhaps gives it a bit more of an early arcade experience and possibly provides a little more flow to the feel of the gameplay. This is also good if you’re looking to squeeze some side scrolling Shoot ´Em Up action into a busy day or don’t feel like spending a great deal of time playing.

Both games have enough differences (as well as positive similarities) in level design and feel/vibe to warrant buying/playing them both if you like this genre of game and it really is more down to what frame of mind you’re in to which particular one you feel like playing. They are such enjoyable, well designed games to play it’s hard to say which is better. I do suggest you get both but I guess if I had a Heavy Machine Gun pressed to my head and I had to choose only one then Metal Slug 3 might come out on top by a (POW´s) whisker but I would miss playing X too.

Metal Slug X (1999) is the revamped version of Metal Slug 2 (1996), a classic run'n'gun with pretty non-stop 2D rampage.

Set before Metal Slug 3 (2000), it does not feature branching paths and as much variety, but it offers a more tight and compact linear experience.

Just like the Metal Slug 3 port, it is possible to play Metal Slug X in local and online Co-op, which is great. Sadly, there are again port issues, such as the sound of a level occasionally stopping but a single noise looping. When there is intense action and a huge number of sprites on the screen, slow-downs can be experienced.
On the other hand, unlike the Metal Slug 3 port it is possible to have more leeway on the number of credits allowed to play the game (from 5 credits to infinite credits/lives) (Edit: this has now been patched in Metal Slug 3, allowing infinite credits as well).

Despite the imperfections of the port, Metal Slug X was and still is a great and fun game.
I used again the HQ4X filter to "remove the aliasing" http://steamcommunity.com//sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=321706061

What would I want to see now from DotEmu/SNK Playmore?
First, a patch on Metal Slug 3 to add the few features added to the Metal Slug X port (Edit: this has been done, awesome!). Then, a patch to correct the port issues on both games.

Which other Metal Slug game would I want to see ported?
Honestly, the two greatest ones (X and 3) are on Steam so the others are dispensable. Metal Slug 1 would still be the next logical choice I guess. And then... Metal Slug 6, which is the only one that added some variety and crazyness to the franchise after the great Metal Slug 3. So now I hope for Metal Slug 6!

One of the best Metal Slug games... the rocket launcher is called a "Rawket lawncher"
I remember finding this game in Spain once and put every Peseta I had into the damn thing... it was worth it.

HEAVY MACHINE GUN !!!!!!!!!!!

TATATATATATATA PEW PEW PEW BOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMM.

SAVE PRISONERS.

AND HAVE FUN.

METAL SLUG X is an upgraded version of Metal Slug 2. This game made it's way onto PC late last year, but has actually been out since March 1999. This remastered version aimed to increase the difficulty and resolve a couple of the technical faults the original had.

Some of the other improvements such as altered music, more variety on power ups, as well as day/night versions of all of the levels.

The gameplay in METAL SLUG X is almost identical to the other games in the series, it is a run and gun side scrolling platformer. I played METAL SLUG 3 earlier this year, and it felt as if I was just playing that again in terms of gameplay. At the start of the game you can choose how many lives you have depending on how you want the game to be. Throughout each level, you'll need to help prisoners escape captivity as well as find power ups and weapons for your character. Each of the weapons have their own feel and have their own advantages and disadvantages so you have to choose wisely.

Difficulty wise, METAL SLUG X is as hard as you want to make it, personally I played through it on Normal difficulty but with unlimited lives - this essentially means you will finish the game since you can just keep dying over and over again without any repercussions apart from a lower score. The hardcore gamers out there will probably enjoy the fact you can set your self to have either 20, 15, 10 or even 5 credits per run through!

Each stage has its own atmosphere and feel to it, which is something which a lot of side scrolling games like this has. I personally enjoyed the Egypt style level as if you get killed by a Mummy, rather than dying, you actually come back to life as a Mummy yourself, which was a nice little feature to see.

A full playthrough of the single player story took me just under an hour, which to be honest was a little disappointing. I would of at least like to have seen this last at least two or three hours but you can get more mileage out of the game if you ramp up the difficulty I suppose. We also see CO-OP making a big play in this game as well, you are able to play local or online co-op of the story mode which is something I always like to see in games.

I had no major issues while playing, you can play METAL SLUG X in higher resolutions at 60 fps, not much more you can ask from a game like this.

This game is something I will recommend, but only with the warning on that you have to want to replay the game on higher difficulties or play co-op to get your moneys worth out of it. If you just want to play it for the single player story, you aren't going to get your money/times worth out of the hour long single player, OR, wait for this game to hit the sales, I managed to get mine for mega cheap on the summer sale, so the £1.99 price tag was well worth it for me.

Tom's Score Card
1) Stay away
2) Only recommended when on sale
3) Recommended
4) Highly recommended
5) This is a must play

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afndWP444pE

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http://store.steampowered.com/app/312610

Awesome. Just like in old times. Best Metal Slug game. Most interesting bosses and most interesting levels.