ic-games Review - Metal Slug 3 - Reviews, Previews and Interviews for PC, Xbox 360, PS2, PS3 and Wii

ic-games Review - Metal Slug 3 - Reviews, Previews and Interviews for PC, Xbox 360, PS2, PS3 and Wii ic-games Review - Home - Review, Preview and Interview for PC, Xbox,Xbox 360, PS2, PS3 and Wii

Metal Slug 3

Information
Reviewer: James Collins
Developer: SNK
Publisher: Ignition
Reviewed: Xbox
Genre: Arcade
UK Release: 05th Nov 2004
Article Date: 19th Jan 2005
Difficulty: Medium
Retail Price: £19.99
Price Comparison:
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Score Breakdown

Experience:
Game Play:
Graphics:
Sound:
Overall Score: 80%

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Pros

Xbox Live high scores

Aracde Fun

Multiple game modes

Cons

Some gamers may scoff

Short

Screenshots

6 of 18

Nowadays most developers seem to be concentrating so hard on how many pixels they can cram on a screen that somewhere the gameplay of the titles they are working on gets lost in the quest to having the best looking game available. This is certainly something that the developers of Metal Gear Solid couldn’t be accused of as they truly go back to basics with their latest instalment. Metal Gear Solid 3.

Games like Metal Gear Solid are certainly the marmite of the gaming world, you’ll have on one side legions of fans that swear the return of the franchise is the best thing that’s happened to the gaming industry in a long time, and others that comment that the series just “looks like crap”. Both sides have their points, Metal Gear Solid 3 isn’t the best looking game currently available on the Xbox, in fact it probably is one of the worse. But where Metal Gear Solid 3 differs is that is has unadulterated gameplay simply oozing out of that green Xbox case.

Before you start the game you have a choice of four different characters, after you have decided which “costume” that character is going to wear its time for some of that old fashioned arcade fun. If you look hard enough then there is a story in Metal Slug 3 but suffice to say it involves taking someone down and that’s all you really need to know as you are blasting your way though the 5 levels. It doesn’t seem to matter which of the four characters you choose apart from the way they look onscreen. As mentioned though, these graphics themselves are not breathtaking but the sheer amount of detail they contain, coupled with brilliant animations, are.

It doesn’t take long to describe the graphics in Metal Gear Solid 3, the most forgiving way to describe them would be that they are certainly faithful. Anyone who’s a fan of the 2d side scrolling genre will instantly be in heaven; all the sound effects and graphics from the original titles have returned and will be instantly recognisable.

It also doesn’t take long to realise how powerful the addiction of getting a high score is, even when you complete the game you’ll want to do it again just to go back and score higher. With Xbox live enabled you’ll then be able to upload your prized scores to see how they match with the rest of the world. As soon as you upload your score and fail to make an impression on the top 1000 throughout the world, the only decent thing to do is play again and get better. It’s certainly the “high score” addiction that will ensure this game is still being played as next generation titles are gathering dust on the shelf.

There are some minor gripes, The Xbox live portion of the game seems a little underused. The possibilities of co-operation matches online seems, on paper at least, to be a tantalising thought and one that sadly seems to have been overlooked. Also some may find the game a little on the short side with only five levels available in the story mode.

"But where Metal Gear Solid 3 differs is that is has unadulterated gameplay simply oozing out of that green Xbox case.."

In the end though you’ll be missing out on something special if you judge this game solely by the graphics on the back of the Metal Gear Solid 3 Box. Never before has a title demonstrated quite so elegantly that next generation graphics will always come second to gameplay in the hunt for that perfect game. Pop this game into your Xbox and we dare you not to be hooked, that’s if you’re not already blinded into thinking a game plays only as good as it looks.

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