Metal Arms: Glitch in the System

What "Metal..." brings to the table is a game with an original and bit comedic storyline. From the moment the game begins you'll be in combat, in fact, 95% of this game is spent balls to the wall, shooting it out with bad guys. If this is your cup of tea, once again, you will thoroughly enjoy nearly every minute of this game. The control scheme is a bit awkward at first, especially for those not used to it, using the control stick to strafe and move while using the C-stick to aim, very "Halo" like. The array of weapons you can add to your arsenal make the game much more enjoyable, I wont give you a complete listing of them, lets just leave it at they wont dissapoint. You'll also be able to call upon an array of vehicles, and the always fun ability to hijack unfriendly bots to use against your foes. Enemy AI is pretty well done, while lower level enemies show a certain stupidity, more advanced enemies will maintain cover or simply kick you in the rear with a show of force. The graphics are simply put good, not too overdone, but seemingly just right, giving you the exact feel of the game the developers intended.

But, this game isn't without its flaws, and unfortunately they're not easy to overlook. Unlike most games, this one simply gives you a mission objective and lets you figure it out from there. Now, I'm not asking for the game to hold my hand, but wandering around in a dark room with no indication of where to go is a bit frustrating. The only real way to tell if you're going the right way is if you reach a checkpoint, where your best bet is to keep moving forward. The learning curve is a bit difficult as well, while shooting it out isn't hard, learning to aim properly with the C-stick can be, and using a vehicle can sometimes be a rage inducing chore. Another dissapointing factor is the ocassional drop of framerate, this often happens during firefights where allied bots are assiting you, it's the simple problem of too many objects on screen at once. The framerate also tends to drop when stepping through areas such as waterfalls, for those of you who know the workings of framerates, think 25 FPS.

So, you may be asking yourself "3 out 5 stars...why the hell should I bother to even rent much less buy this game?" Simple. This game, in the long run, is fun, and if you like shooters, you'll get your moneys worth. If the developers spent a bit more time on this game working out some of the afformentioned flaws, it would be a 4 star game no question, possibly even a 5.

Approach "Metal..." with an open mind and willingness to learn a bit, and you'll enjoy it, hey, you might even love it.