Metal Arms: A Glitch in the System
Score: 90% ESRB: Teen Publisher: VU Games Developer: Swingin' Ape Studios Media: DVD/1 Players: 1 - 4 Genre: Action
Graphics & Sound: Every Christmas we go through the same thing. Loads of over-hyped games hit store shelves, sell record breaking numbers and turn out to be major disappointments. On the flip side, there are always a few games that get none of the media attention, really don't sell and end up as some of the greatest games of all time. This is what Metal Arms: A Glitch in the System is a great game that isn't getting the attention it deserves. Metal Arms has a style that is uniquely its own, which is a nice combination of cartoon sensibilities shrouded with a mask of grit and grime. This is about as good as things get. All of the game's robots have a nice look to them that comes off as rather unique as far as robot designs go. You won't see the next incarnation of 3PO or the Terminator -- or whatever companies like to cram down the public's collective throat. Instead they have a cool styling that manages to capture a lot of personality. This really comes through in the animations, which are also top notch. These details are really evident in the minor details that are likely to go unnoticed -- such as when enemy robots lose their arms in combat and begin running around, while their arm drags behind them and pops off a round or two every so often. Or, when you shoot off a robot's head and it begins running into walls and shooting at anything -- including its own people. Where the game really excels is in the special effects department. Real-time lighting gives each level character and just looks damn cool (like the little headlight that pops up whenever Glitch is in a dark area). Reflections and metal textures are also done really well, as are the explosions, smoke and electrical sizzles of damaged robots. Topping things off is an excellent area damage system. As you riddle heavily armored tanks with a machine gun, you'll see pock marks and bullet holes. Also, if you shoot a bridge or overhang, it will realistically crumble and fall. Metal Arms sounds just as good as it looks -- especially when hooked up to a Dolby Pro Logic II enabled system, giving explosions and gun fire a resounding impact. The writing and dialog in Metal Arms is great, especially when combined with the spot-on voice work. Some of the little jokes that are thrown in -- like your two companions, Hosed and Screwed -- or the foul-mouthed mechanic Krunk, are sure to get big laughs. Music is possibly one of the only disappointments in the entire presentation, but only because there's not enough of it.
Gameplay: Despite appearances, Metal Arms: A Glitch in the System is a solid, fast-paced shooter in the vein of Halo, with the comic styling, level design and weapons of Ratchet and Clank thrown in for good measure. The game opens when a group of droids find a damaged robot named Glitch in a pile of debris. After being reactivated, Glitch is told (through a very funny WWII style news reel) about the history of the planet Iron Star, which is inhibited by robots. A super-intelligent AI, named General Corrosive, has taken over the planet with his army of war-like droids called Mils. The group of droids that discovered Glitch are part of a resistance movement trying to stop Corrosive and save the planet. As Glitch, it is your job to help their cause, as well as discover the meaning behind the secret markings on your head. At its core, Metal Arms is a shooter. You run around levels collecting insane amounts of firepower and blowing up anything that moves. Yet, at the same time, it also combines very smart level designs to keep you interested. Metal Arms plays out over the course of 40 missions, each with their own objectives and goals which can change along the way. As he travels through each level, Glitch can pick up allies to help him in his battles. The AI for your followers is smart and doesn't get lost easily, which means you won't spend hours traveling around the game's massive environments looking for that one robot that is stuck behind a box. At the same time, the bots are also incredibly stupid, and will run head long into a fire fight, so don't expect too many to survive after a big time shootout occurs. Control over your allies would have been helpful during these situations. On top of being a shooter, the game also includes many platform elements, as well as a gadget system that is comparable to those found in Ratchet and Clank. As in that game, most of the gadgets you pick up are weapons -- ranging from machine guns, to rocket launchers to laser guns. Each of these weapons can also be upgraded, providing additional firepower. Some weapons even serve a dual purpose and can be used to overcome obstacles in levels. After obtaining the Cutter, a rifle that launches spinning blades, Glitch can cut small beams that hold up a pipe. After causing the pipe to collapse, he can cross over a lethal lava pit. Glitch also has access to vehicles. Sometimes you'll find them scattered in levels, while others have entire levels built around them. Rounding out the game's single-player experience is a fun Multiplayer mode. Here, up to four players can participate in about seven games, which really made the game. People who still gush over the multiplayer games in Goldeneye or Conker's Bad Fur Day would do good in checking these games out. It would have been nice if an AI bot option were included. Online gameplay would have been a nice addition too.
Difficulty: Chief among Metal Arms: A Glitch in the System's flaws is the insanely hard difficulty level. Expect to play and replay many of the game's areas. Much of this can be attributed to the game's linear level design, which takes away the opportunity to try new ways of tackling problems. There's enough room to use different tactics, but some open-ended gameplay elements would have made a good game even better. Control, which tends to be a little too loose at times, also contributes to the difficulty level.
Game Mechanics: The control setup, which owes much of its design and layout to Halo, could be better. The layout is great and buttons are in positions where you would expect to find them -- reducing the number of deaths attributed to fumbling around with the controls. Instead, it's the response that will get you. Targeting enemies, even with the Auto-Aim feature on, takes time and patience to get right. This takes away from the run-and-gun mentality the game works into all battles. A Z-Trigger targeting system would have helped out a lot. Control problems are more evident during the game's vehicle driving aspects, especially when driving the jeep/tank across the desert. One of the more interesting features of the game is Glitch's 'Tether' to objects. By shooting out a cord, Glitch can take control of enemy robots. After jacking in, Glitch can command them to perform various duties for him -- such as clearing obstacles. This becomes very useful later on, and plays a major role in many of the game's puzzles. Glitch can also take over turrets. All in all, Metal Arms: A Glitch in the System is a remarkable game. It is fun, fast-paced and smart. Unfortunately, it won't get the credit it deserves from the gaming public since it doesn't come with all the glitter, glitz and hype. And that's a damn shame too, since it is a genuinely good game. Look for this one to sit right next to ICO in the 'Best games you've never played' list. Heavily recommended.
-Starscream, GameVortex Communications AKA Ricky Tucker
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