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Metal Saga
Score: 70%
ESRB: Teen
Publisher: Atlus
Developer: Createch
Media: DVD/1
Players: 1
Genre: RPG

Graphics & Sound:
As is the case with gameplay, Metal Saga has its own unique style. From a technical standpoint, Metal Saga isn’t pushing the PS2’s technology. Characters, especially tanks, show off enough detail, though for the most part everything has a bland, drab feeling. On one hand, I get that the world is supposed to be a barren wasteland, but frankly I’m at the point where I’d like my barren wastelands to have a little more life. Metal Saga does, however, get credit for having some really interesting enemy designs. There's just something about seeing a cannon with women's legs charging into battle.

Sound is hit-and-miss. With the exception of a few songs, the soundtrack is enjoyable. Sound effects are really good and add just the right amount of kick to battles.


Gameplay:
Metal Saga’s setup is your typical, post-apocalyptic tale of a world in ruin that turns to technology to help cure its woes. In this case that technology is Noah, a super computer built to help solve the world’s pollution problem, who decides that the only way to end the problem is to wipe out the human race. Metal Saga picks up a few years after this event, known as the Great Destruction, and finds you in the role of a young boy just starting out in the world.

Metal Saga is an open-ended, non-linear RPG. The game begins by presenting you with the choice of either joining the family business and becoming a mechanic or setting out into the world as an adventurer. Choosing the first presents you with a short paragraph detailing how you lived a long, lucrative and dull life while the other, of course, opens up the rest of the game for you.

Though Metal Saga has a “main” story, for the most part you’re given free reign to do whatever you want. What seems like a good idea at the start quickly becomes an incoherent mess. The main story is as clichéd as they come and the side stories are disjointed and not all that cohesive. Most of your game time is spent taking on any number of missions, from searching for outlaws to exploring ruins for treasures. Along the way, you’ll recruit companions who can join you, including a mechanic, soldiers and a dog with a bazooka strapped to its back. Make no mistake about it; Metal Saga definitely has a sense of humor.

Of all the activities you can participate in, the more exciting and enjoyable is searching for Outlaws. These are essentially boss creatures that you’ll have to hunt down. Once found, you’ll have to figure out how best to take them down since they are usually invulnerable to all except one attack type.


Difficulty:
The open-ended gameplay is fun for the first few missions, but really drags. There isn’t much in the way of mission variety and the game’s stingy experience system doesn’t encourage players to explore. If you do decide to explore the world, it is entirely possible, though it is also possible to quickly find yourself out-gunned if you get a little too brave. And, if you do manage to take down bigger enemies, the reward doesn’t match the risk since you’ll likely lose a vehicle or two and a healthy wad of cash while gaining few experience points due to a low experience cap.

Your heavily-armed canine friend also becomes a problem since he is the only person in your party you have no control over. Instead, he’ll run around the field and attack whoever he decides. The choices are seemingly random, especially when you equip him with an anti-air weapon and he insists on attacking ground troops. There are even times where your dog gets spooked in battle and will run off – making him feel like a useless money pit.


Game Mechanics:
You’ll also have to find a vehicle to transport you from place to place. You begin with a simple dune buggy and, as you earn more funds, you’ll eventually be able to purchase a tank. Vehicles can be equipped with a variety of weapons and parts, allowing you to customize your ride however you’d like. Vehicles can be equipped with three weapons: a main gun, a sub gun and an SE weapon. Your sub gun is your primary attack weapon. Though it isn’t the most powerful weapon in your arsenal, it makes up for it with its unlimited ammo supply. The main gun is a little more powerful, but it uses ammo to fire. The SE weapon is similar to the main gun in that it uses limited ammo, though its use is specialized for special situations, such as taking out particular enemy types. What weapons and parts you can equip is determined by your vehicle’s chassis.

Battles are turn-based and take place either on-foot or inside your vehicle. As vehicles take damage, they lose armor plates. Once a vehicle loses all of its armor, it will begin to take damage to its parts. Parts will eventually take enough damage that they will break, forcing you to fight on foot. Armor cannot be repaired in the field, though mechanics are able to do quick field repairs, so it pays to recruit one as soon as you can.

The concept behind the system is great, though it does become a bit of a game breaker. It is nearly impossible to escape a battle without taking too much damage, so you’ll have to run to a repair shop often. The problem is that your winnings from battle usually aren’t enough to cover all of the expenses, especially if you’re forced to go on foot since special attacks cost money.

If you’re tired of typical RPGs, Metal Saga will certainly give you something new and different. At the same time, the noticeable lack of polish and cohesiveness can, at times, cause the game to feel more like work than it should.


-Starscream, GameVortex Communications
AKA Ricky Tucker

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