Metal Wolf Chaos XD
Developer: From Software, General Arcade
Publisher: Devolver Digital
Release date: 8/6/2019
Platform: PC (played), PS4, XB1
Copy provided by publisher
For those not in the know, Metal Wolf Chaos was original developed by From Software (the Dark Souls people) and released for the original Xbox exclusively in Japan in 2004. I’ve known about this game for years first hearing about it on YouTube probably, or maybe X-Play. In 2016 Devolver Digital posted on twitter that they were willing to publish it to get it out to more gamers. At E3 2018 Devolver Digital showed off a teaser trailer for the remastered Metal Wolf Chaos XD with it finally being released in August 2019.
I’m playing the Steam version and when I first started it on my laptop I get a message saying that the game doesn’t support on board graphics cards and that if I don’t switch to a dedicated graphics card I’ll experience graphic glitches and crashes. I was able to play the first mission but then the game crashed on me just like the warning warned so I did the only reasonable thing I could do stop playing and give the game 1/10.
I had to wake up my desktop, so through the use of prayer, dark magic and a blood sacrifice my PC awoke from its eternal slumber like some sort of elder god. After waiting for everything to update and redownloading the game I was able to play in its intended glory. I didn’t notice any major difference with the graphics, I did however notice that the game has a mini map in the corner and Jody has a head that isn’t squished. Playing on my PC rather then my laptop means I’m not going to have screenshots I took myself, luckily when I was given code I was also given a media packet that included screenshots so I’m going to use those instead.
Metal Wolf Chaos XD is a third person shooter where you play as 47th President of the United States Michael Wilson in his mech the Metal Wolf as he fights against an attempted coup d’etat orchestrated by the Vice President Richard Hawk. President Wilson isn’t alone, his secretary Jody plays the role of “woman in the chair” constantly talking to President Wilson through comms.
The game is mission based with you selecting the mission you want to play from a map of the US. Mission objectives are mostly “destroy the thing” and some with a boss fight. During missions you can find funds, rare metals, weapons, energy pods and free hostages. Energy pods are used to upgrade the Metal Wolf and hostages have the chance to be scientists.
Between missions you have the ability to research and develop new weapons. Freeing scientists help with developing weapons. Weapons range from the normal like hand guns, shot guns and assault rifles to the more hardcore like multi rocket launchers, flamethrowers and rail guns. This isn’t From Soft’s first mech game, they also developed the Armored Core series of which I’ve only played the second one so I’m not going to go into to much comparison but I did want to bring up that in Armored Core you can equip an energy sword and in Metal Wolf Chaos the only melee attack you have is a jump stomp.*
The graphics are very much of their time although high res. I’ve never played the original, and as I type this I realized I should of looked for a copy while I was in japan, but I’m going to just assume that much of the dialog went unchanged which means a game from 2004 is relevant in some ways 15 years later. When I go back to Japan maybe I’ll look for a copy and a Japanese original Xbox so I can compare them. Or I could just look it up on YouTube because I’m sure that’s been done by now. From the website the only things changed was visual improvements, an updated control layout and a rework of the save system.
Bottom line, if you’re into mechs and shooters the game is fun. The voice acting is cheesy and over the top in that good 80’s action way. The game play is solid but can be punishing at times, but it’s a From Soft game so that’s to be expected. There’s even an achievement for the first time you die alluding to From Soft’s more famous Dark Souls series. The game has enough variety in the weapon types that if you find yourself stuck you can experiment with different load outs. If you’re a PC gamer that only has a laptop I’d skip it due to it not playing well with on board graphics cards. If you have a PS4 they’re going to be selling a physical copy that I plan on picking up because I still don’t fully trust all digital media and prefer physical copies.
Nothing but respect for MY President
*Going through the screenshots on the Steam page, there is one where you have a sword. I’ve tried looking it up but can’t find anything on it and I guess I’m not far enough in the game to unlock it. Maybe it’s a new game plus thing?
Metal Wolf Chaos XD
Ok! Let's PARRRTTTYYY!!!
