Commando: Steel Disaster - Impressions?

[Jedah Doma]

Was at the store the other day and saw this had come out. Been mildly interested in it since I saw screenshots, and for $20, it's not too bad of a deal. Yea, it's a Metal Slug rip-off, no doubt about it, but is it any good?

 

[LoneSage]

Didn't know it was out until you made this thread, thanks.

Just got it, definitely $20 material. You can tell it's a game made by fans of Metal Slug, even the main character (Storm) looks kinda like Marco. The enemies are weird but bland, they look kinda like zombie aliens? I dunno. First level background looks straight out of the snow level in the first Metal Slug.

The music is terrible (REALLY terrible) and the pace is slow. There is absolutely no intensity, it's just...I dunno. It's missing that spark that Slug and every great run 'n gunner has. It reminds me of the first Gunforce in that regard.

That said, for those worried about the health thing, you don't get any continues, so yay? The way the health system works sucks ass too, you can get body armor, but your health and body armor can take hits at the same time -- yeah, I have no idea either.

Only played thru the first stage, which is ten minutes long (and it seems to drag on, considering the whole thing was a no-frills venture). Died in the second level a few minutes in and I didn't feel like restarting the whole level, this no continue system is annoying.

Best part so far? The boss. Looked as good graphically as something out of a DS Metroidvania, it was a giant crab! Fun.

And oh yeah, the weapon layout they have is terrible, and you can only customize it after you beat the first level. I just thought it was odd the game doesn't have an Options menu, you just start the game and that's that until you beat the level.

So yeah, a lot of complaints, but you know what, fuck it, it's only $20 and I don't regret purchasing it. For all the Slug fans wondering how it is and if you aren't destitute to the point where you can't afford a twenty buck game, I say go for it.

I'm hoping the game improves later on, who knows. Looking forward to the next boss fight, at least.

 

[Gameoz]

I just heard about this game recently. I thought that one or more people that worked on the Slug series also worked on this? If not, I guess they just must be fans of the Slug games.

I would love to check this game out but I have too much to play right now. Is there any multi-player?

 

[LoneSage]

Is there any multi-player?

nah I don't think so.

 

[Gameoz]

Here is some youtube footage for people that don't know what the game looks like.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9mSg3urYU8


Maybe I have the volume too high but the screaming every second might get on my nerves. Other than that, I think it looks pretty good.

 

[LoneSage]

No, that's how it sounds -- sound effects are loud, music is low.

 

[LoneSage]

well, this is rather surprising:

The creators of this game were such huge fans of the SFC (SNES) game Gundam Wing: Endless Duel that they <strike>shamelessly fucking stole</strike> paid homage to one of the songs!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0Br9slS5fU

Oh, and the game over theme is a slowed down section of the Black Omen theme from Chrono Trigger.

I really need to get my system in order and see if the music is stored in a streaming format, so I can what else they appropriated.

 

[Ancient Flounder]

Yeah, I'm not digging the no-continue thing at all. This is especially true when you can go most of a stage not getting hit at all, then get gang-raped by enemies being placed on stairs and you can shoot at a diagonal angle.

In fact, I've yet to beat the first stage.

 

[LoneSage]

Second level boss was pretty sweet!
I'm warming up to this game...a little bit.

Third level has a real pain in the ass section where some big enemies who take forever to kill with a regular weapon come at you on both sides. The dropbomb weapon (or whatever it's called) seems to be most effective against them.

First level boss goes down in like 5 seconds with the rockets.

 

[Lochlan]

The game is almost good, but its flaws undermine its potential for greatness. It has that "mugen"-y feel kinda like Metal Slug 4 or an early Telenet game.

The graphics are great but all the enemies look the same and the backgrounds and platform designs also use the same elements too often, making the pacing unbearable at times. Unlike most run'n'guns, the enemies take multiple hits to destroy (in what is likely an attempt to artificially increase the difficulty and game length).

The game mechanic feels really "loose". For instance here is a health and armor system that IMO encourages sloppy game design; while playing I often felt that there were spots where getting hit was unavoidable (as opposed to simply difficult).

There were also a couple platforming areas in the first level that I hated -- not solely because they were "too hard" or some such nonsense, but simply because their poor design made it difficult to progress.

Ultimately I am most dissapointed because I wanted a one-hit-and-you're-dead game with a tight Arcade-like design behind it, but I don't know what prompted me to put my expectations so high.

I'll probably play it a bit more and try to give it another chance, but most people should definately pass on this one -- I'd rather play Metal Slug 1 and enjoy its finely-tuned mechanics for the umpteenth time than trek through Commando's mediocrity.

 

[jro]

Here is some youtube footage for people that don't know what the game looks like.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9mSg3urYU8


Maybe I have the volume too high but the screaming every second might get on my nerves. Other than that, I think it looks pretty good.

Uh, that looks like a rather direct MS ripoff. But much less fantastic.