Metal Storm

Developer: Tamtex     Publisher: Irem     Released: 1991     Genre: Action

Today when a new game is announced there are innumerable websites that report it, with screenshots and trailers.  But back in the day we weren’t so lucky.  Outside of seeing TV commercials and ads in comic books games seemed to randomly show up in stores.  Gaming publications were huge for this reason and led me to discovering many classics I would otherwise have never heard of.  Metal Storm is one such gem.  This seemed like a strange choice for a cover story in Nintendo Power.  But once I played it on a rental I understood.  Metal Storm is a truly remarkable title and one that everyone should play at least once.

First things first, the graphics.  Metal Storm isn’t often mentioned on lists of titles that pushed the NES the hardest.  But it absolutely deserves a spot.  The NES did not support parallax scrolling natively, with most developers coming up with creative technical solutions later in the system’s life to enable the effect.  Here every level has at least one layer of scrolling, with some even going two layers deep.  The sensation of depth is nearly unparalleled on the system and is truly amazing.   Especially as the game released in 1989!  Now sadly the music is nearly completely forgettable but I suppose you can’t have everything.

Metal Storm is an action game but not in the typical Contra mold.  There are very few weapons and items.  In fact there are only three; a wave beam that pierces walls, a shield that protects from one hit, and an item that sets you ablaze when flipping upside down.  A large armory of weapons is not necessary as combat isn’t the focus.  Metal Storm enables you to flip gravity at any time with the press of a button.  It is one of the most unique mechanics of that period, and one that is explored at length.

Metal Storm’s claim to fame is its gravity switching mechanic.  The level design is absolutely fantastic, with nearly every scenario taken into account.  Being able to flip upside down is a good escape tactic but there are also enemies that do the same.  Stage hazards activate or deactivate depending on your position as well.  It’s really clever the way a simple passage turns into an elaborate trap once you innocently walk on the ceiling.  Many levels have no barriers, allowing you to pass through both sides of the screen.  This is used to great effect later on and is trippy as hell.

Despite the weirdness surrounding the gravity mechanic the game does an excellent job of easing you into it.  There is a steady ramp up in complexity around its usage.  Initially you can almost complete ignore it and it serves as a cool toy to play with. But soon it becomes mandatory as gates and lasers respond to your positioning.  The later boss battles are both creative and tense.  The stage five boss has three different forms with unique attacks.  As the battle progresses it begins to rapidly switch between each, creating a madcap race to see who dies first.  Stage six’s boss is a true test of your gravity flipping skill.  There is no safe ground, meaning you’ll have to damage the bosses while also clamoring on top of each for safety.  While this is an action game it is as far from Contra as you can possibly get.

You’ll need expert skills if you ever hope to reach the end.  Metal Storm is brutally hard but in a good way.  While the game eases you into the gravity mechanic it will still cause random deaths.  The later levels that allow you to exit both sides of the screen and can be hard to keep track of.  The single hit deaths also make the game rough.  This is a game that desperately needed a small life bar.  You can find a shield but it also removes any weapons you’ve acquired.  That’s a brutal trade-off.  The boss battles are some of the most intense on the NES and will require you to be a gravity flipping master by the end.  I will say this; despite the high difficulty it never feels unfair unlike say Battletoads.  It is always obvious how you died, even if you may not like it.

In Closing

Despite the high difficulty Metal Storm is totally worth it.  Metal Storm is truly unique on the NES. Its high production values and refined gameplay make it special and a title that everyone should play at least once. Unfortunately it wasn’t very popular and so can be hard to find but comes highly recommended.