Metal Slug 6 (2006)

This title is a solid entry in SNK’s long-running run-and-gun series, originally an arcade title later ported to the PlayStation 2. It sticks to the franchise’s trademark chaotic action, hand-drawn sprites, and over-the-top humor, while adding a few tweaks that freshen up the formula. The game introduces a new weapon system that lets you carry two guns and switch between them, plus a difficulty option that slightly changes enemy behavior.

The addition of Ralf and Clark from The King of Fighters brings unique character abilities, offering a bit more replay value. While the visuals and sound are classic Metal Slug, vibrant but a bit dated by 2006 standards, the action remains tight, challenging, and satisfying. At the time of this release, every game was trying to become the best-looking 3D, and at this point if you still liked 2D games there were still plenty to go around, though the focus was creating more and more 3D games.

While the PlayStation 2 version suffers from occasional load times and slightly less crisp visuals than the arcade version, it remains an excellent way to experience the game. For fans of classic arcade shooters, this game delivers everything expected, tight controls, ridiculous bosses, and nonstop action from start to finish. As the other titles of this franchise, if you like this formula than this one is a must-play among all the other Metal Slug titles, no excuse not to play this.

The game is so bad, it makes you miss Metal Slug 4. At some point you'll even suspect that it's a bootleg, so bad it is. But then they could actually recycle some sprites in bootleg, instead of botching them with those rendered monstrosities.

It's interesting to see how the game progresses from bad to worse, probably as developers were leaving the team, unable to cope with the abomination they were forced to create. First two missions will leave you with a feeling "oh, it's not so bad". Yeah, the beautiful background are gone, replaced by renders that would shame even Sega Saturn. But at least the bosses are not that bad.

Then from mission 3 onward, it becomes worse. The only way to describe it it "tedious". Enemies are hard to kill, while you still die from one hit. Their attacks lack any patterns. And bosses are just bullet sponges. Speaking of bullets - we all play Metal Slug for the bullet-hell parts, right? Right?! If not, there's a Digger part in it now. Yep, a Digger. And not the best Digger there is. Actually, the original Digger had more charm than this one.

Then there's the final sequence, with a huge orange that swallows the entire galaxy, and your self-respect with it. And then there's nothing left. No fond childhood memories, no fun. Just a black, endless void.