The 5th installment in the Metal Slug series produces exciting action-packed, although short-lived, gameplay.
Marco and the gang are sent on a mission to retrieve a stolen data disc that contains valuable top secret information about their army's Metal Slug vehicles. Naturally, they believed it to be the handiwork of the nefarious General Morden, but upon arriving at a remote island far off in the sea, they are greeted (and repulsed) by angry island natives as well as soldiers who belonged to what they came to know as the Ptolemaic Army.
Unfortunately, Marco and company failed to retrieve the data disc. As they progress through the game, they are pitted against deformed, though still quite dangerous, Metal Slug vehicle spin-offs that offer vibrant challenge and each possess unique traits. The Ptolemaic Army's true intentions for utilizing the data disc are still largely unknown until you make it to the final mission.
For example, the MK-III Blackhound encountered in Mission 1 possesses a loosely-homing missile launcher as well as the capacity fire a heavy-duty laser beam directly from its cockpit.
The bosses are fresh, unique and still manage to take up 50% or more of the screen. the final boss is one you must see to believe.
As expected from previous titles, Metal Slug 5 offers the same goofy cartoon-style of sprite animation while introducing an entirely new line-up of army baddies that you must battle across the standard 5 missions of play. The new Slug vehicles (Slug Gunner, Slug Walker, and even a Slug Compact Car!) that are introduced for you (the player) to toy around with are vibrant and just plain fun to use.
Metal Slug 5 has 3 main flaws:
1.) It's too short!
2.) The only status ailment (mummy, zombie, etc.) that appears in this game is the ' Wo-ooaaahhhh......Big!!!' one and that is only accessible towards the end of the 1st mission....
3.) The new "slide" move you can perform is largely useless, that often kills you instead of assists you.
Overall, Metal Slug 5 was a much-needed and delightful break away from the tedious Morden-drowned storyline that had you see5ng Xs everywhere you looked in real life after playing through its predecessors. It's perhaps one of the best Metal Slugs to date, and easily worth playing through even if renting it is your only option these days.