Part 4 (or 5 if u count 1,2,X,3) of the
most famous jump´n´shoot out there. As SNK is no more, Playmore got the rights
to continue the MS series.
Question is: R they doing a good job or not?! I try to melt all 4 Nazca/SNK-parts into
one and compare it with Part 4...hope i manage...
Dont hang me from the
highest tree if i dont meet ur opinion. Everyone has a different taste. 
First thing that meets
the eye are not so detailed grafix. Also i miss some animationframes and
actiondetails like smoke from tires or a dynamic vehicle stop. Part 1-3 surely had more detailed artwork.
1-0 for SNK.
Next thing...background. Well i think no part beats Part 1 in background grafix.
But part 4 is still better here than part 3, thus equal . Still 1-0 for SNK.
Sound: FX are basic SNK sounds, music itself is a bit better in my opinion, but
not significally. Equal 1-0 for SNK.
Gameplay: hm...bosses
surely are easier to beat than in part 3, but they are also much less fun as any
other part. Meaning endbosses dont have any connection to the level itself (eg
Part 3, level 1 the giant crab boss surely had some connection to the 1st level
with all the smaller crabs and so on). They simply appear and u fight
them...thats it. This also is true for many other things in Part 4. Also the
animations of the bosses is not so well done. 2-0 for SNK
Features: Loads. Surely part 4 has more features than any other part. Beginning
from double handed machineguns to the new point-busting combo system. Also u may
enter many new vehicles like rocket tanks, loaders or trucks and so on. 2-1 for SNK.
Technical: Very few
slowdowns, but some (also very few) clipping errors. No wonder...quite a lot of
sprites onscreen most of the time. Part 3 was - technically speaking - the best
part. Lets not talk about Part 2...thus equal. 2-1 for SNK
Replay Value: If u wanna go on score, part 4 with its combo system is the right
thing for u. If u try to get as far as u can i would recommend part 1 or X. Part
3 is not the game u want for this task, cause of endbosses. Id say equal...2-1
for SNK still.
Fun: Lets face the facts. Part 1 is the part with the best fun ideas. Part 3 is the
worst with its loooong neverending and repeating sequences (eg alien ship
tunnel). But part 3 has the best non-playing-sequence...the rocket start...Part
4 misses the "WHOA"-situations, but features eg endless mummy-bashing
(for whats its worth) instead. 3-1
for SNK.
Difficulty: U beat every
MS part on lets say level 4? Well ure in for a surprise. Part 4 is much more
difficult. If thats a drawback i dont know. It for sure doesnt help playability,
as there are some very unfair sequences.
Ideas: Oh my..."sprite recycling" - a definite "yes" in part
4,
okay...who wants another style of enemies or heroes...noone, BUT! even the
levels grafix look mostly (not all) the same. Same is true for enemies, rockets, vehicles shots and
so on. More new ideas surely would have helped the game...SNK parts always had
many new ideas from part to part (not counting part 2 to X). 4-1 for SNK.
Part 4 specific
comments: The neverending mummy sequences are not what i need, "jump or
die" sequences also fit better to plumber Mario and his brothers than to
Metal Slug, the unfair endbosses never fitting to the level also are a drawback,
but some ideas are still nice. Eg the ship-level and its submarine endboss.
Final boss is a big YAAAWN and final animations/ending sequence is no BOOM
either...quite teh opposite.
Needless to say it is
still a good game and its a lot of fun. Its still one of the best
representatives of its genre and its sure worth getting into ur collection.
But if ur not a real fan and only want the best parts id stick to 1 and
X.
Players: 2
Developer: Playmore
System: MVS
Rating: