Review
When Atari introduced Battlezone to the Arcade going public and virtually at the same time released Combat to the console owning public they created a genre that would stand the test of time. Nearly thirty years later companies are still releasing tank battle games on both the Arcade and console platforms. The real fun in these types of games is the ability to do battle with one another. In the Arcades this is accomplished via two separate cabinets and screens connected so that each participant can have his own view of the action. More often than not, the gamers who play on console systems aren't so fortunate and are left staring at the same screen via split screen action. While it is a good concept, often times split screen games simply don't measure up to the fun factor most hardcore gamers expect.
Following the paradigm of its console predecessors, Wild Metal's action is viewed on a split-screen in the game's two-player modes. The one-player adventure will require that the gamer not only destroy enemies but also collect power cores. The concept of the game is quite good but the question remains whether or not this translates into a fun gaming experience in either the one or two-player modes.
What most will notice first about a game is its look. Graphical appeal is an important factor in selling games and on the Sega Dreamcast it is one area of a game that should not be lackluster. This being said it appears that although Wild Metal offers us an amazingly detailed terrain, it can become quite repetitive due to the lack of variation in the backgrounds.
The tanks themselves contain intricate detail. Both the tanks you control and the enemies look quite similar and the same seventeen tanks you have to choose from are used as your enemies as well. There are also several flying enemies you must face and each of them is smoothly animated and highly detailed.
In terms of physical structures, such as buildings or bases, there are very few. Most often you will encounter a small tower that provides energy to electronic fences that you must destroy. Once again the problem here is lack of variation. There aren't enough different types of enemies or structures. While talking about a lack of variation it is inevitable that the lack of variation in the actual terrain itself must also be mentioned.
Sadly, the game's options menus are the areas that shine most in terms of aesthetic appeal. Not only are they nice to look at, but the sounds that are used in them are top-notch. Hearing the gears cranking when you select another vehicle, along with the background techno track containing all the sounds of battle, is quite enjoyable. This can set you up for what seems to be a great gaming experience but the let down will undoubtedly ensue shortly after.
The in-game engine sounds are average at best, as are the sounds of the shots being fired and explosions. The helicopters will offer only a miniscule amount of variety in the game's sounds and the music itself is nothing to speak of. You are given the option to crank up the game's music or turn it off to hear the sound effects, but neither will give you the gaming experience you deserve for fifty dollars.
Options are extremely thin in the one-player game being that, outside of selecting a tank, only the ability to adjust controller configuration, adjust the sound or view the game's credits are available.
The options are more geared toward two-player battles for there is a slew of ways to play the multi-player game. Options in the split screen mode are quite expansive. Players have the choice of either playing for frags or power cores. When selecting either of these ways to play there are even more options available. When playing for frags it is possible to select the exact number of kills it will take to become victorious or the time limit in which you have to fight. When playing for power cores there are two separate ways to play. One method requires the player to destroy the enemy then collect his power core and return it to base. Doing this three times will ensure a victory. The other method of playing for cores involves a single core being dropped between the two combatants leaving them to fight for it. The player who safely delivers this core to their home base will be the winner.
Though there are several ways to play the two-player game, the options themselves in the one-player game are very weak. Wild Metal neither stands out as being overly innovative or lackluster in this area. While options don't always make a game, it is nice to have several of them if the game itself gets tedious.
By far the most important aspect of a game is its gameplay, or fun factor, and Wild Metal falls short in both. The basic controls are easy to get a hold of and master due to the way they are set up. The ability to turn your turret while traveling in different directions is made easy with the Dreamcast controllers' analog buttons. Actual physics are phenomenal as your tank will teeter on edges and flip over on occasion. When a tank flips over it is possible to rotate your turret and fire toward the ground so that the backfire of the shot will bring your tank back to its upright position. This is just another example of the excellent physics that the game's engine possesses. There is no question that painstaking detail was taken in creating the game's physics, however, there was not near enough attention paid to how the game will play out in the long run.
The concept is simple: locate eight power cores and store them in your base. After collecting a power core you may go to your base and lock it. Doing so will enable you to retain that power core even after death. Since there are no finite number of lives to be exhausted, the game continues until the player saves his progress. The only punishment for death will be the loss of power cores that you have yet to store in your base. Bases are located randomly throughout each terrain and, aside from offering a place to store your power cells, they also offer rejuvenation. You're only other options as far as regaining health are to collect remnants from destroyed enemies (which will boost your life meter a tad) or to call upon a helicopter. Calling for a helicopter can only be done occasionally so it is best to save that for when your tank has flipped over and it is impossible to upright.
Firing the tank is quite unique, yet not altogether perfect. Other than rotating your turret there is the option to hold down the trigger when firing. The result is the turret raising its angle so that you can destroy enemies perched atop a mountain or at a great distance. Once released, the fire button can be repeatedly pressed while maintaining its exact angle. When there is a pause in firing, your turret will return to its original position. This method of firing can be overly frustrating, especially when trying to destroy enemies that are close. Overshooting them will become common place leaving you to back up and aim your turret at the same time (a task even the most experienced gamers will have trouble with).
Some tanks are more stable than others are, while some will travel at higher speeds. More so than any other factor the speed of the tanks is where the most problems lie. Movement is SLOW, real slow. Traveling from one side of a world to another can take several minutes with even the fastest tank. Therefore, it can be extremely laborious to travel over the terrain since it is so expansive yet far too similar in all areas. This can make it not only difficult to get a feel for your exact heading but boring as well.
The radar is set up in a ridiculous manor. Rather than the traditional radar or map residing in the corner of the screen, the radar in Wild Metal IS the screen. There are hard to read white letters and symbols that will rotate around the screen as you travel. Even the most experienced gamers will become confused and frustrated while trying to navigate the terrain in order to locate the power cores. All too often one will encounter a dead end, only to find that he or she must travel all the way around a mountain, which will once again take several minutes.
The game was obviously meant to shine in its two-player modes although there isn't much more fun to be had there than in the one-player adventure. Due to the slow speed at which the tanks travel it simply represents itself as more of the same rather than a brand new experience. Add to this the fact that the confusing terrain is now brought to you via split screen action and you have a real mess on your hands. Firing at each other can also be difficult due to the game's firing system that asks that your trajectory be overly accurate. Given all of the different ways to play the two-player game, most gamers will be hard pressed to find even one that is enjoyable.
The replay value of this game is hampered by its monotony. While there isn't a lack in the actual number of missions, since all missions are identical in nature there is little new to actually see or do. Most users will hope that the two-player battles would save this game, however, the same problems that plague the game's one-player options affect its two-player experience as well. Neither will warrant extended play and it's difficult to imagine anyone would want to play this game for more than a few minutes.
If you are looking for a war game that involves tanks, look elsewhere. Even the most die-hard tank enthusiasts will undoubtedly become bored with this title in the first hour. Even after giving it a chance and playing for several days, most gamers (if not all) will realize that Wild Metal will never own up to its fifty dollar price tag. If you want to know exactly what its like, think of it as walking to the mall and back with snow shoes on looking for a quarter you dropped. The feeling of mission accomplished is hardly any more rewarding than the actual journey is fun.
Following the paradigm of its console predecessors, Wild Metal's action is viewed on a split-screen in the game's two-player modes. The one-player adventure will require that the gamer not only destroy enemies but also collect power cores. The concept of the game is quite good but the question remains whether or not this translates into a fun gaming experience in either the one or two-player modes.
What most will notice first about a game is its look. Graphical appeal is an important factor in selling games and on the Sega Dreamcast it is one area of a game that should not be lackluster. This being said it appears that although Wild Metal offers us an amazingly detailed terrain, it can become quite repetitive due to the lack of variation in the backgrounds.
The tanks themselves contain intricate detail. Both the tanks you control and the enemies look quite similar and the same seventeen tanks you have to choose from are used as your enemies as well. There are also several flying enemies you must face and each of them is smoothly animated and highly detailed.
In terms of physical structures, such as buildings or bases, there are very few. Most often you will encounter a small tower that provides energy to electronic fences that you must destroy. Once again the problem here is lack of variation. There aren't enough different types of enemies or structures. While talking about a lack of variation it is inevitable that the lack of variation in the actual terrain itself must also be mentioned.
Sadly, the game's options menus are the areas that shine most in terms of aesthetic appeal. Not only are they nice to look at, but the sounds that are used in them are top-notch. Hearing the gears cranking when you select another vehicle, along with the background techno track containing all the sounds of battle, is quite enjoyable. This can set you up for what seems to be a great gaming experience but the let down will undoubtedly ensue shortly after.
The in-game engine sounds are average at best, as are the sounds of the shots being fired and explosions. The helicopters will offer only a miniscule amount of variety in the game's sounds and the music itself is nothing to speak of. You are given the option to crank up the game's music or turn it off to hear the sound effects, but neither will give you the gaming experience you deserve for fifty dollars.
Options are extremely thin in the one-player game being that, outside of selecting a tank, only the ability to adjust controller configuration, adjust the sound or view the game's credits are available.
The options are more geared toward two-player battles for there is a slew of ways to play the multi-player game. Options in the split screen mode are quite expansive. Players have the choice of either playing for frags or power cores. When selecting either of these ways to play there are even more options available. When playing for frags it is possible to select the exact number of kills it will take to become victorious or the time limit in which you have to fight. When playing for power cores there are two separate ways to play. One method requires the player to destroy the enemy then collect his power core and return it to base. Doing this three times will ensure a victory. The other method of playing for cores involves a single core being dropped between the two combatants leaving them to fight for it. The player who safely delivers this core to their home base will be the winner.
Though there are several ways to play the two-player game, the options themselves in the one-player game are very weak. Wild Metal neither stands out as being overly innovative or lackluster in this area. While options don't always make a game, it is nice to have several of them if the game itself gets tedious.
By far the most important aspect of a game is its gameplay, or fun factor, and Wild Metal falls short in both. The basic controls are easy to get a hold of and master due to the way they are set up. The ability to turn your turret while traveling in different directions is made easy with the Dreamcast controllers' analog buttons. Actual physics are phenomenal as your tank will teeter on edges and flip over on occasion. When a tank flips over it is possible to rotate your turret and fire toward the ground so that the backfire of the shot will bring your tank back to its upright position. This is just another example of the excellent physics that the game's engine possesses. There is no question that painstaking detail was taken in creating the game's physics, however, there was not near enough attention paid to how the game will play out in the long run.
The concept is simple: locate eight power cores and store them in your base. After collecting a power core you may go to your base and lock it. Doing so will enable you to retain that power core even after death. Since there are no finite number of lives to be exhausted, the game continues until the player saves his progress. The only punishment for death will be the loss of power cores that you have yet to store in your base. Bases are located randomly throughout each terrain and, aside from offering a place to store your power cells, they also offer rejuvenation. You're only other options as far as regaining health are to collect remnants from destroyed enemies (which will boost your life meter a tad) or to call upon a helicopter. Calling for a helicopter can only be done occasionally so it is best to save that for when your tank has flipped over and it is impossible to upright.
Firing the tank is quite unique, yet not altogether perfect. Other than rotating your turret there is the option to hold down the trigger when firing. The result is the turret raising its angle so that you can destroy enemies perched atop a mountain or at a great distance. Once released, the fire button can be repeatedly pressed while maintaining its exact angle. When there is a pause in firing, your turret will return to its original position. This method of firing can be overly frustrating, especially when trying to destroy enemies that are close. Overshooting them will become common place leaving you to back up and aim your turret at the same time (a task even the most experienced gamers will have trouble with).
Some tanks are more stable than others are, while some will travel at higher speeds. More so than any other factor the speed of the tanks is where the most problems lie. Movement is SLOW, real slow. Traveling from one side of a world to another can take several minutes with even the fastest tank. Therefore, it can be extremely laborious to travel over the terrain since it is so expansive yet far too similar in all areas. This can make it not only difficult to get a feel for your exact heading but boring as well.
The radar is set up in a ridiculous manor. Rather than the traditional radar or map residing in the corner of the screen, the radar in Wild Metal IS the screen. There are hard to read white letters and symbols that will rotate around the screen as you travel. Even the most experienced gamers will become confused and frustrated while trying to navigate the terrain in order to locate the power cores. All too often one will encounter a dead end, only to find that he or she must travel all the way around a mountain, which will once again take several minutes.
The game was obviously meant to shine in its two-player modes although there isn't much more fun to be had there than in the one-player adventure. Due to the slow speed at which the tanks travel it simply represents itself as more of the same rather than a brand new experience. Add to this the fact that the confusing terrain is now brought to you via split screen action and you have a real mess on your hands. Firing at each other can also be difficult due to the game's firing system that asks that your trajectory be overly accurate. Given all of the different ways to play the two-player game, most gamers will be hard pressed to find even one that is enjoyable.
The replay value of this game is hampered by its monotony. While there isn't a lack in the actual number of missions, since all missions are identical in nature there is little new to actually see or do. Most users will hope that the two-player battles would save this game, however, the same problems that plague the game's one-player options affect its two-player experience as well. Neither will warrant extended play and it's difficult to imagine anyone would want to play this game for more than a few minutes.
If you are looking for a war game that involves tanks, look elsewhere. Even the most die-hard tank enthusiasts will undoubtedly become bored with this title in the first hour. Even after giving it a chance and playing for several days, most gamers (if not all) will realize that Wild Metal will never own up to its fifty dollar price tag. If you want to know exactly what its like, think of it as walking to the mall and back with snow shoes on looking for a quarter you dropped. The feeling of mission accomplished is hardly any more rewarding than the actual journey is fun.
Graphics 
While the backgrounds are nice to look at, and the detail is extensive, there is not enough variety in tanks, backgrounds or structures to look at. The game seems empty. Mostly made up of baron landscapes, the terrain will become boring to look at after only a very short period of time.
Sound
The engine sounds as well as shots fired are average at best. No real innovation here at all, and no voice-over work whatsoever. The music is plain and adds very little to the game.
Enjoyment 
The control is tight and responsive and won't take long at all to get used to. Game speed is a huge problem since the tanks move along far too slowly. Add this to the gigantic, monotonous worlds and boredom will ensue. Firing weapons will do little for frustrated gamers since the system does little for close quarter combat.
Replay Value
The number of missions is extensive, though there is little or no variety in them. With the slow gameplay and the all too similar playing surfaces this game can become old very fast. The two-player battles don't offer enough to make this game a lasting joy.
Documentation 
The manual is extraordinary. Every tank and enemy is explained in detail and the story itself is explained intricately. After reading the manual there shouldn't be anything to ask yourself about the game.
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