Game review: Metal Eden (Xbox Series X)
It's always interesting to get a chance to review a new IP because you can expect the unexpected. This is unlike reviewing Madden every year, where you can predict how the game looks and feels.
I haven't heard much about Metal Eden before its release this September, as all I knew about it was that it was an FPS game. YouTube videos don't do the game justice, though, because you really need to play the game for yourself to truly understand how fast and chaotic it can really be.
The best way I can superficially describe Metal Eden is that it's a sci-fi FPS DOOM clone on steroids. Fast-paced action is encouraged throughout because the game has no cover system, and it rarely gives the player time to rest in between battles.
If you're a person who loves the modern DOOM titles, you will feel right at home playing Metal Eden. The game also has multiple difficulty settings so you can play it anyhow you want. This means you can set the enemies to be as easy or hard as you want.
Before I further discuss Metal Eden's gameplay, let's talk about the setting. Metal Eden takes place in the far future, where humanity has needed to abandon Earth. Human consciousness has been digitized and stored away in a location called Moebius.
As the player, you assume the role of a cybernetic warrior called ASKA who is tasked to infiltrate Moebius and save the trapped humans in the core. The reason Moebius is hostile now is because it's a place run by Engineers who are corrupt, hell-bent on destroying ASKA.
With the game set in the future, the architecture of the game is fancy and outwardly. There is a lot of verticality in the level design because ASKA can use her platform skills to jump and glide all over the planet. That being said, the game is still quite linear because there is usually only one path forward in order to progress in most levels.
The platform jumping and movement in this game is fast and very satisfying. ASKA has a jetpack boost so she can jump really high, and she can also dash forward to keep the momentum going. She is also armed with a grappling hook that she can use to travel longer distances. Not to mention, she can wall ride whenever there are flat vertical surfaces ahead of her, too.
While the movement in this game is fast and satisfying, the gunplay combat is also just as enjoyable. As I mentioned earlier in this review, Metal Eden is a fast-paced FPS that takes a lot of inspiration from the DOOM games.
At the start of the game, ASKA is only armed with a weapon called the Hertz AP, and this has unlimited ammo. Even though it's the first weapon that AKSA wields, it's the weapon I used the most because it has great accuracy and gets more powerful when you level it up. The only downside to this gun is that it can overheat if you shoot it too many times.
Other types of weapons in the game include different types of shotguns, SMGs, energy weapons, and even a grenade launcher. Energy weapons are able to deplete the shields of enemies, while the other guns can do more damage. That being said, ammo is limited for these guns, which is why I used the Hertz AP more than anything else.
Aside from guns, ASKA can literally rip the cores off of enemies to defeat them. By ripping out cores, she can either throw them at other enemies for a huge explosion or absorb them to initiate a super punch. Punches are necessary in this game to deplete the shields of armoured enemies. It pays to rip the cores of enemies whenever you can because the super punch is really effective.
Another unique way to play the game is that ASKA can revert into a metal ball similar to Samus in the Metroid games. By being a ball, she can traverse levels that have long, flat roads. She also has access to missiles and an electric blast while in this mode. However, the ball mode is only available during some levels, so you cannot use this form forever.
Metal Eden has a lot of enemies, but some levels also end in some awesome boss battles. I don't want to spoil the type of bosses that you will encounter in the game, but the boss fights are unique and very fun to play. It's just too bad there aren't more of them in the game.
Even though I had loads of fun playing Metal Eden, the only major thing that is holding the game back is that it's very short. The game only has eight total levels, and most people should be able to finish it quite quickly. I managed to finish the game in just less than five hours.
The only upside to the game being so short is that it's not priced like a full game. For people living in New Zealand, the current price of the game is $69.95 NZD on the Xbox store. That being said, the game doesn't have too much replay value because there aren't many side quests to do other than getting more trophies and/or achievements.
Despite being a very short game, Metal Eden is still an excellent FPS experience. The gunplay is awesome, and the platforming is surprisingly done well. I suggest most people should wait until a sale comes before buying it though.
Verdict: 7.5/10