DESCRIPTION

Metal Storm is a generally likable platform shooter whose bright colors and bouncy soundtrack belie a serious storyline and tough difficulty level. The Solar System's protection system, nicknamed "Cyberg," has begun destroying the planets it was designed to protect. You stand as Earth's only hope. Armed with the M-308 Gunner armor and weaponry, you must make your way to Pluto and engage Cyberg's self-destruct mechanism. What ultimately sets Metal Storm apart from most platform shooters is the M-308's "gravity flip" feature, which allows you to walk on the ceiling by pressing up while hitting the jump button. This adds an extra layer of strategy to an otherwise standard genre effort. The music and sound effects evoke the feeling of the Mega Man, almost to the point of plagiarism, and the environments are heavily textured to the point of distraction. The use of incongruent colors like peach, green and blue gives the game's palette an odd look, but the main character is well-animated with smooth walking and jumping motions. The difficulty level is at the higher end of the scale, but that's about average for an NES shooter. ~ Skyler Miller, All Game Guide