Metal Wolf Chaos

Metal Wolf Chaos
Developer(s)	From Software
Publisher(s)	Microsoft
Composer(s)	Kota Hoshino
Platform(s)	Xbox
Release date(s)	December 22, 2004
Genre(s)	Third-person shooter
Mode(s)	Single player

Metal Wolf Chaos (メタルウルフカオス, Metaruurufukaosu) is a third-person shooter video game for the Microsoft Xbox that was released only in Japan. It was developed by From Software, who are responsible for Chromehounds and the Armored Core series of mecha games.

The game revolves around a fictitious President of the United States named Michael Wilson. Using a suit of powered armor named Metal Wolf, he battles forces who have taken over his country in a coup d'état, including his arch nemesis, Vice President Richard Hawk.

Although released exclusively in Japan, Metal Wolf Chaos has full English voice acting.

Plot

In the year 20XX, America has plunged into a state of civil and economic unrest and as a result several states attempted to secede from America to protect their own interests. The result was the Arizona Insurrection. During that time, Richard Hawk and Michael Wilson fought and crushed the Insurrection and paved the way for powerful military weapons.

Michael Wilson soon became the President of the United States, a relative of Woodrow Wilson, as a parallel to the real life presidency of George W. Bush of the time of the game's release. Vice President Richard Hawk decides to usurp Wilson's presidency, and shifts the armed forces' loyalty to him and attacks Wilson with their support. With it came a reign of terror from slavery to outright atrocities.

However, Wilson escapes from the White House in his powered armor, and after reaching Air Force One, flies to the west coast of the United States. He then starts to take America back by liberating cities and outposts, going from west to east. He faces many of his old comrades from the insurrection, all of whom had died fighting him over cowardly betraying Hawk. The fight came ahead when Hawk threatened collective punishment on everyone in the United States who was still sympathetic to Wilson's cause and Jodie nearly died for her betrayal. However, Wilson refused to let another trusted comrade of him die and saves her and returns to the Capital.

When Wilson returns to the White House, Hawk is not there. Wilson discovers that he is in Las Vegas and goes there to fight his usurper, but Hawk escapes in a rocket and goes to a space station. Wilson and Hawk battle in space, with the President ultimately saving the United States of America from nuclear destruction and destroying his enemy.

Demo

The Official Xbox Magazine's Holiday 2004 issue's game disc (issue #39) has a hidden demo of the game. Weapons in the game demo include a cluster missile launcher, a dumb-fire rocket launcher, an M134, a SPAS-12 shotgun (double-size), and an M79 grenade launcher (also double-size). The powered armour that the President uses contains all of these weapons in shoulder pods.

Reception

Despite not receiving a Western release, Metal Wolf Chaos gained cult status after a series of YouTube videos depicting the game's cheesy voice acting and nonsensical plot were released. The game was one of the fastest to gain collecting value — in 2012 (only 8 years after release) its average value on Ebay ranged from $150 to $170.

1UP.com named it one of the "most insanely patriotic video games ever", and thought that the premise was "perfect for a mech game and dinnertime conversation". Michael Wilson is ranked first in Electronic Gaming Monthly’s list of the top ten video game politicians.

In Japan, "Used Games" magazine (now defunct) wrote a rave review about the game's over the top plot and depictions, giving it the title of "Natural Born Dumb Game".

External links

• Official website (Japanese text)
• Trailer