Metal Slader Glory
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| Metal Slader Glory | |
|---|---|
| File:Metal Slader Glory.jpg Cover artwork of the Famicom version. | |
| Developer(s) | HAL Laboratory, Yoshimiru |
| Publisher(s) | HAL Laboratory (Famicom) Nintendo (Super Famicom) |
| Platform(s) | Family Computer, Super Famicom, Virtual Console |
| Genre(s) | Sci-fi adventure |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
Metal Slader Glory (メタルスレイダーグローリー) is a graphic adventure game developed and published by HAL Laboratory for the Family Computer in 1991, then later re-released by Nintendo in 2000 for the Super Famicom under the name Metal Slader Glory: Director's Cut, and was the last game released for the SFC in Japan and the final title for the Super NES console overall. The original Famicom version was notable for its use of the Multi-Memory Controller 5 chip to create what were, for its time, very impressive character graphics and animated cut-scenes. It was also notable for being advertised heavy enough to almost cause HAL Laboratory to become defunct.
The characters, scenario and graphics were designed by a mangaka under the pen name ☆Yoshimiru, who also published a manga of this game.
Story
The game takes place eight years after a great war was waged between colonies in outer space, and peace has finally settled back onto the Earth. The main character, a 17-year-old war orphan named Tadashi Himukai, purchases a used worker-mech in order to start a construction business with his girlfriend, Elina Furfa. However, when he first activates it, the worker-mech disguise falls away, revealing a combat model Metal Slader, which were all supposedly dismantled after the war, and an enigmatic message is displayed in the cockpit: "EARTH IN PERIL... SEEK THE CREATOR". Prompted by this warning, Tadashi, his sister Azusa, and Elina head out into space to find the answers behind it.
Gameplay
The gameplay is mainly rendered from a first-person perspective: the POV looks out from the main character's eyes, and you progress the story by selecting from a given list of options to interact with the immediate environment and/or other characters. A twist to this format comes late in the game with the addition of a simple combat system, aligning crosshairs on-screen against approaching foes.
Director's Cut
Although released relatively late in the Famicom's life, Metal Slader Glory was very popular received and achieved a cult status among Japanese gamers over the years. Its popularity was still great enough a decade later to warrant the release of a "Director's Cut" of the original for the Super Famicom, incidentally, also late in the console's lifecycle. This version not only features completely redrawn and improved graphics, but includes several scenes excised from the original work by Nintendo's then-stricter code of standards.