The Metal Slug series just never seems to get old; despite the fact the game has zero polygons, no life bar, or no Hollywood voice talent backing it up. What it does bank on is short, but sweet gameplay as well as comical and cartoony visuals which may seem a bit dated nowadays, but they boast some of the best 2D animation seen in a video game. While Metal Slug 4 sticks to the roots of the series, Metal Slug 5 takes it in a whole new direction, which makes this package a great exhibition of going out with the old and ringing in the new.

For those not in the know, the Metal Slug games are a series of 2D side-scrolling shooters that have spawned four sequels and spanned nine years. Metal Slug 4 & 5 are the latest games in the series and directly ported from their arcade counterparts. Don't expect a bevy of extras here, as this two disc set is as straightforward and no frills as you can get. While this doesn't deter the fun of the two games, it would have been nice to see some of the extras seen in previous versions that prodded you to come back and improve your skills.

The Metal Slug series harkens back to the old days of gaming where you're able to be killed in one hit and have to attempt to preserve a limited number of lives. Okay, I'm half kidding, while you have a set number of lives, the games difficulty is hampered by the fact that you have unlimited continues, which takes away from the experience in a way and make Metal Slug 4&5 seem like mindless death fests. The games are ported arcade quarter munching arcade games after all, but unlimited continues offer little incentive for you to become any good since you'll always know you have another continue coming.

You'll battle through five missions each with their own environments while gunning down and blowing up everything in your path. Armed with a handgun and grenades, you battle through each level and waves of soldiers while picking up power ups, saving POWs, and eventually battling a level boss who usually consists of a giant tank or robot. While you can choose between four to five different characters to play, they all play the same and are merely cosmetic representations.

In addition to the standard handgun, you'll also be able to pick up shotguns, heavy machine guns, lasers, rocket launchers, the heat seeking enemy chaser, and the always deadly iron lizard which is self explanatory since it shoots exploding iron lizards that speed along the ground. A great new addition to the games has to be the new double machine gun power up which has you dual wielding a couple of heavy machine guns to make your job much easier.

Of course, the proverbial money shot of the Metal Slug series lies in its vehicles, or “slugs” as the game calls them. Not only do these pack a punch, but they're able to withstand a decent amount of damage in the process. Slugs come in the form of the traditional Metal Slug tank, mechs, cars, forklifts, airplanes, submarines, cars, and even what looks a mechanical tiger. Each slug has its own abilities and attacks, for instance, the mech is equipped with a powerful machine gun and cannon as well as a rocket pack that will allow it to jump higher and float around but is slow to maneuver. Though each slug has its own strengths and weaknesses, you'll quickly pick up how they work.

While Metal Slug 4 is definitely the most difficult of the two games, it's also the most guilty of using the most rehashed content, with a lot of it going all the way back to the original game from nine years ago. The basic premise of the game is that you're going up against the armies of the same evil dictator you've been trying to take down since the first game. This means you'll be fighting the same soldiers, zombies, and vehicles in the same environments as the previous games, only rearranged. The game isn't a complete rehash, however, as there's a couple of new playable characters available (but why isn't Tarma playable?!) as well as pirates and Yetis to fight. Work with me here, I'm being an optimist. Bosses are par for the course, as they're all huge and mechanized in one way or another. In the end, think of Metal Slug 4 as Metal Slug 2, X, and 3 remixed as homage to the older games of the series.

Metal Slug 5 takes the series in a new direction, pitting you against a new group of enemies in five new environments as well as the addition of a new sliding move for the characters. While the sliding move is effective in certain situations, it's not good for much more. You'll be pitted against natives and ninjas in a jungle, killer bugs in a temple with spiked ceilings and lava pits, as well as a number of dingy complexes and bases crawling with mechs and other foes. Bosses are also a little more creative in this iteration, like a giant robot attached to the side of a building that uses sound waves to destroy the floor below you. The final boss is also something that has never been seen in a Metal Slug game, though I won't spoil it for you here. While Metal Slug 4 felt like a tribute to the series, Metal Slug 5 feels like a rebirth.

While the heart of the games lie in their respective arcade modes, there's a little more to keep you coming back. The game keeps record of all of the items you pick up and all of the POWs you rescue and encourages you to find them all. You'll have a trophy room displaying everything you picked up in the arcade mode with a number displaying how many you found out of how many total. Same goes for the POWs as you attempt to fill pages upon pages of names. You'll also have a record of scores and clear times for each level. While this may appeal to those who strive for 100% every time, it may not be enough for the casual player.

Granted, the visuals are dated, but they can still hold their own to an extent. The charm of the series lies in its hand drawn cartoon art style. Enemies, as well as the playable characters, are all animated very well and feature a wide range of actions and animations for any situation they're in. Bosses for both games are well designed and have a great amount of detail put into them. Unlike the Xbox version of Metal Slug 3, Metal Slug 4&5 leaves the blood intact, which makes this reviewer thankful. Environments also look great, though the redone environments in Metal Slug 5 look better than the older, reused environments in Metal Slug 4. Anyone born before 1985 will appreciate the art style and look of the game, while it may put off anyone who counts polygons. It could offer something new as well.

Sound between the two games vary in quality. Both games feature the sounds that we know and love from the series like the announcer, the screams from fleeing enemies, explosions, and gun sounds, in addition to the soundtrack which has traditionally sounded like music from an epic war movie. Metal Slug 5 sounds a little better on all fronts with voices and music sounding clearer than Metal Slug 4. The series' victory music has also been redone in Metal Slug 5 and sounds a lot better.

Metal Slug 4 & 5 serves as a great throwback to when gaming was based on skill and not on storylines and depth of the gameplay. It's easy to pick up and play, which might appeal to some casual gamers or those who have never heard of the series and at least make it worth a rental. Outside of that, these games can really only be recommended to the fans of the series as a purchase.

- Brad Hicks (aka Dr. Swank), SwankWorld Media