Bringing together two genres can either be the best thing or the worst thing for a game. In the case of JellySnow Studio and NEOWIZ’s platforming rogue-lite title Metal Unit, it is definitely a beneficial aspect. Balancing the use of combat against multiple enemies at once with a unique platforming style for the game is something they are showing promise in pulling off quite well.
Gameplay
Starting off in the training zone, you can get the hang of using the movement controls, including double-jumping and dashing, and the melee combat aspects. Shortly on you will be given your first gun, which you have to equip from your inventory menu, and this will start giving you ranged attacks. This gun aspect will be pretty essential to the game because, even though it does less damage than your melee attacks, it provides a way to work through the light puzzle elements of the game.
Probably the most unique aspect of the combat part of the game is the secondaries you can get. They act as an extra damager and could be a replacement for not having any supers (at least thus far). Yeah, you have your gun slot and melee weapon slot, but then you have the two extra slots that will give you a damaging tool that hovers around the player or the back-up attack. These can be activated pretty much anytime, but do time out after a while so you will need to use these strategically, just like the rest of your combat moves respectively.
Among the beginning stages, you will see some platforming aspects used, but it isn’t until you get into the first real mission that you see it take hold. Not only is the drop-down and multiple layers aspect used, but there are also challenge moments that will give you a better weapon or item for reaching the ending of it. These challenge platforms will have moving objects and rhythmic shooting segments that will hurt the player unless they successfully maneuver properly.
As far as enemies go, there is a good variety of them but unless they are a boss they are actually kind of cute. I was surprised to see that the first and more common enemy is basically a Pusheen-looking blob with a sword on its head. Don’t be fooled though, the enemies get more and more difficult the less cute they get. Either way, be mindful of their danger because it only takes a small gang of them to do enough damage and you have much bigger foes to take down.
If you are overwhelmed by the enemies or tragically fail one of the platforming challenges and die, the cost isn’t too painful. You will have to restart at the city location, meaning the beginning of whatever chapter you were on, and your inventory will be wiped out. This includes any of the better weapons you purchased, items you found, and any health potions you had stored up and failed to use before meeting your demise. Luckily, you do gain currency from your adventure and this can be used at various places in the safe city area to purchase weapons and other goodies.
Expectations
I like the balancing mixture this game has between combat and platforming, but unlike platforming, the combat sections are sure to have bosses. Since the majority of the gameplay does show an even balance between the two genres, as far as challenging the player, I would love to see some crazy hard platforming segments that have higher tier rewards. Perhaps even a weapon or item that couldn’t be purchased or retrieved anywhere else.
We were shown a pretty power enemy wipe move in one of the earlier cutscenes - the one where we get surrounding and our partner shows up for the first time. It would be pretty amazing to get a super move like that to use in dire moments throughout the game. There could be a one-time use item or even something that we have to charge up through a specific action that makes us alter our gameplay style slightly to meet so that we could save ourselves in a tight pinch.
Conclusion
Metal Unit is looking to be a great game for platforming and action fans alike! There is a lot of potential in what the later stages of the game could offer and I look forward to seeing opportunities and challenges expand as we progress. So far, the game has a great balance between the platforming and the combat aspects which I hope is continued to the end as well.
