Systems > DS > C > Commando: Steel Disaster > Staff Review
Sign up for a free user account and you can leave feedback for this review or even submit a game review of your own!
Review by Marc Golding
October 22, 2008
Skilled though Storm may be, he is inexplicably unable to shoot diagonally upwards. Why run-and-gun shooters continue to handicap their heroes so is beyond my understanding. If Storm manages to secure the right weapon, he can fire diagonally upwards as long as that weapon lasts him, which won’t be long (though he can never shoot diagonally downwards). There are the usual grenade launcher, machine gun and rocket launcher weapons on offer, and Storm can leap about, roll, and toss grenades – useful when up against mini-tanks or blockades providing enemies with cover from your fire.
Regrettably, Commando is a completely generic clone of the Metal Slug blueprint, giving us nothing new, except for its own unique list of problems. Trite dialog between characters precedes each level and is so bad, one wonders why they even bothered. The areas are comprised of multiple stages, sort of like 1-1, 1-2 and so on, although they are not labeled as such. But should you die at what is ostensibly level 1-4 – at the boss encounter – you’ll be displaced back to the title screen where your only option will be to have another go at level 1-1.
That’s right. There are no checkpoints within the areas, Storm only has one life, and there are no ‘continues’ to speak of. In Commando’s defense, Storm does have 100 points of vitality to work with, there are medkits available throughout the environs, and there is a continue option available to you should you manage to actually finish the area you’re working on, yet the odds are still not in your favour.
This is not to say the game is inordinately difficult; it’s manic, but it’s mostly fair, and the controls are spot on. The frustration arises when you meet up with boss for the first time and are more than likely dispatched in short order. It’s back to the drawing board for you, and that’s just inexcusable. This isn’t 1988. Unnecessary repetition kills games these days – or hasn’t developer ManaSoft heard?
If Commando: Steel Disaster is any indication, I suppose not. Sadly, despite some good graphics, decent sounds and temptingly mindless shoot-em-up action, the average gamer will consider this a throwaway. I can only see hardcore fans of the Metal Slug games and its ilk bothering to grant Steel Disaster more than a cursory play through. And even then, probably not for long: the unspectacular and provincial nature of this Metal Slug rip-off doesn’t warrant enduring the frustration that progress in it elicits.
|
|
|
Most recent video game reviews written by Marc Golding
AMY (Xbox 360) [January 18, 2012]
Alone in the Dark 3 (PC) [November 24, 2011]
The War of the Worlds (Xbox 360) [November 23, 2011]
Bejeweled 3 (Xbox 360) [November 15, 2011]
Daytona USA (Xbox 360) [November 04, 2011]
|
You can click the tabs on the above bar to choose whether you wish to read comments from visitors who have posted on Facebook, or from registered site users who have left feedback on the forums. Please leave a comment of your own if you have anything to say!
|
|
|
Follow Us |
Advertise exclusively for 1 month... only $1000!
Recent Forum Discussions
+ holdthephone's Final Fantasy XIII-2 review
+ zippdementia's Mega Jump review
+ JoeTheDestroyer's Area 51 review
+ [News] Schafer has pitched Psychonauts 2, Minecraft dev says 'let's make it happen'
+ Where's SkyWard Sword's review ? And please bring back the rating feature.
+ playstation vita, yo.
+ RotW January 29 - February 04 2012
+ Games to be added to the database...
+ The Final Fantasy XIII-2 thread
+ [News] Final Fantasy X HD will be a remaster, not a remake
+ [News] Naughty Dog explored making a new Jak and Daxter, made Last of Us instead
+ Magical Mystery Tournament!
Staff Game Reviews
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| SoulCalibur V |
| The Simpsons Arcade Game |
| Quarrel |
| Star Ocean: The Last Hope |
| Pushmo |
| Medal of Honor: Airborne |
Site Staff
 |  | ||
 |  | ||
 |  | ||
 |  | ||
 |
Featured Reviews [+]
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Rayman Origins |
| Othello |
| Scarface: The World is Yours |
| The Last Express |
| Golden Axe II |
| Assassin's Creed: Revelations |
Exclusive User Reviews [+]
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Mega Jump |
| White Knight Chronicles |
| Dragon Wars |
| F-Zero GX |
| Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door |
| Pokemon Snap |
Info |
Help |
Privacy Policy |
Contact |
Advertise
© 1998-2012 HonestGamers
None of the material contained within this site--from reviews, guides, cheats and editorials to message board posts--may be reproduced in any conceivable fashion without permission from the author(s) of said material. This site is not sponsored or endorsed by Nintendo, Sega, Sony, Microsoft, or any other such party. Commando: Steel Disaster is a registered trademark of its copyright holder. This site makes no claim to Commando: Steel Disaster, its characters, screenshots, artwork, music, or any intellectual property contained within. Opinions expressed on this site do not necessarily represent the opinion of site staff or sponsors.
