Game:

Metal Max Returns (1995)

Duration: 21:15

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What is Metal Max Returns?

Set in an post-apocalyptic wasteland, Metal Max is a game unlike any the world had seen before. Seriously, it predates Fallout by a little over six years! However, both Fallout and Metal Max differ in some key ways.

One way is within each game's combat system. If you'll think back to my Fallout Longplay, then you'll know that while combat there was turn-based, it was hexagonal while Metal Max here uses the Final Fantasy combat system. Another thing that differs between Metal Max and Fallout is that in Metal Max, tanks play a rather large part in the combat, whereas in Fallout, all that really matters is that the player has good equipment, although that would be rectified somewhat in later entries in the Fallout series.

Graphics-wise, Metal Max Returns is a real treat for the eyes! Everything is gorgeous to look at, and the overworld, for how it's supposed to be a gigantic wasteland, it's pretty much exactly what I would imagine our world to look like if we had launched nuclear weapons to the extent that the Fallout games claim that we did.

Now, if the graphics of Metal Max Returns are a treat for the eyes, then the music of the game is a treat for the ears, it's all (for the most part, anyway) so cheerful-sounding like you wouldn't know that you were wandering a post-apocalyptic wasteland! I'm especially fond of the on-foot overworld tune, as well as the catchy theme song for the mad scientist, Dr. Minch!

I can't vouch too much for the replay value, but I will tell you that this game is quite open-ended, which was rare for JRPGs when this game came out. Seriously, as you as you get your first tank, you are free to go pretty much wherever you want to, provided you can survive the enemies in the next region, that is, and considering I've seen some speedrunners doing it, that's really saying something!

Now, I've called this game Metal Max at some points, but one thing that you should know is that this game is actually a remake of an NES game called Metal Max. The game I play in this video is in fact called Metal Max Returns. I honestly don't know which version of the game is better as I've only truly played this one. I hear Metal Max Returns is easier, though. I do know for a fact that you at least MOVE faster in Metal Max Returns than you do in the original Metal Max.

All in all, a nice little game that breaks away from the cliche-ridden mess of fantasy tropes that we see far too often in JRPGs, and it's a real breath of fresh air that the Japanese have always had their own answer to Fallout in Metal Max, just as we non-Japanese gaming folks have our answer to Metal Max in the form of Fallout.

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