Metal Arms: Glitch in the System

by Universal Interactive

Product Features

• Battle in a one-robot war against a machine army, as you try to liberate an alien world
• Fight your way through over 40 missions, while using sniping, stealth and puzzle-solving skills to get past the enemy
• Blow the opposition to pieces(literally) using 17 unique and deadly weapons that can be powered up
• Hack into and take control of enemy robots with Glitch's control tether device
• Hijack vehicles and use them to destroy the enemy

Product Details

• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B00008KTNN
• Item Weight: 3.2 ounces
• Media: Video Game
• Release Date: November 18, 2003
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (41 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,093 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

Blast your way to victory as Glitch, the gun-slinging, half-ton menacing bot of Droid City. Found as scrap metal, but transformed into destructive machinery, Glitch is determined to free his people from the evil clutches of General Corrosive and his maniacal army of Mil bots. Unleash a world of pain as you annihilate the General's sinister plan to dominate the world, and salvage the robot race!

Product Description

Metal Arms: Glitch In The System turns you into Glitch, a mysterious gunslinging bot in Droid City. The evil General Corrosive and his maniacal army of Mil bots are trying to take over, and Glitch decides to give them a world of pain! Seven exciting multiplayer modes

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Surprise hit of the year, August 25, 2003

By 

Socktapuss (Brooklyn , NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Metal Arms: Glitch in the System (Video Game)

I spent some time with this game at this years E3 and there is no question this is going to be one of those surprise hits no one sees coming. That's a good thing too, because in a year without Halo 2 Xbox is going to need something to kick it in the pants.

The graphics are some of the tightest the system has seen, each world is just beautifully rendered in 3D awaiting to be demolished by your weapons. I had a blast just picking away at enemies limbs, the way they pop and squirm as you shoot them is just awesome, you really need to see it in action. This game really pulled me in from the moment I picked up the controller.

No serious gamer can pass this up and it won't take much convincing of an average joe to get hooked.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Metal Arms is so much fun, November 28, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Metal Arms: Glitch in the System (Video Game)

I have to say that I really like METAL ARMS. The concepts in it - recruiting friendly bots, taking control of enemies, and the collecting of washers in order to buy weapons, weapon upgrades, energy, and ammo - are great. The graphics, level design, and sound effects are among the best I've experienced in any game.

Having said that, the thing I can't believe about this game is the controls - they only allow the standard FPS control scheme! I'm not left handed but I've always used the "southpaw" setup in FPS games because pulling the firing trigger throws off my aim in standard. By now I'm used to it, and it's never been a big deal because in EVERY other game you can customize the controls or at least pick from several control options, but NOT IN METAL ARMS. For me, this nearly ruined the whole game. Yes I'm adjusting but it throws me off and makes the game much harder and more frustrating than it needs to be. It could have been a pure pleasure to play but instead it's a struggle fighting the controls as well as the enemies. If you're used to standard this won't affect you, but it's such a basic thing that I still can't believe the designers left it out. I mean, you can invert up/down and you can even set the look sensitivity, but no options for the control scheme...??? I keep thinking that maybe I'm wrong and I just haven't found out how to change it yet, because the people who made this game wouldn't leave out such a common sense basic option, right?!? OK it isn't the end of the world but it drives me nuts that they obviously put in so much time and effort building an innovative, fun, and beautiful game and then they kill it by forgetting something stupid like control scheme setup. If this game interests you, and you're used to controls other than standard, you'll be stuck relearning how to play. Don't let it keep you from getting METAL ARMS, because it's otherwise such a great game, but just be warned.

And it really is a great game. Scheme aside, the controls are tight and responsive, the enemies are detailed and smart (at least the ones that are supposed to be smart), and the gameplay in general is lots of fun. There are things like gold washers, chips, and powerups to search for without it bogging you down ( they're in logical areas - behind pillars, under bridges, and in tunnels or ditches). If you want you can just ignore all those things and blast your way through the game. That doesn't mean that you don't have to think in this game, but just that it doesn't get in the way of the action. There are of course some parts where smart play is necessary, like an enemy boss that has to be killed in a certain way that isn't immediately apparent.

METAL ARMS feels like a Super Mario type platformer with weapons. Lots and lots of weapons! ...perfectly designed with great firing action and reloading. One of the things I like most is that there is a real difference between weapons. You have to pay attention to what enemy bot you're fighting because sometimes you'll need to switch to the right weapon to be able to kill them before they kill you. Upgrading the right weapons at the right time will make the combat easier to handle. The combat itself is amazing: a frenzy of hard-hitting firefights with huge explosions and robots screaming and coming apart all over the place. It's funny to sneak up and throw a grenade at a group of enemy soldier bots and watch what happens. They yell and freak out and try to get away and then the grenade pops and they each explode individually. You walk over and there are smoldering robot remains with gears and springs everywhere. It's great.

METAL ARMS is an extremely fun game with heavy combat, firepower, and beautiful levels and enemies that are well designed and great to look at (and destroy). I can't give it 5 stars only because some aspects look and feel unfinished, like they rushed it to market before it was 100% completed. Not anything crucial in the game itself, but for instance the lack of control choice (important to me!) and certain other things, especially menus and such, that just seem thrown together at the last minute when compared to the rest of the game. Still, METAL ARMS is one of the best games I've played in a long time and I recommend it to anyone who likes shooters. You'll love it.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hearing enemy robots scream never gets old, November 24, 2003

By 

flaviolius (Los Angeles) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Metal Arms: Glitch in the System (Video Game)

Metal Arms: Glitch in the System is a 3D action-shooter that's been called a combination of Halo and Ratchet & Clank. High praise for an unlicensed game from a small developer. But Swingin' Ape Studios has delivered a fantastic, fun, lengthy, and challenging game that deserves all the status of higher-profile titles.

You control Glitch, a mysterious robot found by a rebel force on the planet of Iron Star. General Corrosive and his army of Mil mechs are overrunning the planet, and it's up to you and your arsenal to take em out. OK, so the story isn't the most original ever written. However, the dialogue is well-written and hilarious, and the voice-acting is very well done.

The gameplay is what matters here. Glitch's right arm can be outfitted with any of 15+ weapons, ranging from a machine gun and rocket launcher to a rivet gun and mining laser. His left arm is used for support items, like grenades, but some items can be combined with his equipped weapon (use a scope with a compatible weapon and you can snipe from a distance). Weapons can be upgraded, as can Glitch's own servos, which enable him to reload faster. Destroyed enemies leave ammo, as well as washers, which act as the game's currency, letting you purchase extra life, grenades, or weapons. The game controls like Halo - left stick to move, right stick to aim - but is in third-person. Left trigger is for Glitch's left arm, right trigger fires his weapon.

Pretty basic stuff. But there's more. Glitch can use a weapon called a control tether, which can be used to hack into enemy droids, giving you complete control over them. You can use this to scout ahead, sneak into heavily guarded areas, or hack a huge armored mech to lay waste to everything. And I mean everything. Destroyed bots fly apart into pieces (often with a funny death wail). Bridges collapse. Doors are blown inward. Buildings crumble. There's a lot of interactivity in Metal Arms, and you'll need it, because the game can be tough in spots. However, you've often got several strategies to try. Come across an area with too many enemies? Shoot out the grate beneath their feet and send em into burning lava. Use the razor gun to sever an enemy's arms so he can't use weapons against you. There are also gun turrets to man and vehicles to use (one level has you fleeing across a desert canyon in a jeep much like Halo's Warthog). Once you've wasted all enemies in an area, exploration can net you extra ammo, new weapons, or golden computer chips (which unlock new levels for multiplayer).

Metal Arms looks great. The levels range from labs to robot cities to underground mines to open deserts - there are over forty in the single-player game. Characters are well-animated, and the sound effects are about as perfect as you could ask for.
Music is appropriate without being distracting, and as already mentioned, the voice-acting adds a lot of character.

There are eight multiplayer modes for up to four people on splitscreen. One mode limits everyone to control tethers only, so it's a mad dash to jack into the strongest bots. There is also the option to create your own type of game. It doesn't support LAN like Halo does, but the splitscreen is almost as fun - the inclusion of CPU-controlled bots is a nice addition.

The only thing negative you could say about Metal Arms is that it's being released in the time of year when multiple high-profile titles are coming out every week. It's sure to get lost in the holiday shuffle, a fate it certainly does not deserve. Swingin' Ape are a talented bunch, and this delightful, diverse, and rewarding game is a very welcome surprise.