Metal Arms tells the story of an irreverent, saved-from-the-wastelands robot who’s been reassembled to help save his planet from the mechanical armies of General Corrosive. Throughout the game, Glitch battles against various classes of opposing Mil robots, hoping ultimately both to "recycle" the power-hungry General Corrosive and to gain some recollection of where he came from. It’s basically a story we’ve all heard and played through in one form or another before, but it’s told through such engaging gameplay that it’s one you won’t mind reliving one more time.

At its heart, Metal Arms is a shooter, with 17 weapons and various other grenade-like powerups with which you can equip Glitch. It’s actually quite similar to LucasArts’ Armed and Dangerous, with its focus on firepower and no limit to the number of weapons you can carry at any one time. Damage is also location-specific, so if you use the Ripper to take out an enemy’s shooting arm, the arm will flail about wildly, shooting in every direction. Alternatively, you can take off a head or shoot out a leg, and the robot will mindlessly wander about (or not) appropriately.

As you blast apart opposing robots, you’ll sometimes scatter their washers, which you can then collect as "currency" to buy weapon upgrades and more ammunition. Naturally, the more "leveling-up" you’ve done for a weapon the more damage it unleashes, but upgrades are expensive and washers are somewhat scarce, so it becomes important to choose upgrades wisely.

The enemies themselves also get more powerful, and even though the lowly Grunts don’t get much more intelligent, they increase in number and come equipped with more powerful weapons. Rocket launchers, for example, become an all-too-familiar sight on enemies’ shoulders about one-third of the way through the game. More-sophisticated enemies don’t evolve nearly as much in their weaponry, partly because they start out more-heavily armed, but their AI gets more challenging. Throw a grenade, and they’ll dive for cover. Snipe from a distance, and they’ll move behind a rock until you’re within ambushing distance. The AI is really quite impressive, and not unlike Halo in its overall quality.

If there’s a downside to all this, it’s that parts of the game become sadistically difficult, almost to the point of controller-throwing. There are several instances where enemies outnumber Glitch by the dozens, and victory has as much to do with luck as it does with strategy and skill. There are also instances where enemies will push Glitch off a platform, often inadvertently and due to the occasionally "slippery" handling, which will send you back to a checkpoint to repeat the painful process. Expect to replay some scenarios upwards of five or six times, and be sure to cover your children’s ears.

As much as Metal Arms focuses on firepower, it also has strong platforming elements. Aside from collecting washers, which is a platforming staple, Metal Arms also involves double-jumping from platform to platform, leaping over perilous pits of certain death, battling multiple bosses and exploring nooks and crannies for hidden weapons, energy cells and "secret chips" that unlock multiplayer levels. You can also possess other robots ala Oddworld: Munch’s Odyssey using arcade-like control stations or a tether gun. Add to that several vehicle-based levels and at least one stage where you control a completely different robot (with different handling and firepower), and Metal Arms has more than enough variety to keep things fresh through its 25-plus hours of gameplay.

The game’s no slouch in the graphics department, either. Naturally the location-specific damage is a nice touch, but the character models on their own are rather impressive. Enemy and friendly robots all look appropriately metallic, but more impressive are their animations and actual resemblance of three-dimensional machines. Any game with gears involved runs the serious risk of relying on textures to give characters their depth, but the robots in Metal Arms have clear appendages and torsos, which helps it become slightly more believable that you’re fighting as a robot. Glitch’s own character is particularly strong, with outstanding attention to detail and a radio antenna that bobbles as you move.

The environments are also diverse, ranging from underground caves and Mad Max-like deserts to junkyard-inspired wastelands and modern mechanical bases. Occasionally the textures can seem a bit flat, particularly where ground is concerned, but the overall level design and rubble/obstacles strewn about help compensate for the shortcomings. The environments are also selectively destructible with certain weapons, which is a nice, albeit seldom-used, touch.

In a game focused so much on weapons, it’s important to have the guns look good, and Swinging Ape Studios has definitely delivered. From derivative weapons like the SPEW machine gun to original boomsticks like the Ripper, all the weapons "fit" both within the Metal Arms universe and on the robots’ specific bodies. They also make use of particle and other effects, which adds to the feeling that each weapon is its own beast.

The sound of each weapon is also distinct, although in the heat of battle, you’ll pay more attention to the swarming Mil than you will the sound effects. In between firefights, though, lies a capable soundtrack and some great surround-sound environmental effects. Stroll past a crumbling cliff, and you’ll hear pebbles falling behind you. Walk near the upgrade-selling Shady and Mr. Pockets, and their hip-hop-playing boombox will echo around you if you’re indoors.

Metal Arms’ script and in-game commentary is equally good, with the occasional bleeped-out expletive for good measure. If any of you know the EPCOT Center ride "Cranium Commando" and can recall the voice of "General Knowledge," you’ll get a real kick out of the banter from Colonel Alloy, your leader. His voice is a dead-ringer for that from the EPCOT ride, and it’s absolutely hilarious to have your childhood memories of General Knowledge soiled by comments from the abusive Colonel Alloy.

The built-in multiplayer options are the standard fare, but they’re executed well. You can also create your own scenarios, similar to Halo, which adds a certain level of "ownership" to the game. Unfortunately, they don’t support bots (pardon the pun), so you’ll have to have one to three friends over to appreciate the goodness, especially since none of the versions of Metal Arms supports online play. Presuming there’s a sequel, with any luck online play will make it into the game.

Part shooter, part platformer and part grown-up comedy, Metal Arms is the closest Xbox and GameCube owners will get to having a Ratchet and Clank game on their respective system. That’s not to say it’s a knock-off; it’s a compliment and a testament to the addictive gameplay and great design. With a strong campaign, rock-solid graphics and fun multiplayer options, Metal Arms is a very pleasant surprise for 2003. This is one acquaintance that won’t be forgotten as 2004 rolls around.

See more screens on the Metal Arms media page