Sometimes, a series has been going on longer than you might think. Metal Max is one of those series, dating all the way back to its debut on the Famicom more than 30 years ago. It saw twists and turns in genre and premise, but one thing has always stayed the same in a Metal Max game: you’re going in and out of a huge tank to wreck your enemies. The 2018 iteration, Metal Max Xeno, got a reimagined port under the name Metal Max Xeno Reborn for PC. How does hopping into a tank feel after all this time?

The first thing to note is that Reborn is not a direct port of Metal Max Xeno. While it follows the same story, it is turn-based the same way the Final Fantasy VII Remake or Pokemon Legends: Arceus is turn-based. You can move around on a 3D plane between attacks. This deviation alone is enough to warrant a replay from anyone that enjoyed the original iteration of Metal Max Xeno, as it’s enough of an overhaul to create a new experience for those fans.

For someone not familiar with the Metal Max series, though, there’s a learning curve like you wouldn’t believe. I had to figure out what buttons did what (in different contexts) just to get past the first room of the game. It wasn’t frustrating enough for me to want to give up, but just a little nudge in the right direction would have been helpful. Nevertheless, it’s rewarding once you manage to get into the flow of how Metal Max Xeno Reborn works, where patience and maneuvering is key.

Once you’re past the initial start, you’ll find that with the right cannon equipped, most enemies faint in one shot. I loved having to manually aim the shot, as it added tension when I was quickly being detected by the enemy. What I didn’t like was encountering some enemies whose projectiles were completely unavoidable. Their rockets would go through walls and destroy my tank in one go, so I had to manually save often to avoid losing several minutes of progress.

Considering the game is a reimagining of something a few years old, it’s not much of a looker. People love to compare poor modern graphics to older console generations, so I’d say this would be a PS2 game. Graphics are never a dealbreaker for me, though. The gameplay is what matters, and Metal Max Xeno: Reborn‘s loop is solid. When you’re not blasting bugs, robots, or other tanks, you’ll engage with charming characters you can add to your squad. There is plenty to do in your playthrough, and I love the Shibe with a gun attached.

There’s certainly a fanbase for Metal Max, so they will find a lot to love in Metal Max Xeno Reborn. It’s just now hitting Switch and Steam, and it already had its PS4 release. As such, fans have no excuse not to dive right in. For those of us unacquainted, it’s hard to say that this is a strong entry point into Metal Max. However, I found my way around no problem and saw the appeal after some time with it. Grab Metal Max Xeno Reborn if it hits a deep sale in the near future and appeals to you.

A PC Review Copy of Metal Max Xeno Reborn was provided by PQube for this Review.

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Metal Max Xeno Reborn

$39.99

6.5

Score

6.5/10

Pros

• Unique Approach
• Very Involved
• Streamlined Gameplay

Cons

• Insane Difficulty Spikes
• Lots of Figuring Out for Yourself
• Bad Graphics