The title screen. Also the only instance of English being used in this game.
Metal Shinobi Assassin (a.k.a Metal Assault) is a Run-and-Gun Freeware Japanese action game.
Set in what appears to be Feudal Japan (albeit a high-tech version different from the one we know of) torn by war and chaos, the powerful tyrant, Lord Tokugawa rules the lands from his mansion, and rumors have it that Tokugawa is empowered by some unknown supernatural forces to maintain his eternal dominance.
You are an elite ninja assassin, the Metal Shinobi, and after surviving the ravages of war, you decide to put an end to Tokugawa's rule. Armed with your most powerful, high-tech weaponry, assorted equipments and your ninja armor, you embark on an assasination attempt into Tokugawa's mansion.
Metal Shinobi Assassin contain examples of:
- Airborne Mooks: You'll need to contend against floating balloons capable of dropping bombs from above.
- Ambiguous Time Period: The game seems to be set in Meiji-era Japan, or at least in the past, with enemy soldiers looking like extras from some chanbara / old samurai film. But your ninja character comes armed with assorted high-tech armour and weapons, and occasionally mooks will attack you with high-tech rockets and laser cannons.
- Bamboo Technology: Where to start? Despite the game's setting being seemingly in ancient Japan, there's weaponized stone towers capable of shooting missiles, mounted carriages (carried by mooks on foot) with built-in laser turrets, robotic lanterns that drop bombs, collectible missile launchers and particle beam cannons...
- Boss Warning Siren: A large, blood-red "ALERT!!!" that takes up the entire screen, to be precise.
- Casting a Shadow: For most of his boss battle, Tokugawa's attacks are entirely shadow-based, from flinging orbs of dark energy to using the darkness to teleport himself and his most devastating attack by far, firing a dark energy blast from his mouth which can shred off plenty of your health (though it's avoidable by ducking).
- Cool Mask: Your titular character wears a metal one resembling an Oni's face, and it never comes off. You'll never see how his actual face looks under it, either during gameplay or cutscenes.
- Cyber Ninja: You play as one of these, the titular Metal Shinobi, with an arsenal of high-tech weaponry enough to wipe out an army.
- Destroy the Security Camera: Oddly enough, this game have automated cameras with built-in turrets in various locations, which opens fire the moment you're within proximity but you can destroy these cameras before they spot you.
- Double Jump: Your mech suit have internal thrusters which allows you to jump in mid-air for reaching tall ledges or had-to-access platforms.
- Flash Step: Tokugawa, the boss of the mansion stage, can flash-step himself from one side of the screen to another rapidly, and can even damage you if you fail to jump over him in time.
- Giant Space Flea from Nowhere: You spend the first half of the game fighting human enemies, through a courtyard and a booby-trapped mansion, until you reach the basement. And then you step into a sacrificial chamber containing a gigantic Buddha statue... and confronts Tokugawa, a purple skinned demon who can spam assorted energy attacks on you, as well as summoning the undead. If you win, the gigantic Buddha in the background then comes to life and attacks you... with Jesus Christ as his sidekick. Witness the insanity here
. - Homing Projectile: There's a Limit Break power-up that allows you to fire a homing rocket from a hidden weapons cache in your armour's back, one that targets the nearest mook possible.
- Ludicrous Gibs: Whenever low-level mooks gets a rocket or explosive projectile at point-blank, they'll explode in a burst of guts and a few flying limbs. Mooks killed by firearms in comparison simply keel over and die normally.
- More Dakka: Your default weapon is a machine-gun, allowing you to rampage across enemy territory. Soldiers in early levels mostly carries spears, shields or throwing projectiles, and those with firearms are limited to slow Tanegashimas. And you can obtain upgrades which increases your firing speed.
- Never Bring a Knife to a Gun Fight: When you face mooks armed with spears and katana. Against these enemies the battle is as one-sided as it sounds.
- Samurai: Several enemies in the mansion level, and they take a lot more to kill than regular soldiers.
- Shield-Bearing Mook: Some enemy soldiers are armed with shields that can tank quite some shots from your gun, though you can leap on their shield, then their heads, and shoot downwards.
- Stationary Boss: The giant sentient Buddha statue who serves as the Final Boss is seated the whole battle, but he can drop projectiles all over the place besides having Jesus Christ backing him up.
