The one thing that can be said to be in Neo Geo's favor, is that even after every other major hardware developer at the time gave up on producing quality 2-D based video games, Neo Geo soldiered on, creating some of what can be arguably said, to be some of the best looking 2-D video games out there. One of them, made in a similar vein to the super-popular "Metal Slug" series, is this entry from late 1997. While I've never had the pleasure to play it in arcades, or on the Neo Geo system itself, this highly polished entry certainly wouldn't have looked out of place as an entry on the Game Boy Advance! In any case, this game allows you the opportunity, to play as one of ten multi-ethnic operatives, on a mission to rescue the kidnapped daughter of a scientist, being forced to work for a group called the Black Scorpion game. What's really unique about this game, is that it gives you the choice to take three paths to get to the boss' lair. You can either stay on the same path the whole time, or switch paths after beating the third stage. While each path has their unique challenges to overcome, the basic principle remains the same. Blast anything and everything that tries to shoot at you, and don't be afraid to use the rolling technique to avoid enemy fire if you need it, because you probably WILL! While you can find some helpful artillery options from boxes located within the different stages, the game definitely rewards you if you decide to destroy your enemies close up, as they will often drop valuable score-boosting jewels, speed boosts, their own artillery weapons, health boosts, temporary invincibility, and rare red jewels that will blast all enemies currently on screen! Even though this video game never reached the levels of popularity that "Metal Slug" did, having only one sequel as opposed to the multiple sequels "Metal Slug" has had, this game is still a challenge to play today, and at a price of only $7.99 on the Nintendo Switch's digital video game library, it's a pretty good bargain to. I highly recommend this game to anyone who's looking for a good, run and gun challenge from the 1990's. Enough said, true believers!
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