In fact, for every thing that was arguably changed for the better, one or more seem to have been changed just for the sake of change, without any thought as to whether it was a good idea to do so. For one last example, there is the skills system. In the original Xeno, this was done via assigned job classes that could be built up separately from character levels, plus a bonus point system based on the fulfillment of various minor tasks and achievements. In Reborn, it’s all about skill trees, with a few points gained at every level up, but the organization of the trees ensures that certain basic skills end up heavily gated behind many levels’ worth of points. The bonus point system has been scrapped in favor of a straight experience point bonus for each task or achievement, with the points going only to the active party members. Because of this, it’s increasingly difficult to keep a balanced party level late in the game, and spreading out the skill points too widely can nerf a character’s effectiveness for a long period in-game.
I am equal parts amazed and depressed when I say that Metal Max Xeno: Reborn has actually made me nostalgic for the very game it was meant to replace: the game with the easier-to-handle control schemes, more equitable skill distributions, marginally better character scenes, and more easily fraggable bosses. It’s like the developers listened to all the complaints about Xeno and then came to the absolute opposite set of conclusions as to how to go about doing things. As mentioned above, there were a few things improved upon and done better, but the fact is that I would much prefer those few things be added back into the original game rather than throwing the metaphorical baby out with the bathwater.
In short, this game is what happens when you try to put out a fire with gasoline. In a series that is predicated on its silly and whimsical portrayal of the stark post-apocalyptic future, Metal Max Xeno: Reborn takes away all the fun stuff. It may well be the one entry of the series I sell back to the used games store when I’m done. For every other marginal-to-bad game the series has produced, I can at least name one item I actually liked about it. Metal Max on the NES was a unique experience for its time. Metal Saga for Playstation 2 had some of the most innovative bounty target subplots in the series. Season of Steel for the DS gave the player unique character classes and skill sets that have not been seen since. Metal Max Xeno swapped out the ablative tiles for regenerating force fields and at least tried to do something different with the themes. But for Metal Max Xeno: Reborn… in the end, I can’t say much good about it at all that one of its predecessors hasn’t done better.
