Mad Stalker: Full Metal Force (1997)

Mad Stalker: Full Metal Force is a PS1 remake of Mad Stalker: Full Metal Forth. It adapts the system so it’s closer to Panzer Bandit, also released by Fill-In Cafe in the same year. With the revamped controls, the action is much, much smoother. Like Panzer Bandit, there’s an auto guard when the controls are left in neutral, and you can also deflect enemy attacks by hitting them at the same time. Dashing and boost jumping have been assigned their own separate buttons, too. A few other things have been added as well, like an “overdrive” power gauge that can be discharged for more powerful maneuvers. Enemies also regularly drop health restoratives, whereas the previous versions only provided them at certain points in the stages. The sprites here are all the same, but the backgrounds are now 3D, and look entirely different. Despite the visual makeover, however, the stages and bosses are all still pretty similar. The music has been rearranged, though, with some tracks taken from a Mad Stalker soundtrack album released alongside the X68k game in 1994.

Storyline

2142 A.D. Artemis City. People were about to forget all those disasters. A war ship probably built during the late war time was discovered by the military. There were a few hundred SlaveGears aboard the war ship, and were to be put under the control. Under the intention of the ruling government in power. Two SlaveGears were put under the management of the police for the purpose of experimental use. These two models were named "Hound Dog" and "Rising Dog". The manned test of Hound Dog. The main computer "Omega" of the war ship stored within the premises of military facilities suddenly began operations. "Omega" conducted network access through military channels. Omega froze all functions of Artemis City, and gave a command to the SlaveGear to put the entire city under control. "Exterminate the enemy!" Rising Dog which had not yet been modified for manned use, also had started operations under the command of Omega. The research facilities were destroyed, and one SlaveGear disappeared into the city. The police had recognized the emergency of Artemis, and had begun operations for settlement. "Code name Hound Dog. Alert! Terminate all tests immediately, and join with the forces in the city. Repeating..."