Metal Drift

Last updated
Metal Drift
Developer(s) Black Jacket Studios
Publisher(s) Black Jacket Studios
Engine Torque Game Engine Advanced
Platform(s) Microsoft Windows
Release
  • NA: October 22, 2009 [1]
Genre(s) vehicular combat
Mode(s) Single-player, multiplayer

Metal Drift is a vehicular combat game for Microsoft Windows developed and published by Black Jacket Studios. It features an arcade racing style that incorporates elements of a first person shooter. It is set in a fictional world in an alternate future.

Contents

Gameplay

Metal Drift's gameplay is focused on online multiplayer. Players compete with up to 11 others in 6vs6 battles. There is one "Capture the Flag" type mode where players fight for possession of a ball which is used to score at the opponents goal. The game focuses heavily on team play, awarding points for kill assists and helping a teammate score a goal. Points are also given for kills and goals, as well as multipliers for kill streaks. During games with less than 12 human players "bots" controlled by the server will fill any remaining slots.

Metal Drift features a level system to unlock new weapons and upgrades. Players start at level 0 and can progress up to level 40, with unlocks every 3 level ups. New tank skins are also unlocked as the player levels up, with a new skin at level 20 and also level 40. All CPU controlled "bots" use the default level 0 skin, and Community Leaders are granted black "VIP" skins.

While being multiplayer based, Metal Drift also has a single player version against CPU controlled opponents. Singleplayer behaves exactly like multiplayer, with some extra options on game setup. The player can choose the level of difficulty as well as the number of opponents to play against. All the maps in the game are available from the start, giving new players the ability to practice on any of the different Drift Decks. Beyond singleplayer there is also support for multiplayer LAN games, allowing up to 12 people to play the game together on a private network.

Early Development

Beta access for Metal Drift started in late 2008 with the game being distributed over email to a small group of beta testers. Starting in early 2009 people interested in the game could apply for a copy on the official forums. Testing sessions were held with the developers to find bugs and flaws in the game, as well as get opinions on new or existing features. Before being officially released on Steam, there was a public beta allowing anyone who pre-purchased the game at a discounted rate to get early access.

Continued Development

Metal Drift was still actively developed 2 years after its official release. A re-release was announced on February 16, 2011. [2] This update fixed many critical bugs and added new tank skins to the game that could be unlocked at certain player levels. New official multiplayer servers were added to allow better gameplay to regions in Europe. Since then several updates have been released, revamping the Heads Up Display and fixing bugs.

As of December 2011 a new map called Javelin is being developed for release sometime in 2012. [3] It will be the first map featuring the Waste texture set, opposed to the Metro textures used by previous maps. Javelin will include several new features unseen on other maps such as boost pads and walls that allow players to shoot through them.

Metal Drift has not received any news or updates since a time after the release of the Javelin map, and development seems to have come to a complete halt.

Distribution

Metal Drift was available only on the Steam platform when first released on October 22, 2009. In early 2011 availability spread to other online digital distribution platforms such as Direct2Drive and Desura. There are currently no physical copies of the game, with availability exclusive to digital distribution methods.

Reception

Metal Drift received generally favorable reviews, however some critics found flaws with some aspects of gameplay. Out of 8 called the leveling system an artificial handicap that is "A strategic disadvantage right from the beginning." [4] However, ItReviews found the tactical teamwork and varying combinations of tank setups "Immensely fun to play" [5] Dan Fedler from Gamasutra praised the use of scenes in the game, saying Metal Drift was "One of the most exciting and dynamic games I’ve come across in months." [6]

Related Research Articles

<i>Battlefield 2</i>

Battlefield 2 is a 2005 first-person shooter military simulator video game, developed by Digital Illusions CE and published by Electronic Arts for Microsoft Windows as the third game in the Battlefield series.

GoldenEye: Source is a total conversion mod developed using Valve's Source engine. GoldenEye: Source is a multiplayer remake of the 1997 Nintendo 64 video game GoldenEye 007, itself based on the James Bond film GoldenEye. The mod's development began in 2005, and remains in active development as of 2019.

<i>Killzone 3</i>

Killzone 3 is a 2011 first-person shooter video game for the PlayStation 3, developed by Guerrilla Games and published by Sony Computer Entertainment. It is the fourth installment in the Killzone series, the first game in the series to be presented in stereoscopic 3D, and the first to include motion controls using the PlayStation Move. It is a direct sequel to Killzone 2. It was released worldwide in February 2011 to positive reviews.

<i>Battlefield 2142</i> 2006 first-person shooter video game

Battlefield 2142 is a 2006 first-person shooter video game developed by EA DICE and published by Electronic Arts. It is the fourth game in the Battlefield series. Battlefield 2142 is set in 2142, during a new ice age, depicting a war known as "The Cold War of the 22nd Century", in which two military superpowers – the European Union (EU) and Pan Asian Coalition (PAC) – battle for the remaining unfrozen land during a new Ice Age.

<i>Band of Bugs</i>

Band of Bugs is a turn-based tactics video game developed by NinjaBee. The game includes a level editor, leaderboards, Xbox Live Vision camera support, and multiplayer gameplay. It was released on Xbox Live Arcade on June 20, 2007.

<i>Red Ace Squadron</i> Flight simulation video game, released in 2001

Red Ace Squadron is a computer vehicle simulation game developed and published by Small Rockets in 2001. There is also an enhanced version named Red Ace Squadron Pro, which is an update to the game based on complaints and feedback from players. It is a sequel to the game Master of the Skies: The Red Ace. The game is compatible with 32-bit Windows systems from Windows 95b to Windows XP, although it is sometimes possible to run it in a 64-bit operating system.

<i>Doom</i> (2016 video game) 2016 first-person shooter video game

Doom is a first-person shooter video game developed by id Software and published by Bethesda Softworks. It was released worldwide on Windows, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One in May 2016 and is powered by id Tech 6. A port for Nintendo Switch was co-developed with Panic Button and released in November 2017, and a version for Stadia was released in August 2020. A soft reboot of the Doom franchise, it acts as a sequel to Doom 64 released in 1997, while largely ignoring the previous installment Doom 3 which was a reboot of the original series and was released in 2004. Doom is the first major installment in the series since Doom 3.

<i>Combat Arms</i> 2008 multiplayer first-person shooter game

Combat Arms: Reloaded is a free-to-play multiplayer first-person shooter game developed and published by Nexon. The game uses the LithTech game engine to produce its graphics. In July 2012, Combat Arms was also released on Steam.

<i>Red Orchestra 2: Heroes of Stalingrad</i>

Red Orchestra 2: Heroes of Stalingrad and Rising Storm GOTY, now known as Rising Storm/Red Orchestra 2 GOTY on Steam, is a tactical multiplayer first-person shooter video game set during World War II, developed and published by Tripwire Interactive. It is a sequel to Red Orchestra: Ostfront 41-45. The title focuses heavily on the Battle of Stalingrad and the Pacific Theater. The game was released in September 2011. The game is currently a Windows exclusive and contains many new features compared to the original, including a new first-person cover system, which can also be combined with blind firing, first person collision detection, Commander role and abilities as well as an entirely new system of statistics tracking and player levelling. Maps are much bigger and had immediate 64-player support.

<i>Resistance 3</i>

Resistance 3 is a 2011 science fiction post-apocalyptic first-person shooter developed by Insomniac Games and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 3. Resistance 3 is the final installment in the Resistance trilogy. Resistance 3 is the first in the series to support 3D and PlayStation Move and the first to introduce the PSN Pass program. The game shifts away from the military aspect of Resistance: Fall of Man and Resistance 2 and takes on a post-apocalyptic survival-horror feel.

<i>Monday Night Combat</i>

Monday Night Combat is a downloadable third-person shooter video game developed by Uber Entertainment. It was published by Microsoft Studios on the Xbox 360 and by Uber Entertainment and Valve for Microsoft Windows. It was released on August 11, 2010 on the Xbox 360 as part of Microsoft's 2010 Xbox Live Summer of Arcade and is distributed through Xbox Live Arcade. It was released on January 24, 2011 for Windows via Steam.

<i>Sanctum</i> (video game)

Sanctum is a first-person shooter tower defense video game, developed by independent developer Coffee Stain Studios. It was released on Steam for Microsoft Windows on 15 April 2011. The successor, Sanctum 2, was announced in 2012 and released in May 2013.

Hawken is a free-to-play multiplayer mech first-person shooter video game. The game focuses on creating an intense battle experience that captures the feel of piloting a mech, while keeping the action fast-paced and strategic. The game features three game modes: Team Deathmatch, Deathmatch, Co-op Bot Team Deathmatch. It follows the freemium model of game monetization—with in-game purchases as the main source of revenue.

<i>SkyDrift</i>

SkyDrift is a 2011 airplane racing video game developed by Digital Reality. It was self-published by the developer on the Microsoft Windows and PlayStation 3 platforms. The Xbox 360 version was published by Bandai Namco Partners.

<i>Battlefield 4</i> 2013 first-person shooter video game

Battlefield 4 is a first-person shooter video game developed by video game developer EA DICE and published by Electronic Arts. It is a sequel to 2011's Battlefield 3 and was released in October 2013 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360; then later in November for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.

<i>Halo: The Master Chief Collection</i>

Halo: The Master Chief Collection is a compilation of first-person shooter video games in the Halo series, originally released in November 2014 for the Xbox One, and later on Microsoft Windows through 2019 and 2020. The enhanced version was released for the Xbox Series X|S in November 2020. The collection was developed by 343 Industries in partnership with other studios and was published by Xbox Game Studios. The collection consists of Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, Halo 2: Anniversary, Halo 3, Halo 3: ODST, Halo: Reach, and Halo 4, which were originally released on earlier Xbox platforms. A "living" anthology of past Halo games, it continues to receive regular updates and new content as more games age-out of being commonly offered in the retail setting.

<i>Battleborn</i> (video game) 2016 multiplayer first-person shooter video game

Battleborn is a free-to-play first-person shooter video game developed by Gearbox Software and published by 2K Games for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. The game was released worldwide on May 3, 2016.

<i>Tanki X</i> Arcade tank simulator game

Tanki X was a client-based multiplayer online game in the arcade tank simulator genre. It was created on the Unity engine by AlternativaPlatform, a Russia-based game developing company. The game used the free-to-play business model, where players could download and play the game for free. However, players could also pay real-world money in the form of micro transactions to get "X Crystals". These X Crystals unlocked special cosmetic features for tanks and blueprint containers which could unlock and upgrade modules. The open beta testing started on September 15, 2016 and the full game was released on Steam on April 20, 2017. The game was shut down in early 2020.

<i>Life Is Feudal</i>

Life is Feudal is video game franchise set in a fictional Medieval world, developed by Bitbox Ltd. On top of their two flagship titles - Life is Feudal: Your Own and Life is Feudal: MMO, Bitbox Ltd have expanded the franchise by publishing other titles, such as MindIllusion's title, Forest Village.

<i>Mirage: Arcane Warfare</i>

Mirage: Arcane Warfare was a multiplayer action game developed by Torn Banner Studios. The game launched on Windows PCs in May 2017, but was shut down one year later.

References

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.