English Review: Kraut Buster (Neo.Geo AES)

[kurush]

Kraut Buster (Neo.Geo AES) 12.08.2023

Kraut Buster (クラウト・バスター) is a run and gun game released in 2019-2020, exclusive to the MVS/AES formats and heavily inspired by the Metal Slug and Contra licenses. It is the 6th title from NG:Dev.Team, a German development studio that specializes in Neo Geo homebrews (although some games have also been released on Dreamcast and Switch). This game is undoubtedly their most ambitious project. It took over 4 years to develop and the cartridge weighs 808Mb (twice less than Razion though). The team opted for a pixel art style paying tribute to Metal Slug, where their previous productions, much less time-consuming, used the pre-rendering technique.

The development faced many obstacles, the team having had to drastically revise their work after the first trailer was heavily criticized by the Neo Geo community (particularly regarding the appearance of the main protagonists, which was crudely drawn). The core team comprises five key members: Tim Hellwig (who serves as the producer and director, overseeing gameplay mechanics, game design, and more), Konstantin Karpeniuk (responsible for art direction, backgrounds, level design, etc.), Marat Khazarzhan (dedicated to animations, backgrounds, and level design), Rafael Dyll (the composer) and Armen Mardirossian (the creative mind behind the opening and ending cinematics).

The introduction stands as an exemplary model within its genre and ranks among the most visually stunning spectacles on Neo Geo, captivating attention with its meticulous staging and commanding pixel art. Keen observers will discern a deliberate homage to Robo Army.

The game is set in 1936, in a fictional German country called Krautland. You play as a member of the Kraut Buster Corps, an elite fighting unit tasked with defeating a bloodthirsty dictator named Dulph Edelwolf and saving all the chickens (!).

The cartridge comes with its own backup battery, so all your high scores will be automatically saved. After a typical Neo Geo-style "How to play," you can choose between two modes: T-Mode and C-Mode, which we'll delve into a bit later. Each mode offers three difficulty levels, represented by military ranks. The roster consists of three characters, two male and one female: John “Kuken” Malone, Jack “Handsome” Rowdy, and Valeria “Bona” Bossa (who lives up to her nickname). Their character designs may seem somewhat generic, and one might lament that the differences are purely aesthetic.

Kraut Buster marks a significant departure from other Neo Geo homebrew productions, often falling short in terms of visual and technical prowess. Sporting a European style with a distinct Wolfenstein ambiance, the game is teeming with details, featuring numerous destructible elements, impeccably rendered explosions, and a barrage of sprites on the screen. While the level of detail may not match that of a Metal Slug, Kraut Buster excels in terms of fluidity—virtually no slowdowns are to be lamented (even in two-player mode), maintaining a constant 60fps. Take that, Metal Slug! However, the animations are noticeably less refined compared to Nazca-branded games; a few additional animation frames wouldn't have gone amiss...

The pastel shades stand out from the environments of most other Neo Geo titles, which are often darker and less vibrant (Metal Slug being a prime example). The game is extremely gory, featuring decapitated heads, torn-out spines, characters burned alive, or dissolving after acid attacks. Your main character and enemies alike are subjected to the same fate—no exceptions! Similar to Metal Slug, the prevalent violence is counterbalanced by numerous humorous elements: battles in unlikely places like meadows with roaming cows or bucolic forests where deers and rabbits peacefully coexist, quirky signs (a danger sign with the inscription "NERD CAUTION" before facing a mad scientist, for instance), indigenous stereotypes (the Frenchman with his beret and mustache, the German couple in traditional Oktoberfest attire), whimsical enemies (soldiers hidden in snowmen, women in military attire strongly reminiscent of Street Fighter's Cammy and The King of Fighters' Whip/Seirah).

The varied environments often pay homage to those in Metal Slug (especially those from the 1st and 2nd installments): a typical French village, a snowy beach covered in ice, an underground laboratory, the traditional moving train stage, the military base, a passage on a boat sailing in the open sea (very reminiscent of the final stage in Metal Slug), the castle infested with pseudo-Nazis housing the final boss...

Where Kraut Buster probably differs the most from its illustrious predecessor is undoubtedly in its gameplay, much closer in spirit to that of a Contra. You can lock your shot by holding down the D button or switch between weapons by giving it a short press. The overall feel is more dynamic than that of a Slug, with characters exhibiting less pronounced inertia in their movements. This impression is reinforced by a few additions, notably the slide, which is imperative to master as it grants you a few frames of useful invincibility in the heat of action (it can be canceled). The autofire feature provides a real comfort in terms of gameplay.

As in Slug games, you can deliver melee knife attacks and throw grenades using the C button (you can influence the throwing distance with the stick and by holding the button for varying durations). Unlike Slug titles, you retain the weapon you had just before dying, unless you lose a continue. The arsenal is classic and effective: machine guns, homing missiles, large stone balls, etc. Two of them stand out: one that hurls Molotov cocktails at enemies, turning them into walking bonfires; the other fires salvos of small balls that split upon contact with adversaries. It's a very effective weapon but not recommended due to its negative impact on visibility.

Finally, you'll briefly have the opportunity to take control of a mecha, beautifully designed but indestructible and limited in terms of movements (it can only jump and charge). The numerous vehicles in Metal Slug exhibited much more inventiveness in comparison.

As I mentioned earlier, two modes are offered to you:

• The C-Mode ("Run, crush and kill"): the quintessential arcade mode, featuring infinite weapons, which requires you to complete all the game stages in a single run.

• The T-Mode ("Tactical"), where you can choose your route, somewhat akin to Shock Troopers. Shorter and generally less challenging, it also differs by the addition of four masks (Jason/Tengu/Werewolf/Chick) that provide an extra life and slightly enhance your abilities. Wearing the werewolf mask makes you move faster. With the tengu mask, you throw grenades that explode with a delay. Sporting the Jason mask grants you a machete with devastating melee range (see photo). In this mode, you can also rescue chicks, similar to the prisoners of war in Metal Slug, except here they lend a helping hand for a brief moment, serving as modules/options, akin to a shoot 'em up. It's regrettable that the gameplay differences between the masks are not more pronounced, but let's not overlook the pleasure; this additional mode offers a welcome replay value!

Here are some screenshots from the T-Mode:

Kraut Buster shines less in terms of level design compared to the hits from Nazca and Konami, overall appearing less refined. While it is highly enjoyable to climb elements to retrieve weapons or hidden treasures, it lacks verticality, except perhaps for a level involving a descending elevator. Kraut Buster also falls short in terms of its frenetic pace, offering no respite, with waves of enemies succeeding one another repeatedly, and their placement often seems entirely random, lacking a well-thought-out strategy. The game appears to have been primarily designed for speedrunning, which is a bit unfortunate...

The C-Mode, a tad too long in my opinion, will keep you occupied for a solid forty minutes. The game drags towards the end, with a few sequences that probably would have benefited from being shortened. Overall, the difficulty is rather poorly calibrated: too easy on easy mode, the game is too punishing on normal mode, with credits melting away like snow in the sun. I haven't dared to tackle the hard mode yet.

The challenge is much more elevated than in a Slug. You'll need to make extensive use of the slide and absolutely master the aiming lock, an essential element to triumph over most bosses. Towards the end of the game, the screen is so filled with projectiles that the game leans more towards the danmaku side rather than a simple run-and-gun!

Scoring enthusiasts will be delighted because the combo kill system is well-crafted and quite sophisticated. Several factors come into play, such as the combo multiplier, the speed at which you eliminate enemies, the chain of destroyed enemies, the number of rescued chicks, the difficulty (a multiplier of 1 on easy, 2 on normal, and 3 on hard), and so on. A real added value, similar to what you might find in a shoot 'em up!

Below, you will find the complete walkthrough for the C-Mode:

Level 1 – Sauerkrautdorf

Level 2-1 – Nordgebirge

Level 2-2 – Geheimwaffenbasis

Level 3-1 – Panzerzug

Level 3-2 – Eisensbahnstation

Level 4-1 – Westlicherhafen

Level 4-2 – Schalchtschiff

Level 5 – Burg Adlerstein

End + End Credits + Second End

The OST, heavily leaning towards rock/hard music, is one of Kraut Buster's strong points, and it is excellently crafted! The sound quality owes much to the fact that the music was recorded in a studio, using real instruments, including guitars, of course. The first theme, in particular, left a strong impression on me and had already convinced me to pre-order the game at the time. The boss themes are energizing as well. Nitpicking a bit, the melodies in the second half of the game may be less inspired, and the sound effects seemed somewhat subdued. On the other hand, the voice of the German announcer announcing the collected weapons and preceding the boss battles contributes significantly to the immersion. It almost makes you feel like invading Poland!

For the record, I pre-ordered Kraut Buster on March 12, 2019, for approximately €450 (second batch), and I received my copy on December 8, 2023, nearly 4 and a half years after my pre-order! Was the wait worth it eventually?

Kraut Buster clearly has nothing to be ashamed of compared to current productions on the Neo Geo scene (far from it), and it would undoubtedly have held its own if it had been released back in the day. Impeccable technical execution, dynamic gameplay, and a delightful OST—these are already significant achievements for a development studio that has consistently improved game after game (just look at the progress since Fast Striker!). Certainly, it doesn't reach the heights of the best Slugs; I would place it on par with the fourth (or even the fifth), which is still quite an accomplishment. It's a shame that the level design and enemy waves aren't more refined, the vehicles are so few, the mask system isn't fully explored, and the main characters notably lack charisma.

More troublesome, the game's exclusivity (available only in AES/MVS format, with the protected ROM seemingly impossible to dump) inevitably limits its audience, while NG:Dev.Team could have chosen to release it on other platforms like the Nintendo Switch, for example. This second batch might help bring down prices, but one should expect to pay around €1,500 to get hold of a copy on eBay or Facebook at the moment. I should also mention the company's challenging communication, orders that were not fulfilled in a timely manner (some eventually giving up and preferring a refund), even if all is well that ends well for the more patient ones. Contrary to what the ending cinematic suggests, there is legitimate doubt about seeing a sequel emerge one day. There is even a strong likelihood that this might be the very last Neo Geo production from NG:Dev.Team, given the financial, logistical, and technical challenges the team has faced with that game.

My rating: 16/20

A photo that brings joy!