In 2004, From Software (already known for its King's Field and Armored Core series, but well before releasing its genre-defining Demon's Souls, Dark Souls series, or Bloodborne) developed and published this odd little mech action title as an XBox exclusive. The XBox had failed to gain much traction in Japan compared to western territories, and Microsoft wanted something that could boost its sales. The game failed in that regard, and plans for localization in other regions fell by the wayside, with the original XBox release fading into obscurity, despite a cult following.
Fast forward to 2019. Devolver Digital publishes a port/remaster of Metal Wolf Chaos for PC, Playstation 4, and XBox One. While the visuals have been upgraded, and some gameplay features modernized, for the most part this is the same product as the original 2004 release.
And a good thing too --if this really is anything like the original release, we missed out on something special in 2004. Playing it now is like time traveling back to a different era in video games, one in which the "AA" space thrived alongside big budget blockbusters, allowing developers to play with weird ideas. The story is bonkers, and the voice acting laughable, but it is wrapped around a surprisingly solid mech action game. The core mechanics are decently fun, and the game delivers a great sense of power while still offering a decent challenge.
It may be rough around the edges, but this is an easy recommendation for anyone who played video games in the late 1990s and early 2000s, even if, like me, you never had a chance to play the original Metal Wolf Chaos at the time. For the younger crowd, this one may be too dated. As for me, I had an absolute blast "partying" as the "President of the Great United States of America!"