Uploaded May 2025 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Metal Wolf Chaos (re-released as Metal Wolf Chaos XD by Devolver back in 2019) has largely been seen as a meme game for the longest time—with its janky, awkwardly translated cutscenes telling the story of a mech-suited President of the United States of America going on a solo road trip to win back the White House. It's an odd game.
That said, playing it after becoming as Armored Core pilled as I have the last couple of years, I start to see Metal Wolf Chaos as part of a continuity of political thought on the part of its developer From Software (also known for Dark Souls and Elden Ring). Despite everything, there is a serious reading of Metal Wolf Chaos to be had. In this essay and analysis of Metal Wolf Chaos, I want to discuss how if Armored Core was pure nihilistic dystopia, then Metal Wolf Chaos is systemic, mechanical, playable satire—reflecting our own modern reality that has become increasingly difficult to make sense of.
Support the show on Patreon - patreon.com/writingongames
Animated text intro by Isaac Holland - twitter.com/drazgames
0:00 - Metal Wolf Chaos is more than a meme game
2:41 - Mechanical satire
4:35 - The aesthetics of propaganda
7:33 - It's not like our world makes more sense
Metal Wolf Chaos (re-released as Metal Wolf Chaos XD by Devolver back in 2019) has largely been seen as a meme game for the longest time—with its janky, awkwardly translated cutscenes telling the story of a mech-suited President of the United States of America going on a solo road trip to win back the White House. It's an odd game.
That said, playing it after becoming as Armored Core pilled as I have the last couple of years, I start to see Metal Wolf Chaos as part of a continuity of political thought on the part of its developer From Software (also known for Dark Souls and Elden Ring). Despite everything, there is a serious reading of Metal Wolf Chaos to be had. In this essay and analysis of Metal Wolf Chaos, I want to discuss how if Armored Core was pure nihilistic dystopia, then Metal Wolf Chaos is systemic, mechanical, playable satire—reflecting our own modern reality that has become increasingly difficult to make sense of.
Support the show on Patreon - patreon.com/writingongames
Animated text intro by Isaac Holland - twitter.com/drazgames
0:00 - Metal Wolf Chaos is more than a meme game
2:41 - Mechanical satire
4:35 - The aesthetics of propaganda
7:33 - It's not like our world makes more sense
