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Mercenary Kings

Despite the repetition, Mercenary Kings offers an addictive customization system and a good all-round shoot 'em up experience.
Mercenary Kings Game Cover
68%Game Brain Score
gameplay, graphics
story, grinding
68% User Score Based on 1,645 reviews
Critic Score 80%Based on 14 reviews

Platforms

LinuxPCPlaystation 5Mac OSPlaystation 4Xbox OneXboxSteam DeckWindowsPlayStationPlaystation Vita
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Mercenary Kings Game Cover

About

Mercenary Kings is a single player and multiplayer role playing shooter game with fantasy and historical themes. It was developed by Tribute Games Inc. and was released on March 25, 2014. It received mostly positive reviews from both critics and players.

Mercenary Kings is a 2D action game where you, as part of the skilled Mercenary Kings team, must stop the forces of CLAW from seizing a top secret laboratory base. With a crew of rogue geniuses, you can craft and customize weapons and armor to take down enemies, either solo or with friends. Your mission: save the world from CLAW's grasp.

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Mercenary Kings screenshot
Mercenary Kings screenshot
Mercenary Kings screenshot
Mercenary Kings screenshot
Mercenary Kings screenshot
Mercenary Kings screenshot
Mercenary Kings screenshot
Mercenary Kings screenshot
Mercenary Kings screenshot
Mercenary Kings screenshot
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68%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,645 reviews
gameplay113 positive mentions
story93 negative mentions
  • Great pixel art and animations that evoke nostalgia.
  • Extensive weapon customization and crafting system adds depth to gameplay.
  • Fun co-op multiplayer experience, especially with friends.
  • Repetitive missions and levels lead to grindy gameplay.
  • Enemies respawn instantly, making exploration frustrating.
  • Clunky controls and awkward mechanics detract from the overall experience.
  • story
    991 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story in "Mercenary Kings" is minimal and serves primarily as a backdrop for the gameplay, featuring a lighthearted narrative about mercenaries battling an evil organization. Players engage in a variety of missions, including fetch quests and boss battles, which often take place in the same environments, leading to a repetitive experience. While the game includes humorous dialogue and character interactions, the overall plot lacks depth, making it feel secondary to the action and crafting mechanics.

    • “The story has plenty of twists without getting over-complicated, and is told in clever little scenes between characters after most missions.”
    • “The crafting system is extensive that sometimes it can be overwhelming, but if you're the type that loves to tinker around and figure out what works best (which varies, depending on the mission), or if you fancy yourself a virtual gunsmith, then you will love this crafting system.”
    • “The game features missions with a variety of optional challenges that are a delight to revisit with different armaments; the same level feels different when approached for speed or when explored thoroughly for resources, and players are well rewarded for becoming familiar with enemy patterns, level layouts, weapons, and items.”
    • “The plot and character development are minimal, which might disappoint players looking for a deeper or more engaging storyline.”
    • “The missions often follow a similar structure, which may lead to a sense of grind as players progress through the game.”
    • “The game consists of doing a large number of missions to get to the main boss, but unfortunately, it does not offer anything new during the game - that is, the task will not change and all that will need to do to the player is to pass the same type of missions.”
  • gameplay
    521 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of *Mercenary Kings* is a blend of retro run-and-gun mechanics reminiscent of *Metal Slug* and RPG elements akin to *Monster Hunter*, featuring extensive weapon customization and crafting systems. While the controls are generally solid and the art style is praised, many players find the gameplay repetitive and grindy, with tedious mechanics such as enemy respawning and a cumbersome reload system that disrupts the flow of action. Overall, the game offers nostalgic charm but suffers from a lack of variety and engaging content, leading to a mixed reception regarding its gameplay experience.

    • “The game combines pixel-art aesthetics, cooperative gameplay, and a blend of exploration and combat to create a nostalgic experience for fans of retro gaming.”
    • “The gameplay is really solid and there's a lot of customization as far as your loadout goes.”
    • “Captures the old-school spirit of traditional run-and-gun games like Metal Slug while adding in a deep crafting and weapon customization system that keeps the gameplay fresh.”
    • “It's a tedious way to pad gameplay hours, especially with the RNG loot drops.”
    • “Despite its charm, Mercenary Kings can suffer from a repetitive gameplay loop.”
    • “The gameplay is repetitive and boring, which mainly consists of collecting items or killing an enemy.”
  • graphics
    291 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of "Mercenary Kings" are widely praised for their charming pixel-art style, reminiscent of classic games like "Metal Slug" and "Scott Pilgrim vs. The World." Players appreciate the vibrant, detailed visuals and smooth animations, which evoke a nostalgic retro vibe while enhancing the overall gameplay experience. However, some critiques mention that despite the appealing aesthetics, the gameplay can feel repetitive and grindy, overshadowing the visual appeal.

    • “The pixel-art graphics are detailed and vibrant, with a nostalgic charm that harks back to the golden age of platformers.”
    • “The graphics are charming, the gameplay is generally fun, though sometimes it can be a little grindy looking for lots of a somewhat rare item to complete your equipment collections.”
    • “The art style is beautiful, and the smooth animations and characterization add a charm to the game.”
    • “While the graphics are stylish and well detailed, the environments are surprisingly non-interactive.”
    • “The controls are awful, the graphics make it really hard to see what is a pick-up item, what's in the foreground.”
    • “Despite the similar art style and gameplay, the game comes nowhere close to achieving what it wants to.”
  • grinding
    258 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The grinding aspect of the game has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with many players finding it tedious and repetitive. While some appreciate the crafting system and the potential for customization, the necessity to repeatedly farm materials and complete similar missions detracts from the overall enjoyment. Players who dislike grinding or seek fast-paced action are likely to find the experience frustrating, as the game often feels like a prolonged slog through familiar environments and enemy encounters.

    • “The material gathering and crafting mechanics seem fun at first, but quickly become an annoying, tedious grind, coupled with traveling through the same levels over and over again, with the same enemies camping in the same places.”
    • “I hate to be so blunt about it, because I had a great time with all of their other games, but I can't recommend a game which asks you to spend 90% of your time - not a joke - farming for garbage.”
    • “The repetitiveness of farming can be troublesome for players who just want to rush on ahead but for players who actually enjoy all the benefits of being able to craft more weapon parts it pays off in spades.”
  • music
    183 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its catchy chiptune soundtrack that evokes nostalgia for classic platformers, while others find it repetitive and uninspired. Players appreciate the integration of the music with the game's retro aesthetic and action, although some have noted technical issues that affect sound settings. Overall, the soundtrack is often highlighted as a strong point, contributing positively to the game's atmosphere despite some criticisms of its limited variety.

    • “The music and soundtracks were top notch, amazing art style as well as stage designs; the devs really put so much love into this.”
    • “The visual style, combined with the catchy chiptune soundtrack, creates an immersive retro experience.”
    • “The music is catchy, it has a deep crafting system in which you can customize each part of your gun, and the art is beautiful.”
    • “The soundtrack, however, seems to me like the most lazy and uninspired piece of music I've heard in a game in a while.”
    • “The one song that constantly plays gets really annoying after a few hours.”
    • “The soundtrack is annoyingly boring.”
  • humor
    54 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is a standout feature, characterized by its over-the-top action, witty dialogue, and absurd character designs that evoke a nostalgic 80s action movie vibe. Players appreciate the comedic elements woven into the gameplay, from funny weapon descriptions to humorous interactions among characters, creating an entertaining experience that keeps them laughing throughout. While some find the humor hit-or-miss, the overall consensus is that it adds a delightful layer to the fast-paced, chaotic fun of the game.

    • “From the comically evil villain claw to your fellow mercenaries who clearly enjoy the absurdity of it all, you’ll be laughing while gunning down enemies and saving the world, one pixelated explosion at a time.”
    • “In short, Mercenary Kings: Reloaded Edition is a fast-paced, funny, and ridiculously fun shooter that doesn’t make you think too hard (thank goodness!) but makes sure you’re grinning from ear to ear the entire time.”
    • “The weapon building system works marvelously and offers a wide range of funny and versatile weaponry.”
  • replayability
    29 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's replayability is a mixed bag, with some players praising its co-op features, customization options, and mission-based structure that encourage repeated play, while others criticize its limited content and repetitive gameplay loop. While certain elements like crafting and hidden parts enhance replay value, many feel that a lack of variety and narrative depth diminishes the overall experience. Ultimately, the game's replayability can be enjoyable for those who appreciate its mechanics, but it may not sustain long-term interest for all players.

    • “It's the perfect blend of Mega Man, co-op, and replayability.”
    • “As you progress, rarer hidden parts become vital to unlocking the best weapons, which offers great replayability.”
    • “Add an enjoyable semi-retro 2D sprite art style, a fun story/setting that doesn't take itself too seriously, and last but not least, local and online co-op, and you have a well-rounded game with a lot of replay value.”
    • “Once players have completed the main missions and explored the environments, the game’s replay value may be limited.”
    • “However, the repetitive gameplay loop, thin narrative, technical issues, and limited replay value may affect its overall appeal.”
    • “If the game had more variety in its levels, the replay value would be exponentially higher.”
  • stability
    13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's stability has been a significant concern among players, with many reporting frequent glitches, crashes, and performance issues that detract from the overall experience. While some users acknowledge that the game has potential and is enjoyable despite its bugs, the prevalence of technical problems remains a major drawback, particularly in its early-access state.

    • “Some players have reported technical issues, such as occasional glitches and performance hiccups.”
    • “Very buggy and crashes.”
    • “This is a buggy piece of software.”
  • character development
    11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Character development in the game is generally viewed as minimal, with some players expressing disappointment over the lack of depth in the storyline. However, the character designs and animations are praised for their stylishness and quality, contributing positively to the game's overall presentation. While the narrative is simple, it adds a friendly and humorous tone, enhancing the player experience despite the limited character growth.

    • “The story (albeit quite simple) is entertaining, and the character development really goes to contribute to the friendly and funny aspect of the game.”
    • “If you like pixel art, the character designs are stylish, both friends and enemies.”
    • “Great animation and character design.”
    • “The plot and character development are minimal, which might disappoint players looking for a deeper or more engaging storyline.”
    • “The style's consistent and the animations are gorgeous, but it becomes clear that some of the sprite work was drawn before they finalized the character designs.”
    • “Much like Scott Pilgrim on the consoles, the character design is pretty sharp, and this is clearly a game he can cut loose on more than he did on Pilgrim.”
  • optimization
    7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's optimization has received mixed feedback, with some players experiencing technical glitches and performance issues that can disrupt fast-paced gameplay. However, it is praised for its low system requirements, allowing it to run smoothly even on older PCs, despite some inconsistencies in visual quality across different parts.

    • “It doesn't need a lot of space on the hard drive and can even run smoothly on a relatively old, not powerful PC.”
    • “On top of that, many of the parts look different, but have minimal performance differences.”
    • “Some players have reported technical issues, such as occasional glitches and performance hiccups.”
    • “Smooth performance is crucial for a game with fast-paced action and cooperative play.”
    • “It is worth noting that roughness was replaced by charming jokes, but this still does not change the overall performance of the game.”
  • atmosphere
    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of the game is characterized by its vibrant, cartoony graphics and quirky details that create a fun and nostalgic experience reminiscent of classic arcade games. Players appreciate the engaging soundtrack that complements the gameplay, enhancing the overall tone and evoking a sense of childhood joy. The visual style draws comparisons to iconic titles like Metal Slug and Scott Pilgrim, further enriching the game's unique atmosphere.

    • “The cartoony graphics are gorgeous, and there's a lot of quirky little details all around, that all make for a really fun atmosphere.”
    • “I love these old-fashioned arcade style graphics, and if you have a controller, it's going to make you feel like a kid again. The music it gives, and its overall atmosphere are truly nostalgic.”
    • “Naturally, the first thing you notice about the game is the look of it, and anyone worth their government-provided meat substitute recognizes the style as reminiscent of Metal Slug (in terms of tone and atmosphere) and Scott Pilgrim (in terms of art style and visual humor).”
    • “Naturally, the first thing you notice about the game is the look of it, and anyone worth their government-provided meat substitute recognizes the style as, as I said before, Metal Slug (in terms of tone and atmosphere) and Scott Pilgrim (in terms of art style and visual humor).”
    • “Then there's the soundtrack that never gives off a different read into how you should be playing the game compared to other games that might just use an overtone of low BPM music for some generic atmosphere.”
  • emotional
    5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players express frustration with the game's mechanics, particularly the damage taken from touching enemies and critters, which detracts from the overall experience. However, some moments, especially during boss battles and final missions, evoke a sense of empowerment and achievement, contrasting with the otherwise negative feelings towards gameplay mechanics.

    • “There are some challenges in this game as bosses come along and the missions at the end of the game really made me feel like a badass.”
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80%Critics’ scoreBased on 14 critic reviews
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25h Median play time
25h Average play time
10-30h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 7 analyzed playthroughs
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Frequently Asked Questions

Mercenary Kings is a role playing shooter game with fantasy and historical themes.

Mercenary Kings is available on PC, PlayStation 5, Mac OS, PlayStation 4 and others.

On average players spend around 25 hours playing Mercenary Kings.

Mercenary Kings was released on March 25, 2014.

Mercenary Kings was developed by Tribute Games Inc..

Mercenary Kings has received mostly positive reviews from both players and critics. Most players liked this game for its gameplay but disliked it for its story.

Mercenary Kings is a single player game with multiplayer and local co-op support.

Similar games include Remnant: From the Ashes, How to Survive 2, Battle Chasers: Nightwar, Caveblazers, Dragon Marked For Death and others.