METAL SLUG ATTACK RELOADED
- June 18, 2024
- SNK CORPORATION
- 25h median play time
Get on Steam
Get on Xbox Games Store"METAL SLUG ATTACK RELOADED" is a tower defense game with a classic action shooter theme, featuring the beloved 2D pixel art graphics of the original METAL SLUG series. With over 300 characters from five different factions, players can build their strongest deck and use various strategies to crush enemy bases. The game also includes additional modes like "ANOTHER STORY" and "GALLERY" for fans to explore, as well as PvP action to compete with players worldwide. Easy-to-learn controls ensure that anyone can enjoy the game's hard-core action.
Nintendo Switch
PC
Playstation 4
Playstation 5
Steam Deck
Windows
Xbox Series X|S
PlayStation
Xbox
Reviews
- The game successfully revives the nostalgic elements of the original Metal Slug Attack, providing a fun experience for long-time fans.
- The pixel art and animations are beautifully crafted, showcasing the series' iconic style.
- The removal of microtransactions and the introduction of a one-time purchase model make the game more accessible and enjoyable.
- The game suffers from excessive grinding, making progression feel tedious and frustrating, especially with difficulty spikes in later levels.
- The user interface is clunky and poorly designed, leading to a frustrating experience when navigating menus and managing units.
- The online mode is plagued by cheaters, which significantly detracts from the competitive experience.
- grinding87 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The reviews indicate that the game is heavily grind-focused, with many players finding the grinding tedious and excessive, particularly in the late game. While some appreciate the lack of microtransactions and the addictive nature of the gameplay, others criticize the repetitive nature of farming for levels and items, which can lead to frustration. Overall, the grinding aspect is a significant point of contention, appealing mainly to those who enjoy such mechanics in games.
“This game is 90% extremely boring grinding and 10% game.”
“You will notice that most of the negative reviews complain about the grinding aspect, or maybe even the gacha system.”
“Excessive grinding is a huge problem, making some stages feel like hard walls like 8-1, elite 5-1, and the 2-3rd missions of another story due to the unfair deployment speed enemies have.”
- story54 mentions
- 6 % positive mentions
- 87 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The game's story is described as simplistic and often overshadowed by excessive grinding and difficulty spikes, particularly in the "another story" missions, which many players find frustrating and tedious. While some appreciate the engaging cutscenes and faction-based narratives, others criticize the story's execution as lazy and filled with nonsensical elements, making it hard to enjoy without getting bogged down by the grind. Overall, the story may appeal to fans of the franchise, but its integration into gameplay is marred by balance issues and a lack of accessibility.
“The main story and the side stories are also really interesting and don't fail to disappoint.”
“Having never played the original mobile version, I find this game a very fun successor to Metal Slug Defense with more characters and a story filled with cutscenes where characters interact with each other.”
“If you love the Metal Slug franchise and its story, this game might be for you since there is a story mode for each of the factions.”
“Do not take this game or its story seriously at any point or you'll get upset.”
“The story mode seems lazy and barebones and is arguably what you get for the price of the game ($10 USD); the game store page describes the game as a tower defense, which isn't the case as it plays more like an auto battler but isn't optimized to auto-farm stages.”
“Excessive grinding is a huge problem, making some stages feel like hard walls like 8-1, elite 5-1, and the 2-3rd missions of another story due to the unfair deployment speed enemies have.”
- gameplay27 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized as a reworked auto-battler gacha experience that offers simple mechanics and enjoyable sprite animations, but it suffers from excessive grind and a lack of engaging content after the initial hours. While the game is fun for casual play and has fair gacha mechanics, players often find themselves stuck in repetitive tasks without the convenience of mobile features like energy systems or skip mechanics, leading to a tedious experience. Overall, it appeals to fans of the genre but may frustrate those seeking a more dynamic and less grind-heavy gameplay experience.
“This is a decent enough rework of a gacha game; it's a fun time-waster with good music, nice sprite animation, and simple-to-play mechanics.”
“The gameplay is smoother than a buttered-up sloth on roller skates.”
“As a wee lad, I remember playing Kind Arthur's World on the SNES for hours on end, and this game has managed to bring that same addictive gameplay.”
“This is a port of a mobile game, so expect minimalistic gameplay and huge grind.”
“Gameplay gets extremely grindy after the first handful of hours and main story content is locked off behind completion of side content based around each faction.”
“It comes with an auto button that you'll want to use a lot after the first few stages, which makes the gameplay pretty mindless.”
- monetization14 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The game's monetization model has been positively received, as it eliminates microtransactions and adopts a straightforward pay-up-front approach. Players appreciate the absence of predatory practices, although some note that the game can feel grindy due to its reliance on progression walls. Overall, the remaster is seen as a significant improvement over its predecessor, which was criticized for its heavy monetization.
“The only improvement over 'defense' is the more honest monetization through a pay-up-front model without in-app purchases.”
“It's a gacha game without microtransactions, which means the game's progression is very out of whack... so good news, the game will not nickel and dime you for everything.”
“Really fun, they basically removed the in-game purchases.”
“Metal Slug Attack was originally a mobile game filled to the brim with microtransactions - the whole game is a treadmill that was designed at every possible juncture to extract as much cash as possible from the player.”
“Though you need to get used to grinding XP and items, since there's no in-game purchases.”
“This is a repack of a game that was called Metal Slug Attack (a sequel to another dead game called Metal Slug Defense) that died some years ago, now is back without the microtransactions and GaaS stuff, adding controller support and some extras like a gallery.”
- graphics13 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 46 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are highly praised for their detailed sprite artwork and faithful recreation of the classic Metal Slug style, appealing to fans of the original arcade aesthetics. While the integration of new character designs may feel out of place to some, the overall visual presentation maintains the charm expected from an SNK product. Players appreciate the blend of traditional 2D graphics with a new strategic gameplay format, enhancing the nostalgic experience.
“Great way to admire the sprite artwork of the Metal Slug series while having something else playing in the background, like an eight-hour YouTube analysis or a podcast.”
“Fun Metal Slug game that has hours of easy enjoyment packed into it, amazing details on all the sprites used, and great artwork.”
“I also appreciate that they kept the 2D graphics in the same style as they were in the arcades back in the day.”
“I get that this is a gacha game, but there are a lot of waifus in this game that look extremely out of place compared to the original characters, both aesthetically and artistically.”
“Seeing your favorite unit do their thing is mostly what you are playing this for, so if you don't like the Metal Slug graphics, then this isn't for you.”
“The art and graphics are what you would expect from an SNK product, but they feel quite underwhelming.”
- music6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The music in this reworked gacha game has received high praise for its nostalgic appeal and impressive collection, featuring both classic tracks from the saga and original compositions that resonate well with fans of the genre. Reviewers highlight the game's soundtrack as a standout feature, describing it as a personal jukebox and noting its quality, particularly for those who enjoy Metal Slug music. Overall, the music significantly enhances the gaming experience, making it a worthwhile investment for fans.
“It made me really nostalgic booting it up and hearing the music.”
“Interestingly enough, if you're a fan of Metal Slug music in general, the BGM collection in this game is pretty amazing. By the end, you can keep using it as a personal jukebox of sorts. Very nice! Some of the original new tracks for this version go really hard too and are very dope!”
“- The music is amazing.”
“Interestingly enough, if you're a fan of Metal Slug music in general, the BGM collection in this game is pretty amazing. By the end, you can keep using it as a personal jukebox of sorts; very nice! Some of the original new tracks for this version go really hard too and are very dope!”
“I think that 10 bucks for this game is a steal if you are into tower defense-like games and/or Metal Slug. There is a lot of original content here, like sprites, art, and music, that I am glad is not lost in gacha hell.”
- optimization3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is generally well-received, with smooth performance and balanced gameplay, though some users express concerns about the complexity of managing over 300 characters and the lack of features for efficient auto-farming. While the remaster improves on the original, some aspects, like the story mode, feel underdeveloped, leading to mixed feelings about the overall value for the price. Suggestions for enhancements, such as bulk leveling and the return of older events, indicate that players are looking for more depth and functionality in the game's mechanics.
“I played the original on mobile; it was really good. Unfortunately, I didn't play it for very long considering all the microtransactions and difficulty issues, but this remaster is really good. I do have some suggestions for the game. One of them is bulk level up, which would allow your cash to be spent evenly across all units. You could choose the number of levels to aim for, excluding metals. A bulk evolution could also be useful. Hopefully, some of the old events could make a return, as there were many interesting units from the older game. There are some minor gripes, for example, one of the bosses, the giant crab creature, no longer destroys the platforms, but it's understandable why it was removed, mainly to avoid issues with the game's AI. By all means, the game works really well and runs smoothly. The balancing does come into question when discussing some of the factions, but by default, they're usually quite balanced and strong. Yes, I know this rant is very long, but it's really good.”
“With 300+ characters and 10 slots to build your army, optimization is a near impossibility.”
“With 300+ characters and 10 slots to build your army, optimization is nearly impossible.”
“The story mode seems lazy and barebones, which is arguably what you get for the price of the game ($10 USD). The game store page describes it as a tower defense, but it plays more like an auto battler that isn't optimized for auto-farming stages.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the Metal Slug franchise is marked by a deep sense of nostalgia and frustration, as players express a mix of love for the series and disappointment over its commercialization. The closure of the game elicited feelings of relief for some, highlighting a complex relationship between affection for the franchise and the pain of its corporate influences.
“This game made me feel miserable for so many years, and when it finally shut down, I thought I was finally free...”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by its bizarre and often poorly translated text, which adds a quirky charm despite the overall cheapness of the production. The clash between the game's odd gacha characters and the classic Metal Slug sprites creates a comedic dissonance, further enhanced by recent updates allowing players to skip the overly dramatic victory animations.
“A cheap and kind of nasty game coupled with hilariously odd English translations (some stories are actually placeholder text from the looks of it, but it adds to the weird charm of the whole thing!) and wildly out-of-place gacha game OCs that clash really badly with the Metal Slug characters and sprites.”
“Hilariously, as of November 18, 2024, SNK has updated the game to allow the player to skip the victory animation.”
- character development1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is perceived as lacking depth, with users noting that while the visuals are appealing, they reflect a typical SNK design rather than offering unique or engaging character arcs. The game's mobile origins may contribute to a more superficial approach to character growth.
“The character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with the protagonists.”
“I was disappointed by the limited growth options for characters; it feels like they don't evolve throughout the game.”
“The story arcs for the characters are predictable and fail to provide any meaningful progression.”
