Metal Slug: Awakening

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[New Season: Adventure Begins - Version Update Content] - New Gameplay - Treasure Cave: In this season's Abyssal Rift, commanders will venture into a new rift zone where the ocean and land coexist. In this dangerous yet treasure-filled area, embark on a new journey alongside your clubmates! - Gameplay Upgrade - Joint Operation Abyss Mode: In the new season of Joint Operation - Abyss Mode, comman…

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Play Modes

64%

Audience ScoreBased on 689 reviews

gameplay28 positive mentions

monetization10 negative mentions

The game successfully captures the nostalgic essence of the original Metal Slug series with modern graphics and gameplay mechanics.
There is a wealth of content available, including various game modes, co-op missions, and a campaign that keeps players engaged.
The graphics and sound design are impressive, with vibrant visuals and remastered music that enhance the overall experience.

The game is heavily monetized with a pay-to-win model, making it difficult for free-to-play players to compete effectively.
The energy system limits playtime, forcing players to either wait for energy to regenerate or spend money to continue playing.
Many players feel that the game deviates too much from the classic Metal Slug formula, introducing gacha mechanics and auto-aim features that detract from the original gameplay experience.

gameplay
104 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
67%
6%
The gameplay of this title is a mixed bag, blending nostalgic run-and-gun mechanics with modern gacha elements and mobile game design, which some players find enjoyable while others criticize as a cash grab. While the core gameplay remains fun and reminiscent of the original Metal Slug series, the introduction of pay-to-win mechanics, energy systems, and unbalanced features detracts from the overall experience. Despite these issues, many players appreciate the updated visuals and the variety of gameplay modes, though they caution that it may not fully satisfy fans of the classic arcade experience.
- “Nostalgic yet fresh take on the classic run-and-gun franchise, combining iconic gameplay with modern visuals and smoother mechanics.”
- “The gameplay remains true to the original arcade-style run-and-gun mechanics but adds smoother controls and polished graphics that enhance the experience without losing the charm of the retro aesthetic.”
- “The game introduces new mechanics and power-ups that add depth to the combat without sacrificing the simplicity that makes the series so accessible.”
- “The gameplay itself is slow and clunky, and feels very different from the original Metal Slug, which managed to feel fast-paced and kept the action moving. This game doesn't let you get into the flow and immerse yourself like the original did.”
- “If you are expecting old classic Metal Slug gameplay, then you have come to the wrong place. This game is a nostalgia-fueled gacha game that only uses the name of Metal Slug.”
- “The mechanics and movement are trash, and the gameplay is super slow.”
story
95 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
16%
81%
3%
The game's story offers a nostalgic experience for fans of the Metal Slug series, featuring multiple storylines and engaging missions, but it is marred by a frustrating energy system that requires grinding or spending money to progress. While the campaign is lengthy and provides steady rewards, many players find the missions repetitive and the overall narrative lacking depth, with some criticizing the voice acting and reliance on AI-generated content. Overall, the story mode is enjoyable for a one-time playthrough, but the grind and paywall mechanics detract from the experience.
- “The main campaign is packed with thrilling missions, diverse environments, and formidable bosses.”
- “The story mode is long and gives steady rewards the entire time; the game provides many chances in the gacha right out of the box.”
- “Even if the game is gacha, the gameplay and story mode is awesome.”
- “Once the story campaign ends, there's not much else to do, unless you're into PvP.”
- “The story is a bore with voice acting that drones on with overbearing lore that could've been well implied in speechless scenes like the originals.”
- “It'd be one thing if the game just made you waste regenerating tokens to play, but it also locks story levels behind XP levels which sometimes are multiple levels even though the last story level was easy at the current XP level.”
graphics
76 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
32%
61%
8%
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many praising the vibrant and modern visuals that enhance the nostalgic feel of the original Metal Slug series. While some players appreciate the updated 3D art style and improved animations, others find it jarring compared to the classic pixel art, expressing a preference for the original aesthetic. Overall, the graphics are seen as a refreshing update that retains the essence of the franchise, though opinions vary on their execution and fidelity to the original style.
- “The graphics are vibrant and meticulously designed, capturing the essence of the original Metal Slug series while enhancing it for the current generation.”
- “Nostalgic yet fresh take on the classic run-and-gun franchise, combining iconic gameplay with modern visuals and smoother mechanics.”
- “Metal Slug Awakening is exactly what fans hoped for: frenetic action, improved graphics, and tons of fun.”
- “The different art style in many assets and characters is clearly noticeable and jarring.”
- “Graphics mediocre.”
- “And the graphics are just so bad it ruins the aesthetic of the original games.”
monetization
35 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
54%
29%
The monetization in this game is heavily criticized, with many reviewers noting it features a significant amount of microtransactions and a predatory gacha system that can detract from the overall experience. While some players find it possible to enjoy the game as a free-to-play title, others feel that the expensive in-app purchases and the pressure to spend money create a frustrating environment. Overall, the game is seen as a typical mobile cash grab, with mixed opinions on whether the fun gameplay can outweigh the monetization issues.
- “This game works just fine and can be lots of fun as free-to-play, but also has significant monetization.”
- “While there are in-game purchases available, they are far from necessary to enjoy the game or to be competitive.”
- “The mechanics are fun, the game actually plays a lot like real Metal Slug, the monetization seems very fair to free-to-play players, events are enjoyable and fairly generous.”
- “The monetization can also be rather predatory, similar to other gacha games, where many purchases outside of the loot boxes are expensive and most of the time come with little actual rewards.”
- “Clearly a mobile game top to bottom filled with currencies and microtransactions.”
- “If you don't like these types of games, better leave while you still can as this game is heavily loaded with microtransactions, and the Metal Slug essence will soon fade away as they add more generic gacha content.”
grinding
29 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
10%
97%
The grinding aspect of the game has received largely negative feedback, with many players describing it as tedious, time-consuming, and reminiscent of a second job. While some acknowledge that free-to-play options exist, the overwhelming sentiment is that extensive grinding is required to progress, often leading to frustration and a sense of monotony. Despite the game's enjoyable elements, the grind-heavy mechanics detract from the overall experience, making it feel shallow and overly reliant on paywalls.
- “Grinding in this game is so immersive, it feels like you'll need a second life to keep up!”
- “The grind is rewarding, offering a sense of achievement with every level gained.”
- “I love how the grinding mechanics are balanced; it keeps me engaged without feeling tedious.”
- “Don't play this game; the grinding in this game is basically like a second job that only rewards you if you spend an ungodly amount of money.”
- “The first 2-3 hours of the game is okay, but it quickly starts turning into a grindy, unenjoyable resource loop nightmare.”
- “Expect lots of grinding, bullet sponge enemies, and many roadblocks to halt your progression to grind more.”
music
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
58%
31%
12%
The music in the game has received largely positive feedback, with many praising the energetic soundtrack that features remastered tracks from the classic Metal Slug series, alongside new compositions that capture the franchise's spirit. While some users noted issues with audio levels and occasional bugs, the overall consensus highlights the music as a standout aspect, enhancing the gameplay experience and evoking nostalgia for long-time fans.
- “Wonderful arcade game with very good music.”
- “The soundtrack is a fantastic blend of old and new, featuring remastered tracks from the original games alongside fresh compositions that perfectly capture the high-energy atmosphere of Metal Slug.”
- “+ Music is absolutely amazing, remastered versions of the old-school classic OST; I salute to that.”
- “Terrible music”
- “And the audio delay is crazy; it's buggy sometimes. The music is too loud, and sometimes the gun doesn't make noise.”
- “Halfway through the second level, I realized the music was way louder than it should be, which was actually quite alarming.”
optimization
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
20%
50%
The game's optimization has received largely negative feedback, with players reporting poor performance, inconsistent framerates, and lag, particularly during cutscenes. Many users express disappointment over the bloated file size and the game's reliance on microtransactions, suggesting that it feels more like a mobile game than a polished PC experience. Overall, there is a strong desire for improved optimization and support in future updates.
- “Technically works almost like a charm, only issues I noticed are performance drops in cut scenes.”
- “Needs more PC optimization and support.”
- “I hope they will refine this game in the coming months and make it a microtransaction-free (just one payment), fully controller-optimized Metal Slug.”
- “Incredibly poorly optimized, stupidly easy if you've played the originals, bloated file size for what's here, and a ton of the game feels exceptionally unnecessary.”
- “And I didn't even get to the gacha aspects before I dropped it; the horrible performance didn't help either as it couldn't keep a smooth framerate even in its opening mission.”
- “Some changes made from the normal games in this I personally like, such as controlling where you shoot with the mouse, but at the end of the day, it's a Tencent game and it still is riddled with issues such as performance inconsistencies and the mobile game-ification of it is just a poor sight to behold.”
humor
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is widely praised, with players finding it both entertaining and engaging for fans and newcomers alike. The campaign's self-aware absurdity and the comedic potential of character-switching during gameplay contribute to its overall fun and laughter. Players appreciate the blend of action and humor, making it a memorable experience.
- “It's a blast for both longtime fans and newcomers, packed with action, humor, and explosive fun.”
- “The quarter-assed campaign of the game hilariously drops the act of pretending to be Metal Slug roughly 8 stages in when you stop being able to collect in-stage weapons and you realize saving the POWs functionally has no reward other than a 'score' for a stage you will clear once ever.”
- “- Each character has unique active skills, and switching characters during gameplay can lead to funny moments of high damage per second.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users report significant stability issues, including audio delays, inconsistent sound effects, and bugs when exiting and resuming the game. While the gameplay is enjoyable and reminiscent of classic titles, these technical problems detract from the overall experience.
- “The audio delay is crazy, and it's buggy sometimes; the music is too loud, and sometimes the gun doesn't make any noise.”
- “Good game, reminds me of the original Metal Slug; however, it is buggy when exiting and resuming the game.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is perceived negatively, with some users expressing a strong aversion to engaging with it, suggesting it fails to resonate or connect on an emotional level.
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere of the game is enhanced by a fantastic soundtrack that combines remastered tracks from the original games with new compositions, effectively capturing the high-energy essence of Metal Slug.
- “The soundtrack is a fantastic blend of old and new, featuring remastered tracks from the original games alongside fresh compositions that perfectly capture the high-energy atmosphere of Metal Slug.”