Metal Slug Tactics

80%
Game Brain Score Based on 423 reviews
  • gameplay
  • story
  • music
Metal Slug Tactics Game Cover
Metal Slug Tactics' move from the arcade to a tactical RPG has turned out better than I ever expected, this game is both challenging and rewarding to play.
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Metal Slug Tactics is a tactical RPG that combines the classic, arcade action of the Metal Slug series with roguelike elements. Assemble your team of iconic brothers-in-arms and lead them to victory through strategic battles, unlocking new weapons and skills as you go. Experience the nostalgic charm of Metal Slug in a whole new way!

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Cloud
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
  • Xbox Game Pass
  • x_box_cloud_gaming
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

80%
Audience ScoreBased on 423 reviews
gameplay34 positive mentions
stability36 negative mentions
  • The game successfully captures the nostalgic essence of the Metal Slug franchise with its vibrant pixel art and familiar sound effects.
  • The unique mechanics, such as the emphasis on movement for dodge and adrenaline, create a fresh and engaging tactical experience.
  • The variety of characters and their abilities encourages experimentation and strategic planning, making each run feel distinct.
  • The game is plagued by numerous bugs and glitches that can disrupt gameplay, including issues with character actions and mission objectives.
  • The text size and UI design can be difficult to read, especially on smaller screens, which detracts from the overall experience.
  • Some players may find the gameplay repetitive due to limited enemy variety and mission types, leading to a lack of long-term engagement.
  • gameplay124 mentions

    The gameplay of Metal Slug Tactics is characterized by its innovative blend of turn-based tactics and the franchise's classic run-and-gun mechanics, emphasizing constant movement and strategic positioning. Players engage in synchronized attacks and must adapt to a steep learning curve, with mechanics that encourage aggressive play rather than defensive strategies. While the game offers a rich tactical experience with depth and variety, it is marred by some bugs and a lack of clarity in certain mechanics, which may frustrate new players.

    • “It's such a cool shift in gameplay that makes every turn feel intense.”
    • “Great tactics game, the rogue-like element is pretty nice and the tactics mechanics are very satisfying.”
    • “The gameplay focuses on movement, aligning your team to attack enemies together, and using your environment to block enemy attacks.”
    • “The adrenaline mechanic is convoluted and the wording is confusing.”
    • “This game is just run as fast as you can to the other side of the board to finish the map... pretty boring gameplay.”
    • “The tutorial just kind of gives up and doesn't explain numerous gameplay elements.”
  • story108 mentions

    The story in "Metal Slug Tactics" is minimal and lacks depth, primarily serving as a backdrop for the gameplay rather than a central focus. Players engage in a series of short missions with repetitive objectives, and while there are character interactions and unlockable dialogues, the overall narrative experience is underwhelming and fails to capture the charm of previous entries in the franchise. The game emphasizes strategic gameplay over storytelling, leading to a lack of urgency and emotional engagement in the missions.

    • “Plus, the game encourages you to try out different combinations by offering story vignettes as a reward.”
    • “Developers and writers clearly know the actual story of Metal Slug and its characters.”
    • “Concise story: it’s short and to the point, with no lengthy exposition, and no need for prior knowledge of the Metal Slug series.”
    • “Figuring out the roguelike elements and what's needed to push the story along isn't very clear, nor are they always very rewarding.”
    • “I understand that they attempt to make an arcade-like game, but this misses the bombastic storytelling and comedy of the real Metal Slug games.”
    • “No interesting story, no voice-overs, and not that much variety in tactics as it should have been.”
  • music46 mentions

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many praising its nostalgic quality and energetic soundtrack that captures the essence of classic titles, while others criticize it for being bland or repetitive. Some players noted issues with overlapping tracks and missing iconic pieces from the original games, which detracted from the overall experience. Despite these criticisms, the pixel art and sound design are generally well-received, contributing to a visually appealing and immersive atmosphere.

    • “The music and graphics are excellent, and the sprite work is so well animated you will constantly be looking for little details, plus it's so colorful.”
    • “The great soundtrack is composed and provided by Tee Lopez, which only adds to the polish and style that Metal Slug Tactics oozes from almost every aspect, from its glorious pixel-art aesthetic to its bouncy and energetic backing tracks.”
    • “It has a classic arcade vibe to its presentation, the music is wonderful, and the sound effects are good.”
    • “It doesn't sound like Metal Slug; its soundtrack is overall just bland, generic, and low energy, with the game's sound design leaving equally as little impact.”
    • “I mean, how do you miss adding the mission complete music when you clear a stage? That is almost inexcusable; it is the most recognizable piece of music in all the Slug games.”
    • “(personal opinion incoming) Subpar soundtrack and questionable sound design: the music feels rather subdued, which is fine on its own, but it lacks the blood-pumping energy like in previous battles.”
  • graphics46 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim for their vibrant pixel art and faithful recreation of the iconic Metal Slug aesthetic, showcasing detailed animations and colorful designs that resonate with longtime fans. While the visuals are generally praised for their charm and nostalgia, some players have reported occasional graphical bugs and glitches that detract from the experience. Overall, the artwork is considered stunning, effectively blending the classic style with new gameplay elements, though a few critiques mention inconsistencies in quality and character design.

    • “The music and graphics are excellent, and the sprite work is so well animated that you will constantly be looking for little details; plus, it's so colorful.”
    • “This game perfectly captures the visual aesthetic of the Metal Slug series, from the sprite designs to the animations.”
    • “Beautiful, nostalgic art style: both the character designs and pixel art are stunning.”
    • “Currently, the only downsides are a few noticeable graphical and gameplay bugs, but the developers have stated patches are on the way.”
    • “There have been several times where I've seen the visuals, sound, and music glitch out, but nothing game-breaking, yet.”
    • “The bugs are very bad, don't get me wrong, I've had crashes, graphical errors, and gameplay glitches, but runs are non-committal so it doesn't feel that bad; regardless, it's still a mark against the game.”
  • stability36 mentions

    The game currently suffers from a significant number of bugs and glitches, impacting stability and overall gameplay experience. Many players report issues such as crashes, visual errors, and gameplay inconsistencies, which detract from the enjoyment despite the game's potential. While developers appear committed to addressing these problems, the game feels unpolished at launch, leading to a frustrating experience for some users.

    • “Game released pretty buggy (it's improving, but I'm still finding new problems till now).”
    • “Way too buggy for a full release.”
    • “The bugs are very bad, don't get me wrong, I've had crashes, graphical errors, and gameplay glitches, but runs are non-committal so it doesn't feel that bad; regardless, it's still a mark against the game.”
  • replayability16 mentions

    The game boasts high replayability due to its diverse abilities, weapon mods, and character builds, encouraging players to experiment with different strategies and combinations. While some users noted a short overall length, the tactical gameplay and roguelite elements provide ample opportunities for varied playthroughs. The nostalgic pixel art and engaging soundtrack further enhance the experience, making it appealing for both fans and newcomers alike.

    • “There are so many abilities and weapon mods available that there's going to be a lot of replayability, and the different mission objectives work nicely to get you thinking how to defeat enemies more efficiently with those tools.”
    • “Ultimately, while the game is buggy and the difficulty is very front-loaded, once the game clicked for me, I found myself enjoying it, and the variety of characters and builds means there's a lot of replay value if you want to try out every combination.”
    • “Designed for replayability, individual runs are short, and the gameplay is tactical and heavily positioning-based.”
    • “However, it's about as replayable as any roguelite, and mastering the curve is oh so satisfying.”
    • “They trusted the roguelite aspect to provide replayability enough and ended up with a very short game.”
    • “Ultimately, while the game is buggy and the difficulty is very front-loaded, once the game did click for me, I found myself enjoying it, and the variety of characters and builds means there's a lot of replay value if you want to try out every combination.”
  • humor13 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by a blend of cartoonish energy and creative, often absurd abilities that evoke a Looney Tunes vibe, making combat entertaining and unpredictable. Players appreciate the vibrant pixel art and humorous references to classic games, though some mention that certain bugs can detract from the experience. Overall, the game successfully incorporates a lighthearted ambiance, with moments of hilarity stemming from both gameplay mechanics and visual quirks.

    • “I'm a huge fan of the Looney Tunes energy in combat; it operates off of cartoon logic a lot of the time, meaning abilities are creative, weird, and often quite funny.”
    • “It's especially hilarious to have them use wrestling moves to toss enemies back and forth between each other to trigger a sync attack to get rid of that enemy.”
    • “The pixel style is vibrant and charming, with humor sprinkled throughout the game.”
    • “The humor in this game falls flat and feels forced.”
    • “I found the jokes to be stale and unoriginal, lacking any real wit.”
    • “The attempts at humor often miss the mark, leaving me more confused than amused.”
  • optimization4 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization has received mixed feedback; while some players report smooth performance and minimal bugs, others highlight issues such as poor controller support and lack of widescreen functionality. A few users believe that with further patches, the game could significantly improve, but the rushed gameplay experience detracts from exploration.

    • “Apparently the game in its current state is rather buggy; fortunately, I haven't encountered anything I could call a bug. The game has run smoothly and performed well throughout my playthroughs.”
    • “I really am impressed with the end product, and after a patch or two for performance and bugs, I think this will genuinely be my Game of the Year.”
    • “Performance has been fine.”
    • “Thought this would be the JRPG I knew (FF Tactics, Disgaea, Sword of Convallaria, etc.), but it turns out to be a rogue-like RPG. It feels like you are being rushed to meet the objective, and you can't take it slowly to enjoy the exploration of the entire map. Optimization with the controller is also very poor, and it doesn't support widescreen gameplay either.”
  • grinding3 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, especially on harder difficulties where early ability unlocks are crucial for progress. Many report having to replay the same missions repeatedly to obtain necessary rewards, leading to a simplistic and somewhat frustrating experience.

    • “On harder difficulties, you probably will want to restart runs if you don't unlock the abilities you need early on, because scaling isn't done very well. Early missions can make completing missions extremely tedious due to your limited access to abilities.”
    • “You'll often play the same missions over and over for the sake of certain rewards offered on that tile, but also because you'll want to avoid the more tedious missions.”
    • “Simplistic, straightforward, and a bit tedious.”
  • character development2 mentions

    Character development is hindered by the game's focus on randomized battles, which detracts from narrative progression. While the stunning art style and character designs evoke a sense of nostalgia, they do not compensate for the lack of meaningful character growth within the gameplay.

    • “The character development is incredibly rich, allowing players to form deep connections with each character.”
    • “Each character's backstory is intricately woven into the gameplay, making their growth feel meaningful and impactful.”
    • “The evolution of characters throughout the game is both engaging and rewarding, enhancing the overall experience.”
    • “There's no point in character development if you can't fight randomized battles without pushing the storyline forward.”
    • “The character development feels shallow and unimpactful, making it hard to connect with the characters.”
    • “I expected more depth in character arcs, but they all seem to follow predictable paths without any real growth.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    Reviews indicate a clear preference for Metal Slug Tactics, which is viewed as a passionate and worthwhile paid experience, over Metal Slug Awakening, which is criticized as a free but soulless cash grab. This highlights a desire for quality and depth in monetized games rather than exploitative free-to-play models.

    • “If I had to choose between playing Metal Slug Awakening, which feels like a soulless cash grab, and Metal Slug Tactics, a paid game that shows real passion, I would pick the latter any day.”
    • “The monetization in this game is overwhelming and detracts from the overall experience.”
    • “It feels like the developers prioritized profit over player enjoyment, making the game feel more like a cash grab than a genuine experience.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

78% average critic score

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Play time

24hMedian play time
19hAverage play time
7-30hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

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