Metal Slug Tactics

About

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!

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

81%

Audience ScoreBased on 958 reviews

gameplay78 positive mentions

stability84 negative mentions

Metal Slug Tactics successfully blends the franchise's signature pixel art and fast-paced action with strategic depth.
The game encourages constant movement and synchronizing attacks, creating a unique and engaging gameplay experience.
The character variety and customization options add depth and replayability to the game.

The game is plagued with numerous bugs and glitches that can disrupt gameplay and cause frustration.
Some players find the learning curve steep and the mechanics poorly explained, leading to confusion.
The limited number of maps and enemy types can make the game feel repetitive over time.

gameplay
298 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
26%
72%
2%
The gameplay of Metal Slug Tactics is a dynamic blend of turn-based strategy and classic run-and-gun mechanics, emphasizing constant movement and synchronized attacks to create an engaging and strategic experience. While the game features a steep learning curve and some convoluted mechanics, players appreciate its depth, variety, and the nostalgic charm of the Metal Slug series. Despite some bugs and initial confusion, many find the gameplay rewarding and addictive, with a strong focus on tactical positioning and aggressive playstyles.
- “It's such a cool shift in gameplay that makes every turn feel intense.”
- “The mechanics are intuitive and play off each other really well, and setting up multi-character combos hasn't stopped feeling incredibly satisfying yet.”
- “Metal Slug Tactics combines the fundamentals of a turn-based strategy with the mechanics of the series’ run & gun action for one of the most fun strategy games I’ve played in a while.”
- “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.”
- “I wouldn't go so far as to call it repetitive, but realistically there's not much actually happening at any given time to create real gameplay variety.”
story
283 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
10%
85%
5%
The story in "Metal Slug Tactics" is minimal and primarily serves as a backdrop for the gameplay, lacking depth and engagement typical of narrative-driven games. Players encounter a series of short missions with repetitive objectives across a limited number of maps, and while there are character interactions and unlockable dialogues, the overall narrative experience is deemed unsatisfactory and underwhelming. Many reviewers express disappointment at the missed opportunity to create a compelling story that aligns with the franchise's legacy, suggesting that the game could benefit from more substantial narrative elements and variety in mission types.
- “Plus the game encourages you to try out different combinations by offering story vignettes as a reward.”
- “While I would have preferred a longer story mode where each character retains their progress, I can't deny the sheer fun I've had.”
- “Developers and writers clearly know the actual story of Metal Slug and its characters.”
- “Figuring out the roguelike elements and what's needed to push the story along isn't very clear, nor are they always very rewarding.”
- “You can only control 3 characters, there is no real feel of progress after multiple runs, there is no urgency or story, and most of the cast is locked behind even more repetitive and hard runs.”
- “No interesting story, no voice-overs, and not that much variety in tactics as it should have been.”
graphics
107 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
48%
3%
The graphics of the game have been widely praised 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 considered stunning and charming, some players have reported occasional graphical bugs and glitches that detract from the experience. Overall, the art style captures the nostalgic essence of the series while blending it with modern gameplay elements, making it a visually appealing title.
- “The graphics are an awesome old school Neo Geo Metal Slug style.”
- “Beautiful, nostalgic art style: both the character designs and pixel art are stunning.”
- “This game perfectly captures the visual aesthetic of the Metal Slug series, from the sprite designs to the animations.”
- “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.”
- “Music tracks playing on top of each other, resolution resetting, graphical bugs such as stuck character models.”
music
105 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
52%
6%
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its nostalgic quality and energetic soundtrack that pays homage to the original series. However, some players have noted issues such as overlapping tracks and a lack of variety, describing certain pieces as bland or repetitive. Overall, while the soundtrack is generally well-received, it has been criticized for not fully capturing the high-energy essence of classic Metal Slug music.
- “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, low energy, with the game's sound design leaving equally as little impact, and it certainly doesn't play like Metal Slug either.”
- “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 blood-pumping energy like 'Assault' when you fight Allen or a final attack when fighting Morden or Steel Beast when fighting the usual giant vehicle bosses.”
stability
84 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game has been widely criticized for its numerous bugs and glitches, which significantly impact stability, including crashes, visual errors, and gameplay inconsistencies. While some players have found enjoyment despite these issues, many agree that the game feels unpolished and should not have been released in its current state. Developers appear to be aware of the problems and are expected to address them in future updates.
- “Game released pretty buggy (it's improving, but I'm still finding new problems till now).”
- “Way too buggy for a full release.”
- “The game was released very buggy, and even crashed several times during runs - without saving.”
replayability
42 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
43%
7%
The game boasts high replayability, driven by a diverse array of characters, builds, and tactical gameplay that encourages experimentation with different strategies. Players appreciate the roguelite elements and unlockable features, which enhance the overall experience and provide ample opportunities for replay. Despite some minor bugs and a front-loaded difficulty curve, the engaging mechanics and nostalgic pixel art contribute to its lasting appeal.
- “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 about 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.”
- “Metal slug themed, turn-based, tactical RPG with amazing pixel graphics and roguelike elements that offers a lot of replayability as well as an in-depth combat system that is way deeper than it might look at first.”
- “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.”
- “However, it's about as replayable as any roguelite, and mastering the curve is oh so satisfying.”
humor
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
92%
12%
The humor in the game is characterized by a vibrant, cartoonish energy reminiscent of Looney Tunes, with creative and often absurd abilities that encourage fun and broken combos. Players appreciate the charming pixel art and the inclusion of humorous references, though some mention that certain bugs can detract from the experience. Overall, the game successfully blends comedy with gameplay, making it a standout feature for fans of the genre.
- “I'm a huge fan of the Looney Tunes energy to 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.”
- “The jokes are stale and fail to land, making the experience less enjoyable.”
- “I found the attempts at humor to be cringeworthy and unoriginal.”
optimization
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
45%
27%
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with some players experiencing smooth performance and minimal bugs, while others report a variety of glitches and poor controller support. Although many are impressed with the overall product, they note that further patches are needed to address performance issues and enhance the gameplay experience, particularly regarding exploration and widescreen support.
- “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 it 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 bad, and it doesn't support widescreen gameplay either.”
- “While its lack of optimization and frequent glitches occasionally crashed the party like an enemy hand grenade, Metal Slug Tactics' fast-paced, feature-rich combat and wealth of unlockable content kept me coming back for more.”
- “The game also launched with a myriad of bugs; while I never encountered any run-destroying or performance-crippling bugs, others have.”
grinding
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, particularly on harder difficulties where poor scaling makes early missions frustrating due to limited abilities. This often leads to repetitive gameplay as players repeatedly tackle the same missions to unlock necessary rewards and avoid more challenging tasks. Overall, the grinding experience is described as simplistic and somewhat monotonous.
- “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.”
- “Because scaling isn't done very well, completing early missions can be extremely tedious due to your limited access to abilities.”
character development
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
25%
25%
Character development is perceived as lacking depth, as players feel that it is hindered by the game's reliance on randomized battles that do not advance the storyline. However, the character designs and pixel art are praised for their beautiful and nostalgic aesthetic, enhancing the overall visual experience.
- “There's no point in character development if you can't fight randomized battles without pushing the storyline forward.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviews indicate a clear preference for Metal Slug Tactics, which is viewed as a passionate and worthwhile paid experience, over Metal Slug Awakening, criticized as a free-to-play title perceived as a soulless cash grab.
- “If I was given the choice of playing Metal Slug Awakening (a free but soulless cash grab) and Metal Slug Tactics (a paid but passionate work).”