Survivor Mercs

82%
Game Brain Score Based on 71 reviews
  • gameplay
  • grinding
  • story
Survivor Mercs Game Cover
Starting at $5.99Buy now
Get on Steam

In "Survivor Mercs," players join a group of mercenaries fighting against the evil M.E.G.A. Corp.'s robot army. As a commander with unique traits, players must build and lead their underfunded unit, completing missions and collecting loot in a dangerous world. The game offers randomly generated commander traits, providing a varied and challenging experience for each playthrough.

Play Modes

Reviews

82%
Audience ScoreBased on 71 reviews
gameplay4 positive mentions
grinding7 negative mentions
  • The game features addictive gameplay with a unique twist on the survivor genre, incorporating squad mechanics and base building.
  • The art style and retro 8-bit visuals are well-executed, providing a nostalgic feel that many players appreciate.
  • The developers are responsive to player feedback and have shown commitment to improving the game through regular updates.
  • The game suffers from a grindy progression system that can feel punishing, making it difficult for players to feel a sense of accomplishment.
  • Performance issues, including low frame rates and choppy gameplay, detract from the overall experience, leading to frustration.
  • Many mechanics are poorly explained or overly complex, which can overwhelm new players and hinder enjoyment.
  • gameplay15 mentions

    Gameplay reviews highlight a mix of strengths and weaknesses. While some players appreciate the core mechanics like melee and bullet dodging, as well as the fun gameplay loop, others criticize the lackluster animations, overwhelming number of mechanics, and the need for better UI and balance. Overall, the game shows potential but requires significant refinement to enhance the player experience.

    • “Momentum is the number one biggest draw of survivor games, in the gameplay and the meta.”
    • “Difficulty could still use some balancing, but the gameplay loop is super fun and I'm looking forward to see the game develop through early access.”
    • “Significant improvements are needed, especially in core mechanics: the animations are lackluster, the bomb dashing has potential but falls short, and the UI needs refinement.”
    • “The sheer amount of mechanics you have to engage with is dizzying.”
    • “I didn't accomplish anything during the mission, apparently lost what I did manage to find, and I have nothing to use to engage all these other mechanics.”
  • grinding7 mentions

    Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessive and repetitive, with many expressing frustration over the slow pace of meta progression and the high resource costs for upgrades. While some acknowledge that grinding is typical for the genre, the consensus is that this game takes it to an extreme, making it less enjoyable compared to other titles.

    • “The concept is really fun but extremely grindy and repetitive; the meta progression and unlocks are a pretty bad slog to unlock classes and traits.”
    • “I love survivor-likes, but this one is definitely the worst as far as the sheer amount of grinding you have to do, and that can be seen in various other reviews, not just mine.”
    • “Kinda grindy because the meta progression stuff costs way too many resources.”
  • story6 mentions

    The story aspect of the game is criticized for its lack of clarity and progression, leaving players feeling overwhelmed and unaccomplished after missions. Newcomers struggle to understand the mechanics and often find themselves replaying the first mission repeatedly to gather resources, only to lose them upon failure, which detracts from the overall experience. This creates a frustrating cycle that hinders engagement with the game's narrative and progression.

    • “Each time, you feel like you built momentum during the mission and then subsequently built momentum in the power progression.”
    • “I didn't accomplish anything during the mission, apparently lost what I did manage to find, and I have nothing to use to engage all these other mechanics.”
    • “I guess a newcomer has to play the first mission over and over again until they manage to drag home a few resources, and then figure out what they're for and where to use them?”
    • “If you die, you lose the resources collected, which basically punishes the player for trying to survive as long as possible instead of ending the mission prematurely.”
  • music5 mentions

    The music in the game receives mixed feedback; while some players appreciate the cool soundtrack and its unique take on the survivor genre, others find the looping tracks fatiguing and wish for a more varied audio experience. Overall, the soundtrack is generally regarded as a highlight, despite some concerns about its repetitiveness.

    • “The soundtrack is pretty cool though.”
    • “Very cool take on the survivor genre with an awesome soundtrack.”
    • “Oh, and the music is great!”
    • “The music loops too quickly and becomes fatiguing after the first time you play.”
    • “I find the music hard to enjoy because it's too loud and overwhelming.”
  • graphics4 mentions

    The game features well-executed 8-bit visuals that evoke a nostalgic NES feel, complemented by impressive sprite work. However, despite claiming 144 fps, players report choppy performance that can induce motion sickness, detracting from the overall visual experience. The art style and unique concepts are appreciated, but the graphics suffer when the game struggles technically.

    • “The 8-bit visuals give that NES retro feel that many people are seeking today, and it is very well implemented with excellent sprite work on behalf of the artists involved.”
    • “I like the art style; the squad idea is somewhat new and interesting, and the underground bunker concept is neat.”
    • “It claims 144 fps, but it feels like 20; it's choppy and motion sickness-inducing for 'aesthetic' reasons, I guess.”
  • stability2 mentions

    The game is reported to be extremely buggy, with slow meta-progression that frustrates players. While it shows potential and has foundational elements for a fun experience, it still requires significant updates to improve stability.

    • “Extremely buggy and with infuriatingly slow meta-progression.”
    • “It's still a bit buggy and has a long way to go, but I'll be looking forward to further updates. It seems to already have the main ideas in place for a great fun game.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    The monetization aspect is criticized for misleading advertising, as players find that abilities are randomly assigned and short-lived, limiting player control over their use.

    • “The advertisement video makes it seem like you have abilities (which you do!), but they are randomly dropped, short-lived, and you don't get to exercise control over when to use them.”
    • “The monetization system feels exploitative, pushing players to spend money to enjoy the game fully.”
    • “It's frustrating that progress is often locked behind paywalls, making it hard to enjoy the game without spending extra.”
  • replayability1 mentions

    Players appreciate the high replayability of the game, citing its easy accessibility and the variety of mercenaries, perks, and gear that encourage repeated playthroughs.

    • “I haven't been gaming much lately, but I came across someone playing this in a YouTube video and I fell in love. It's so easy to just pick up and play, and with all the mercs, perks, and gear, it makes for quite the replayable experience.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Buy Survivor Mercs

Videos

Similar Games