Mercenary Kings

 PC
User Score
6.6

Mixed or average reviews- based on 62 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 29 out of 62
  2. Mixed: 22 out of 62
  3. Negative: 11 out of 62

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  1. beop
    Aug 5, 2013
    5
    Art style is awesome, weapons and crafting is very fun, but that's about where the good things ends. The map design and mission objectives are some of the worst I've experienced in a long time in a video game. They reuse the same objectives, art assets, maps, and enemies A LOT throughout almost 70 missions. It gets boring about 5 hours into the game of repeating the same things over andArt style is awesome, weapons and crafting is very fun, but that's about where the good things ends. The map design and mission objectives are some of the worst I've experienced in a long time in a video game. They reuse the same objectives, art assets, maps, and enemies A LOT throughout almost 70 missions. It gets boring about 5 hours into the game of repeating the same things over and over. It doesn't help that all the maps look very similar and enemies all have the same spawning points with extremely boring mechanics. The enemies feel like something out of super mario, where they wall back and forth, pop up and down, etc. Now imagine playing super mario with a machine gun that shoots heat sinking missiles and bullets that go through walls. You get an idea of how easy this game is?

    I don't recommend this game if you're looking for an action packed game like Metal Slug, this game is far from it. Of course it's still in beta, but I don't see things changing much besides bug fixes.

    I forgot to mention, at $15 this game feels a bit overpriced, and they are apparently going to selling it for $20. I feel for what I've played, this game should be no more than $10.    … Expand
  2. augh18
    May 1, 2014
    5
    Retro art and soundtrack can't make up for what's an underwhelming game. Plays like a mashup of Borderlands, Contra, and River City Ransom, and doesn't do any of them effectively as a result. A cool experience if you're looking for something to co-op with a friend, especially 2 - 4 players as that's rare these days, but outside of that this is another painfully average indie-styled retro game.
  3. TitaniumDragon
    Nov 8, 2015
    6
    Pros:

    * Decent Megamanish/Metal Slugish 2D shooter-platformer gameplay. * Reasonable variety in weapons. * Decent level and boss design. * Amusing if flat characters. Cons: * Weapon crafting system penalizes you for experimenting with weapons. * Farming for enemy drops to craft better gear is grindy. * Game does a poor job of explaining how its various systems work. *    Pros:

    * Decent Megamanish/Metal Slugish 2D shooter-platformer gameplay.
    * Reasonable variety in weapons.
    * Decent level and boss design.
    * Amusing if flat characters.

    Cons:

    * Weapon crafting system penalizes you for experimenting with weapons.
    * Farming for enemy drops to craft better gear is grindy.
    * Game does a poor job of explaining how its various systems work.
    * Repeated level/boss use results in the game feeling less than fresh the longer it goes.    … Expand
  4. MarcosRV
    May 22, 2015
    5
    I really wanted to enjoy this game. It has a cool concept, very reminiscent of the old platformers and SNK's war-themed games. But the PC version is so plagued with bugs and bad support that they stained the game to an irreparable level. At first, it was the first game on Steam that I couldn't run, and this situation persisted after trying all possible fixes. So, I gave up for a time andI really wanted to enjoy this game. It has a cool concept, very reminiscent of the old platformers and SNK's war-themed games. But the PC version is so plagued with bugs and bad support that they stained the game to an irreparable level. At first, it was the first game on Steam that I couldn't run, and this situation persisted after trying all possible fixes. So, I gave up for a time and tried some months after with a new build. Lucky me, the game worked now! Only to discover there's some kind of silly screen stutter that's very annoying and, according to forums, happens with a lot of people. Again, no fix available. The developer support is AWFUL, they basically suggest you to get rid of a lot of applications - much of them useful - that could be installed on your computer. So the bugs and crashes are not their problem, let the consumers find their way. This laughable and rage-inducing attitude made me quit trying to play this game, unfortunately. Because it was fun for some minutes.… Expand
  5. stop9091
    Feb 15, 2018
    5
    A curious but underwhelming cross between Borderlands and Metal slug.

    The artwork and music are nice, but there isn't much else to this game. The RPG element is a sort of excuse for mediocre platforming design; the player will repeat the same maps over and over again. The weapons system is... hard to say. Some people like it. I think it's fairly poor, as I end up using very few    A curious but underwhelming cross between Borderlands and Metal slug.

    The artwork and music are nice, but there isn't much else to this game. The RPG element is a sort of excuse for mediocre platforming design; the player will repeat the same maps over and over again.

    The weapons system is... hard to say. Some people like it. I think it's fairly poor, as I end up using very few combinations. The biggest problem though, is that there isn't much difference - it's purely a matter of stats: a little farther, a litter more powerful, a little lighter... doesn't change much.

    The same could be said of Borderlands, of course, with the exception that Borderlands had a great atmosphere, larger maps, interesting weapons, story, characters...

    And as a platformer, this game doesn't hold a candle to the smoothness of Metal slug. Especially, the controls are so-so. I can't believe that a platform in 2018 doesn't allow the player to turn direction while crouched, or to move directly from standing from a direction to crouching in the opposite. Picking the items is a sort of pixel-perfect sort of action; one gets used to, but why not making it easier?

    All in all, it's an addictive but mediocre game.    … Expand
  6. aditya1101
    Oct 5, 2017
    5
    Pretty well done game overall, but it didn't feel like anything special. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
76

Generally favorable reviews - based on 13 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 10 out of 13
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 13
  3. Negative: 0 out of 13
  1. CD-Action
    Jul 23, 2014
    50
    All the old school charm goes to hell because of the repetitiveness. [06/2014, p.69]
  2. Games.cz
    May 2, 2014
    90
    When a game's content goes hand in hand with its form, it's always a pleasure. Moreover, when the old times meet the modern-day, and it works great somehow, we may call it a miracle. Such is Mercenary Kings a shooter.
    Read full review
  3. IGN
    Apr 25, 2014
    80
    Its high level of difficulty, catchy tunes, and pixelated graphics meld nicely with its emphasis on loot, customization, and online play.
    Read full review
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