Metal Slug Tactics

I love what Dotemu and Leikir Studios have achieved with Metal Slug Tactics. The unlikeliest pivot for a franchise aside, it mixes interesting tactical action, Roguelike progression and brilliant visuals into an indie title that nails the balance between nostalgia and modernity.

The team at Leikir Studio have managed to transplant the spirit of Metal Slug into an entirely different type of game here – and it’s nothing short of miraculous. Metal Slug Tactics is a marvel of clever design, as well as an utter joy to play, and I really hope that it’s the start of a long-running sub-series for the Metal Slug franchise.

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.

Metal Slug Tactics doesn't quite reinvent the strategy genre, but it does offer up a lot of addictive, explosive and satisfying action. The core of the Metal Slug series lies comfortably within this new genre along with plenty of familiar sights, sounds and characters that will please fans. A great take on turn based strategy and one that feels distinctly true to its roots.

There is nothing to say, Dotemu has a real nose for those games in which the nostalgia effect is not mere marketing, but a basis on which to build solid and satisfying gaming experiences. Who would have thought that the formula of the turn-based strategy would have adapted so well to one of the most famous run'n'gun franchises ever? Dotemu would have said it, that's who. And in fact, here we are singing the praises of Metal Slug Tactics, which only lacks a few additional bosses to add that variety that in a roguelite adds hours of longevity for players.

An entertaining roguelite and an interesting new direction for the venerable series. Recommended, despite the buggy launch.

Metal Slug Tactics is, above all, a tactics game with excellent gameplay and strategic variability that lives up to the legacy left by the franchise, which has already been forgotten by younger generations.

With its original game systems, Metal Slugs Tactics works very well and is the Metal Slug that you don't expect.

Metal Slug Tactics is an excellent adaptation of the franchise to an entirely new genre. It doesn't play anything like the older Metal Slug games, but in some ways, it still does. It's fast paced, engaging, and frequently funny and clever. The core mechanics are instantly engaging and a genuine delight to experience. Perhaps the only real complaint I can think of is that the roguelike style might not be for everyone, but even that is true to the style of the original arcade games. Both fans of the franchise and those who can't tell a Metal Slug from a Metal Gear will find a lot to like in Tactics.

This type of game has a ceiling it can normally hit. It’s a lower-budget genre-bending revival of a beloved but older IP. Leikir Studio has managed to find an excellent blend of old and new. While it can be insanely difficult on hard, it’s just the right amount of punishing on normal. As it is available on Day One on Game Pass for Cloud, Console, and PC I think this one is an easy download or buy for any tactics fan.

A strategy game for impatient people. The core gameplay is fun and the graphics are lovely, though it does have a few balance issues.

Though it’s not without some technical issues and frustratingly inaccessible small font in menus you have to squint at, Metal Slug Tactics is a blast of a rogue-lite adventure. It’s a quality return to a long-running franchise and one that has translated its difficulty and style well by offering enticing risk vs reward mechanics at every turn and striking pixel art and visual flourishes to boot. With plenty of experimentation in character abilities and what feels like endless upgrades and unlocks to chase, it’s a rogue-lite venture that is only complimented by the more hours you put into it. You get your money’s worth here. SNK and Leikir Studio have successfully completed their mission of making Metal Slug exciting and relevant once more. Job well done.

Just because you’re not good at the game doesn’t mean the game is bad, in fact I appreciate the work that the developer put in to ensure the spirit of the franchise is present, even if the gameplay is completely different. As for me and my future with the title, I might hang back a little, see what strategies better players come up with, hopefully I’ll be able to complete a run and eventually unlock all the characters and their loadouts. I do hope the game sells well enough to warrant some form of DLC…because where the hell are the martians? It just doesn’t feel like a Metal Slug game without those tentacled extra terrestrials!

Initially bulky and a bit messy, Metal Slug Tactics is a tough nut to crack at first, partly because of its roguelite approach. But once you get into it, you'll enjoy the clever 'synch' mechanics and the search for viable movement patterns and powerful synergies.

For fans of the franchise who aren’t usually RPG fans, this one is going to be fun. Tactical RPG fans who don’t generally play run-and-gun platformers are going to have fun with it. And if you’re a fan of both? This is a must-buy. It’s a sign of how you can do interesting things in a familiar space with novel implementation.

While its roguelike elements could be a little more exciting, the minute-to-minute gameplay of a run is so fun that I found it easy to overlook this flaw as I leaped back into action to drop more bombs with a well-placed Synchronization. Overall, Metal Slug Tactics is well worth playing.

Metal Slug Tactics is a fun and nicely-challenging strategy game, but what truly makes it stand out is how it finds a way to incorporate mechanics from the arcade games into its gameplay by placing a unique emphasis on movement. Combined with astonishing visuals (especially during the epic boss battle), it makes for an entry into the franchise that's more than worthy and one that's worth checking out whether you're a fan of the series or not. After all, you can't attack a basket of snakes in order to sic them on your enemies and not have fun.

I’ve lost a lot of time to Metal Slug Tactics during this review period, and I’ll lose countless more as the year goes on. It’s a game for sickos, and I love it for that. But more importantly, it nails the run-and-gun feel of Metal Slug, and somehow transforms that into a tactics game, and that’s a hell of an accomplishment. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got an itch, and the only salve is another run.

From its lively, cartoonish sprites to its energetic soundtrack, Metal Slug Tactics is a meticulously crafted ode to the arcade classic that never gets lost blindly chasing its adoration for the series without understanding what makes Metal Slug great. Instead, it introduces a handful of distinct innovations to the tactics genre that masterfully meld Metal Slug’s action-packed platforming and shooting onto a tactics grid. Even though it’s hampered by some frustrating bugs, I’m still having plenty of fun with each run as I experiment with new strategies and team compositions.

It's got a hell of a steep learning curve, but once you learn the ropes Metal Slug Tactics is a wonderful tactics game full of nostalgia.

There are a few more missions, variety and territories, but this doesn't mean that we're dealing with a bad video game, quite the opposite. In fact, it may be surprising how well this curious strategic-tactical experiment with roguelike elements has turned out. Its gameplay is very solid, the possibilities of the units are deep and the way of transferring the run and gun action to a new genre is talented. So if you are a faithful follower of Metal Slug and also connect with the style of game that has been devised, you may end up like us and get hooked.

The combination of turn-based tactics with a run and gun style works far better than it should, thanks to mechanics that emphasize moving quickly around the battlefield. Repetitive missions and dull enemies drag down the experience slightly, but this is still worth playing for genre fans or Metal Slug veterans.

A smart, stylish adaptation that beats the odds to capture Metal Slug’s spirit in another genre, with a few irritating bugs.

As a roguelike tactics game, Metal Slug Tactics delivers a solid overall experience, capturing much of what fans loved about the original series while introducing a fresh framework. However, a lack of player guidance, some awkward UI choices hold it back from reaching its full potential, leaving the experience feeling less polished than it could be.

Metal Slug Tactics is an impressive demonstration of how an action classic can be reinvented in a tactical format. With its solid gameplay, deep timing system, and outstanding production values, this title offers a fresh and exciting experience that fans of the series and strategy game enthusiasts alike will enjoy.

With its pixelated graphics that preserve the spirit of the Metal Slug series, its humorous world, and familiar characters that manage to win your heart, MST is somewhat disappointing due to its limited content, mechanics that take too long to unlock, and gameplay that lacks addictiveness. It could become a better game with new content additions.

Metal Slug Tactics is a title built on discovery and then repetition. Running and gunning in a tactical sense is evoked wonderfully in the presentation found here. Unfortunately, the short gameplay loop brings things down as limited boss variety and minimal incentive to try something new means that this presentation gets lost in the monotony. A bit more variety or difficulty in recreating overpowered party members would lead to something great here. What is here makes for a worthy addition to the Metal Slug franchise, that luckily does not need quarters to play through time-after-time.

Metal Slug Tactics injects fresh energy into the tactics genre with its dynamic, fast-paced systems. While the game introduces a range of compelling mechanics, their lack of clear explanations can hinder your strategic choices during missions. However, the thrill of initiating sync attacks encourages a more aggressive playstyle, making battles feel exhilarating. Leikir Studio has successfully reimagined a classic franchise for a new genre, and despite some issues with system clarity, the addictive gameplay loop offers a fun and innovative twist on tactical strategy.

Metal Slug Tactics successfully reinvents the classic Metal Slug series by incorporating strategic elements and roguelike mechanics. While there is a story here, it never really felt like anything more than a reason to continue to push the player forward. I mean ‘stopping a megalomaniacal man who is all about world domination’ is pretty straight forward. But where this game truly shines is in the excellent strategic elements, even if they are more difficult than I would have liked. MST might not be the return to the Metal Slug series that many fans are hoping for, but it is, nevertheless, a fun and worthy entry into the series ongoing legacy.

A fun and refreshingly light-on-its-feet tactics game successfully translates a lot of Metal Slug's charms into the turn-based genre. But it's not as natural a fit as Gears Tactics was, and an obtuse UI combined with abundant glitches hold it back.

These issues aren’t small, and I find it difficult to wholeheartedly recommend a game that only ‘gets good after X hours’. At the same time, with over 20 hours and counting, Metal Slug Tactics makes me want to get back to it, play a quick run, and try to unlock everything that’s here to unlock. This is far from the revival I was expecting for the series — and I’d still love a classic 2D entry — but if it catches the attention of new generations, I’m here for it.

Metal Slug Tactics tends to play it safe while simultaneously encouraging players to not play it safe. With few bells and whistles, everything just feels slightly different, rather than a mind-blowing change in gameplay. Even in an old-school SRPG like Shining Force, characters feel starkly different from each other—except the centaurs—though in this title, everything just kinda runs together. It feels like Metal Slug because it looks like Metal Slug, and the sound effects help in that respect, but in no way does this game evoke frenetic joy like its forebears.

Metal Slug has remained quite faithful to its original idea throughout its nearly 30 years of existence, but Metal Slug Tactics comes in an attempt to shake up those foundations, despite clinging too much to the past in some aspects.