Mercenary Kings

 PlayStation 4
User Score
5.9

Mixed or average reviews- based on 231 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 81 out of 231
  2. Mixed: 79 out of 231
  3. Negative: 71 out of 231

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  1. BigBaz24
    Apr 3, 2014
    9
    A really fun and challenging game. Brings back memories of classic 8 & 16 bit side scrolling shooters of yesteryear. An added bonus is that it's free for PS Plus subscribers.
  2. setz
    Apr 2, 2014
    10
    This game is a great throwback to classic 2D shooters I grew up with in the 90's. The music is fantastic and makes great use of some chiptunes. The difficulty is something else that seems to have been tweaked perfectly. I died numerous times on the first couple levels but always was able to figure out enemy patterns and outwit the level in the end. I have heard complaints about reoccurringThis game is a great throwback to classic 2D shooters I grew up with in the 90's. The music is fantastic and makes great use of some chiptunes. The difficulty is something else that seems to have been tweaked perfectly. I died numerous times on the first couple levels but always was able to figure out enemy patterns and outwit the level in the end. I have heard complaints about reoccurring stages getting repetitive but honestly I have not had that problem. The stages themselves are HUGE and easy to get lost in. The looting and customization is something to marvel at and will easily have me coming back for months. NOT TO MENTION the online and local co-op which is the best way to play co-op on the PS4 right now in my opinion. The game is fast, fluid, polished and a complete joy to play.… Expand
  3. themostunclean
    Apr 2, 2014
    10
    Some younger gamers may be daunted in the early stages of this game and jump to leaving an early negative review, I explore you to stick with it. After the gun crafting gets in to full gear this becomes one of the deepest 2-d shooters I've ever played. Maps are expansive and ripe for exploration, the difficulty is tuned just right, punishing you only for mistakes on your part and notSome younger gamers may be daunted in the early stages of this game and jump to leaving an early negative review, I explore you to stick with it. After the gun crafting gets in to full gear this becomes one of the deepest 2-d shooters I've ever played. Maps are expansive and ripe for exploration, the difficulty is tuned just right, punishing you only for mistakes on your part and not holding your hand. Too many games today let you waltz right through without any skill, this isn't one of those.… Expand
  4. Just_Got_Wicked
    Apr 1, 2014
    8
    A fun game. Brings back memories of consoles past. Playing with friends is a must. But you can't go wrong with getting the game FREE with Playstation Plus!!
  5. phishhippy
    Apr 6, 2014
    9
    This is my favorite playstation plus game (and indie game) for my PS4 so far. I grew up with the sega and 32X and played my friends nintendo systems and I am sick of hearing people compare this to games of that generation. If it did come out back then gamers minds would've exploded in awesomeness and loot. This game isn't Contra. This games is closer to Borderlands than Contra.

    I    This is my favorite playstation plus game (and indie game) for my PS4 so far. I grew up with the sega and 32X and played my friends nintendo systems and I am sick of hearing people compare this to games of that generation. If it did come out back then gamers minds would've exploded in awesomeness and loot. This game isn't Contra. This games is closer to Borderlands than Contra.

    I think people play and can't get over the steep but extremely brief learning curve and judge it like they remember the outdated games of the past where death meant restarting the game completely. Say you do die on the same level 15 times... you collect the components from the enemies you defeat/ treasures you find and using a very simple and intuitive crafting system you can make armor, weapons (including all of the parts and ammo) and knifes to completely destroy that level you were having such a hard time with. You can also buy one time use items such as med packs and C4 to help you through the stage. You can hunt animals and use their meat to cook foods for buffs on missions and with each rank you earn you learn new weapon blueprints, etc. You can also use components to create lasting buffs such as increase speed or weapon damage.

    The learning curve continues to rise throughout the 25+ hour campaign with expert pacing and the replay value is almost endless. The story is really the only lacking part but I did enjoy it none the less. The game is an awesome retrospect into games of the past like you remember them, but a side by side comparison will look insane.

    Get this game for free with plus or buy it for 20. Either is worth it.    … Expand
  6. AwesomeNick94
    Apr 6, 2014
    8
    I've spent probably 20 or more hours playing this game so far. You really have to stick to the game for the first few hours (at least until you rank up once or twice), and then after that, you'll have a clear understanding of everything you need to know for the game, and a lot of the gun crafting, proficiencies, etc. will start opening up, revealing the depth of the game to the playerI've spent probably 20 or more hours playing this game so far. You really have to stick to the game for the first few hours (at least until you rank up once or twice), and then after that, you'll have a clear understanding of everything you need to know for the game, and a lot of the gun crafting, proficiencies, etc. will start opening up, revealing the depth of the game to the player You'll start wanting to complete all the missions, build all of the most incredible and cool looking guns (You can build a TOILET shotgun! A python magnum! It goes on!).

    The game has incredible music, and if you appreciate the 32 bit art-style like that of Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, you'll love this game's amount of detail in the levels, characters, enemies, weapons, and just about everything. The gameplay is also very solid, and very rewarding. You'll never feel like it wasn't your fault that you died, and as long as you play smart, you won't die often. It is only difficult if you are prone to making mistakes. The controls are flawless, and the implementation of weight like in Fallout games is great. If you think the game controls sluggishly, that's because you weren't paying attention to the weights of your weapon combinations, and you were lugging around 12kg.

    The only problems I have with the game are that occasionally during boss fights there will be very quick lag spikes that might make you miss a dodge or reload off beat, but it's not frustrating. When the game first came out it would crash once in every 10 missions usually, but the next day the developers released a patch fixing this, showing their dedication. There is also a slight problem (I think) with playing co-operatively. The rewarding money from each mission is reduced for each player in the mission, there are also only a certain number of shared lives, and you lose money each time anyone dies. While this does encourage teamwork and it's quite satisfying when your team is able to pull off a mission, it is quite frustrating if you're just trying to play with friends who aren't as gaming savvy, and they're consistently failing the mission for you. The only other complaint (not for me, but for impatient people and younger gamers) is that the game starts a bit slowly. Other than these very small complaints (the first might even be remedied in the future), I have no problems with the game, and only love.

    Local co-op in this game is quite fun, but I also think it's completely worth your time if that's not an option for you. For one, the online multiplayer works great. There's little lag, and it's just as fun. Especially because you still get to see everything on fullscreen, rather than divided up into four little boxes. (Provided the game is very zoomed in, and being in one of the small little boxes isn't detrimental to the experience).

    Also, there's something here for everyone. If you love Megaman, MetalSlug, or Contra, you'll find that the combat here is just as satisfying. If you love Borderlands, you could spend hours building different weapons that are all viable, crafting different modifications to your character, and unlocking proficiencies to max out your power. If you love Monster Hunter, there are TONS of missions in the game that will keep you hunting for a long time to come, and a variety of missions and enemies. If you like games like Diablo, then you're going to have a lot of fun looting. Loot drops from just about everything, and is the center of certain mission types.

    Story-wise, there is a story. And it actually gets somewhat interesting. You play as characters brought back to life via a cure from creatures called mandrakes, and there is an evil faction ran by the baron of CLAW. You're trying to stop the tyrant, but you run into more friends along the way, and there's more that you need to do. So yeah, the story is interesting, but it's not all that important. The writing is great, though, and had me laughing on a few occasions. If you pay attention, you'll get to know all the characters and the funny little bits about them.

    So, overall, (and if you managed to read this far, congratulations, you should probably just get the game since you'd probably only read this far if you cared about the game already) the game is absolutely worth getting. If you're already a member of PS Plus (which you should be), this game is an incredible selection for the free game of the month, don't pass it up. If you aren't a PS Plus member (What's your problem?!), this game is still worth the $20, and I'd recommend you get it, unless you really don't like any of the games it's similar to. If you stick with it, you'll probably have around 100 hours of play time that (at least for me) has kept me interested throughout. The few issues are easily overlooked, and we have yet another create game from Tribute. I'll be playing this for a long time to come, and I give it an 8/10.    … Expand
  7. botflygmr
    Apr 7, 2014
    8
    Don't let uncouth whiners deter you from giving it a shot. When I saw it was this months PS+ title, I thought, oh great, another pile of fail like Dead Nation.... I decided WTH, I'll check it out. It's NOT a horrible game. It's 8-bit, and with the rise of the 8-bit, mining, nonsense games - this one is actually fun. It can feel a little tedious at times, and the maps get a little stagnant,Don't let uncouth whiners deter you from giving it a shot. When I saw it was this months PS+ title, I thought, oh great, another pile of fail like Dead Nation.... I decided WTH, I'll check it out. It's NOT a horrible game. It's 8-bit, and with the rise of the 8-bit, mining, nonsense games - this one is actually fun. It can feel a little tedious at times, and the maps get a little stagnant, but it's not NEAR as bad as what people are saying. I have sunk 20 hours into it, crafting gun parts, mixing and matching them. It keeps you engaged, much like Monster Hunter does. If you don't like side-scrolling, MegaMan/Contra style games, or gear-crafting, you won't like it. If you like to feel a sense of progression and growing in power and ability, while playing a retro style game that isn't a droning miner, this game is for you.… Expand
  8. PhraseUniverse
    Apr 8, 2014
    9
    Anyone who grew up in the 8 or 16-bit era would appreciate this game. Has a Metal Slug/Contra feel. Co-op (couch and online) is tons of fun. I've spent about 15 hours so far and the gun crafting is probably my favorite feature. The game is kinda slow for the first few levels. But you can craft a decent gun pretty quickly.

    There are a few bugs and issues. But I believe most of these can    Anyone who grew up in the 8 or 16-bit era would appreciate this game. Has a Metal Slug/Contra feel. Co-op (couch and online) is tons of fun. I've spent about 15 hours so far and the gun crafting is probably my favorite feature. The game is kinda slow for the first few levels. But you can craft a decent gun pretty quickly.

    There are a few bugs and issues. But I believe most of these can be addressed with a patch. I also wish there was more customization to your character. It's free on PS+ so give it a shot. I think some the low scores are from 12 year olds that will never truly never understand.    … Expand
  9. VertigoHawing
    Apr 21, 2014
    9
    Muy bueno el juego. Es impresionante como 360mb traen tanto. Tremenda customizacion, simple y entretenido. Eso si, al principio es complicado y dificil pero una vez le cojas el truco es bueno. Tiene un balance perfecto. Lo recomiendo.
  10. Gypsy__m0th
    Apr 8, 2014
    10
    The Game is really good it is Monster hunter meets Metal Slug. The game is difficult in the beginning but once you get used the routine of the enemies and craft a new guns it gets easier. The customization and crafting is very very deep. I would have easily paid for this but for free on PS plus it is a steal. I haven't liked a game this much in a long time AAA or Indie. People posting 0'sThe Game is really good it is Monster hunter meets Metal Slug. The game is difficult in the beginning but once you get used the routine of the enemies and craft a new guns it gets easier. The customization and crafting is very very deep. I would have easily paid for this but for free on PS plus it is a steal. I haven't liked a game this much in a long time AAA or Indie. People posting 0's are taking the pi55 no game is worth a 0 and I doubt you played it enough to get into it. The game is probably an 8 or 8.5 but posting a 10 to offset the clowns who post obsurd scores… Expand
  11. SirShaunA
    Apr 4, 2014
    9
    If you grew up playing SNES, you are going to love this game. It doesn't hold your hand, so feel free to read a guide online before digging in, it will help a lot.

    Gameplay mechanics are flawless. Graphics are great, and the music gets stuck in your head. FUNK. The only downside is matchmaking. Switching to public mode throws you in with other online players, you have no say in what    If you grew up playing SNES, you are going to love this game. It doesn't hold your hand, so feel free to read a guide online before digging in, it will help a lot.

    Gameplay mechanics are flawless. Graphics are great, and the music gets stuck in your head. FUNK.

    The only downside is matchmaking. Switching to public mode throws you in with other online players, you have no say in what mission you play unless you randomly become host. Best case is you have friends to play with or make some and use party chat.    … Expand
  12. grimdeath999
    Apr 18, 2014
    10
    This game is definitely one of the most interesting games I've played so far on ps4. This game's graphics are a pleasing homage to older games such as metal slug. The game-play at first-glance seems simplistic however it involves features such as crafting weapons, mods and food in the style strikingly similar to that found in the monster hunter series providing hundreds of styles ofThis game is definitely one of the most interesting games I've played so far on ps4. This game's graphics are a pleasing homage to older games such as metal slug. The game-play at first-glance seems simplistic however it involves features such as crafting weapons, mods and food in the style strikingly similar to that found in the monster hunter series providing hundreds of styles of customization for the player.
    The game also features both couch co-op and on-line with up to 4 players. The couch co-op I personally find a nice addition to the game and something that has been lacking from many games of the recent generations. The maps of the game are expansive and provide a metroidvania like feel to them. Some may find it boring if they aren't into 2D shooters or the games that are paid homage to in this but this is the only con I could personally find with this game (even then I wouldn't call it a con).
    Overall, this game is pleasing to the eye, fun to play and a lot of fun playing with friends, perfect simply for the game it attempts to be and manages to go far beyond that status.    … Expand
  13. Auktopus
    Apr 11, 2014
    10
    I haven't laughed, yelled and cheered this much in a long time. On sheer level of enjoyment, I couldn't rate this game anything but a 10. Granted, I was playing on a couch with a friend - and I can't speak for the single-player or online experience. It's rare even the most polished AAA experiences deliver this much fun, and that can be a rough thing to admit.

    Not to mention it's free on PS+.
  14. Timshadee
    Apr 9, 2014
    9
    The game is well worth the price of 20 bux. If you're fortunate enough to get it free through PS+ even better. contra / metal slug with borderlands take on guns. really enjoyable challenging and rewarding. no complaints other than some mission types like hostages are very tedious. PERFECT CO-OP game though local or online.
  15. Game_Row
    Nov 16, 2014
    8
    I played a bit of it both single and local multiplayer...and that was about 4 months ago. Goes to show you how much it caught my attention. It had great gameplay I thought, but not enough to keep you coming back for more. You guys want a better alternative? Try BroForce on PC/Mac. You won't regret it!

    -Game_Row

    Want to see some BroForce gameplay? Check it out on my YouTube channel.
  16. VitaGamer12
    Jul 8, 2014
    8
    A great game with a punishing difficulty which may bother some people. Do not listen to the bad reviews for this game. It's great and has fantastic gameplay. The 8/16-bit style graphics are compelling to look at and this game provides a great game. This game is super hard though and will turn people off. It is a little unfair when one bullet kills you and when there's a lot of enemies onA great game with a punishing difficulty which may bother some people. Do not listen to the bad reviews for this game. It's great and has fantastic gameplay. The 8/16-bit style graphics are compelling to look at and this game provides a great game. This game is super hard though and will turn people off. It is a little unfair when one bullet kills you and when there's a lot of enemies on the screen trying to kill you but I still think that this game is great. Overall this game is great and I suggest you buy it if you don't mind the punishing gameplay.… Expand
  17. daRockinRabbit
    May 27, 2014
    9
    Sadly I missed this game when it was free on the PS4, but I don’t have any regrets purchasing it this past weekend. My friends and I are already 8 hours deep into the game and we’re having an absolute blast. Great game play, awesome music, clean retro art style. What isn’t there to love about this game?
  18. WackoDaSniper
    Mar 9, 2016
    8
    I got this game free on PS+ back in January 2014 during the game drought. I'm not sure why there's so much hate. This is one of the best indies I've played from PS+. It's art design is retro and the soundtrack is as well. It's got customizable weapons and plenty of missions. It's a very fun coop game with friends. I like the game personally and I'd recommend it for fun with friends.

Awards & Rankings

89
#89 Best PS4 Game of 2014
58
#58 Most Discussed PS4 Game of 2014

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
70

Mixed or average reviews - based on 25 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 15 out of 25
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 25
  3. Negative: 2 out of 25
  1. Games Master UK
    Jun 7, 2014
    61
    Those guns feel rigid and lacking in power. [July 2014, p.78]
  2. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Jun 5, 2014
    60
    A modern platformer focused on crafting and dressed in a wonderful retro garb. Sadly, it recycles itself way too much. [Issue#242]
  3. DarkStation
    Jun 3, 2014
    60
    While its 8-bit action RPG fusion fulfills a baseline addictive quality, frequent missteps and repetitiousness pushed me too far away to ever get hooked.
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