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. goodgriff33
    Dec 24, 2022
    6
    Answer: 75 characters is between 10 words and 19 words with spaces included in the character count. If spaces are not included in the character count, then 75 characters is between 12 words and 25 words.
  2. GloryofPushkin
    Nov 8, 2017
    3
    If you're looking for a spiritual successor to Metal Slug then don't bother because this is absolutely not it like I hoped. It was a total waste of $5. I deleted it 3/4s through the game and don't regret it because you can have more fun just playing Metal Slug Anthology instead of wasting your time.
  3. Nel
    Apr 21, 2017
    4
    The game is mediocre at best, it has some potential and can be enjoyed, but the guns feels littelry useless at times, and there is just a lot of repetition.
  4. 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.
  5. drlowdon
    Oct 3, 2015
    4
    A free PS+ offering from a few months back Mercenary Kings is a 2d scrolling shoot-em-up which, thanks to some odd design choices, makes for a frustrating experience.

    Any game featuring couch co-op these days is worth a look but even that couldn't keep my brother and I interested for much more than a couple of hours. Chief among the games problems are the fact that enemies respawn the    A free PS+ offering from a few months back Mercenary Kings is a 2d scrolling shoot-em-up which, thanks to some odd design choices, makes for a frustrating experience.

    Any game featuring couch co-op these days is worth a look but even that couldn't keep my brother and I interested for much more than a couple of hours. Chief among the games problems are the fact that enemies respawn the second you move the screen in any direction (meaning you are often hit unaware by a bad guy you'd already killed), missions in which you can't find your objective and the fact that you have to constantly reload your weapon with R1 (which simply does not work in this type of game). Even for the cheap price it can be purchased for Mercenary Kings is not worth bothering with.    … Expand
  6. francois_14
    May 16, 2015
    0
    I don't have a PS+ account so I bought this game. It does look great - much better than Axiom Verge (a fantastic game). I was expecting some Metal Slug like action (+ weapon updates).

    Then I've started the game and it went downhill: - long loading screens for the missions AND for the base (where you pick your missions and upgrades...) - controls ridiculously suck: --- it's slow; your    I don't have a PS+ account so I bought this game. It does look great - much better than Axiom Verge (a fantastic game). I was expecting some Metal Slug like action (+ weapon updates).

    Then I've started the game and it went downhill:
    - long loading screens for the missions AND for the base (where you pick your missions and upgrades...)
    - controls ridiculously suck:
    --- it's slow; your character is slow, the enemies are slow and don't move much
    --- you can't shoot in diagonals
    --- you have to reload every 10 seconds (with R1 !) and reloading is painful ! (I've played 2D shooters and many FPS - this is the first game ever to have annoying reloading)
    --- when you climb you can't shoot to the top or bottom
    --- etc.

    I've played one hour (because I bought it ^^); finished a few missions, bought new weapons and I never had a feeling of progress or fun or pressure (you know when you're almost dead and close to the objective). All I felt was boredom and rage since I've wasted my money.    … Expand
  7. effthat
    Jan 25, 2015
    3
    Hey, do you like time limits? Do you like losing all your progress when you hit those time limits? Then this game is right up your alley. Otherwise you should really look elsewhere. The game runs and I haven't seen any bugs, though, so it's functional at least.
  8. 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.
  9. sacredbear
    Sep 12, 2014
    5
    I greatly appreciate the couch coop, and the modding, but this game needs more than that. More focused story and less copy and paste missions that might as well be randomized. I could only recommend this to someone who really loves this type of side scrolling shooter, or really needs a game to play with friends. I also personally despise throwback graphics like this (and obnoxiousI greatly appreciate the couch coop, and the modding, but this game needs more than that. More focused story and less copy and paste missions that might as well be randomized. I could only recommend this to someone who really loves this type of side scrolling shooter, or really needs a game to play with friends. I also personally despise throwback graphics like this (and obnoxious chiptune music), they gave me massive headaches when I was younger and I do not miss them.… Expand
  10. djrussell
    Sep 6, 2014
    5
    I personally didnt enjoy my time with this game. I really liked the art style and how it reminded me of the Metal Slug games (which I love to bits) but Mercenary Kings just didnt hook me at all. I found the controls clunky and the regeneration of enemies especially annoying. I know some people love it though so give it a shot, it just wasnt for me.
  11. grim977
    Jul 13, 2014
    7
    what;s with all the complaining of the quality. this shooter game is an arcade game that is meant to have the graphics it has like "tower fall: ascension." this game allows you to customize your weapons to whatever you please. the multiplayer is a bit repetitive with great boss battles that makes you want to beat more bosses. this brings back memories of older games that i have played. iwhat;s with all the complaining of the quality. this shooter game is an arcade game that is meant to have the graphics it has like "tower fall: ascension." this game allows you to customize your weapons to whatever you please. the multiplayer is a bit repetitive with great boss battles that makes you want to beat more bosses. this brings back memories of older games that i have played. i would rate this game a 74/100… Expand
  12. 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
  13. Coolmoos
    Jun 5, 2014
    4
    The game is honestly just meh, if it wasn't for PS+ I probably would not have played this game. I love the look of the game, but in general its just plain boring.
  14. 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?
  15. Normalstoohard
    May 24, 2014
    4
    The reviews I read all tried to tell me to 'stick with it' and 'it pays off' but I disagree. I'd suggest you save yourself the time of downloading it at all unless you really need something new to play. If this game had cost anything, I would've been annoyed as well as disappointed. The modding is kind of cool and seems to be the main argument people have to continue playing. Time limitsThe reviews I read all tried to tell me to 'stick with it' and 'it pays off' but I disagree. I'd suggest you save yourself the time of downloading it at all unless you really need something new to play. If this game had cost anything, I would've been annoyed as well as disappointed. The modding is kind of cool and seems to be the main argument people have to continue playing. Time limits on the levels were an annoyance for me. They overcomplicate the simplicity of the genre with certain options available. It gave me a familiarity with the original Bionic Commando briefly but has nowhere near the charm. And what's up with the loading time for this game? Seems excessive. If you're a committed platform shooter lover then you'll likely disagree with me since I only appreciate the highlights of the genre like Bionic Commando and Contra.… Expand
  16. IntelligntGamer
    May 19, 2014
    6
    Mercenary Kings is a game that hearkens back to yesteryear, when games like Metal Slug ruled the arcade. But it lacks the polish that made those games great, and when this is combined with the often sluggish controls, it leaves you grumpy more often than it leaves you happy. http://intelligentgamer.org/2014/04/14/review-mercenary-kings-ps4/
  17. Makaveli
    May 11, 2014
    7
    This game is fun and free with PS Plus right now... There are 112 missions so this game is not short....repetive yes... There is 1 mission where you control a Mech, they should of had more levels like that because most of the levels are the same...rescue hostages, neutralize boss, capture boss, destroy fuel tank etc.....
    There are loads of customizing options for your guns and you can    This game is fun and free with PS Plus right now... There are 112 missions so this game is not short....repetive yes... There is 1 mission where you control a Mech, they should of had more levels like that because most of the levels are the same...rescue hostages, neutralize boss, capture boss, destroy fuel tank etc.....
    There are loads of customizing options for your guns and you can also create biological mods that will help you in missions.... You collect materials throughout your missions so you can construct knives,guns,gun parts, decorations and banners, so there are a lot of things to do. The problem here is that, it takes devotion to get all the trophies for this game, mostly because you will have to replay missions and try and look for materials on constructing certain items, and it becomes a borefest.. They should of had a window pop up before every mission that tells you what materials are in the level before you play it... Instead you have to memorize what enemies are in each level so you can come back later and get materials you might need... You can talk to a guy that will tell you what each enemy drops but the problem is, is you may forget which enemies are in what levels because there are so many levels...

    The game is not very demanding, yet I have had this game crash on my PS4 numerous times, also when missions are loading the scene looks like it is skipping continuously... The game will also skip while you are playing a mission.. I found this annoying because if you are at a boss and it does that chances are the boss will get a free hit on you.. Seems to skip out at the worse possible times too....
    The loading times are pretty bad for this game, everytime you fail a mission you have to go back to the camp and talk to the dude and then talk to another dude to take you to your mission... I also have not found anyway to quit a mission once you start it, and some missions can take 30 mins.....
    I also do not like how you have to play a guessing game on where the boss in the level might be. Also when you fight a boss you better beat him quickly because he will move on to another location and you will have to either wait for him to come back to your location or go across the map but by the time you get there you will fight him for literally 2 seconds and then he will move places again...

    Overall I think this is a good game, if I had to pay money for it, I probably would of never even thought about buying it, but free it is worth a play, just do not be surprised to get bored from repetition.    … Expand
  18. hashtaglegend
    Apr 30, 2014
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Mercenary Kings may be worth your time if you can convince three of your friends to play co-op with you. It's early stages drag a bit, but once you get to new locations. The game also becomes naturally funner when you upgrade weapons, armor, and when you buy mods. Mercenary Kings also benefits from having a looting system if you will, which keeps things from getting stale. It's a free game… Expand
  19. thenthomwaslike
    Apr 26, 2014
    3
    Unresponsive controls and unoriginal game design bring this game down to being unplayable. It's like if an fps made you decide to look around or shoot but you couldn't do both. That'd be frustrating and broken. Here you have to stop stabbing/ shooting in order to turn around to shoot or stab in the other direction which limits your ability to clear out groups. It apes the art style ofUnresponsive controls and unoriginal game design bring this game down to being unplayable. It's like if an fps made you decide to look around or shoot but you couldn't do both. That'd be frustrating and broken. Here you have to stop stabbing/ shooting in order to turn around to shoot or stab in the other direction which limits your ability to clear out groups. It apes the art style of contra and the active reload mechanic from gears of war but does not marry these two in any meaningful way… Expand
  20. justachair
    Apr 22, 2014
    7
    If you are a geek of Metal Slug like I am, then you will dig Mercenary Kings no matter how frustrating its difficulty is, how unbalanced the gameplay is and how the upgrade system does not entirely work. It is a definite tribute to the old arcade shooter and its visual art-style and pretty violent slain options are really appealing.
    The game doesn't make use of a lot of the PS4's new    If you are a geek of Metal Slug like I am, then you will dig Mercenary Kings no matter how frustrating its difficulty is, how unbalanced the gameplay is and how the upgrade system does not entirely work. It is a definite tribute to the old arcade shooter and its visual art-style and pretty violent slain options are really appealing.
    The game doesn't make use of a lot of the PS4's new additions: The light bar turns to the colour of your character, and you can pop up the map with the D-pad. This is not a game that proves PS4's power, and only a crazy person would buy this game (It doesn't play as enjoyable as it should, and I am not talking only about the overwhelming difficulty but just how plain and unfair the game is as a whole) but Free with PS+, there is nothing to lose. It is not a game you will play that much either. Is a fun experience for some time, that quickly turns into dreadful. Mercenary Kings, by all means, is not the great game it wants to be. However, arcade shooters are meant to play ocasionally. If you respect the rule, then Mercenary Kings succeeds as a casual, energetic, violent and awfully punishing game.    … Expand
  21. Skreshavik
    Apr 21, 2014
    7
    What I was expexting? Metal Slug with customizable weaponry.
    What I got? A gathering game with shooting elements.
    A few things I want to say before the actual review. First, this is a throwback of the old side-scroller shoot 'em ups, so yea, graphics are going to be snes/ps1-era graphics. Second, story is going to be generic as it usually is for side-scroller beat 'em ups. Third, the    What I was expexting? Metal Slug with customizable weaponry.
    What I got? A gathering game with shooting elements.

    A few things I want to say before the actual review. First, this is a throwback of the old side-scroller shoot 'em ups, so yea, graphics are going to be snes/ps1-era graphics. Second, story is going to be generic as it usually is for side-scroller beat 'em ups. Third, the game starts off a bit slow. If you're too ADD-ridden to deal with it after the fact you purchased it, go buy the same COD installment that Treyarch has been releasing the past decade.

    With that aside, Mercenary Kings is a 2D-side scroller shooter that is heavily influenced by the Metal Slug series. The vertical/horizontal shooting patterns, melee attacks, plethora of enemies to shoot, and weapon upgrades. What's different from the two is that Mercenary Kings has actual objectives, some different gameplay mechanics, and the weapon upgrades are permanent.

    First of all, what the game is about and what you do about it. The Kings are an elite mercanary group sent out to destroy an evil group called CLAW and their baron overlord. You do that by being sent out to a very large, pre-generated map (several areas the game progresses through) and completing an objective. These can be anything from blowing a generator with C4 to extermination. Some missions will have bonus objectives but every mission has a secret objective which both will net extra cash and materials. The enemies you meet along the way are the classic, generic grunt to riot shield grunts to large, rainbow-glowing dog bosses. All enemies will have a chance to drop some materials used to craft gun parts, melee weapons, and body mods for stat boosts and other useful functions.

    Unfortunately, this is where Mercenary Kings loses focus. If you want to collect and experiment gun parts, you better hunker down and spend a couple hours grinding for every tier set. This is the main reason I knocked this game two points down. The game became more grinding than gunning down helpless fools with your spinning skull trombone shotgun. It wouldn't even be half-bad if there was at least a "try-before-you-buy" demo room. With that aside, the gun customization is MASSIVE. Want a shotgun with the capacity of a rifle? You can make it. Sniper rifle derringer that fires acidic bullets? By all means. A cat attached to a toilet that shoots flaming pellets? It's there for the taking.

    Gameplay mechanis are pretty simple. You can aim either vertically or horizontally, jump, crouch, roll to avoid attacks, and melee. You also have a mini-map you can access from the touchpad button, a backpack to hold secondary items, and an active reload. Otherwise, pretty simple. The game will punish mistakes pretty roughly and reward skill as you won't be half-dead when you reach boss #2.

    Mercenary Kings could have had a lot more potential, but the lack of map variation leaves players visually bored and the materials system mentally bored. For 15 USD, you could get about 20 hours if you blaze through. If you collect all of the pieces, a heck of a lot more. Not a bad investment, and even better if you got the free PS+ deal. 7/10    … Expand
  22. 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.
  23. 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
  24. Runfocovah
    Apr 14, 2014
    3
    This game was one of the biggest NOPE I have ever experienced. Yes, at first glance it looks cool in a Metal Slug kind of way but I **** you not, it plays and feels completely the opposite way of what a side scroller shoot´em all should feel.

    Cons; Timed missions (wtf??) Extremely repetitive npc's (you have no idea) weapons system sucks 1st weapon will always feel better than any    This game was one of the biggest NOPE I have ever experienced. Yes, at first glance it looks cool in a Metal Slug kind of way but I **** you not, it plays and feels completely the opposite way of what a side scroller shoot´em all should feel.

    Cons;
    Timed missions (wtf??)
    Extremely repetitive npc's (you have no idea)
    weapons system sucks
    1st weapon will always feel better than any upgraded weapon.
    boss fights are NO FUN AT ALL, difficult and a pain in the ass
    weird level design
    Only 2 character selection.
    annoying music
    Difficulty, this time around its not fun or rewarding at all.

    I deleted the game even I got it for "free" with my PSN+ subscription.    … Expand
  25. 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+.
  26. 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.
  27. 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
  28. 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
  29. SoulVomitor
    Apr 7, 2014
    4
    Graphics are fine and what I expected, but the gameplay just has bad mechanics. You cannot shoot diagonally...and what's with this reload bar that slides?...talk about annoying. If you don't hit it exactly in the yellow/green area you have to wait as it flashes red to show you how you failed. And what button do they pick for reload?....R1..that right, kids...have fun with that. Also,Graphics are fine and what I expected, but the gameplay just has bad mechanics. You cannot shoot diagonally...and what's with this reload bar that slides?...talk about annoying. If you don't hit it exactly in the yellow/green area you have to wait as it flashes red to show you how you failed. And what button do they pick for reload?....R1..that right, kids...have fun with that. Also, to use an item you have to hold L1 and select it, press square then switch back to your weapon with L1 again....while enemies and time still move...ugh. This would be a good game, but the controls ruin it.… Expand
  30. 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
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Awards & Rankings

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

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
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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