Metal Slug Tactics Reviews
Metal Slug Tactics is a curious video game, which brings the roguelike to tactical strategy games with turn-based combat. The gameplay in the battles shines, but the roguelike section has not convinced me. Even so, it is a fantastic adaptation of the saga to a new genre and that opens many possibilities.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Instead of a Metal Slug reboot, we have a complex and challenging alternative to turn-based strategic combat games. Beneath a hard surface that takes time to excavate lies a very dynamic and attractive military combat experience.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Metal Slug Tactics is a difficult game to define. On one hand, it faithfully captures the atmosphere of coin-ops, and it innovate the traditional mechanics of turn-based RTS, making everything more dynamic, with masterful management of the visual and sound aspects. On the other hand, a low-budget game that repeats itself after the first few hours of play, despite the gigantic amount of variables, combinations and weapons available to the player.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Unlike the original Metal Slug game, Metal Slug Tactics also appears to be lacking in content and variety, which is a major problem. Once you've completed a few missions, it could seem like you've seen it all. Although there is a good deal of variety in playable characters and loadouts, the variety of enemies and missions is quite low. The game isn't for you if you want a complex and fascinating turn-based RPG tale.
A fun roguelite and an interesting new direction for the venerable series. Recommended, despite the buggy launch.
Metal Slug Tactics is the long-awaited return of an iconic franchise within the 2D run and gun genre, although it does so in the form of a spin-off and changing the classic gameplay of the saga for tactical strategy with roguelike elements. Despite the change in genre, Tactics manages to capture the spirit of Metal Slug thanks to the inclusion of its classic characters and vehicles, as well as all its humor. It is not a perfect game, and its great strengths can easily become problems if it is not the right audience, but beyond this, Metal Slug Tactics is a more than interesting game.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
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.
In the end, I believe that indeed the game is a great option for the strategy genre, especially thanks to its charisma and originality; besides that, it has a potential for expansions and, especially, updates that will turn it more balanced and varied.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Metal Slug Tactics takes a surprising turn that works well, blending the iconic characters, over-the-top visuals, and nostalgic sounds with new elements like a roguelite structure, skill trees, and a sync system that make it feel fresh, challenging, and replayable—but while it’s enjoyable for tactical RPG fans and Metal Slug enthusiasts alike, the content on display isn't quite expansive enough.
Review in Dutch | Read full review
Leikir Studio’s Metal Slug Tactics mostly gets things right in its attempt to spin a run-and-gun action franchise into a roguelike grid-based tactical RPG. The core gameplay mechanics and characters are there, but there’s more that could have been done with the storied franchise. What results is a fun title that grows old as the same routines are made and the incentive to try new strategies are only superficially there.
While its lack of optimization and frequent glitches occasionally crashed the party like an enemy hand grenade, Metal Slug Tactics‘ fast-paced, feature-rich combat and wealth of unlockable content kept me coming back for more. If you’re a fan of the franchise with a love for classic PS1 SRPGs like Vandal Hearts and Final Fantasy Tactics, then this is a fight worth enlisting in – even if it’s a patch or two away from reaching its full potential.
Players with a longtime love of the Metal Slug franchise must cautiously approach Tactics. I's fun when it's all working correctly, but menus that seem to disobey logic, multiple bugs and more keep this from being the return of a great, misunderstood franchise. If Leikir and Dotemu can make the necessary changes to refine gameplay to a smooth state, then this release can hold fans over until Metal Slug 8 arrives, and even get them more excited for its arrival.
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.
Metal Slug Tactics doesn't try to reinvent the wheel, it respects the essence of the original, keeping the spirit of Metal Slug alive while bringing a new perspective to the series' universe. It's a perfect combination of nostalgia and innovation, creating an experience that promises to please the fans and win over a new generation of players.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
This strategy title offers some neat-yet-short challenges, a replayable roguelike structure that lets you mix and match new units as well as tons of unlocks and Metal Slug backstory lore to uncover, as well as features a slew of new mechanics that other future strategy titles should borrow from. [...] Metal Slug Tactics is a strange entry in the series, but a fresh and welcoming one indeed.
Metal Slug Tactics is a new take on the legendary franchise that puts side-scrolling action aside for a more in-depth tactical approach. While the combat and roguelike systems are highly engaging, they still suffer from many bugs that prevent this game from reaching greater heights.
Metal Slug Tactics is gorgeous, it may have some entry-level appeal in how its tactics are concerned, but the fundamentals are solid and the gameplay is remarkably satisfying. With a ton of mods, weapons, and characters to unlock, I look forward to what additional runs may offer for my enjoyment of the game going forward. While I do wish there were more areas to break up the level variety, Metal Slug Tactics is nonetheless a joyous experience that is good to the last round.
Transforming a pure action brand like the classic SNK Playmore games into a strategic title was a challenging task with Metal Slug Tactics, and Leikir Studio partially missed the mark. The strategic experience, which replicates the run-and-gun tones of the main chapters, is hindered by the roguelike nature of the production. While fun in the short term, excessive repetitiveness quickly emerges after a few runs, significantly diminishing the game's appeal. Without a more layered and expansive gameplay, it may soon tire those not looking for a quick, bite-sized experience.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Metal Slug Tactics is a solid tactical strategy roguelite that does a lot right. The battles are mainly fun, with characters that all feel different and a gorgeous art style. It adapts the roguelite elements well, making each run feel different depending on the characters, weapon loadouts, encounters, and areas that players move through. While not every encounter is as fun as the next, it takes the Metal Slug series in a fun new direction.