Review | Metal Slug Tactics - From Run-And-Gun To Think-And-Plan
Growing up as a kid without a lot of video games available at home, visiting the arcade was an opportunity to dive into all sorts of games that I would never have had the chance to play otherwise. I would hover around cabinets like Marvel vs. Capcom and the 1991 The Simpsons side-scrolling beat ‘em up, button-mashing my way through stages when I got my hands on them. That said, the biggest quarter-muncher was always Metal Slug. I was drawn towards the over-the-top characters and gorgeous designs, while the blistering run-and-gun action was compelling in a way that was both satisfyingly chaotic and challenging.
So when Metal Slug Tactics was announced at Summer Game Fest 2021, I was instantly curious. Turning a beloved, action-heavy arcade classic into a tactical isometric role-playing game (RPG) à la Final Fantasy Tactics is a bold move that could either elevate the franchise or leave fans questioning the decision. As someone with a soft spot for both Metal Slug and tactical RPGs, I was cautiously optimistic. Could the shift to a new genre retain the frenetic charm of Metal Slug, or would it lose what made the series iconic? That’s what publisher Dotemu and developer Leikir Studio, in partnership with SNK, were aiming to find out.
After playing several hours of the game, I feel confident in saying that Metal Slug Tactics manages to strike a delicate balance between paying homage to its arcade roots and delivering a fresh and compelling take on tactical strategy.
Translating Arcade Action Into Tactical Strategy
Fans looking for a pure action experience may find the more deliberate tactical combat a departure from the original series. However, Metal Slug Tactics does an impressive job of maintaining the arcade spirit thanks to clever design choices.
One of these key elements is the game’s reward system for aggressive movement, which feels true to the bold, action-first philosophy of Metal Slug. Unlike traditional tactics games where turtling behind cover is often a safe bet, Metal Slug Tactics encourages players to stay on the move by introducing a dodge mechanic that prioritises movement and positioning. The further characters travel across the map, the more their dodge capacity increases, allowing them to potentially diminish or negate enemy attacks.
At the same time, moving around the map also fills up a character’s adrenaline points, which can be spent on their special abilities. These abilities range from being able to reposition either allies or enemies around the map, to bouncing grenades, which can make a significant difference in terms of dispatching enemies in fewer turns.
In addition to these mechanics, the Sync system allows characters to perform coordinated attacks when two or more of them line up an enemy in their attack range. This rewards players for precise positioning and planning, creating a tactical layer that requires the same level of coordination as the classic arcade mode, albeit in a turn-based format.
Since each run of the game allows only a squad of three characters, enemies can easily overwhelm the squad through sheer numbers and firepower. As such, darting around the map requires strategic character placement to accumulate dodge and adrenaline points while maximising Sync moves. Even for seasoned tactical RPG players, it can take a couple of rounds in Metal Slug Tactics to fully grasp and jive with this take on the run-and-gun concept.
An Explosive Evolution With Rogue-Lite Depth
As if all of that wasn’t enough, Metal Slug Tactics adds an extra rogue-lite layer on top of it all. Missions are randomly generated, and the game’s non-linear map offers varied paths to each goal. It's not always about wiping out all enemies on the map either, objectives range from eliminating specific targets to escort missions and survival challenges.
Each completed mission rewards players with experience points and currency, which can be used to upgrade weapons, unlock special abilities, and customise your loadout. There’s a surprising range of weapon types and modifiers to experiment with, from powerful special attacks to passive abilities, and even creative tools like ricochet bullets that can curve shots around cover.
Progression outside of missions also adds to the tactical approach. Between biomes, players can make purchases, upgrade gear, or even sell items for currency to gain access to better equipment and abilities for their squad. Over the course of the game, players can also unlock a growing roster of characters, each with unique abilities, which shakes up team composition and tactics. The rogue-lite structure serves to enhance replayability, challenging players to try new strategies and adapt to the randomness of each run.
Balancing Nostalgia And Newness
The story that ties the missions together sees Metal Slug heroes like Marco Rossi and the Peregrine Falcons squad facing off against a familiar antagonist. While the storyline isn’t groundbreaking, it provides enough of a narrative drive to keep things going. Something I really appreciated is how Metal Slug Tactics takes this opportunity to flesh out characters through their interactions with each other. For example, fulfilling specific conditions can unlock vignettes, such as a conversation between Marco and grenade expert Eri about the latter’s childhood and beliefs. These little snippets help add depth to previously established characters, an aspect that was often underutilised in previous games.
When it comes to the visuals, every element echoes with a distinct Metal Slug flair—whether it’s the expressive characters, explosive animations, or environmental detail. Despite the shift to isometric, grid-based scenarios, Metal Slug Tactics has managed to retain the franchise’s signature pixel art style. The sound effects and voice lines, too, feel like they were ripped right out of the old games, adding to the sense of familiarity. Notably, the mechanical clicks of guns reloading and the booming ‘MISSION START!’ that prefaces each mission scratch a very specific nostalgic itch that harkened back to my time at the arcades.
For all of its strengths, Metal Slug Tactics isn't without its frustrations. The AI can be hit-or-miss, particularly in escort missions where the lack of control over characters can lead to chaotic and often costly mistakes. These non-player characters (NPCs) can sometimes run in the wrong direction or fail to follow optimal paths, resulting in crucial setbacks.
Some missions also feature notable difficulty spikes, which can feel a bit jarring in what is generally a balanced experience. These include missions that involve defending NPCs against swarms of enemies that drop in at unexpected locations halfway into the mission. While it may be a trait familiar to roguelites, these moments gave me the impression that certain missions could only be overcome by unlocking new abilities or characters through repeated runs, instead of just careful planning.
Thankfully, Metal Slug Tactics' highlights outshine its lowlights, namely in the way it reinvents the series to deliver something fresh and unique. This allows it to become both a love letter to long-time fans and an enjoyable entry point for newcomers. The transition isn’t without its bumps, but the game’s combination of nostalgic references, strategic depth, and rogue-lite variety makes it a standout in the tactical genre.
Review Roundup
Pros:
Innovative tactical gameplay
Challenging and varied objectives
Engaging visuals
Roguelite replayability
Cons:
Occasional AI issues
Difficulty spikes
