I’m a bit wary of tactics games, especially when they represent a franchise that decidedly does not have such mechanics. Metal Slug is a run and gun co-op action game, and it’s one of the legendary Neo Geo games of yore. It’s kind of a big deal to a decent chunk of video game fans. Therefore, there was so much that could go wrong by adding “tactics” to the title. Happily, Metal Slug Tactics is fantastic.
Metal Slug Tactics is a turn-based tactical RPG with roguelike-ish elements. There aren’t randomly generated maps, but it has all the rest of the trappings of a roguelike: Each run through of Full Metal Tactics has its own progression, unlocks, items, etc. And then there’s the meta progression that allows you to unlock new weapons and abilities for use in future runs.
While there isn’t a ton of change to the tried and true formula that roguelikes have popularized, the gameplay is the real standout here. Metal Slug Tactics has fast, addictive gameplay–it’s the most fun I’ve had playing turn-based tactics in a long time. Unlike most other tactics games, Metal Slug Tactics rewards you for movement.
Metal Slug Tactics goes all in on the RUN and gun, with emphasis on the run. Running actually makes your defenses increase. There are defensive walls you can hide behind, but I usually go after them on my way to a target instead of bunkering down next to a choice patch of cover. Running also increases your adrenaline, which can be used to deploy special abilities. This makes a huge difference in how Metal Slug Tactics plays compared to similar tactics games.
There are lots of opportunities for fun weapon combos and tactics, especially with the ability to sync attacks with other members of your team. If your teammate is within the proper distance when you initiate an attack with an enemy, they can sync with each other, adding their own firepower. This allows you to potentially do massive damage if you can get all three operatives to sync up at once.
With as much fun as I have had playing Metal Slug Tactics, I would be remiss to leave out the problems I’ve had. I’ve experienced a fair number of bugs in my time with the game, both on my desktop PC and on my Steam Deck. But even hard crashes didn’t impede progress too much. In fact, each time the game crashed it resumed right where it left off when I launched it again.
Another complaint I have with Metal Slug Tactics is its lack of content. Maps aren’t randomly generated, and even with 110 of them, I started to run into doubles after a few run throughs. And that brings up the larger issue of replayability. I’ve played other roguelikes for hundreds of hours. I can definitely see myself doing that with this game, but it’s equally just as likely I’ll be bored within the next 20 hours I spend with it.. I’m hoping that Metal Slug Tactics is going to be supported and iterated on. It’s too fun to let slip into obscurity.
But that’s not to say there isn’t replayability at all. There are nine different characters in total. You start with Marco, Eri and Fio, and through meeting certain criteria you can unlock six more Metal Slug characters as you wage your war against Morden and his forces. You can equip each of these characters with one of four of their different loadouts. Some of these loadouts drastically change the playstyle of a character, so there’s lots of room to experiment.
While Metal Slug Tactics changed up the Metal Slug formula significantly, the visual style remains mostly untouched. Metal Slug looks fantastic as an isometric tactics game. It also has a fantastic soundtrack to complement its throwback art style.
Metal Slug Tactics is definitely one of my favorite games I’ve played this year. It has fast turn-based combat that is based on movement just as much as on positioning. I really hope to see more in the near future.
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