Despite being genuinely interested in Metal Slug Tactics, I never really played a lot of the main series games. That’s not to say I didn’t like Metal Slug, because I honestly always have, but my opportunities to go to good arcades as a kid were limited and I just never seemed to get chances to play it. As I got a bit older and Metal Slug got re-released on multiple consoles, I finally got a proper chance to experience this true classic in the Shoot ‘Em Up genre.
Metal Slug Tactics felt to me like both a surprise and a logical spin-off for the franchise. On the one hand, it seems odd that a game so defined by its frenetic energy would branch off into a genre that’s all about taking your time and planning carefully. On the other hand, games like Advance Wars and Wargroove have proven—both in gameplay and aesthetic—that you can apply faster, more arcade sensibilities to Turn-Based Strategy games.
I didn’t really know what to expect with Metal Slug Tactics, and I can safely say it shattered any expectations that I may have had. I don’t think there was a single moment when I was playing this where I didn’t have a massive smile plastered across my face or I was saying, “Wow!” Here is a game that perfectly captures everything that makes Turn-Based Strategy great but feels so authentic to its roots that it almost completely reinvents the genre.
The plot is more or less what you might expect from a Metal Slug game. General Donald Morden has escaped captivity and is up to his old tricks—by which I mean attempted world domination. He’s slowly been freeing his captive comrades, and it’s up to the Peregrine Falcon Squad to take on the job to Regular Army isn’t reckless or crazy enough to attempt and put an end to Morden’s campaign of terror once and for all.
Despite the seven mainline games from which to draw the plot, Metal Slug Tactics keeps it simple in a way that’s perfect for newcomers. It also includes enough homage to the series that longtime fans will definitely appreciate. The narrative really leans into the franchise’s arcade sensibilities, doesn’t really overwhelm the player with too much, and allows the story to unfold in a fun and engaging way. Again, with so many Turn-Based Strategy games encompassing grandiose plots with all kinds of politics and intrigue to keep track of, it was really fun to have a game where the plot feels really light on its feet and focuses more on the fun of gameplay.
“Despite the seven mainline games to draw plot from, Metal Slug Tactics keeps it simple in a way that’s perfect for newcomers, but also includes enough homage to the series that longtime fans will definitely appreciate.”
And I mean it when I say Metal Slug Tactics might be the most fun I’ve had with a Turn-Based Strategy in a long time. It’s the way Metal Slug Tactics combines the fundamentals of a TBS with the fast-paced action of a Shoot ‘Em Up that makes it really special. This is immediately apparent in how players progress through the game. Metal Slug Tactics doesn’t have players fighting through a sequence of battles following a linear story—with optional side missions. Instead, the game lets players choose missions and after completing a certain number, a boss fight will appear.
This means battles are usually smaller scale and a lot faster to get through. And while successful completion of a mission will reward players with XP and money to be spent on upgrades, every mission also challenges players with optional objectives for extra bonuses. On a fundamental level, Metal Slug Tactics feels like an arcade game—having players drop into levels rather than stage every battle on an epic scale.
But how Metal Slug Tactics designed its combat is where its brilliance lies. While players will participate in the standard TBS gameplay—divided as it usually is into a movement turn, an attack turn, and then the enemy turn—but true to its roots, the game has an incredibly strong emphasis on movement and teamwork.
Players are directly incentivized to “Run and Gun,” as moving your character a far distance not only grants defensive bonuses but also Adrenaline which allows characters to use special abilities. Not only that but if characters are positioned within the attack lane of an enemy, they can utilize “Sync Attacks,” allowing them to effectively deal double damage.
Similar to the mainline games, players need to keep moving and work together if they want to survive. It creates a really unique atmosphere for a Turn-Based Strategy game that I really haven’t experienced before. Unlike games like Fire Emblem or even Advance Wars, you’re actively punished for trying to play defensively. Here, there’s a degree of action and movement that needs to constantly be in play, and it makes the whole thing incredibly exciting.
Not only that, but certain battles actively move the battlefield, pushing players to actively progress forward—like they would in side-scrolling Shoot ‘Em Up. After a certain number of turns, previous parts of the map are removed, and any units, friendly or otherwise, left behind are instantly killed. It can make battles incredibly tense but also incredibly engaging.
“There’s a degree of action and movement that needs to constantly be in play and it makes the whole thing incredibly exciting.”
I know I’ve said it 100 times in this short review, but the way Metal Slug Tactics works almost every element of its side-scrolling Shoot ‘Em Up predecessors into a Turn-Based Strategy is really amazing to witness.
However, as much as I love this game, it’s not an entirely perfect experience. There are some little annoyances that may only annoy me, like the inability to quit a run and try again if you mess things up too badly or the inability to lock the enemy’s movement/attack range in the same way you can in Fire Emblem and Wargroove. It’s not the biggest deal, but just that extra layer of convenience would’ve made this an absolutely flawless execution.
Visually, Metal Slug Tactics is incredible. It maintains the series’ iconic style with a really polished 16-bit look and a copious amount of animations. There’s an almost overwhelming amount of detail and personality in every level and character—both enemies and allies. This is all backed by a soundtrack that’s as intense and triumphant as the series’ main entries.
I cannot stress enough just how good Metal Slug Tactics is. The fusion of gameplay styles combined with the incredible aesthetic and soundtrack makes this a game for newcomers and fans of the series alike. It’s so incredibly interesting, so incredibly challenging and above all, so incredibly FUN.
