Contra is a classic, but Metal Slug is the mad king of retro, vaguely militaristic side-scrolling shooters. A few years ago, license-owner SNK and publisher Dotemo surprised series fans by announcing Metal Slug Tactics, a spin-off by Leikir Studio that trades running and gunning for turn-based strategy. After a long wait, Metal Slug Tactics is finally set to release later in 2024. Based on our time with its demo, we can confidently say that the upcoming PC game (also available on PlayStation, Nintendo, and Xbox consoles) looks like an engaging entry in the tactics genre.
Metal Slug Tactics' Gameplay
If you thought Gears Tactics was a dramatic franchise pivot, Metal Slug Tactics will make your head spin. The original games are about shooting anything and everything as fast as you can. You use big guns against bigger bosses while environments explode and scores grow higher. Metal Slug is extremely fun, and it certainly takes a lot of skill to master. However, it’s a dumb action movie of a game series, something that appears an odd fit for the slower, cerebral turn-based tactics genre.
Fortunately, Metal Slug Tactics nails its gameplay fundamentals. With its contained maps and tight, three-person squads, you could compare it with Mario + Rabbids or XCOM. But more than anything, it's reminiscent of indie hit Into the Breach, which turned giant robot battles into dynamic, tactical skirmishes. Making the most of your units, and maximizing your offense while staying alive, transforms Metal Slug’s traditional fight for survival into a satisfying math puzzle.
You have much to think about while planning your next move. You can move units in any order you like, and undo the action before committing to it should you change your mind. Take the higher ground for a better shot. Flee and take cover to boost your defensive stat. Call in reinforcements for an extra life. Even on low difficulties enemies hit hard, so one wrong decision can quickly spell doom.
You also have plenty of firepower. Units can attack foes, but understanding Sync attacks is key to mastering Metal Slug Tactics. If one unit attacks an enemy that another teammate has eyes on, both characters attack. Since this doesn’t spend the helper’s action point, it’s essentially free damage as long as you carefully consider positioning. Units can also spend ammo on powerful sub-weapons, build up a meter to unleash special attacks, and even hop into a Metal Slug tank for overwhelming aggression. If you can figure out all the variables, executing a perfect efficient maneuver is pure bliss.
(Credit: Dotemu/PCMag)Going Rogue
Much like Into the Breach, Metal Slug Tactics is a roguelike meant to be played again and again. You encounter random levels each run. The demo was limited to the beginning desert area, full of battles against Morden’s army. We tackled different objectives, such as eliminating key targets, escorting allies to safety, surviving for a certain number of rounds, and rescuing the series' familiar shaggy hostages. The trailers have teased boss battles, too. Roguelikes run the risk of repetition, so it's hard to say how long the experience will stay fresh without us having access to the full game.
As you progress, characters level up RPG-style. You gain new abilities and passive perks, such as bullets that ricochet or bonus actions, whenever you score a kill. Completing missions and bonus objectives grants currency you spend on upgrades after death, like alternate load outs. However, many of these features were locked off in the demo.
(Credit: Dotemu/PCMag)Metal Slug Tactics: Graphics and PC Performance
Metal Slug Tactics may not play like classic Metal Slug, but it definitely looks like classic Metal Slug. Hot off of Streets of Rage 4 and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge, Dotemu once again strikes the perfect balance between modern energy and nostalgic memory. Beautiful, bouncy sprites animate with pixelated personality and charm. Chunky weapons impress with every blast. Profile illustrations cut in during dramatic moments. Baddies lose all dignity upon death. Tee Lopes once again delivers a killer soundtrack.
Metal Slug fans will be pleased to see returning characters Eri, Fio, and Marco. Each one has their own specialty; Marco’s a straight shooter while Eri’s grenades damage areas. We’re curious to see who else shows up in the final game and what they bring to the battlefield.
(Credit: Dotemu/PCMag)I played the Metal Slug Tactics demo on a laptop. For whatever reason, the demo doesn’t currently run on Steam Deck. Still, the old-school graphical style means it will easily run at high resolutions and frame rates on various computers.
I saw some screen tearing during my playthrough, but again, this isn’t a finished version. To run Metal Slug Tactics, your PC needs at least an AMD FX-6300 or Intel Core i5-2550k CPU; AMD Radeon HD 7570 or Nvidia GeForce GT 730 (2GB) GPU, 8GB of RAM, and 4GB of disk space. The game is also coming to Nintendo Switch and current-gen and last-gen PlayStation and Xbox consoles.
Planning the Next Move
As someone who loves Metal Slug and turn-based tactics, I’m thrilled that Metal Slug Tactics seems to combine these ideas so successfully. The demo has given us a lot to think about—and it’s just the first taste. The full game comes out later this year.
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