At first, the idea of Metal Slug Tactics can raise an eyebrow. Part of the major appeal of the Metal Slug franchise lies within its trigger-happy, bullet-slinging, explosion-hopping nature. There’s often no time for intricate strategies when you’re scarpering down an endless wooden jetty with a gargantuan crab firing explosive rounds at you. It’s all about trusting your instincts, reflexes, and innate knowledge of the game, and pretty much all the titles in the Metal Slug series reflect this. So, the choice to break from tradition and create a Metal Slug strategy spinoff is perhaps peculiar at first glance and antithetical to the core components of the franchise. But ever since Metal Slug Tactics was announced, I’ve been counting the days until I could play it.
After a long absence, though, we finally have confirmation that Metal Slug Tactics will be released this fall. A demo will be available from June 10th to the 17th. I was fortunate enough to play the demo early and experience the short slice that Dotemu and Leikir Studios are serving up for Steam Next Fest.
Mission Start – Does Metal Slug Tactics Blow Us Away?
Series mainstays Marco, Eri, and Fio make up your party for the initial playtime, and they’re off again to thwart the plans of General Morden, as per usual. There’s very little story to get in the way of the gameplay here, so in that sense, it’s sticking true to its roots. Still, including comm calls at least gives you an idea of what you’re fighting for and who you’re going up against.
The tactical planning starts even as you pick one of the missions offered to you on the campaign map; starting on one node, you get your choice of which mission to tackle next, adding an enjoyable layer of decision-making to the progression. Each mission has a different reward for completing the main objective and an utterly separate reward for clearing the secondary objective, so strategy also comes into play outside the battlefield.
Missions come in several varieties, too: escort missions, destroy all enemies, and kill specific targets. So it’s not always strictly a case of shooting anything that breathes (although missions often do turn into a bloodbath by the end); it’s all about deciphering the most efficient way to complete a mission. While optional, the secondary objectives offer a chance to test your tactical skills. Whether it’s ensuring that you save all the prisoners on a map, taking as minor damage as possible, or having one character contribute to a certain number of frags, each gives just that little something extra to keep your mind racing with strategic possibilities.
Metal Slug Tactics: A Fresh Take on Turn-Based Strategy
As you jump into the action, it quickly becomes apparent that there’s a lot of fun to be had with Metal Slug Tactics’ approach to turn-based strategy. The core concept here is pretty simple: you are encouraged to move as far away from your starting point each turn. Movement in this game generates two resources vital to your success: Adrenaline and Dodge. Adrenaline powers your special actions, while Dodge acts as a defensive shield when you’re attacked, so the further you move, the less damage you’ll take from enemies. It’s a rewarding way to encourage a more active and forward-thinking playstyle, which feels apt for a Metal Slug game. Factor in that you can also use cover to mitigate damage; it makes the act of simple movement much more engaging.
Similarly, you get plenty of choices to consider when it comes time to perform an action; you can either simply open fire at an enemy with one of two weapons at your disposal, or you can do a special action. These can be anything from powerful attacks to unique movement techniques to buffs and debuffs. These can open the door for some funny and unconventional strategies. One technique allows you to make a character immune from harm for a single attack, including the NPCs you escort. With Marco’s Ricochet ability, I could fire at that immune NPC and eliminate a foe that would have been just out of reach otherwise, and moments like this made my time with this demo genuinely memorable.
It’s a rewarding way to encourage a more active and forward-thinking playstyle, which feels apt for a Metal Slug game.
On top of that, if your allies are nearby when you perform an attack, this can trigger them to do their own follow-up attack. This can be especially useful for taking care of bosses, and it feels like you’re coordinating your squad efficiently when you pull off these special synchronization techniques.
Even though there’s so much to consider while playing Metal Slug Tactics, it never felt overwhelming during my time with it. Each mission flows perfectly, one decision will evolve into another until eventually you find yourself coming out on top. Completing missions also grants you the opportunity for character progression, as you’ll be offered weapon mods, new particular actions, and passive abilities to enhance your loadout. With the promise that each campaign starts you off with a fresh loadout, there’ll likely be a great deal of replayability in the entire game!
I found myself extremely satisfied after my brief time with Metal Slug Tactics; its spin on the strategy genre really seems to be set to offer something fresh and engaging. That’s before even getting into the character progression systems and, of course, the expressive pixel art that is such an iconic part of the Metal Slug experience. It may not be quite as frantic as its forebears, but something here clicks and makes this seem like a unicorn that was always destined to succeed.
Metal Slug Tactics is set to release in Fall 2024, and I can’t wait to play it. The demo is available now until June 17th.
