LogFAQs > #983463305

Metal Slug Tactics (XSX)

I wouldn't say that I'm a fan of Metal Slug, but I was curious on how it would translate to a tactical game. Honestly, the tactics are pretty great. Even though it is a roguelike and this is a crucial aspect to the genre, I was really taken aback by the variety and depth of passives and abilities (I think that they are just called special actions), especially what's unlocked from the start. You are forced to select a dual weapon setup from the start (and you only have one combo available for each of the three initial characters) that you can't change for your run, but it's the passives and special actions that run the game.

That being said, I can't fully recommend this because while the tactical aspect is great, the scenarios/map designs I was overall not pleased with. You have to complete three missions in a map before facing off against a boss and moving onto another map, but you are hamstrung with what missions to choose because you are only able to select those that directly connect to a liberated point on the map. Some of these tasks are pretty basic and you know what you are getting into for the most part (kill everyone, kill all the special targets, survive for x amount of turns, etc...), but some are just absolute shit and/or do not a good enough job describing the mission.

Had I known that ensuring that four civilians survive meant that there were just five on a small map full of enemies with map portions being added every turn full of enemies and that the civilians were out in the open, defenseless, wouldn't move, and would die in one hit, I would never have taken the job. Had I known that destroying a tower meant that the tower was armed and would fire homing missiles with a wide AOE at multiple characters every turn while destroying precious cover, and that the map would continuously spawn in enemies, I would never have taken the job. There are a couple of other mission archetypes that are just plain not fun or challenging in a cool and reasonable way, but man those two are run-enders.

I think that I beat it on my fifth run, which unlocked two more characters for me. I may dabble with this some more since it will presumably be on game pass until at least the fall of 2025, but I'm just dreading being forced into a really crappy mission.