Metal Slug Attack Reloaded is a 2D tower defense game in the Metal Slug series by SNK. I struggle to call it an entirely new entry as it’s a remake of the mobile game Metal Slug Attack. That game ended service last year but now you can play it on modern consoles thanks to Reloaded. It’s been retooled to work on consoles, but it is still very much a mobile game at its core. The mobile game was a micro-transaction-filled gacha fest that wanted to keep you playing. Now, it’s a single-purchase console game that fixes some of the issues of the mobile game.
Metal Slug Attack Gets a Redo
Metal Slug Attack Reloaded is a tower defense game where you and an opponent send in units to destroy the other. You get 10 special units to pick from that you can summon with AP, which naturally builds up. Units also have a special action that builds up and can be used for attack or support. It’s pretty simple by design for anyone to pick up, a holdover from the original mobile version but a welcome one. The game also has auto and fast-forward buttons that I had permanently on after a while. Winning battles will get you different gear that can be equipped to other units to buff them. The first couple of chapters are pretty easy as they slowly introduce the rest of the game mechanics. It feels pretty hollow until you hit the first major difficulty spike.
When you hit your first wall you start to enter the true loop of the game. The game is a complete grind that has you replay battles, level up, get gear, and repeat. At this point, you put every battle on auto with fast forward and just wait. It wants you to grind away and keep getting points so you can summon more units. The only way to get new units is to pull them through summons. You use medals to summon and you naturally get a lot the more you play so you’ll always have the ability to summon if you want to. It’s clear the game originally wanted you to pay to pull more, but since it’s a one-time purchase now, you keep playing until you have enough.
The game was perfect for mobile devices. The loop of auto-battle, check gear, summon units, and repeat is ideal for phones. That core design doesn’t fully translate to console and it just feels like a chore. I can’t help but see where the game originally wanted me to spend money. When I’m grinding, pulling to rank up units, or playing to get gear, I just see an imaginary shop button. This may seem like a strange criticism but when the game design is fundamentally the same it’s hard not to think of it.
I’m glad there are no microtransactions, but I just wish the game was more streamlined. As much as I’m critical of this loop I also have to say it did get me. Playing this on Switch is probably the closest I can get to the original and it worked perfectly. I also incorporated the gameplay loop into my day-to-day life and tasks loop. Although I’ve been critical of the game, I can admit that I’ve spent a lot of time playing and enjoying Metal Slug Attack Reloaded.
Repackaged
Something I can praise Reloaded for is how jam-packed it is with content. The game has a full campaign that spans 16 chapters, each with 4-5 battles. You unlock a lot more as you play the game, like elite difficulty. You unlock another campaign called Another Story that tells the story of each army with 10 chapters each. The game has online too, so you can play against others. I still don’t think I’ve unlocked everything as I have parts of my menu that are question marks. There is a lot in this game, but the core gameplay loop still needs to grab you first and foremost. I’ve played for over a week straight and still haven’t unlocked everything. It feels like you’re constantly unlocking something new which helps give reason to keep playing. What feels like years of content updates is just here from the start and it’s a welcome addition.
I cannot praise is how shallow the content can feel, however. Even with the compelling gameplay loop, it still feels very repetitive at times. The only real difference between the main campaign and the ones in Another Story are battle requirements. The story doesn’t help either, I just drowned it out after a while. I was following it in the beginning but it just became shallow text box after text box. Even the most die-hard Metal Slug fan is just gonna skip them as well. Granted if you are a fan you probably did play this just to pull your favorite characters and it does do that well. As an overall package, there is a lot it offers, and I commend the effort.
Reloaded
Metal Slug Attack Reloaded is an interesting title with simple, tower defense gameplay that’s quick to pick up and put down. The grind can be off-putting, and the core gameplay loop may take some time to get used to. Coincidentally, I can’t deny how much time I’ve put into it, so there’s definitely a case to be made for its great qualities, which led to my absurdly high playtime total on Switch lately. As many criticisms as I have, I still have pulled and maxed out every unit I possibly can so far. While I don’t care for the story, I still have maxed out the equipment load on many characters due to the fun gameplay I experienced. It’s hard to recommend for its story, but gamers can find enjoyment in its gameplay for sure.
Disclaimer: SNK provided a Nintendo Switch copy of Metal Slug Attack Reloaded to Final Weapon for review purposes.
