Metal Slug Tactics

Play it on: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, Windows (Steam Deck YMMV)
Current goal: Complete a full run

People love Into the Breach. Its particular puzzle-centric spin on turn-based tactics isn’t exactly my cup of tea, although I can still appreciate its elegant design and beautiful presentation. For me, the peak of turn-based strategy is still Final Fantasy Tactics, where deep job systems let you customize a party of grid-based fighters to take on battles in clever and unexpected ways. Metal Slug Tactics occupies a place between the two in a neat little roguelike package that balances thoughtful combat with run-and-gun arcade instincts. I’ve had a lot of fun blitzing through missions with my nimble three-fighter squads in order to get to rewarding but challenging boss fights in the pursuit of unlocking new areas, characters, and upgrades.

There are a lot of clever little wrinkles in Metal Slug Tactics that make it feel distinct from both other retro-inspired roguelike remixes and beloved tactics-RPG knockoffs. I’m not sure if it will be able to hold my attention over the long haul, but early on, there’s still plenty of things I’m discovering and learning that keep it from feeling like a repetitive grind. My only real quibbles with it are some stuttering performance on PS5 and a pretty hostile UI that sports incredibly hard to read font sizes. — Ethan Gach