Metal Slug: Attack - Reloaded

Metal Slug Attack Reloaded removes some of the worst bits of the original mobile game's mechanics, but the scaled-back roster and brutal difficulty spikes highlight the excessive grinding needed to make these kinds of games profitable and will probably fail to satisfy any but the most hardcore fans of the original. For better or worse, this feels exactly like a mobile game that has been ported to the Switch, warts and all.

Metal Slug Attack Reloaded is a decent, nostalgic experience with noticeable flaws. It’s best suited for hardcore fans of the franchise or those willing to tolerate its mobile-game roots.

Long story short, we get it: some mobile games are cool and worth porting to a wider console-based audience, but if you’re willing to do so, you need to adjust many of its mechanics in order to properly fit within the appropriate playstyles of such systems. This is not a free-to-play game, and nor does it feature an in-game store, so I really didn’t like how frustrating it was to constantly hit a difficulty wall, only for me to feel forced to go back to previous levels to grind incessantly. The gameplay loop is really repetitive, and the difficulty scaling is a mess, but it works in small bursts.

Metal Slug Attack Reloaded is a massive disappointment. The bones of a fun game are there, but unfortunately, it's dragged down by brutal spikes in difficulty, creating a game that verges on unplayable and certainly unenjoyable.

The best iteration of the franchise in the world of strategy games, Metal Slug Attack Reloaded arrives with lots of action and game options. The traditional production with charismatic visuals and hilarious sound effects is present, making use of the entire history of the franchise to offer a lot of content. It's a shame that the title wasn't able to completely eliminate some of the negative points arising from its origins. Even so, it is worth recommending to tower defense fans and, above all, lovers of this beloved series.

Metal Slug Attack Reloaded is a bad case of transitioning an experience from mobile to consoles and PC. The only case where this doesn't feel as bad is in Switch, where you can play in handheld mode and imagine it's a tablet, but this doesn't eliminate the tedious progression, the unnecessary gacha system, and how everything feels boringness at the end of the day.

Metal Slug Attack Reloaded is a step up from it's original mobile form, but it doesn't fix all the issues. All the touch ups and retooling can't cover up that this was originally a gacha game that wanted you to spend money. If the core gameplay loop clicks for you though, get ready to have this game running for hours as you grind away. Not perfect by any means but something I find myself running in the background as I write this review.

What happens when you slap a bunch of iconic sprites on a boring and tedious mobile game? You get METAL SLUG ATTACK RELOADED.

I honestly had a lot of fun with Metal Slug Attack Reloaded, despite the numerous frustrations caused by the remnants of the original release. However, I can't say it's an easy recommendation for everyone, given the heavy reliance on grind and RNG for progression, which can be a major downside for some players.

After a strong and approachable start, this budget strategy title quickly gets mired in screens, stats, and grinding