Metal Slug Tactics combines strategy RPGs with the classic shoot-’em-up formula

SNK is combining the classic shoot-e’m-up series Metal Slug with the strategy RPG formula to create Metal Slug Tactics. While no release date is set, its reveal trailer at Geoff Keighley’s Summer Game Fest showed off enough gameplay to let us know what it’s about.

Metal Slug is one of SNK’s most most popular arcade properties, known for its frantic shooter gameplay. This new title is pulling away from that style to put its characters in a Fire Emblem-like setting. It appears to use a similar gridlike combat system as that series, with Metal Slug characters battling from a top-down perspective.

This isn’t the first time Metal Slug is taking an SRPG approach to gameplay. In 2009, SNK released Metal Slug Tactics for mobile platforms in Japan. This game went more in the direction of Advanced Wars.

The new Metal Slug Tactics is being developed by Leikir Studio, the team behind Steam titles like Rogue Lords and Wondershoot. It features the detailed and wonderfully animated sprite work that the series is known for. While fans of classic Metal Slug gameplay may miss the frantic nature of the original, this new spinoff has a lot of familiar faces that should excite fans.

The producers of the game include Dotemu, which has made its name known to retro game fans with such titles as Streets of Rage 4 and Windjammers 2. It’s also behind the upcoming Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge.

Metal Slug Tactics hasn’t been confirmed for a set release date just yet, but it will most likely launch sometime in 2021.

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