Tips and Tricks for Metal Slug Tactics

Key Takeaways

• Characters have unique weapons and actions; understand each to maximize effectiveness.
• Utilize Synchronization for more damage; consider positioning and movement carefully.
• Don’t hoard Adrenaline; use Special Actions strategically to win missions aggressively.

Metal Slug Tactics is a wild departure from previous metal slug games. The games feature a fast-paced run-and-gun mentality, with players having a lot to react to on-screen while a counter ticks down pushing them to make it to the end of the stage in time.

Metal Slug Tactics lets players plan out their course of action, selecting numerous characters, deciding where they should move, and how they should attack. The game also makes use of many roguelike elements, causing players to play through numerous runs across four regions. It’s all a lot to take in, and for players just starting out, these Metal Slug Tactics beginner tips should help them get familiar with this tactics game.

7 Know Your Deployed Characters

More Characters, More Options

• Different run completion conditions can award new characters
• Diversify each character’s Loadout to always have options

Metal Slug Tactics is the series’ first tactical installment, so it feels very different from other installments. Each character will have different weapons, passives, and Special Actions. Players will want to give their characters a once-over before deploying them to ensure they understand how each of them will work on the same battleground.

For example, Eri is all about bombs and explosions, and this can see her allies caught up in the damage when characters get scrunched up in a corner. When using a Synchronization attack, Eri can throw a grenade to hit the enemy being attacked, even if it is not directly thrown at them.

6 Practice Synchronization

Getting The Hang Of Synchronization Will Be Invaluable

• Think before you start moving characters
• Try to get the most synchronization out of every turn

A mechanic that players will want to get the most out of is Synchronizations. When a player makes an attack with any deployed character, any other character that could hit the target from where they are will also get to make an attack.

Players will want to constantly be triggering Synchronizations to ensure they deal the most damage possible every turn, as neglecting them can utterly tank their team’s damage output. Eri’s Mad Bomber passive lets her gain bonus movement each time an enemy dies from an attack she is involved in, allowing her to keep moving and gaining bonus Synchronization attacks for the turn.

5 Stay On The Move

Always Be Building Adrenaline

• Adrenaline fuels a character’s Special Actions
• Each turn can build up a different amount of dodge

Players will want to keep using as much movement as they can each turn, as this will build up their Adrenaline. Adrenaline is an important resource for characters’ Special Actions. This is a brilliant way to adapt the original game’s focus on constant movement and shooting to a tactics formula.

Another benefit to constantly moving is that characters will be harder to hit. Players may want to cut their movement short by a cell in order for the best long-term strategies, and to avoid ending up in an unfavorable position.

4 Spend Your Adrenaline

Special Actions Can Win Missions

• Adrenaline does not carry over to the next mission
• Not using Special Skills can cost players runs

Players should never hoard their Adrenaline, they should be making constant use of their Special Actions for each mission. Just like with ignoring Synchronization, ignoring Special Actions will result in players having a harder time completing missions.

Unlike Tactical RPGs that encourage being defensive, Metal Slug Tactics should be played aggressively, and the focus should be on dealing more damage than opponents can keep up with. Not all Special Actions will focus purely on dealing damage, but they can still open the door to it, such as moving an enemy directly to where the most Synchronization can occur.

3 Don’t Rely On Cover

Only Use Cover Temporarily

• Run into cover to end turns
• Don’t stay behind cover

The game does provide players with cover that can raise their defense, and it doesn’t matter which side this cover is on. These covers are great for ending a turn, but players should never hunker down, as this will drop their Adrenaline yield.

This in turn will slow down their optimal potential for the battle and could work against them. Players will want to make use of cover when moving into an area that has it, but should not forgo movement to stay near cover for the sake of safety.

2 Unlock New Loadouts

Keep Adding New Ways To Play

• Each character has multiple loadouts
• Don’t have all characters playing the same way

As players progress through the game, they will gain Coins to use on their current run, and unspent coins will be converted to Credits. Credits can be used to purchase entirely new Loadouts for characters. These Loadouts can open up a whole world of new possibilities for players who are struggling to progress further in the game.

One Loadout might be very melee-focused, and another might excel by making use of different elevations. Players that have Synchronization down to a science can make use of Loadouts that focus heavily around this mechanic. Just don’t have every character adopting a melee playstyle, as this can result in a situation where no character is suited for the job.

1 Use Vehicles

Vehicles Are Overpowered

• Prioritize getting closer to vehicles
• Use vehicles in any levels they appear in

Vehicles are incredibly powerful in Metal Slug Tactics, and players should make getting near one their go-to starting gambit. Once players have a vehicle, they can use it to dispatch troublesome enemies and reduce the overall threat level of a map early on in the mission.

Vehicles can also perform multiple attacks in a single turn, and have plenty of AoE explosions to wipe out groups of enemies—just be sure to Eject before it reaches its limit.