Mercenary Kings is a $15 loveletter to the mid-'90s shoot 'em up. As one of up to four interchangeable mercenaries you'll wade through a jungle rescuing prisoners, lobbing an unlimited supply of bullets at an unlimited supply of foes, and hoarding assorted odds and ends to craft new and improved implements of destruction. Why? Because reasons.
The game is the brainchild of developer Tribute Games, and is currently available as an early-access release on Steam. The run-and-gun gameplay and fantastic spritework are clearly reminiscent of the legendary Metal Slug series, but the developers have driven the action in a decidedly different direction.
Shoot all of the things!
You'll be approaching the game's levels through distinct missions: rescue a few POWs, take out a particular kind of enemy, track down a boss, or perhaps hoard some raw materials to spruce up your warcamp. Each mission has a set time limit and you'll need to roam the map, wading through enemies while completing objectives. The pace remain fast and chaotic but it's less Metal Slug or Contra, and more Mega Man dashed with a Metroidvania's exploratory bent.
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