39.7 hours played
Written 25 days ago
[h3]注：本测评中，有中文评测在下文中。[/h3]
This time, I’m reviewing two games together: [b]Metal Slug Tactics[/b] and [b]StarVaders[/b]. Both games share the same genre: they’re roguelike turn-based strategy games. But if we look at their core gameplay, they’re very different. [b]Metal Slug Tactics[/b] focuses on character progression in a tactics-style game, while [b]StarVaders[/b] is all about building card decks like a poker game. Because of this difference, the two games have very different experiences. Modern players have clear preferences for game pace, difficulty changes, and dopamine hits, so slow-burn games are becoming more niche—and they often get negative reviews. Metal Slug Tactics is a clear example of this trend, while [b]StarVaders[/b] is the opposite. But for me, both are excellent roguelike turn-based strategy games. Let’s take a closer look at each one.
[b]Metal Slug Tactics[/b] is a spinoff of the [b]Metal Slug[/b] series, so as a long-time fan, I’m naturally fond of it. The early [b]Metal Slug[/b] games had detailed pixel art and satirical Japanese style that set them apart. Their great side-scrolling shooter gameplay was a huge hit across East Asia in the late 1990s, and home console ports helped them gain fans in places like North America and Latin America. Today, while [b]Metal Slug[/b] isn’t as big as it used to be, it’s still a classic IP for many older players.
In [b]Metal Slug Tactics[/b], you’ve got a roguelike spin on turn-based tactics gameplay, focusing on character growth outside of battle. Unlike games like [b]Fire Emblem[/b] or [b]Ogre Battle[/b], which blend in- and out-of-battle character development, [b]Metal Slug Tactics[/b] keeps character progression mostly outside of battles. This approach lets the game double down on roguelike elements and keep the battles themselves simpler—no character leveling inside combat. Some players find this design choice controversial, but personally, I think it works well. Outside of battles, you get rich and varied progression, while inside, you can focus fully on tactical planning. In combat, the game has a unique system: attacking and defending resources are linked to how characters move and where they stand. This means you’re always weighing risk and reward—especially on high difficulties, where every decision counts. The real challenge is planning your character growth for the long term outside of battle, while aiming for short-term wins inside. That’s why [b]Metal Slug Tactics[/b] can be tough for today’s players to fully embrace, but if you’re into hardcore tactics games, I highly recommend it. The higher difficulties are very well-designed and worth experiencing.
Here’s a few simple tips if you’re starting out: in general, prioritize Grenades first. For passive skills, focus on movement range or damage early on. For active skills, pick cheap ones that give you more turns or let you reposition. In battle, use height differences to create more resources. Once your character builds are set, even the highest difficulties will start to feel a lot easier.
Now let’s talk about [b]StarVaders[/b]. It’s also a roguelike, but the core gameplay is about building powerful card deck. While it has some tactics-style elements, it feels more like a vertical bullet-hell shooter adapted to a card-based system—and the way it all comes together is really impressive. If you’ve played [b]Slay the Spire[/b], you’ll find the learning curve for [b]StarVaders[/b] very smooth. The creator has said the idea came from [b]Slay the Spire[/b], and they were also inspired by [b]Into the Breach[/b]. In the actual gameplay, it has some tactical elements, but the deck-building aspect completely changes the experience. Unlike [b]Metal Slug Tactics[/b], where you’re carefully calculating moves to maximize limited resources, in [b]StarVaders[/b], you can use card combos to turn those limited resources into overwhelming, even infinite power. It’s all about letting your creativity run wild and blasting through enemies. As your deck gets stronger, the game starts to feel more and more like a vertical shooter. But unlike most shooters, in [b]StarVaders[/b] you’re the one generating the bullet-hell! If you can build an unstoppable deck, even with tons of debuffs, enemies will feel powerless.
This is what makes [b]StarVaders[/b] so unique and fun. It’s easy to pick up and has a fast pace. As you master your deck and pull off huge combos, the dopamine hits over and over again—it’s pure joy. This is why the game gets such great reviews. Of course, the gameplay itself is excellent too. But the flip side of these powerful card combos is that even on the hardest difficulties, it can feel like there’s not much challenge left, which is my only small complaint.
So, while both games look similar on the surface—roguelike turn-based strategy—their core gameplay and experiences are completely different. For me, both offer unique and valuable experiences. Times change, and not every game can achieve big commercial success, but they each have real meaning and value. That’s why I wanted to do this joint review: to show how much we can learn from games that focus on gameplay and fun, especially in today’s gaming world, full of marketing noise and hype. Here’s to the small indie devs who keep creating new and exciting games, even if they don’t always get the spotlight.
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这次将[b]合金弹头战略版[/b]和[b]星之侵略者[/b]两款游戏放在一起作一个联动评测。
两款游戏从相似点来看，都是以肉鸽like+回合制为类型的策略游戏，但从核心玩法而言，二者存在着本质上的区别，[b]合金弹头战略版[/b]属于角色养成战棋，而[b]星之侵略者[/b]则是卡牌构筑为主的扑克，这也导致二者从游戏体验上来说，有着非常大的差异，而这份差异也间接地表现出来，当代游戏玩家对于游戏节奏，难度变化和多巴胺刺激都有着明显地改变，从而使那些慢热的游戏越来越小众，甚至更容易贴上负面评价的标签，比如合金弹头战略版便是这种改变下一个很明显的负面代表，而星之侵略者则是它的反面，但对我而言二者都是非常优秀的肉鸽like回合策略游戏，接下来会对这两款游戏进行更为细致的测评。
[b]合金弹头战略版[/b]作为[b]合金弹头[/b]系列的衍生作品，毫无疑问对于我这种死忠粉，有着先天的好感加成，这个系列早期作品中，以细腻的像素美术，与充满日式反讽自嘲的浮夸艺术表现，为这个系列整体基调打下一个非常醒目的标签，再加上优秀的横板射击游戏关卡设计，在90年代后期可谓是红遍整个东亚地区，之后加上家用机的移植，让其在海外地区，尤其北美与拉美地区有着相当大的受众群体。当今，[b]合金弹头[/b]这个系列的影响力虽大不如前，但其仍是一众老派玩家的经典IP。
[b]合金弹头战略版[/b]，作为一款融入肉鸽like元素，以角色养成与战棋为核心玩法的回合策略游戏，其整体设计偏向更为老派且进行减法的内容设计，使其也有别于[b]火焰纹章[/b]或[b]皇家骑士团[/b]这类老派的战棋游戏，而这种区别主要集中于，前者角色养成以局外为主导，后者则是局内外均有存在。
这种差异也使前者可以更注重肉鸽like元素，来对局外角色养成玩法进行更丰富扩展，进而对局内游戏有着减法上的设计，即无任何角色养成元素，而这种减法设计，毫无疑问存在着很多争议，但对我个人而言，是完全可以接受理解的，且局外养成要素足够丰富多样的前提下，在局内战斗中，玩家可以集中于更多策略尝试来攻略关卡，并且其局内也存在其自身特色战斗系统设计，即进攻资源与防守资源高度相关角色的行动路径与位置选择，使得玩家在策略上时刻存在着风险与收益的考量，尤其高难度下，更是极限压榨玩家的脑细胞，使得局外角色养成与局内战斗有了前后呼应的关系，因此[b]合金弹头战略版[/b]游戏体验精华就是，在高难度下，局外进行角色养成长期规划，局内下好棋谋求短期收益最大化，所以正是基于这种老派硬核的玩法下，负面评价屡见不鲜，也正如我之前已经说明过，合金弹头战略版这种玩法偏向老派的游戏在这个年代想取得玩家的普遍接受是非常困难的，但我个人仍然对其有着非常高的评价，如果你是位硬核向战棋类游戏玩家，[b]合金弹头战略版[/b]的高难度是有着非常不错的内容设计，也值得花时间去充分体验。
最后，提供一些简单的攻略建议，全局游戏中主武器选择以投掷类先，角色被动技能选择前期以扩大移动或增加伤害为主，角色主动技能选择前期以低费且可以制造多回合或位移为优，战斗中充分使用高低差移动制造更多资源，后期角色的build完善后，即使高难度下，体验会明显变化很多。
[b]星之侵略者[/b]作为一款肉鸽like卡牌build为核心玩法的游戏，看似融入了一定的战棋玩法元素，但对我而言更像将竖版弹幕游戏元素完美地适配到扑克卡牌游戏上，但这些不同玩法元素融合后的完成度，可玩性以及创新性之高，是让我非常惊叹的。
只要接触过[b]杀戮尖塔[/b]的玩家均会自然到无缝过渡到[b]星之侵略者[/b]的基础玩法上，二者局外设计逻辑几乎一致，且[b]星之侵略者[/b]的制作者也表明其创意来自[b]杀戮尖塔[/b]，同时也受到[b]陷阵之志[/b]的影响，而这一点则是体现在其局内的玩法上，有着明显回合战棋的感觉，但实际游戏体验上，以卡牌为build下的战棋游戏，有了完全不同于一般战棋类游戏的体验，正如上述介绍的[b]合金弹头战略版[/b]，玩家需要时刻权衡自己在有限资源创造最大收益，进行脑内各种棋局回合的演绎，但在卡牌build加持下的“伪”战棋游戏[b]星之侵略者[/b]中，则是玩家可以充分发挥卡牌build带来的极限combo，让有限的资源变化为充足甚至无限的资源，来将自己无尽的创意和快感释放到敌人头上，大杀四方，游戏的体验随着卡牌build越来越成型后，逐渐变成类似于竖版射击弹幕游戏，而不同于一般的竖版射击游戏，在[b]星之侵略者[/b]中玩家是那个绝对的弹幕制造者，只要你能build的出一套OP到无解的卡组，高难度下，甚至各类debuff加持下，敌人也会显得如此卑微渺小。
这就是[b]星之侵略者[/b]最独特且有趣的体验，其上手难度不高，且节奏轻快，在玩家逐渐掌握全部主动权后，每次完成清场或者高连击后，多巴胺分泌反复达到顶点后，快感络绎不绝，这也是其能如此获得这么好评价，当然其优秀的游戏内容和体验，也值得如此成功，但也正如我所言，由于卡牌build所能创造资源的上限之高，让其游戏难度即使高难度之下很难具有充分的挑战，这点也很难让我满意。
作为看着相似，但游戏体验和核心玩法有着完全不同的两款肉鸽like回合策略游戏，对于我而言，二者都有着自身独特的体验，而这种体验虽然会随着时代发生变化，抛开追求商业上的成功，它们都有着自身价值和意义，这也是我想通过这次联动测评来表达出来的想法，尤其基于当今宣发至上，AI洗文，营销为王的后现代网络环境下，多一些声音基于游戏的玩法设计和体验乐趣，来声援那些默默无闻，但为了创造更多丰富乐趣的独立游戏开发者们。
