Metal Slug: Awakening, a fresh 2.5D rendition of Namco’s beloved arcade masterpiece, is gearing up for a limited-time closed beta in specific regions.
Set to kick off on March 28th and extend for about two weeks until April 10th, the beta will roll out in the United States, United Kingdom, Brazil, Japan, and South Korea.
What’s even better? The beta testing phase for Metal Slug: Awakening is absolutely free, devoid of any in-app purchases.
What sets Metal Slug: Awakening apart is its revamped single-player journey, teeming with eye-catching visuals, an arsenal of new weaponry, and a range of vehicles for players to wreak havoc with.
Beyond that, it’s not just about flying solo; the game introduces both cooperative and competitive multiplayer modes.
Just like the good ol’ Metal Slug days, you can team up with fellow players to tackle adversaries collectively or engage in heated PvP showdowns. And there’s more in store, including new roguelike levels, social features, and other surprises.
Now, introducing competitive multiplayer into a game as frenzied and over-the-top as Metal Slug might raise some eyebrows, but it’s a daring move by HaloPlay Limited nonetheless.
What’s got us even more intrigued is what additional content will be rolled out.
From the snippets of gameplay we’ve caught sight of, it appears that we’re in for a single-player campaign that seamlessly blends classic levels with fresh twists, along with some familiar-looking bosses thrown into the mix.
While Metal Slug: Awakening might not be entirely new, having made its debut in Southeast Asia back in 2023, it’s stepping into new territories.
The real litmus test, however, lies in how this socially-inclined, mobile adaptation, diverging from a pure port of the original, will resonate with today’s audience. Its reception upon release will determine whether it strikes a chord with gamers or not.
