Screenshots & trailers
Review sentiment over time
Weekly positive-review rate (green) and review volume (bars). Dashed lines mark significant patches; the amber line is the start of the current scoring window. Hover the dots to see what drove a dip or a jump.
How this score was computed
The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (OpenCritic) | – | 74 | 5 |
| Creator reviews (1 tracked) | – | 50 | 0 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 70% | 67 | 1000 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | – | 0 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 69% | 66 | 1 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 4 reviews sampled · 3 total reviews in window · weighted 2.2 up / 1 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (43)
Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.
- 60
“Mercenary Kings: Reloaded takes some serious steps to breathe new life into the gun-toting, fast-paced arcade shooter, resetting your expectations by adding RPG elements such as weapon crafting and loot drops into the mix. It's ambitious, but also sorely repetitious, lacking in mission variety and the kind of enemy AI needed to make the grind feel worthwhile. Blending genres has created a kind of mediocre middle ground, with the only truly exceptional aspect of the game being it's fantastic visual style. The vivid, gorgeous pixel art elevates the experience, as does the ability to jump into local or online co-op with ease, so if you're looking to temporarily swap your Bowgun for an AK-47, then this is definitely still worth a look.”
read full review ↗ - 50
“For every step forward, Mercenary Kings takes two steps back and then moonwalks in a circle while handing out copy pasted missions. I feel bad for harping on Mercenary Kings because I'm such a fan of Paul Robertson's work but this game is below average at best.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“While Mercenary Kings admirably takes some risks to try and create a different kind of experience, and blend together the traditional with the more contemporary, unfortunately the result is a bit muddled. The good news is that for people searching for something different in their shooters, and who are willing to invest the time to get things going, the further you get into the game the more fun it gets to be. If, however, you’re looking for a quick fix of any kind or thirst for an arcade-like experience you’ll be sorely disappointed. If you’re interested in it be sure to read up and look around to be sure it will suit you.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“Mercenary Kings: Reloaded Edition adds two new characters and expands the weapon building but the missions are not balanced for an enjoyable single-player experience. The amazing sprite art and animation is the real star here, but sadly not so much the gameplay. The co-operative mode is definitely how Mercenary Kings was intended to be experienced. The visuals and characters just barely keep this engaging enough to keep people playing solo.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Initial control issues detract from Mercenary Kings' old school ambitions a little, but this is still an enjoyable romp that comes wrapped in a charming pixelated package. The ability to customise your weapons and armour is what sets this release apart, allowing you to inject the kind of personality into the action that its predecessors lack. The mission time limits seem unnecessary, but look past them and you'll find plenty of fun here, especially if you recruit three real-life soldiers to share the frantic foray with.”
read full review ↗ - 85
“The presentation is top notch here and really gives off that old school SNES feel.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“Mercenary Kings: Reloaded Edition does have some interesting aspects to it and performs well in a cooperative pairing.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“For new players, Mercenary Kings Reloaded has its share of enjoyable moments but there are a metric ton of indies on Switch in the same price range that offer a more rewarding and ultimately better experience.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“You'll constantly wish the annoyances would recede so you can wallow in the good stuff - because the good stuff is really good. It's just not enough to lighten what is ultimately a heavy and time-consuming experience. If I could freeze time for that moment, a few hours in, where everything fits into place and Mercenary Kings is my new favourite game, I would. We're so conditioned to equate quantity with quality in gaming that it feels counter-intuitive to criticise an otherwise great game for offering too much, but Mercenary Kings would be twice the game if it were only half the size.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“Mercenary Kings heads down several familiar paths at once, to mixed results.”
read full review ↗ - 80
- 60
“Less than the sum of its many and varied parts, Mercenary Kings never gets the mix of modern and retro influences right, apart from with the amazing visuals.”
read full review ↗
Nintendo Life
FourFaceButtons
Nindie Spotlight
Cubed3
Push Square
ZTGD
Gamerheadquarters
FingerGuns
Eurogamer
GameSpot
GameSkinny
Metro GameCentral…and 31 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- Changelist for r21320 aka Reloaded EditionFeb 5, 2018significant · resets scoring window
- Changelist for r21320 aka Reloaded EditionFeb 5, 2018significant · resets scoring window
- Changelist for r8994Mar 26, 2014
- Changelist for r8157Dec 13, 2013significant · resets scoring window
- Changelist for r8157Dec 13, 2013significant · resets scoring window
- Changelist for r7329Oct 29, 2013
- Changelist for r7329Oct 29, 2013
- Changelist for r7205Oct 18, 2013significant · resets scoring window
- Changelist for r7205Oct 18, 2013significant · resets scoring window
- Changelist for r6932Sep 19, 2013
- Changelist for r6932Sep 19, 2013
- Changelist for r6879Sep 12, 2013
- Changelist for r6879Sep 12, 2013
- Changelist for r6797Sep 5, 2013
- Changelist for r6797Sep 5, 2013
- Changelist for r6762Aug 30, 2013
- Changelist for r6762Aug 30, 2013
- Changelist for r6692Aug 21, 2013
- Changelist for r6692Aug 21, 2013
- Changelist for r6652Aug 15, 2013
- Changelist for r6652Aug 15, 2013
- Changelist for r6619Aug 10, 2013
- Changelist for r6619Aug 10, 2013
- Changelist for r6612Aug 9, 2013
- Changelist for r6612Aug 9, 2013
- Changelist for r6531Aug 5, 2013
- Changelist for r6531Aug 5, 2013
- Changelist for r6510Jul 31, 2013
- Changelist for r6510Jul 31, 2013
- New Update (r6465)Jul 26, 2013
- New Update (r6465)Jul 26, 2013
- New Update (r6455)Jul 24, 2013
- New Update (r6455)Jul 24, 2013
- New Update (r6454)Jul 24, 2013
- New Update (r6454)Jul 24, 2013