Metal Thunder Review Summary

Last updated: 2026-02-12
  • Fun and addictive gameplay experience.
  • AC-130 management is a highlight feature.
  • Good value for the price offered.
  • Slow reload times affect gameplay negatively.
  • Lack of gameplay variety over time.
  • Frequent performance issues and crashes.
Metal Thunder header

Emotions

What players like:

Common complaints:

Gameplay feedback:

Performance notes:

Recommendations:

Other player notes:

Review evidence

Why players say this

What players like

Game praised for fun and addictive gameplay: Many players describe the game as fun, addictive, and enjoyable. It is seen as a good way to pass the time and provides a satisfying gameplay loop.

AC-130 management is a highlight: Players enjoy the unique perspective and gameplay mechanics of managing and operating an AC-130 gunship, finding it fun and engaging.

Good value for the price: The game is often praised for being worth the price, especially when on sale. Players feel they get good value for the cost.

Tower defense and roguelike elements: The inclusion of tower defense and roguelike elements makes the game interesting and adds depth to the gameplay.

Variety of maps and challenges: The game offers a variety of maps, each with its own challenges. This variety adds to the game's replayability and enjoyment.

Common complaints

Slow reload times: Many players have complained about the excessively long reload times for weapons. This issue makes the gameplay feel sluggish and less enjoyable, as players spend more time reloading than engaging in combat.

Lack of gameplay variety: The gameplay is criticized for being monotonous and repetitive. There is a lack of enemy variety and formations, which makes the game feel stale quickly.

Poor game balance: The game suffers from balance issues, including cumbersome gameplay and repetitive mechanics. These issues make the game less engaging and more frustrating for players.

Sound design issues: Players have noted that the sound effects and overall audio design in the game are lacking. This includes poor sound effects and a lack of variety in the soundtrack.

Numerous bugs: The game is reported to be very buggy, with various bugs affecting missions and overall gameplay. This significantly impacts the player experience.

Gameplay and performance

Upgrade systems for weapons: Players can upgrade their weapons using various systems, including persistent upgrades and in-game currency earned during stages.

Survival mode focus: The game prominently features a survival mode, where players face continuous waves of enemies and aim to survive as long as possible.

AC-130 gunship mechanics: The game features AC-130 gunship mechanics, allowing players to control or utilize a gunship in combat scenarios.

Tower defense elements: Incorporates tower defense gameplay, where players must defend a base or position from waves of enemies.

Vampire Survivors-like gameplay: The gameplay mechanics are similar to Vampire Survivors, involving survival elements and continuous combat.

Severe FPS drops during gameplay: Players experience significant frame rate drops, especially during intense moments with many enemies and explosions. This issue is widespread and severely impacts the gameplay experience.

Weapon upgrades cause lag: Upgrading weapons, particularly those with high fire rates or area-of-effect capabilities, causes significant lag and performance issues.

Frequent game crashes: Several players have reported frequent game crashes, which disrupt the gaming experience and indicate stability issues.

Performance issues on high settings: Players with high-end hardware experience performance issues when running the game on high settings, though some believe these issues may be resolved upon full release.

Screen tearing and resolution issues: There are reports of screen tearing and resolution issues, which can detract from the visual quality of the game.

Recommendations

Highly recommended game: Many players highly recommend the game for its value and enjoyment, even at full price. It is suggested for anyone looking for a similar experience.

Wait for sale or discount: Several reviews suggest waiting for a sale or discount before purchasing the game to get better value for money.

Mixed feelings on gameplay: Some players feel the game is fun but has flaws and limitations. Others suggest trying the game and refunding if not satisfied.

Wait for full release: Some players recommend waiting for the full release or the full campaign release before buying the game.

Gameplay improvements needed: Suggestions for gameplay improvements include reducing mission times, expanding firepower each round, and adding a restart button after each sortie.

Other review notes

Game in Early Access: The game is currently in Early Access as of January 2026, which means it is still under development and may have unfinished features or bugs.

Low storage requirement: The game has a low storage requirement of only 1GB, making it accessible for players with limited storage space.

Missing sea mission: Players are questioning the absence of a mission that takes place at sea, suggesting it might be a notable omission in the game's content.

Feedback requires Discord: There is no convenient way to provide feedback without joining the game's Discord server, which might be a barrier for some players.

Ads for other games: There are advertisements for other games within this game, which some players might find intrusive or distracting.